RandySBreth

Yeah, mono on spinning gear can cause headaches. :'(

They make spinning gear for "Stand-up" fishing for 400-pound Tuna, so there is hardware appropriate for any species in both casting and spinning. There are many reasons you should learn how to use casting gear anyway, but the "excuse" that you can't use heavy line on spinning gear isn't one of them. You just need the right size tackle. I know of a couple of Striper Guides on Beaver lake that use mostly spinning gear for their clients, because not every one knows how to use casting gear. I have some casting set-ups that work great, but for fun (and not-exactly expert fishermen friends and family) I use 7' medium-heavy spinning rods paired with 4000 size spinning reels spooled with 8/30 braided line, and a 14- to 25-pound test Fluoro leaders for Schoolie Stripers on Beaver Lake. These guys run up to about the 8- to 10-pound range. Sometimes you get bigger ones, but they're not the average. Great fun, and they can pull drag like no Largemouth ever thought of! The spinning tackle makes it easy for people to cast spoons and jigs and swimbaits into the wind without worrying about backlashes, too.

It still takes some basic knowledge to locate fish in a larger body of water before you toss out a minnow under a bobber, so I'm going to have to disagree. And with the newer products like Gulp! artificial lures that are tournament legal aren't exactly a blob of lifeless plastic anymore. In fact, for inexperienced people I take Smallie fishing in my local rivers I usually set them up with a simple split-shot rig "baited" with a Gulp! Leech or Minnow instead of live bait. Easier to mess with, keeps better, etc.

The moss is bad in spots, some other places not so much. The Bass are spawning right now. What's working? Just about everything. Spinnerbaits near shallow cover, soft plastics drug on gravel, jigs near the shallow side of docks. Table Rock is on fire right now.

Just snaps, not swivel-snaps. Well, I will use a swivel-snap when using an inline spinner, but that's it. Snaps are great for hard baits. (Cranks and Jerkbaits)

Texas? I'd go with a 9' 8-weight combo. I will not recommend a specific brand, because you really need to cast one first. I consider a 9' 8-weight a basic "big Bass" set-up.

Rapala's new Flat Rap. Balsa with the long cast type thing going on, shallow diver, comes in two sizes. I can't wait for summer to try the smaller size out on river Smallmouth's.

I mostly camp and cook my own GOOD food. I won't be living off the cheap hot dogs, sorry, no way. Good inexpensive food can be had in even little towns with a decent grocery store. If I'm unfamiliar with an area I usually call the local chamber of commerce or tourism board and ask a local person where they shop for food. Of course, I'm kind of a "foodie" anyway, some people are O.K. with Ramen every night. The towing versus renting thing is a good tip too.

One thing to remember about the Eakin's jig is it's intended to be a pitchin' and flippin' type jig, not a swimming or dragging jig. I read an article where Troy Eakins likes to cast his jigs to a specific peice of cover, let it sink, maybe jiggle it twice or so in place, then reel it back in and pitch it to another spot. The round head doesn't come through cover as well as other designs.

I was going to be a smarta@# and say "Tied as a leader to your superline" but that's not too helpful. Yo-Zuri has a great "spinning friendly" Fluoro, but the one I use the most is P-Line's "Fluoroclear." And follow the spooling tips that come with the line you bought..

Yeah, I don't use trailer hooks either. I use more compact spinners mostly, and even if I see the fish hit I reel until I feel weight, then sweep the rod to the side I'm already reeling on. I'm using mostly a Medium power rod with a Moderate action, and braided line. I don't lose fish once hooked.

Yeah, I blatantly stole some of my ideas from Fish Chris, maybe he'll chime in, and Crestliner's post certainly has a good budget way to do it. In my canoe or for wading I use a collapsible travel tripod, but for the "big boat" the best thing I've found was a "window camera mount" like this one http://www.rei.com/product/802267 I mount it to the windshield of my console. I don't run the big motor with the camera mounted, I take it off and stick it in the console when running, then screw it on when I get up to drop the trolling motor. You also need a camera with a timer function, although most cameras have a timer today, even inexpensive point and shoot models, like the little HP I use. You can hook a bass, turn around and turn the camera on and set it on timer, then hit the timer and get the fish where you want it just in time for the shot, like this. Hopefully. It takes a bit to get used to doing it. My avatar picture was taken with the camera mounted on the small tripod in my solo canoe. You need 3 hands almost to pull that one off. You could also drop the fish in the livewell until you're set up to take the picture, although some states regulations may not be O.K. on dropping a non-tournament fish in the livewell if you're going to let it go.

I use braid for spinnerbaits, and fluoro for shallow cranks. For deep cranks I use thin (4/10) Fireline or an equivalent braid with a fluoro leader.

I've used a Bass Pro Brand "Crankin' Stick" for a couple of years now, pretty good spinnerbait rod in the Med/Heavy ones.

As soon as they can swim seems reasonable. I know some "kids" that are in their 20's that I don't consider safe in my boat! ;D

I liked the #7 the best until the new XRap Shad came out. It's plastic, but casts further and works fantastic. I like that "Purpledescent" color a lot for clear water.

The smaller size is my favorite trailer for finesse jigs I'm going to use to skip docks. Helps them skip like a flat rock!

Yes, this is a good reference point - if your average lure is in the 4-ounce range. : For most Bass fishing, um, not so much. With heavier weights, it isn't a big deal, but lighter weight lures are cast further, easier, on spinning tackle. Especially in wind, and especially if you spool thin diameter superlines as your main line.

Two that I've liked are Vanish and XPS (Bass Pro Store Brand) fluoro. A tip on these two is use the next lb-test lower than what you want, in other words, if you like 10-pound test for a leader in a situation, use 8-pound of either of these as they are "over tested" or stronger than stated. If money's no object, my favorite leader is Orvis "Mirage" leader material. Very strong for it's diameter, very, very, abrasion resistant.

If I were him I'd spend more time obsessing about mastering every technique in modern Bass fishing, instead of worrying about T.P. There's a basic level of cleanliness, but the Bass don't care if you use Charmin or not. :

Here in the Ozarks almost everyone knows about swimming a grub through the timber for bass, so it's not a secret bait. The pea gravel banks near the Dam on Table Rock turn out big Smallies every year, most of which are caught on slowly swam grubs.

AWE..... SOME!!!!! Seriously, an almost 6pound Smallie is like a 12-pound "green fish".

I'm a "whatever it takes" Bass fisherman. I tend to fish faster than most others, but if that doesn't work I slow down until something happens. I guess I can put it better by saying I try to do what other people on any given body of water aren't doing, that often means to "out-finesse" folks who only use finesse stuff means going big and fast. My favorites? The entire ***.com website. ;D

I remember hearing that lots of stick in the mud types hated "that new plastic rod material" when it first came out too- I think it was called graphite. ;D

You really need to double check with the regulations on the HP-restricted waters and be clear about the official policy before you go ahead and dive in. I have several HP-restricted lakes close by me that don't allow you to put the boat on the water if it has an outboard over the Max HP - prop taken off or not. Make sure.