links_man2

DGK---If you have an Academy store around, watch for their Rod Riot sales. You can get some good deals on rods then. Also watch their flyers each week---you can look at them online. I have had good luck getting good equip at good prices at Academy.

I have 3 Cruxis, 2 Citica's and 1 Pfluegar Criterion. I am old, retired and cheap. I immediately breakdown a new reel and clean it. I relube with either Quantum Hot Sauce or Ardent Reel Butter. If blind folded I can tell little to no difference in these reels---would bet most fishermen couldn't. Got most at Academy and some on eBay. I fish 3-4 days a week and these work just fine.

You might want to check out www.texassidewinderrods.com. Kit makes good rods and stands behind them 100%.

the 4+1 is 4 ball bearings and 1 roller bearing. I think the 1 roller bearing is the anti-reverse roller bearing.

Older Citica's had 1 or 2 bearing but most of the current Citica's have 4+1 bearings (4 ball bearings + 1 roller bearing). There is one of the current models that has 3+1 bearings. My older Citica CI-200 has 2 bearings and is plenty smooth for my fat fingers especially since my fat fingers are still touching the $80 difference in price. Just for reference, most of the Curado's have 5+1 bearings but some models have 4+1. I would like to see a blind fold test between Cruxis, Citica and Curado all with same line, lure and rod. Be interesting how many fishermen can tell the difference. And by the way, I am simply expressing my opinion, not trying to start a reel battle on which is the best.

I have used Reel Magic and KVD Line and Lure and the KVD product is far and away the better product. You can get it at BPS but you have to search on the item number to find it, not the product name. The item number is 38-463-250-00. Do a search on that and you will get it. The best deal though is to order 2 or 4 bottles from the mfr directly, you can save up to $2 a bottle. Their web site is http://www.lineandlure.com/buynow.php.

Still just curious on the source of the chart? Hard to give something credibility without knowing where it came from! Maybe I missed it, but not sure what the source is? Charts and numbers are easy---credibility isn't. And muddy---don't use so much! Grease on the gears, oil everywhere else! BUT NOT TO HEAVY ON EITHER.

Gameover---What is the source of the comparison chart?

Might want to look at the Lowrance Free Enhanced Lake Maps. Not many Wi or Canada lakes listed but never know when you might get lucky and find what you need.

I have used Reel/Real Magic on line with poor results. HOWEVER, the KVD Line & Lure others have mentioned really reduces the memory in lines even better than trolling the bare line out behind the boat, which is a pain when you have 4-5 rod/reel combo's that you need to straighten the line on. If you haven't already, suggest you look at the FAQ's from the KVD Line & Lure web site. Answers lots of the questions that have come up here. Only problem, is that it isn't cheap. http://www.lineandlure.com/info/faq_lnl.php

Picked up a Shimano Cruxis reel and All-Star Rod for $40 at Academy. Had a tag that said floor model and was marked at $59, got to check out and it rang up $40. I paid and ran. The reel is normally $89-$99 by itself. Cheaper Shimano, but I really like them for the $'s even at regualr price. Picked up 2 more Cruxis on eBay for $65 NIB which were good deals.

I had been away from bass fishing other than once or twice a year for 20+ years. In the late 60's-early 80's I serious fished local tournaments, read Bassmaster, and back then thought I learned a lot from Bassmaster. Last March I got back to where I fish 2-3 times a week, no tournaments but fish pretty hard. I also subscribed to Bassmaster to get back in touch. What I have found is that Bassmaster and most all the fishing shows (Dance, R Martin, .....) are all more marketing oriented than teaching/fishing oriented. I don't enjoy reading 5 out if 6 pages or 20 out of 30 minutes of show that is all sales. But then again, that is how the Advertisers, Magazines, TV Networks, Pro's get their money. I plan on letting my Bassmaster subscription expire, I no longer watch most of the Bass Shows on TV, I simply like to fish will learn on my own and enjoy my days on the lake. Without all the commercial BS that it has gotten to. Also feel much of what is advertised is designed to catch fishermen rather than fish. JMHO for what it's worth and that ain't much.

Saw a feature on Bass Univ a while back in which Aaron Martins uses a Uni-Knot for drop shot hooks. Ties the Uni with doubled line that was passed through the hook eye, then passes the tag in down through the top of the hook eye to keep it upright. I tried it and seems to work, at least have not had the knot break and the hook stays upright properly. Biggest problem is getting the doubled line through the hook eye on smaller #1 & #2 hooks I use for drop shotting.

I have had good luck with TopoZone getting topo maps and printing them, you have to subscribe I think to download the maps. I also like Google Earth to view Satillite photo's of area lakes. I am lucky that the Google photo of my local lake was when it was very low, so I can see features and contours that for many lakes you only see the water surface. You seem to be able to zoom in lower with Google Earth than you can with TerraServer.

I fish heavy brush and normal wacky rigging won't work. Did find these wacky worms that can be rigged Texas style and work great in brush. At least on my local lake----fish really hit them hard and hold them. Here is mfr web site but I found them at local Academy Sports store. http://www.kickerfishbait.com/ShowProduct.asp?id=1