Josh Smith

On the other hand, you'll never know the joy of sitting in a glorified tent over a hole bored in ice waiting for a flag to pop up, passing a quart of good bourbon and tending a kerosene (or, if you're up-to-date, a propane!) heater. I never did that either. Just doesn't seem safe somehow. I have issues with ice but love Indiana. Josh

Hello, A .30-06 will bust through a good size tree. Same for 7.62x54r, .308, and 8mm. A flat point .30-30 will stop in this tree due to heavier bullet, lower speed, and (usually) bullet design. Use flat points in tubular magazines. Regards, Josh

Hi Folks, As per one of my last posts, the lakes are frozen. When I get a bit of time I'll be going out to see if I can't catch some river walleye. While I'm out, I was thinking about the possibility of catching winter smallmouth from cold rivers. I've never done this. I need tips on this. I'll be using baitcaster reels, spoons and spinnerbaits for the walleye. What should I use for winter bass? I'm thinking toting along the ultralight with some small finesse baits to target still water pockets in the river would be a good start. Am I correct here, or way off? Thank you. Josh

Very pretty. I've never owned smaller than a 5000. What advantages do the smaller reels have? I do have a 3000, I guess, but it's not in good shape and I'm not sure I like the design. No frame to speak of. Josh

Hello, Rob. It looks like Hoosiers are taking over the board! Regards, Josh

Thanks for posting this! I've been busy and unable to participate as much as I'd have liked this past week or two, and am just now catching up. Those are beautiful reels (yours, J.F.'s, and aavery's), and I've joined the FB group you recommended to J.F. Josh

Belle loves baitcaster reels. I will have to post pics.

New c3 reels are about $120. Look for a 5500 or 5500c from the '70s. They are excellent and can be upgraded any number of ways. Josh

Shark, Two thoughts. 1. You sell them and you will regret it. 2. Super tuning improves everything. Feel, smoothness, you name it. Fewer backlashes with less braking. If you use all bearings (not bushings) and a light spool, they will cast lighter lures just fine if you have a rod that loads 'em right. You might look at my recent posts about my Ambassadeur model Abu Garcias. Very similar to what you're looking at. Josh

A red dot, as Clayton mentioned, covers a large area. This is the 'scope I had on the Romanian M-69: I think it's made by the people who make Centerpoint now, but I can't prove that. It was a fixed 4x and had an illuminated reticle. This setup made for an excellent raccoon gun. Don't ask me why I no longer have it! It could do this: The MkII: capable of this: This is from one of those two: ... most likely the Savage but I am not 100% sure. I seem to remember working a lefty bolt. That group is more than 20 rounds. I just kept changing magazines until I got tired. I also flat don't remember if the fliers were me or the ammo. I'm going to blame myself, though. But that top rifle had an IR 'scope. Look for a fixed Centerpoint. Regards, Josh

Hello, I started my 6-year-old off with a Buzz Lightyear when he was 4. It didn't hold up well, so when he was five I bought him a Zebco Dock Demon Spincast. The rod is fiberglass and tough. After he cast that well, I got him a spinning setup Dock Demon. Same rod and the reel is decent. He can use it well. The first Dock Demon now wears a Quantum Lite reel that nobody here claimed (see http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/144562-wtg-pay-it-forward-quantum-lite-ql50a-or-i-need-to-clean-the-grout/ ) He's practicing in the yard with it, and I'm slowly turning the brakes tension off. He's actually managed to not tangle it. I'm impressed! He uses the spinning reel for fishing. He prefers artificial lures, and since these rods are fiberglass with no real backbone, I let him throw a wide range of lures. I relate this because I felt limited as a 10- 11- and 12-year-old as it was common wisdom at the time that kids should use spincasts. My first ultralight was a spincast, but by choice, a little Zebco combo. First the rod was replaced after I broke the tip (my first graphite rod) and then, later, I replaced the reel with a small Plueger spinning reel. So I guess it's a whole new setup descended from the original combo. Man, I caught everything on that rod, and later, on the 5000 baitcast Dad gave me after getting a low-profile (for the time) Quantum 1310. That Zebco underspin and the 5000 influenced my choices in rods and reels to this day and I still make extensive use of old Ambassadeur models as well as the newer ones. Point is, use the most advanced setup your child can handle, and if she wants to throw artificials now and again, let her! It helps with boredom when fish aren't biting. Those are my suggestions. More than you asked for, but there it is. Regards, Josh

So the question is... did you release it? And is that a sunken boat in the background? Josh

Pretty! That's what I get with 1/4oz; I'm sort of comparing notes but without derailing the thread. I appreciate it! I had this idea that there are some folks out there getting 50 yards with 1/4oz. I simply was not sure if that was possible with a non-custom rod and baitcaster. Regards, Josh

Hootie, How far do they go? Josh

I am currently enjoying a Cherrywood rod next to my more expensive stuff. It feels wrong but there it is. Josh

Well dang, sure glad you're not learning from me. I require folks to shoot with iron sights first! 1" at 100 yards is very easy to do with peeps. Try this: http://www.midwayusa.com/product/115644/bsa-deerhunter-shotgun-scope-25x-20mm-duplex-reticle-matte I was going to recommend an airgun 'scope as they deal with recoil better (technical; forward and reverse recoil both on an air rifle), but I saw this one. For hunting, you will not need or want more than 4x magnification, and lots of times less than that. I have a heavy barrel .22 rifle that can shoot very, very finely. It has a 4.5x - 14x Mueller 'scope on it. (Were you in the market for something more, I'd recommend the Mueller as a good mid-range 'scope. It's a couple hundred bucks, though.) I shoot squirrels out to 100 yards with this setup. I did 150 yards or so once, but felt afterward that it was just too far and intentionally limit myself. I'm recommending the 2.5x on the basis of the probability you're using supersonic loads and are therefore likely limited to 40 yards. At about 40 yards, supersonic go subsonic, and as they pass through the transonic barrier, they destabilize. Also, squirrel further than 25 yards or so is generally pretty rare unless you set up specifically for longer range. For example, I use that heavy barreled .22 to shoot 50 to 100 yards from a static position. If I go closer, I use my bow with small game heads. With that 2.5x 'scope I recommended, you're not going to have parallax adjustment to mess with. Being a shotgun 'scope, it should be set at 50 yards parallax. Neither will you have variable power to try to adjust. This is basically a point-and-shoot that you can start with. I hope this helps some. Josh

I done caught me a 10-pounder out'n thar jus' a week afore the sister's a'weddin! Dang ol' thang took me aroun' tha pond a coupla' times afore I fin'lly landed 'er in tha jonboat! A'course, that don' compare to tha one I caught as a lad back in '89..! Josh

Hello, Why do you want a scope? Have you used one before? What are your expectations? Does the Cricket have receiver grooves or removable mounts? Your answers will help with my answers! Josh

Braid allows me to do what I only wished I could with mono. I have to admit that I see most fishing innovations as "gimmicky.". The areas that have really improved since the early '90s, though, are line types, sonar, and rod blank material and construction. Josh

Hi Folks, I was sent some ABEC-5 Boca spool bearings for this reel by someone here. Simply amazing. I'm in the middle of a move at this point, but I found time to install them and test cast the reel. With the Boca ABEC-5 bearings, the cast was much, much further than the 5000c bearings I used. Went past the 40 yard line on the pistol/bow range and into the woods. Now I'm looking at Boca Ceramic Bearings for my 5500c3 and likely the rest of the reels! Thank you to this gent for feeding my addiction. Josh

I would say that smacking a grouchy bass upside the head with an irritating lure is right up there near the top. Josh

I grew up on mono and now prefer braid by a vast margin. For spooky fish I tie an FC leader. Josh

Hello, Jake. I hail from Wabash. It's good to see another Hoosier here!

You all ever have a piece of equipment that it felt wrong to like? That's what this thing is to me. Josh