Master Bait'r

Dammyt Jim, I'm a doctor not a DSG associate

Do what I did last year- before you go out each time, leave one or more things you didn't use last time home. You'll be down to fightin' weight in no time.

Uptons is the best. Hershey blue and diamond craw all the way but all his colors are awesome!

The only place I'mma flip mine is into my boat with a fat ol hoss wrapped around it haha

Will the SV spool drop into the other Alphas variants? Specifically the Ai. If someone is swapping out that could be a nice easy upgrade for me.

Degrease and flush the reel and bearings, re-oil with super fine oil. Try again.

Uptons are the best worms ever. Their colors are amazing. One peek at a bag of Hershey blue stripe or diamond craw dragon tails and there is no going back. They're bullying roboworms right out of my plastics tray.

It's the 852 you sold me! Still got it and still love it! It's my midweight plastics and jig rod so it gets a ton of use.

This is going to be a fun combo. Talk about feathery light! Wow! Every time I take it out I'm still kind of shocked at how light and palmable it is.

You know a guy is ready to gun down KVD on the water when he's got his house, boat and truck all wrapped in TW stickers. Zeth I like you already man, the bait monkey is strong with you. Be sure to post pics.

I have been known to lay a dime or two. Stainless micro mesh welding, two dissimilar thicknesses and no burn-through allowed. Ugh. I can't wait for more heavy Code work, this little stuff is killing me.

See that's the beauty of having so many options. I can spin up a palomar or double palo for braid really quickly but the Alberto takes me what feels like forever and I have a harder time the finer the lines- and heaven forbid I screw it up... This feels like it ties so easily. I know I can figure it out. That's what's particularly appealing to me- just the ease of the side to side loops under tension. It makes sense in my head, I just need the physical part to come together and build up some hand/eye/muscle memory. Also I feel like the subject matter is of importance too- it looks like the guy in the video is using ~#20lb PP and #15ish flouro or something. That braid is tiiiiiny in relation to the leader and I think that is going to matter. I don't know if you can get results like that with #50 braid and #10 flouro, but time and practice will tell. I'm going to give it some tries with #20 to #12 and see how it does.

The solution is simple. The next time you go there, go when you know he will be working and go with your friend/his boss. Say nothing. Do nothing. The situation will fix itself instantaneously and you will not have to say or do a thing.

Pad ring!? Perfect!! I think of that line of pads as the trenches- that line of cover bass use to ambush their prey, also smaller fish use these weeds to hide and survive. It's a battleground, and the most prominent thing you have to key on. It's also a pretty decent indicator of depth change- it's a topo map ring of sorts. If you're in a jon boat and having no success casting AT the line and working pinpoints, get right up in it and cast PARALLEL to the line. Work the bait right along that line of consistent depth- whatever it may be in the situation- but you're trying to present the bait to as much of that ambush/strike zone as possible. That wall of weeds or at some point something at a grade below it you may not be able to see has fish in it and you need to find that depth and cover. You can do it with a crank, a worm, weighted plastic creatures, a swimbait, spinnerbait, etc. all depending on your situation, but I like to mentally work my way down the topo lines provided by the weeds. It gives you a better understanding of the shape of the bottom and you can basically map out the lake/pond/cove that way pretty efficiently. If they're down under the pads though, I like to work a pointy, compact and heavy frog across the tops as a search bait... If something takes a whack at it but misses or I see a follow swell I follow up immediately with a little punch rig as close as I can manage to it- All I use to get through the pads is like 30lb braid, with a heavy bait-appropriate EGW hook, probably a pit boss or rage craw on the hook and a pegged punch skirt in front of it. Toss it out there, get it through, let it fall and *if* it hits the bottom give it a little shake. Set the hook if you feel any ticks along the way. Piece of cake my man! Siebert Outdoors is a great place to explore if you want to see some punch rigs even just punch jigs. You simply cannot go wrong with a Siebert jig. The cover you describe is literally what I seek out most often though. Smaller lakes and big ponds with a thick ring of vegetation, little to no boat access and maybe even a hairy portage. That is my go-to. Killer fishing and no other people.

Also by far the smelliest and greasiest bait I've ever *attempted* to handle. I don't know who decided that packing them in trash juice scented love lube would make them better but I disagree with them.

My gf has the same car and I love that thing. Runs great, rides smooth, is awesome in the snow and gets killer mileage. It's our go-to ski gear + dog + kids road trip car in the winter with a huge roof box, and then the roof box gets switched out for double yak racks in the summer. Great car! Just do yourself a favor now and get the anti-rust coating underneath and especially in the wheel wells- Those cars ALWAYS rust out from the wheel wells first. Love the Outbacks though. One of the best all-around cars ever made IMO. It just does it all in spades and you can even sleep in the back in a pinch- now if only I could afford an RS6 Avant

Nah. Pretty stoked on the Yo-Zuri Prism Craw though. Can't wait to try that one. Looks and feels very nice.

Forgot about the z man punch craws. Easiest, most durable shakyhead/standup craw ever!

The bait monkey wants to know what goodies you're gonna pick up with the other $100 haha Last TW order before spring is done for me. Plastics are totally set. Just need one more specific frog that shant be mentioned, one spool of line and I'm off to the races.

Is that a light one? Looks great!

I use the grass minnows all the time and love them. I was looking to grab a few of those with my next TW order to compliment the grass minnows and weedless gill on it's way now. Can't see them not working well- they are a Hudd after all!

If you're concerned at all, you may simply feel better doing it and sometimes that's all that really matters. I never heard of anybody regretting doing a good flush and re-lube with some really nice oil. That said, I highly doubt it's needed to throw baits out of the box if that's what you're worried about. I'd fish it and then do the flush, just to actually feel the difference in my hard work.

Hemocuts, trauma scissors or boomerangs are all good things to check out, as depending on what you're looking for one of them will serve your needs adequately without breaking the bank.