Sonik

Brett Favre and Drew Brees told me Wranglers don't cut into your nuts so that's what I bought.

I fish a lake like this in Illinois that's got a few deep spots and is covered in submerged weeds and lilly pads. I've been fishing it more and more like I see Florida guys doing with punching gear. The dinks seem to be on the weed edges but the big guys cruise the bottom or the middle of the pads.

So far, this is nice. It's more of a moderate-fast on the crankbait rod in my opinion but is not a fast tip. Pretty light. The Winn grips are super tacky. You will not get any slip on the grip. Sensitivity is awesome. Honestly, it feels a lot like my *** Blacks and looks like a Lew's Custom with a moderate action and a Winn grip. Same number and style of guides. They're not micros but they are smaller than standard. Great casting distance with a 5:1 Lews BB1 Pro and 12lbs Floroclear. I am probably going to get me another ZX when they go on sale again. The spinnerbait/swim jig rod is a fast action and the jig/worm rod is extra fast so I'm split on which to get. One of those would see the most use along with the crankbait. May have 4 *** Blacks for sale soon!

1.) Academy had Lew's Tournament Speed Spools for $120 with a $30 mail-in. 2.) Cabela's Tournament ZX 7' Med/Mod Crankbait rod for $70 3.) Pile of VMC flipping hooks, worm hooks, and treble hooks for the coming year 4.) Pile of Zoom plastics (Z-Hogs, Ultravibe Speedcraws, Brush Hogs, and Trick Worms mostly) 5.) Pile of Cabela's hard baits (don't hate, they work for me) I wanted a matching Humminbird depth finder to go on the bow of my boat but I just couldn't spring for it. I have a 798ci hd si at the console and I'd like to have something similar for the bow that would network but it looks like 700's are hard to find. You either step down to the new 600's without networking and are slower or step up to the widescreen 800's which are a lot more money.

I think they have a Lew's Laser Pro baitcaster for $79 as well. Supposedly, it's better than the standard Speed Spool up around the MG. May have a carbon handle as well. I wouldn't be scared of it but I'm a Lew's guy. They also have their Gore-Tex Guidewear rain gear for $100 off each piece. Supposedly the best you can get outside of the Simms stuff depending on who you ask (or if you're a loyal Bass Pro customer you may like their 100mph stuff).

For looks, I'm kind of partial to the white/black style. Lew's new Custom rods start out white then they turn black at about the first guide. Cabela's Tournament ZX (which are my new favorite) do the same thing. Supposedly, what they are doing is leaving the finish off of the end of the rod which is suppose to increase sensitivity and reduce weight. I think *** leaves their whole rod unfinished for this purpose. But, I'm not one of the geardo's who knows how everything works from the production line in Korea/Japan/China all the way to your local store shelf so I'm just going off what I read. Personally, I never was a fan of the Carbonlite rods. I had a 6'6" M and 7' MH that I sold for my *** Blacks. I still have a 7' M spinning rod Carbonlite that no one wants to buy. They're good rods, they just don't work for me.

Without swearing? Well, where the fun in that, Glenn? lol

I am guilty of being frustrated and angry when I was learning to back a boat trailer and then trailer the boat at the end of the day. I'm the first in my family to own and use a boat. I learn by doing. Instructions only take you so far. However, I don't think I ever just packed up and left. This video cracks me up every time I see it (warning: harsh language towards the end).

Rods: *** *** Black/Cabela's Tournament ZX Reels: Lew's (Tournament Pro, BB1Z Pro, Tournament, Gold Spin) Line: P-Line Floroclear, PowerPro Braid Hard Baits: - Crank/Jerkbait: Cabela's (Dig-its, Pork Chops, Grave Diggers, Escape Minnows, Rip-N-Shads) - Spinner/Buzzbait: Strike King - Topwater: Cabela's (Top Popper, Chuck-it Junior, Walking Dog) - Swimbait: Cabela's (Forked-Tail Baitfish) - Jigs: Strike King Soft Baits: Zoom Hooks: VMC Rain Gear: Cabela's Tourney Trail

I saw that yesterday. I managed to get a few crankbaits that aren't on sale any more either. Although, with the Christmas shopping season upon us, I can't see them not being on sale very shortly. I checked my email this morning and saw the shipping notification for the crankbait rod and the baits. Should be in Friday. That's pretty good for free shipping. Usually it just gets dropped to USPS or something and then they take another week. Once I get it in and set up, I'll write a review and snap some pics for here. I'll try and be as thorough as possible. I feel like there's a lot of details left out on the Cabela's site reviews, Bass Resource, and even Outdoor Life. I think that's what I look at. I want to know about the guides, what kind of tip it has and just how moderate is their "moderate" action, what the finish is like, how those Winn grips really feel, and how it balances out and works on the water. I'm in Kentucky west of Kentucky and Barkley Lakes and we're not froze up yet. It looks like Saturday here is going to be in the mid-to-high 50's, overcast, with some light rain. While all the fools will be out at the mall murdering each other for Chinese made crap, I'm going to hit the lake and see how this stuff performs. I bought some shallow running flat-sided square bills that I can't wait to try out.

Careful of the price. When I looked online it specific specificallysaid that the price was online only for the ZX. Not sure what the Tournament Speed Spools look like in store.

The Tournament ZX bass rods are on sale right now for $69.99 online with free shipping. I picked up the cranking rod this morning. Can't wait to give it a try with some flat side cranks soon. If it's not too cold! Academy also had Lew's Tournament reels in 6.4:1 on clearance for $119.99 and Lew's has a $30 rebate on top of that! I'm moving my 5.x:1 BB1 Pro over to the Tournament ZX when it gets in and putting my new Tournament on my old 6'10" M *** Black.

A little over a week late on this topic but I figure someone will search this up later and I'd like to add my two cents. I like Cabela's products. I don't know why. I even use their hard baits like "Dig-its" (shallow square bills) and "Grave Diggers" (deeper crankbaits). I like their Guidewear rain suits with the Gore-Tex. But, I would like to throw in a vote of confidence for the Tourney Trail bibs and parka. I caught the Tourney Trail suit in the Bargain Cave for half the price of what the Guidewear was on sale for. It's tough. I'm around 270lbs and I've been in the rain the last few weeks just fine and I've been kneeling and sitting on my deck with no tears, rips, or soak through and it blocked the wind last weekend when it was gusting. And I have no carpet in my boat. It's all truck bed style lining. So, if it doesn't rip on that, I'm confident it won't rip on carpet if I'm in another boat. It even comes in tall sizes which is what I like and pretty much require. Be advised the bibs are really long. I ended up with regular bibs and at 6'1½" and the legs nearly drag the ground. I've been by the Cabela's and Bass Pro up near Louisville, KY and checked the Cabela's Guidewear out, the BPS 100MPH, BPS Pro Qualifier, and BPS HPR stuff out. I'm glad I bought the Tourney Trail. Feels better made than the BPS stuff to me even though it's not Gore-Tex. I think Cabela's their stuff "Dry-Plus". I also didn't like the zippers on the Guidewear. They bound up and grabbed material everytime I tried zipping the coat. Maybe the Tourney Trail won't last 15 years. I don't know. Someone check back on this thread in the year 2029 and I'll you know how they're doing. Edit: As of 11/5/2014 Cabela's has the suit on sale for $99 each for jacket and bibs. They're also running some $20 gift card thing when you spend $100. So, if you're going to buy crap anyway, that'd be $200 for the suit plus $20 worth of free stuff.

Southeast Kentucky! I always get a kick out of the Kentucky Afield fishing report for SE district. I figured there ain't nothing but mountains, coal, trains, and elk up that way! Just kidding of course. I love all of Kentucky. I'm a Paducah person myself but I've been through Harlan and Jericho a lot. Probably the prettiest part of the state by far. Lexington can keep their horses and pastures. Welcome from a fellow BassResource newbie!

Thanks! I appreciate it. Search function is handy. I have so many questions I want to ask but they're already here. Somewhat disappointing actually since I can't start a conversation and I don't want to necro an old post.

I have lurked around and gained lots of info from just Googling items with a "site:bassresource.com" tag. I love the knowledge and information I've gotten from that so I figured it was time to join the forums and participate. Thanks for providing these forums. I used to fish quite a bit when I was 12 and younger. Then I started working and then went on to college and was too preoccupied with grades and jobs. I finally got back into deer hunting, then turkey hunting, and now I'm trying to get back into bass fishing. Love to crappie fish and bluegill fish. Sweet meat! I feel so far behind at 30 years old. I feel like I should be a way better outdoorsman than this! Really, my bass fishing skills don't go too far beyond fishing with Texas rigged worms. I would like to expand out my skills so I can be proficient with different types of lures, reading conditions, and finding fish. Recently, the family kind of went in and bought a 2012 Alumacraft Pro 175 with a 60HP Mercury. So I hope to utilize that a little bit to get around on Kentucky and Barkley Lakes and maybe some trips up to the other lakes in western Kentucky. It's no 21 foot glass boat with a 250HP on it, but I think we'll make it work. Anyway, thanks for having these forums and I hope to talk with a lot of you and soak up the knowledge and experience like a sponge.