Choporoz

Cut-R Cut-R Rage Bug Rage Bug Black Jig w/Blue Rage Craw Trailer . . . . . ........Mr. Parks, I'll pm you my address to send the check

As @WRB mentioned above, reel positioning can make a big difference. I, too, am 5'9". I have a 7'4" that is easier for me to flip/pitch with than a couple of my 7 footers. I like a rod that balances well without too much handle. My mechanics are not great and the butt can get in my way. So, play around with different lengths that have different handles as well. You may find that limiting overall length isn't as important as getting a good overall fit for you.

Grumpy old man describes me perfectly according to my wife. I am very much a music buff. And, I don't think any of us care if you listen to music any time. But a lot of us do not want to have to listen to your music. To me, it is the height of rudeness. It's one thing to have to endure at a traffic light, or at a busy public park in the summer....but out on the water, where sound carries like no place else on earth...where fishing, by definition, is an experience that involves close relationship with nature...few things tick me off more while fishing. On a very busy lake or river with lots of 'pleasure craft' passing, it is annoying, but almost tolerable....on a body of water that is largely used by fisherman, kayakers, canoers, etc...it is miserable.

That's what sold the wife and I. Been down a couple/few weekends to check it out....haven't found one person who wasn't friendly...and I've been known to bring out the unfriendly in people at times

You may get ten people come in to help...and get ten different answers....all of them correct. Some good reading in here: https://www.bassresource.com/fishing-gear-tips/ There's a couple/few recent threads, also...

yes

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Buffalo? https://www.takemefishing.org/fish-species/smallmouth-buffalo/

Furnace crapped out on Tuesday before Thanksgiving. The glass-full-me has decided this was a blessing. Would have sucked a lot worse if it had happened after a few days of Blackfriday-ing. No shopping for Chop and Ms. Chop last weekend.

Good list. Most describe how I try to conduct myself. My list would modify #2 only slightly. I am fanatic about not just picking up after myself....I make it a point to always take out more trash than just my own.

Low Tide Everybody's been sleeping on the Badgers. That should end a week from now when the Buckeyes fall.

So very sad. Al was a lot of help to me in my decision to retire in Dandridge. My thoughts go out to his friends and family. Wow.....

I'm undergoing a similar search....wife wants 4 seasons....I hate winter. Taxes is a big consideration for me that you didn't mention. We drew circles on maps and made some weekend trips....one visit to Eastern TN and we were both sold. Still a few years off, but I don't think we'll change our minds.

I've never bought from him. Looks quite reputable. I guess it depends on whether you like/want the Mustad hooks. I use a lot of weighted hooks and prefer Owners and Gamakatsus. I generally get the Gammy's and the hitchhikers separately and put them together myself. I'm not a Gammy fan for a lot of other applications, but their weighted hooks have two big things in their favor ...for me....hook up ratio is very high, and snag ratio is way low...they come through cover and vegetation as well as any others. The Owners have the centering pin, which I really like and keep a point better than any other hook I've used.

I use 12# Gliss, which is same diameter as 8# PP. Very smooth. I do use a leader, though....I'm less concerned about fish being line shy than I am about conserving line and being able to break off when I need to. And, take @Team9nine's advice about having something for pulling on snags. Braid and Gliss will slice your fingers up easy. http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Daiichi_Seiko_Finger_Saver/descpage-DSFSK.html

At risk of piling on, I too, think you should ditch the snap for your jigs....and most everything else. I won't argue those who say quality snaps are ok for cranks. Get a good cutter, like a boomerang and keep it around your neck...and practice tying knots while you sit in front of the TV or on the bus, or wherever you have some time to kill. It won't be long before you find you can cut and retie faster than you can unsnap and snap. And then you remove a weak link, catch fewer grass and moss, and gain confidence in your rigging. As to initial questions, those fish are going to be fine.

Yes...and no. I do not. But I don't have Zebra Muscles; few toothy fish...and I'm not concerned about line-shy fish. I do use leaders for all other braid use.

Can't believe there's only one mention of CutR. Probably accounted for more fish the last two years than anything else I use....Bug is close second. CutR is so versatile...it can be worm, flipping creature, and swimbait..... on the same cast. Anaconda and long thumpers are my favorite bottom dragging summer trig wirms. Jigs have Rage chunks and craws 90% of the time.

Ty, all. Gonna give it a shot.

My best producing Spook has no color. I was surprised to find that clear is my favorite.

Thanks, @fish'n Jim! Not certain that I fully understand, however. Are you talking about the insert? I had the entire guide (foot, frame, insert...) pull straight out from the wrap. The guide looks a lot like this one: http://www.therodroom.com/shop/pc/KT-Runner-Gunsmoke-SiC-74p1734.htm I was able to slide the foot back under the wrap and it seems tight, but I understand that it won't take a lot to pull it back out next time. I thought maybe I could put a tiny drop of super glue on the foot before sliding it back in under the wrap? Then again, its tight enough sliding it in that I'd probably strip any glue off on the way in

I had third guide from tip of baitcast rod pull out -- clean pull, towards tip, with no visible damage to wrap, blank, etc. I put it 'back', fit in quite snug and if I didn't know better, I would be hard pressed to figure which one was the problem. Can I just re-set the guide with a spot of super-glue? Or...??? Should I get a complete tear-down/repair of that guide? Been looking for a local builder, but nothing yet. Rod has a lifetime warranty, but not sure its worth the cost/trouble if I can fix nearly as well.

I just KNEW that the tin-cans telephone from my youth was some kind of evil black magic

GL....I accidentally bought the 'reg' size fish grips the first time I ordered a pair...they're HYUUUGE...not suitable for my bass fishing; and I'm not certain that they will have any more gap for you anyway

Either...and it depends...a 3.8 or 3.8 fat isn't all that small. I'd probably be using a MF baitcaster, especially if using a 1/8 swimbait hook or jighead. 1/16, or shorter than 3.8 might well be spinning....e.g., I use owner ultraball finesse in the situations you describe (with smaller than 3.8's) and use spinning almost exclusively. I love 12# gliss on spinning w/6# leader. My MF Baitcaster has 20# PP with 8# leader... most of the time