ChrisD46

Pumpkin Seed (while still available) fell out of favor once the Green Pumpkin color came along . When bass fisherman discovered that Green Pumpkin mimics craws / blue gill so well the Green Pumpkin color quickly became a dominant soft plastic color dominant . While I don't use Pumpkin color soft plastics - I am a fan of it's close relative by Robo Worm called "Oxblood & Oxblood Light" colors ... If you have Green Pumpkin , June Bug (or Black & Blue) , Watermelon Red (around grass) and Shad color soft plastics (such as Pearl White) - you are pretty well set . *What a great store for about any Zoom color you can think of !

*What size 'Lil Nasty hook for 1/16th oz. & 1/8th oz. jig heads ?

Primary colors for WP are always : Bone , Monkey Butt , Loon - then secondary colors such as I Know It , Blue Blood Blue Gill and T-1000 . As a cheaper experiment I plan to buy the Choppo in Black Chrome as well as one of the Ghost colors to try . Our local water is still stained to slightly stained from a lot of rain over the winter / early spring - yet we are now getting a lot of blue bird , sunny days . The black chrome color could be ideal in such conditions and when the water clears more the WP or Choppo ghost colors could come into play ... Thoughts ?

Anyone ever throw chrome color whopper plopper or chrome color choppo on sunny days ? ... While a chrome color walking bait is popular (perhaps due to the flash while worked) I never hear of anyone using the chrome color for a straight retrieve type top water lure such as the whopper plopper or choppo ?

*Thanks for the tip Tom ! *I bought the exact same vise but was unaware of the pliers ... I have similar "manual" pliers plus needle nose pliers - I believe from videos a couple of wraps of wire plus just a few twists of the wire ends , cut then crimp down the wire ends on the jig head will do . Possibly the 6" specialized wire twist pliers may have an advantage , some jig skirt wire tiers just use their hands for twisting wire on jigs then pliers at the end to cut the wire and crimp ends down .

*Thanks for the tip ! ... Why use an Exacto knife on the rubber collar when I can slide the rubber collar down after wire tying and use the rubber collar again ? Also I bought #24 and #26 gauge copper wire wire from a craft store and a small vacuum held vice to hold the jigs ,spinner baits and chatter baits while I wire tie them up . Some guys that are real good don't even need a small vice but I feel like I do at least to begin with so I get that wire tied just right on the skirt and head .

I want to replace the standard , cheap rubber band collars to hold skirts on spinner baits , swim jigs , etc. with a wire tie - what is the best way to proceed ? I'm thinking to lace the wire wrap just barely in front of the rubber skirt band , then once tied use an exacto knife to cut off the existing rubber skirt band ?

What did you do with the tree you dredged up ? ... All kidding aside , sorry for your loss ! Lots of things will break a graphite rod : High Sticking , boat flipping a larger bass without using your other hand to support under the rod about half way up and lastly - the way you broke your rod as braid is unforgiving .

I use KVD line conditioner on the top 1/3rd of my line which is usually over mono backing . I spray a small cloth first then spool line on through my fingers rotating the cloth for a good application of the stuff . When done I spritz the spool with a few squirts of the stuff as well then let it sit over night ... Works well applied this way - don't over look braid either as it helps braid mainline last longer I believe .

*Would you punch with a 7'H/F action bait cast rod ? I have a Veritas 7' H/F bait cast rod I use for as a Biffle Bug rig to aid in getting that aggressive , non delay deflection off of rocks which this stiff rod provides . Just considered a 7' punching rod being a bit of a disadvantage based on only 7' length ?

Good information !

*I'll agree with this statement - high end reels are now using space age composite materials , so not ail high end reels are metal any more .

*I have a rig just for the Biffle Bug (thank you SmallJaw 67) : 7' Veritas H/F , #14 lb. Spider Wire Ultimate Mono , 7:1 or 6:3:1 bait cast reel ... 7/16th oz. size Biffle Bug in Green Pumpkin mostly - cast out , steady retrieve and bang it into rocks and things with a hard ricochet / deflection while retrieving on the bottom (hence why the Veritas 7' H/F "broom stick" rod .

Thanks - very helpful !

Good replies ! - It just so happens I have two Fuego CT's new in the box ready to be matched up to new rods ... How would you rate the rod guides on the Air - X rods - do they have inserts ? Any reel seat complaints being weak or inadequate ? ... Lastly , would you rate the power slightly less than rated and the action more like a moderate fast than a true fast ? ... Thanks !

*Anyone have the above bait cast rod ? If so how would you describe the feel (i.e. true power and action rating , etc. ?) . Also , what techniques / set up are your favorites to use for this bait cast rod ? ... This low cost Daiwa bait cast rod looks like it would be serviceable for techniques where absolute best sensitivity is not required - your thoughts on the Aird-X 7' M/F ?

*If I were sponsors of MLF (as well as MLF management ) I would demand anglers give a 30 second plug" as to what they are using with a quick camera close up . The program will not air until after the event is over any way , so no harm done to the anglers position or fear of other anglers knowing (unless some "secret" technique / lure they would rather not show) . *The fishing equipment biz is a multi million dollar industry and MLF + their sponsors are missing out ! Heck , even BPS Elite shows have Mark Zona / Davey Hite doing a segment " Keys to the Bite" , "Winning Ways" etc. which I enjoy watching and learn from . *Although he pitches his own line or close friend's products - I like the TV shows Timmy Horton puts on as I learn a lot from watching his techniques .

+1 ... I would start with the Berkley Grass Pigs first (price is right too) .

*Good Option : I use a small Spro ball bearing swivel - first get a good quality small split ring and add to the WP . Next , attach one end of the Spro swivel to the split ring and another to your main line . If a WP picks up a piece of grass or debris in the slotted rotating tail section ti will cause your WP to spin and by the time you realize it is happening - your main line is ruined ! Lastly , go as small as possible on the Spro swivel and the split ring so as to not add any unnecessary weight to the WP nose which could cause it to nose dive while retrieving .

^This^ I use a Gamakatsu 4/0 EWG hooks and the fit perfectly on Zoom Super Flukes , some like the same in a 3/0 for a slightly different action or slower fall rate .

Thanks - I have #12 lb. C-XX I can also use as a leader .

OP here : I have gravel and rocks in the highland reservoir I fish so was thinking something like #15 lb. AbrazX mainline and #10 lb. P-Line C-XX co-poly leader using Z-man finesse worms or a Z-man StreakZ fluke . I could also probably use a variety of Zoom soft plastics too (may not matter so much on a C-Rig) .

*Wondering what you are currently using as a Carolina Rig mainline + leader ? Line type , size , etc. and do you use a mono or co-poly leader to help float the soft plastic you are using ?

*Anyone try the wacky saddle by Frenzy Baits for wacky rigged worms ? I am considering the wacky saddle wondering if it is better than using two "criss crossed" o-rings on a wacky senko ?

+1 on Team9nine comments - I would also say having a floating worm or tail that stands up is more helpful with the Neko set up than it is to the Shaky Head (contrary to popular belief that the Shaky Head always needs a floating , stand up tail to work successfully) .