Choporoz

No email...but checked site...mine still says "backordered"...will be cancelled, I'm certain . As someone who has spent most of the last 40 years in inventory management, I am simultaneously outraged and sympathetic

Lots of information...and unfortunately, much of it is conflicting...search BR for posts by @Way2slow with 'charger'.....your level of knowledge will skyrocket https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/search/?&q=charger&author=way2slow

I'm going to go ahead and jack your thread for a sec....hope you don't mind.... I think your intent is fine, but if you use a thread like this to make future purchases...well...beware. Very few replies will give you apples to apples comparisons. For example, I have a Daiwa reel that I love....and I have a Pinnacle that I hate...and I had a Quantum that failed after a couple weeks. Without a LOT more context, I could easily drive you to ill-informed decisions. The Daiwa I speak of above retails for many times what the other two cost me. After years of avoiding Quantum, I have since developed a great affection for them. Most of my most recent baitcasting reel purchases have been Quantums. But, unless you know that any poster replying here has used reels of comparable application (spinning v baitcasting/round v low profile/low v high gear ratio, etc.) and price range, you really don't have data that's useful. You may find better info in threads about specific type of reel in specific price range - and ask for users with experience across multiple brands.

Thanks. I've got a bunch of Smoke reels, but haven't tried this. I've no reason to believe this isn't a terrific deal, so I got one. I love my Quantum reels; but the truly great thing about them IS that they don't get all the love....when they close out a line, the offers are extremely good. I think I paid between $75 and $105 new for all my Smokes...don't really need a reel today, but...

+1 Never got a bite in first few times out, so now they don't catch for me...but maybe only because I don't throw 'em

As stated above, there are some variables which can be hard to account for. My understanding is that the shad tend to school in (sometimes narrow) columns parallel to the channel. You could be casting up and down river and never get into them if you miss the 'lanes'. I tend to do most of my casting 'across'. MOST of the time, in my experience, the best retrieve is relatively fast...not always, but especially when they are most active. To get a fast retrieve without skating your dart, you need a 'relatively' heavy weight. I use 1/4oz Little Cleo, with a shad dart tied about 13-14" above. This weekend, my fish were 50-50 dart vs. cleo. And the occasional double is a great bonus. Dart colors seem to matter little most of the time...but once the bite slows, it does seem to make a difference. I prefer pink, generally, but my wife does just as well with orange...neither of us seems to do great with mostly white or red. Lastly, vary the retrieve -- once in a while, they will respond well to more of a jigging, ripping....other days, steady wins.

common courtesy is nearly as uncommon as common sense on some waters

Tom, I don't have near the experience, knowledge or talent that you do...I defer to you for nearly everything here....but, for me, a switch to braid was sort of a religious experience....so much easier to cast....I don't know anything about true stretch characteristics of fluoro vs mono vs copoly...but I will swear that braid stretches less than any of those...and that has helped with my strike detection and my hook sets....braid on a spinning reel will change your life even more than braid on baitcasters....as to cost, even though spool cost is far higher, braid may well be cheaper than even Big Game, since a spool might last for many years. I still love Yo-Zuri, especially for cranks; and I respect and sometimes use fluoro....but I can't see abandoning braid any time soon.

Yep....probably landscape fabric to limit weeds; no telling how many bad, unintended consequences....I can imagine a few...its probably made with some plastic or other petroleum product in the weave; it will PREVENT WEEDS, which is not necessarily a good thing; I have to believe it interrupts natural cycle of decaying matter on the bottom, as well as crayfish habitats

Honestly, I have never used anything marketed as leader material. I use whatever fluoro or copolymer I have around - mostly Yo-Zuri Hybrid; I have partial spools of 6, 8, 10, 12 and 15 laying around, so that's usually what I end up using....but, I've also got CXX and other stuff I use.

I've never used Vanish....but I've read a LOT of posts here over the years suggesting that it got its name from the way it breaks and makes your lures (and fish) vanish. Lots of opinions on knots here, too. My choices: Leader knot: Alberto - easy, 7-up/7-back, reliable and I can tie it on the water without too much trouble Line to lure: Palomar for braid to lure; San Diego Jam for all other line to lure

From your story, I'm guessing the ledge/bar is here: https://www.google.com/maps/place/39°05'30.3"N+77°28'12.2"W/@39.0917601,-77.4875956,3378m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x0:0x0!7e2!8m2!3d39.0917624!4d-77.4700435 View in Satellite mode and you can tell exactly how it tends due north, angling up-river towards the MD side. What's really cool, is that you can see other rock formations below the surface that might not be visible from shore.

@Dirtyeggroll, what's the matting like? Plastic, I'd assume...like landscape fabric? At any rate, I'm sure someone thought it was a good idea....geezz....probably with visions of weed control....gotta wonder about planners/engineers who'd lace a lake with plastic...or any other type of matting

nah....I was just suggesting that some time spent with Google Map or Google Earth before you left...or even while out there....may have given you some better info about the rocks, bars and ledges than the second hand reports

Topic has been discussed quite a bit lately

May be something useful in these couple of ancient threads:

me either

I don't ignore all of them, but probably too many. Got it in my head long ago that nothing-banks could be good....IF...and only IF there was a pronounced drop to deeper water nearby. May not be the case, but if the nothing-bank continues a long slow taper to flats, I probably will still go right by. But, if there's 'good water' close by, I'll take some time with it...more likely with a slider or shakey head than a ned, but similar mindset.

Nice write-up, LC. I usually don't have patience for lots of words on forums, but I enjoyed it. Aside...Spend a little time with Google Earth, please. Your prose, accompanied by Google Earth made me feel like I was there.

Please clarify. Are you asking about backing? Or leaders? Or both?

Many years ago, when I first tried flukes, I had no clue what I was doing and it was a frustrating experience. I didn't use them again for a number of years...they don't stay upright...they don't swim straight...nearly impossible to rig a hook perfectly. Turns out there's a reason. I love flukes, but I don't ever try to 'swim' them. I tie a hook directly to my line and rarely use any weight -- if I do use a weight, it would be a tiny 1/16 oz cylinder (mojo) weight sliding on the line, above the hook. Try tying line to an EWG hook, then put into the fluke relatively straight and don't worry about perfection. Flukes work great (best?) when you don't try to swim them back to you. Cast it out; let it fall; and then bring it back to you with jerks and pauses (to sink a bit.) The erratic jerks and drops is what will get you the bites.

2014 Wilderness Tarpon 100 (10' SOT) - since Jan 2015. Use it average of twice a week from Easter through Thanksgiving. Came with 4 tracks installed. Self installed sonar transducer is through-hull. Anchor trolley installed on port side. Pros: Weight/Car-topability. I have a cart, but rarely need it. Cost (<$500 new with paddle, light/flag, rod holder) Durability - I do not baby it...at all...and it is in great shape Tracks well Storage layout: Crate area behind seat is perfectly sized and located; two hatch accesses are where I want them (one up front where I put FF battery, and one between my legs) Accessibility - I can put it in nearly any water; NOT having pedals, fins, prop, transducer arm can be a bonus in shallow rocky rivers, pad fields and extremely heavily weeded water Cons: No propulsion other than paddle (this will be the sole reason for getting a second kayak this year) Cannot stand in it Not nearly as fast as longer yaks Seat blows (I use a boat cushion and it helps immensely) Could use a little more 'accessible' storage - I like the layout of what I have, but could always use a bit more

Or too much blame, in my case ☺

Can't speak for OP, but I assumed he meant Texas Rigged, when he wrote 'TR'...though there are nitpickers out there who might say that there's no such thing as weightless TR....so, I further assume that he meant that the hook enters the 'head' and rigged so as to be 'texposed'...but without any additional weight

Nice....I lived near Seattle for eight years and I think I only saw it twice..:)