Alpha Male

I like some sparse rushes with laydowns near ledges or heavy weeds and lilypads

Where abouts do you fish? I fish a couple of smaller lakes around lake mille lacs and I also usually get 15-20 with 7-10 keepers. Although I can say that late last year I spent 13 hours on the water with 4 fish and had a great day.

TW still has the Daiwa T3 Ballistic for 109 instead of 250$. I would say thats the best deal out there.

I take 8-10. But I dont just go for bass either. I have the crappie setup, trolling, walleye, and a muskie/pike rod.

Yozuri 3db.

Well the LTB uses higher grade graphite, reel seat, guides and other technologies. I do think that it is of higher quality, at least the "plastics" one that I have feels nice. I wasnt interested at all in a heavy action St. Croix rod and I think you should try and get your hands on a Medium or Med-Heavy you might like them.

I agree and disagree with some of the things you said. I do not agree that just because St Croix makes the LTB and they call them "TS" that the Avids or Legends are of less quality. I feel the same goes for other manufactures as well. I have the LTB "plastics" rod because I needed a Medium Fast rod and wanted the Higher modulus graphite. I feel that the LTB rod acts like it should. I love the 2 avids I have as well as the 2 triumphs. I pay less attention to the word of what technique the rod says and more to how it feels. I passed on the St Croix Mojo Flippin stick because I didnt care for the action, Instead I chose the Daiwa Cielo. Now I havent had a chance to use it yet but it feels like I expect a Heavy fast rod to feel. I feel its up to the consumer to know what they want and not to pay attention to the words written on the rod except for the line/lure rating.

I just outgrew my 9606 and bought a Cabelas advanced angler tackle bag. It fits everything I have with plenty of room for a while From the left I have 2-3731's for my plastics, 2-3750's one for buzzbaits and skirts and trailers the other for bobber fishing/crappie fishing, 2-3771's for crankbaits and other hard baits, 2-3701's one for jigs and frogs the last one is all for hooks and jigheads. the end side pocket is for my 3607 with spinnerbaits, and the 3600 in the from is all my weights. left front pocket is for line spools and my scale, and the left side pocket is for sunscreen and bugspray. thats all of it. If you take your time and organize it once you dont have to do it again. wanting you oogle you're tackle under the pretense of "organizing" is your call, I know I do it at least once a week. My weakness is rods and reels. Spooling, switching, and re-spooling.

Same for me. So over the last few months I have picked up a couple of lipless, SK 3-5-6XD's, and 3 storm arashi's

Maybe its just me but i couldnt do a replica. the same way I dont have a replica elk, white tail, and sika buck on the wall.

opps. i meant to say 3" difference. from the 6.4:1 to the 7.1:1

you can. It wont hurt anything. some reels need it some dont. I put braid on my shimano solstace and it woulndnt bite the spool. then on others it worked fine.

Unless you have small hands the hump on the avids is very nice. It gives you a better grip IMO.

I personally dont worry about it that much. especially when its that good of a deal. Im assuming its a gen 3 STX? in the gen3 its only 3" per turn.

I had looked at those, I did know the difference. And thanks about the kooks

So most of you guys hook a snap to the split ring? Obviously some of you tie right to the split ring. Im just trying to get a feel for the best way to handle these. I do have some crankbaits that feel like they could benefit from some new trebles. any brand recommendations? red vs black vs nickel? Size of the hooks to body ratio? thanks guys

which ones are you using?

thanks for the heads up guys.

I have not extensively fished many crankbaits in the last few years. Mostly a plastics and spinnerbaits kinda guy here. I have recently succumbed to cabin fever and purchased a few hard baits. a couple jerkbaits, topwater, lipless, and a number of crankbaits for various depths. My question is; do any of you crankbait guys worry about the split ring that you tie your line to damaging your line? do you ever remove it? Thanks in advance.

You hollow them out enough to insert a Lundy rig float inside. That's what I do for a Caroline rig to keep it off the bottom.

3 out of 5 extra fast rods? I know its preference, and I dont care for them. Have you used extra fast rods a lot before? do you know that you will like them? and the first 2 are both heavy ex-fast.

Benchmade pocket knife. Rule#9: never go anywhere without a knife

I feel that I can control the rod better with my right hand so Im switching to all lefty retrieve reels.

I just looked online and they don't have the PQ listed on sale. Its still at 99.99. Is that an in-store only sale?

Well the medium avid is rated for 1/4-5/8 and the med-heavy is rated for 3/8-1oz. Unless your going to throw 3/4oz baits I would get the medium