fishballer06

2 more days boys. Get those picks in!

Two baits - Siebert Outdoors Sniper jig Lucky Craft Spinnerbait

1oz. Matt Allen Dirty Jigs swimbait head with a 4.8" Keitech. Low and slow on the bottom.

I have vented Costa's and they still fog if I pull my buff up too high. Outside of having a fan built into the inside of the glasses, there's no true way to prevent this in the heat and humidity.

Literally anything in your tackle box will catch you a PB. Location and timing is FAR more important than what bait you are throwing. Don't get hung up on having the absolute perfect lure. My personal best largemouth came on a Rapala DT10 and my personal best smallmouth came on a Rapala Skitter Pop. Nothing fancy or top secret about them. The reason I caught those fish when/where I caught them is what helped me catch those PB's, not the lures.

GanCraft Jointed Claw 230 and a Deps Slide Swimmer 250 has helped many a men land their PB's.

Cheapest bait per fish for me - an old Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap or a Heddon Zara Spook.

My recommendations in this price range. Megabass Levante St Croix Avid (or Avid X) Shimano Zodias Gloomis E6X Dobyns Sierra

This screams to me - Someone's wife got mad and sold all her husbands tackle for $10 to a pawn shop.

Fuego, Tatula, or SLX are what I would suggest. Buy Shimano or Daiwa and never look back.

Friendly reminder everyone - 17 days until Guntersville. Get your picks submitted.

I haven't used this lures or heard of this issue, but I suppose it's possible with that super thin and long circuit board lip. If yours is breaking a few feet in front of the knot, I'd guess that it's from abrasion on some sort of structure.

If you're using a rod that accommodates 50lb braid and you break said rod trying to free a snag, you weren't trying to free that lure the proper way to begin with.

You'd be surprised how well that head comes through rocks. Dragging it over rocky bottoms has been the ticket for me, especially during the pre-spawn. Now that the spawn is going on, I've been swimming it until I get bumped by a bed guarder, and then pitching back into that spot and dragging the bottom until I get the bite I need.

Siebert Outdoors Sniper jig, dragging it slow and low. As someone who considers himself a moving bait guy, it's been an eye opening spring.

Eco Pro Thunderspin is probably the best underspin I have found. Super high quality and it has a Trokar hook on it. The Revenge Underspins are also nice and come available from the factory with either silver or gold blades. So that's nice if you're particular about that. And like mentioned above, the Sworming Hornet is kind of the industry standard. However, for me, I've found them to corrode easier than other brands if you leave a bait on the jig. Maybe it's just me, but that has been my experience. I will say, the first tournament that I ever won I was throwing a Sworming Hornet with a 3.3" Keitech.

Never hurts to buy an extra set of gears. I had DVT install a brass set for me in my 13's (the Curado K brass gears fit in the 13 Met).

Drag technology has made modern spinning reels much more dependable with light lines and big fish.

One more thing to add - in a format where time is so important, you never have to worry about backlashes and picking them out if you're using a fairy wand.

I fish primarily moving baits. That being said, the majority of my reels are 5:1 or 6:1 ratios. The world needs more lefty 5:1's!!!

Check with your local clubs. There may be some local guys with old rods they no longer need. I'd also check with any local big box stores like a Dicks or F&S. I know our local stores have donated items in the past to our club for community benefit events like this.

I'd take that little guy in the bottom center of that picture up to Erie and catch some big smallies!

Crappie in her gullet and she still wanted the @Siebert Outdoors jig.

I like those handle knobs! I won't comment on the rest of the reel.

I practice my pitching in the garage during the winter. I normally use a shoebox sized Tupperware container and place it around 20 feet away. It's great practice and it helps pass the winter blues.