Choporoz

Nice thing about them is that if you don't like them, you can use them to hang your shower curtain.

I've had one for about a year and a half and I like it a lot. For $50 (if new), I'd say it is a steal. At the $100 retail price, I'd go a different route.

Beautiful weekend. Was out Sat and Sun. Now I'm having a bit of a crisis of confidence. No more than 4 or 5 fish Sat and only one was 2+. Yesterday was even worse. 7+ hours and one small bass. Unbelievable. But the real problem was when I trolled across the mouth of a small bay and watched a couple tourny guys. They were flipping and catching BIG fish. I was too far to tell what they were using or get good look at the fish they were culling, but I'm guessing they had a very good day. I did get to witness maybe the strangest thing I've ever seen on Occoquan; there was a huge carp and a turtle in a fight to the death. The carp was at least 30+ inches long and the turtle's shell was over 12 inches across....I couldn't tell which was trying to eat the other --- never seen anything like it. They were thrashing like crazy, but when I got within about ten yards, they took it below the surface and in the soup that is Occoquan, I couldn't see them anymore. Anyway, I need to sit down and take stock of what I'm doing and how I'm doing it because I had no answers this weekend.

Look at your links. There's ***'s where there shouldn't be. You're likely linking to a site that BR doesn't like for some reason.

That you, Tami? LOL. That could have been written by my wife. I think this place could benefit from some more estrogen.

I think its time to deconfuse the term swimbaits. Unfortunately, I don't have a way to do it yet. I am open to suggestions. I feel we need to find a new name for 'smaller' paddle tail, fish-like, plastic baits. I'd rename the big ones, but since there's already technique-specific rods named for them, I think we should target the littler guys. Maybe I'm alone in this, but it is annoying, if not downright confusing when a thread looking for advice about using a swimbait contains replies that would apply to an eight inch BBZ, as well as answers to how to fish a 3 1/2 inch Keitech Swing Impact. I think we're doing our community a disservice. The next guy that goes out and buys an 8' H rod to throw a 2 1/2" Storm Wild-Eye isn't going to be too happy when he comes back here after trying to throw it. So....How do we get the small plastic fish-like baits out from under the term Swimbaits? I know we can do this....just look at Rage Rig....And Poodle Tail.

What is Challenge Cup Sudden Death? I am not at all familiar with money fishing of any sort. I got the impression this was about keeper numbers vice getting a biggun... You know about him so are probably correct. I wouldn't know him if I ran into him at a ramp. But, he didn't seem to be searching to me. He must have known a LOT about what to expect in that bay right at that time....I can't imagine someone with money on the line spending that much time in one fairly small place...and without changing up lure or delivery... unless he was darned certain there was money there

I bought some too. Bright, beautiful plastics. Couldn't get one bit for the life of me. I still have them, but they're likely to melt to a tackle box tray before they see the water again. Zero confidence.....

I have some. Used to toss them out under a bobber while I casted for bass from the bank. I think I soaked one for probably a total of 7 or more hours over a few outings in bluegill/perch rich waters. Never saw that bobber so much as twitch. Granted I never worked them...just dangled it under a bobber....but, geez

There was a time not long ago when I might have said the same thing. I'm a convert because the Keitech SI is NOT the same as those others at super slow speeds. These things have tremendous action on the slowest drags or falls. If you're 'chucking and winding', then I agree - there are plenty of paddle tails that are going to wag just fine. But if you are using light weights, slow hopping, dragging...well then you'll see why a KVD swimbait isn't going to get bit like these.

Met a few at expos. Not in awe, but always nice to talk to an 'expert' about something I love. Oh...also met Bobby Uhrig a couple months ago and he didn't even kick me in the nuts.

One of my biggest frustrations is pulling up to beautiful looking cover and getting snagged with first cast. I've been known to lay down the snagged rod and throw something else....only to immediately have two lures hung while I motor in and announce my presence.

No goosebumbs here, either. But, I (reluctantly?) acknowledge that KVD is a better fisherman than I am. I'd say there's a pretty good chance that I might learn something by virtually spending 20 minutes in the boat with him.

Swing Impact or Shad Impact? Have you watched any of Keitech's videos? I learned a lot about how to fish them by having a better idea of what its doing below the surface.

I'm going to guess that somebody fished for pike at some point....in fact, if you dumped out the tackle box from my Wisconsin youth, half of it would look like that. All that's missing is some more hair jigs, a couple musky bucktails, some Little Cleos and maybe a few Lazy Ikes.

I call the red/white, green/white, blue/silver Daredevles -- they may be knockoffs, but if so, they're knockoffs of Daredevles -- If real, they should have an image of a 'devil' on one side

This (absolutely straight obsession) was my big problem with flukes when I first started using them. I might spend 15 minutes trying to get it absolutely straight....and then give up. Now, I suppress my OCD and just rig it -- I don't want a crease in it, but less than perfect is more than good enough for me.

Just in time, GT! Thanks. I was worried there weren't going to be enough threads about fluoro vs xxxxxx this week. I'm sorry if I'm coming off as a jerk....but please just give it a try if you want. Or, don't. It isn't expensive and only you can tell if you prefer the sensitivity to what you're using today.

I suppose I was the same some time ago. But...things change...or maybe I'm just getting older and pickier. Launching and recovering usually means getting my feet wet. Top siders or tennis shoes in the summer were always fine - they dry soon enough and I didn't much care. But in cooler seasons, I tire of my shoes being wet all day long. I've also added kayak fishing to my routine and shoes that drain and dry are even more important. Slipping on mossy ramps, rocks and mats is also something that I either don't manage as well as when I was younger, or at least don't recover as fast....

Looks like anything bigger than 8.5 is $80. I'm going to pass for now. I AM in the market for the perfect kayak shoe, however.

thing about a lure retriever is that not only does it make money....but, as importantly, it makes you a better fisherman. At least, it did for me. Once I gained the confidence to toss a squarebill into nasty laydowns, or dig a diver into the bottom, I was much better about putting the lures on the fish; not worrying about steering clear of trouble.

Generally, pick the hooks that work with your lures rather than a particular targeted size of bass. I generally use 3/0 or 4/0 - 1/16 to 1/8 oz. I don't notice a significant difference in the action of a Cut-R between 3/0 and 4/0. I don't think you need to worry about missing 12" bass because you have too big a hook. Tip: don't toss out those Cut-R's after the heads get beat up. Clip the head and use them as trailers ; put them on a scrounger...use your imagination...that flanged tail is the real deal

I haven't used red line since trying some Cajun years ago....so, I'm not here to answer your question or add value to your thread....I'm just curious....if you're using a leader, except for YOUR visibility, does color matter at all? Wouldn't you just use what you can see best? Not poking....just curious.

Spent a good few hours out both days this weekend. Saturday was a little slow, but I boated a few in the morning, including one good 3+ and then, mid afternoon for about an hour, non-stop short fish. Like they were switched on and then off again just as fast. Sunday was absolutely beautiful out there. Little wind, bright sunshine. My wife and I were out for about four or five hours and we might have had two bites. I suspect the bitter cold nights had something to do with it. Sure hope it picks up soon.

In a chatterbait thread over the winter, Kent suggested I try white Rage Structure Bug as a trailer. And he then proceeded to mail me some. Incredibly generous and unprovoked. This weekend, I put one on a Siebert Fogy (bluegill flash) and it accounted for a number of bass, including my biggest this year. Thank you, Kent!