Smokinal

Congratulations Montanaro! The first step is admitting there is a problem.

X2

Smiles have been had!

Aawww *yawn*yawn*...Sorry, I just woke up....what was that again?

Never done that but I punch myself when I start a t-rig, slide a $2 tungsteon weight on the line, go to thread the hook, have the weight run up the line and out over the water, line slips out of my hand and weight goes plop in the lake.

^^^Very true. Braid is a beautiful thing but I, too, would recommend a leader for another reason=braid has no abrasion resistance to rock. It cuts like butter on a sharp edge of a rock. Fluoro has great abrasion resistance so that's what most use, myself included. Go here: http://www.animatedknots.com/knotlist.php learn the Albright or the Blood knot and start whackin em.

I've used braid/leader setup for about the last 15 yrs and literally cannot remember having or even if I have ever had a knot fail. If it's tied right and lubed before cinching, it will not fail. I use it in all water conditions and colors because I fish a ton of rock and like my cranks bouncing off the rock. Braid has zero abrasion resistance to rock but fluoro does...so it's a great combination!

All above is good info. Are you using a spinning setup or baitcaster? If you use baitcasters, try holding the rod so the line can run over your index finger. I use braid and even on semi-slack line, you can still feel the tick when the bait is inhaled. And speaking of semi-slack, this typically works better than a full slack line. And the line-over-the-finger trick is quite difficult with a spinning rod.

I agree with you Catt and Brian, both. One thing we need to remember is that "shallow" or "deep" is all relative to each body of water. Some lakes I fish are 25' max so I would bet that most of the bass move into 2-8 ft to spawn. Whereas, like WRB mentioned, he has seen beds in 25' on deeper, clear lakes. In a lake with max depth of 100-150' or more, 25' could be considered shallow. In some of my water where max is 25', shallow will be pretty darn skinny. And one certainly can't say "well bass are programmed to go shallow to spawn" because I know of lakes that are only 10 minutes apart; one has max of 30' and the other has 160'. The bass in one lake don't know what the bass in the other are doing, it's all relative to their own environment.

No doubt about it, this website will make you a better fisherman.

Oh, no kidding! I'll get in touch with him. Thanks You'll be my first customer!

A few years ago I wrote a series of 3 children's books about bass fishing titled "Bass in the Grass". They are fun, easy to read books targeting ages 3-11 area. I sent manuscripts to around 20 different publishers without much luck (typical from what I hear from other writers). Well it's always been in the back of my mind how much I'd like to see them on paper. So, I thought I'd throw it out here. Anyone with some connections?

Thanks Jeff. That Big-O seems like a good guy.

Are they public yet? Do you guys have an "in" or what?

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That's great man! As I type this, my son is in his Tux, waiting for his prom date to come over for pictures. He's a junior in HS and will be going to college in a year for Criminal Justice. I hope I get to pose for a shot like that in 5 more years! Very happy for you both.

^^^Dang Dwight! You are one crazed smallmouth catching machine!

I've tried about 6 of the major brands from Sunline to Trilene. All I can say is I will never have to buy leader material for my braid again...

Ur thinkin bruther!!

^^^Oh ya. Gonna have to have some of those in that blue craw, blk/blue, and PBJ!

What color is that Sir?

The memory of fluoro is why I went back to braid/fluoro leader...just sayin. I'm not trying to discourage you from trying it, just my 2.

Well I wasn't there but just to hear the story deserves a thumbs-up. Well done Pete and Marilyn!

How cool did those twins look though...