the reel ess

BPS just had Traps 4/$10. If there's something better about the R2Sea, you coul do it to your Trap cheaper (add better hooks). Having said that, my buddy uses only Cordell Spots. Reason is they are a darker gold. There are gold shiners where we use them year-round. I already had 2 Traps, so I'm sticking with that.

Heavy mono will float the front of the bait higher because that line floats. That'll give you more walk on a Spook and more POP! on a Pop R. Bill Dance says he even uses ChapStick to make the last couple feet of mono more bouyant. If you want to use another line, you can increase the rear hook by one size to do the same thing. These are tiny differences, but might buy you a few bites over the other guy in the boat with the standard lure.

With the tailgate dowwn, you have about 8.5'. That's more than half a kayak. I sometimes tow one to a local place and I'll only put one strap thru the carry handles across the rear of the bed. If I carry two, I'll run a strap thru the front and one at the back thru the middle carry handles of both kayaks. Nowhere they can go. It's a whole lot easier loading/unloading from the truck bed. You might want to tie something red on the end for a flag, but my kayak is red.

If you have a Silverado, I don't understand the question. That's exactly what I have.

My daughter

I use exactly what you use.

Man, you guys are really making me rethink it. I may scrap it in favor of a heavy braid with a mono leader. The line I have on that reel is pretty old, but has really not been used much. I've caught some decent fish on it with no problems. And I really liked the lack of stretch when I set a hook. I haven't had a bad experience with it, but I haven't hooked into a trophy and lost it because of FC either. I am using tungsten bullet weights now and I know those have a tendency to nick FC knots.

Wacky is just that: Wacky. Sometimes it's just the ticket, sometimes not. I have yet to catch one with a stick worm rigged conventionally. Not one. But I've mopped up with the Wacky a couple times. I only started using either this spring, so that experiment's not scientific yet. I want to give the chicken rig a try soon. It looks like a winner anywhere they haven't seen it yet. But it'll have to be a place where I know they're shallow.

I have a M/Fast 6'6" Lightning Rod, BPS Rick Clunn BC 7.1:1 reel (discontinued) spooled with 15# Berkley Big Game. This is one case where you'd like heavy mono. It's buoyant and will enhance the action of walking baits and poppers. It also allows some stretch when bass strike, maybe keeping you from pulling the bait away some. I haven't caught a bass on a Spook in quite a while but I've mopped them up on Torpedo and caught a nice one on Pop R. That speed reel is really up to the user. But I find that if they hit topwater, I can usually drag them across the surface and lose fewer and keep them out of the weeds. It's a crap shoot with the trebles. This is a $40 rod, so it ain't the most sensitive. Being a cheapskate as I am, I can get this job done for less $$$. This is a good use for it because it casts well, won't cause me to sn atch the bait away and seems to have just the right action and leverage. And it's versatile enough to be my primary crankbait rod.

Yeah, I think I commented on that fact in another thread. $40 is forty bucks you don't want down the drain. I have three Lightning Rods, two of which are old and have caught some nice fish, and no problems. We all have our experiences. Mine has been good and I do recommend them.

Interesting. Must have been a bad run. I have three, two of which are so old the fore grip is coming apart, and never broke one. I do have a newer 7' Med with a moderate fast action. Model 701MS. http://www.berkley-fishing.com/berkley-rods-spinning-rods-berkley-lightning-rod/1363851.html#specifications I love this rod. I bought it for small lures with trebles like Rapala Floating minnow. But it has also become my Wacky rig rod.

I simply cannot bring myself to do this. I have enough pro overruns casting it normally. I've been using a BC since I was 13. I never skipped a bait until I bought a spinning combo for bass. But I do have braid on that so I can horse out most bass.

I've got that very same rod for the same purpose. But I have kind of turned it into my Senko/wacky rod. I will still tie a treble bait on it when needed. I ad gone to Academy with the idea that I'd get one of their H2O brand cheap graphite rods. The action I wanted wasn't in stock and I knew I'd get a decent rod with the Lightning Rod. I already had 2 (Med and a MH)for BC combos. Good rods for the $$$.

I like it. I use 17# on a BC combo for my T-rigs, pitching, etc. It's a good low-vis, low stretch option for slow baits that fish get a good, long look at. I didn't like it on a spinning combo and started using braid, no leader. Dark water here.

The wife encourages my daughter to go shopping with me every time. She talks constantly and makes me miss at least two things every time, even on a written list. The wife knows this.

Check this out: http://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/h2o-xpress-jointed-sunfish-3-1-2-swimbait/pid-22566?color=BLUEGILL&N=4294963690+297679222 I don't own one, but I will. I understand it's cheap, but look at the reviews. Good hooks and hardware and catches big fish per the reviews. I'm all for saving money if it's effective.

I have used braid for cranks on spinning with a med 7' rod with a mod tip with the drag set. It was 17# Fireline, but I think they have replaced that weight with 20#. In fact this is my go-to for the floating Rapala.

I don't know what line you use. But I find braid on spinning and florocarbon on BC for T rigs helps a lot with that hookset. No stretch with braid and very little with floro. But then I use 17# floro. These lines and good hooks (I use Gamakatsu hooks) will drastically improve the hookup ratio. I still use mono for the BC baits with trebles.

I'm on my second pair of Calcutta $20 polarized fishing glasses in amber. And I'll buy another before long. And I'll still be $50 ahead of most people who bought the cheapest pair of Costa or Maui Jim. No offense to them. If you can afford that more power to you. But I got mouths to feed and I can see fish underwater just fine. http://www.calcuttafishingstore.com/products/sunglasses/steelhead--sunglasses-tortoise-frame-amber-lens-sh1atort.htm $20.99 (you save $4) Ha!

Almost any spinning reel can hold Fireline 20# braid. It's the diameter of somewhere between 8 & 6# mono. I have it on a Pfleuger Trion as well as an old BPS Viper spinning combo right now. I've been using it almost all of 2015 with nary a knot on either reel. Trion's a $40 reel. It's the best bargain I've found in bass fishing in many a year. I'd say its quality is on par with reels $20-$30 more, but it isn't made with lightweight materials. Don't get the 40 size unless you just want to. It's a tad heavy. But the big spool casts very well and the drag is super-smooth. I've whipped a couple bigger bass with it.

Use as good of quality rods, reels, line and hooks as your wallet, conscience and significant other will allow. The Interwebs are awesome. Most of us didn't have this when we came along. If you can wonder about it, someone has already at least tried to answer it. Get more than one combo so you can have one suited for different techniques. You're on the right track from the ones listed in your original post. Look into different lures for reaction strikes and for slowing down when they won't react. If you get some kind of watercraft, assuming you haven't already, you'll catch more fish. If you're really gung ho and don't have a boat, join a club as a non-boater. You'll learn a lot. I can't get that many Saturdays free a year. Plus I don't like competition, I like catching. Keep a fishing journal. I'm 44 and just started that this year. I've learned a lot from just writing down what happened on a trip. It will give you ideas you never would have considered otherwise. Don't assume any technique is just a gimmick. I fell into that trap and spent years only using a worm and a crankbait. Here's a list of the top 10 baits: http://www.fieldandstream.com/articles/fishing/more-freshwater/1999/12/top-10-bass-lures Buy them and learn when and how to use them. I have to admit there are three on here I never use, but I do own them and I'll get around to them. Never enough time to experiment. Experimenting is a lot of fun and it's learning what (and what not) to do. One last piece of advice. Use topwater lures early and late in the day. They're a blast.

I justify my purchases by telling myself and my wife that I don't own a $60K bass boat that drinks $50 in gas to fish 6 hours. I spend as much as I can without feeling guilty. I keep a written list of things I need to get next time I'm in Academy, Cabela's or BPS...even Walmart. I have a slush savings fund that I use for bigger purchases, like kayaks, canoes, guns...That seems to keep the peace.

I thought this thread was about lures that didn't catch anything and get cast back in the tacklebox forever.

This is good advice. It also helps fight a fish around the bow of the boat. I usually take my entire tackle box if going to a private place and I can just come back to the truck if need be. But when I go to a public place, I have an extra Plano 3700 that I'll put what I think I need for that trip into. If you can't get out of the yak, it can be hard to change lures. I'll admit I'm a strong swimmer and at times I haven't worn my PFD. Especially when I'm with someone else and in an ankle deep creek. I've fallen out only once, but it was COLD. Better to wear that thing. Ability to stand up is nice, but if you're good at feeling a strike that's all you need. Check your state's requirements for public water. You probably have to have a PDF and whistle on the yak. Read up on buying the correct length paddle. You don't need to spend a fortune on that either. As mentioned already, SOT is what most people prefer for fishing. It's way cooler in summer too. You can hang your feet in the water and cool off. I've discovered twice I was able to go into stumps and flooded timber and catch fish that I never could have gotten with even a jonboat. And you can go get your $10 lure when if gets hung up. No gas to buy! Waaay cheaper! Very little maintenance. You're not as tired after fishing for hours. You don't need a boat ramp-this is probably the best advantage of all. You can have a place to yourself! A few people will look at you funny until you catch fish in front of them. Then they'll get interested. People see my FB pics and ask me about getting started. Lots of people go overboard, pun intended, with the add-ons, electronics, etc. You can easily spend as much on a kayak and rigging as you would a cheap jonboat. I have consciously avoided this because I got into the hobby to get back to basics.