vmabuck

At 1.99 each at Walmart I found it hard to pass up. Looks fine, Gama hook, chunky brush guard. Anyone have experience with these?

Ok, so after a little research it seems I am a little late to get into this for this year. Seems a lot of the series action started around Feb for the local tourney scene. I'll have to start asking all these guys I see at the boat ramp and see what they are into. I see plenty of people out here that look like they are more than recreational anglers. I know I have heard some local guys talk about potlucks? Whatever that means...

I had a bruiser give me two chances tonight on the frog, missed em both. Well, first crash he missed it and second shot I got too excited, set too fast, and just scared him real good. I know where he is though. I will give him a couple days to forget LOL!

Fly Rod. Poppers, Clousers, crawfish pattern, and Woolly Buggers...

I do a lot of bank fishing. I like it. It is because of my fly fishing roots. I like being on foot. Right now I am doing very well with hollow body frogs and punching using a Black Neon YUM Mighty Bug which is working well. Just picked up some heavy cover swim jigs and I will give those a go over the weekend. My best lake bank bass (LBB) so far...

For sure! I'll be a co-angler as long as it takes!

When we are on the Chama river in Northern NM in the winter seeking our 20+ inch browns slinging eggs and a worm (Bacon and Eggs) Will pull some pigs! MAtch the hatch when you have to. I generally try to fish big to small. Your hook up and land ratio will be much better with larger flies and 3x-4x, so I use it if I can. But I found myself in plenty of situations where I had to drop to 6x. Fishing pressured, low, gin clear water will let you know how good of a fly fisher you are...

I'll see if I can find one and I will fish it both ways. I know sometimes people like to mod things just to say they did it LOL! But hey, what ever inspires confidence in your game I say go for it! I think it sends positive vibes down the rod and make your flies or lures just a little more appealing...

Does anyone have any info on who I need to get in touch with to find some local tournaments in the Tulsa/NE area? I live on Spavinaw lake just below Grand and only a few miles from Hudson. I am sure there has to be some small local monthly tourneys right?

Finding some really good info here! Glad I found you all!

That is what I was figuring. Now I need to figure out all the non fishing stuff I need like culling gear and weighing bags etc...

Sorry man! I recently left all my fly fishing gear on the shore of a local lake. A nice old fisherman found it and eventually found me. Easily 3 grand worth of gear. So, I hope they find these peoe and you get your hardware back. I'll be throwing positive vibes your way. Also, if it has not been mentioned, be checking craigslist and put flyers up in local pawn shops.

Definitely learn how to fly fish for what it is good for. I have been fly fishing since I was around 14, I am 41 now. I was a guide for the last three years I lived in NM. I moved to NE OK about a year and a half ago. I now live about a thousand yards from a small lake with great bass fishing and a stream below it chock full of warm water varieties of fish. At first all I was using was the fly rod, I am not a snob but it is all I know and it was the only gear I had. I did ok but could never get the big largemouth to hit. Plenty of 8-10 inchers but nothing big at all. I did get on very nice catfish, smallmouth, and white bass though. I wanted one of those big largemouth which I have never really fished for. So, I got a cheap baitcaster rig and some soft plastic critters and learned how to Texas rig. It took about two days and I had one of my better ones to date on the end of my line. I was hooked. If I want big bass I grab that baitcaster and get to work. I now have three rigs and I am hammering the bass with hollow frogs from deep mat with a heavy action rod and 50# braid. It is freakin awesome! And if I don't get them on that I grab the the punch rig and send a critter down and yank them with LOL! So, what is my point here? Ya, learn to fly fish, you will never catch more trout in your life, I gaurantee that. I can outfish any bait dunker with my fly rod when it comes to trout. When it comes to largmouth on a lake, baitcaster tactics will own over working a fly rod. I know that now. I think the more weapons you have under your belt the better time you will out there. Plus, there is nothing better than fly fishing on a crystal clear stream high in the mountains knowing that the slightest mistake will spook that trout of a lifetime you see feeding up river of you in a small pocket. You presentation has to be perfect, your fly has to be the right shape, size, and color and your tippet is 6x and you know that the fight you are about to have with this 20 inch Rainbow will have to handled perfectly to land that fish. For me a lot of fly fishing is about the adventure of getting to secluded streams and catching wild or native strains. Also learning the bug life cycle in streams is helpful in a lot of situations and you are forced to do that if you want to be a successful fly fisher...

Nice! Five in my state and I live 12 miles from #64 and 5 miles from #13 on the list...

It is the E-Motion. Well, I am speaking from minimal experience when it comes to these baitcast rods but I have a world of experience in fly fishing rods. I like the clean look of the E-Motion, and it has those hybrid guides, not micro but not full size either which I think performs smoother compared to my other rod and it looks really good. The white guide wraps against the matte black carbon fiber looks really good as well. This rod is handling some really tough pulls! I get them in fast. The reviews on this rod seem very good as well. I think I lucked out with my combo. I just took what knowledge I had of fly fishing equipment and applied to some more budget minded bass gear and my instincts were pretty right on. The rod feels like a good bit of quality. I also like that there is no padding past the reel. I can set my finger on the blank and really feel what is happening. I also got the H2O Express reel which is the all aluminum bodied reel made for Academy Sports. It also has really great reviews for what it is. I snagged it for $50 and the rod for $60 and I think I got a good deal on a more than adequate rig for punching and frogging. I feel like it is the entry level pro-performance rig. Kind of like in mtn bikes. I got the good frame and rims but not top of the line components...

Spavinaw has been slow for the most part. I have not heard of anyone killing it. In fact, my frog action is probably the best on the lake at the moment for largemouth. Seems a lot of people are out for cat and crappie on Spavinaw though. I am there to get bigger and badder largemouth for the most part but I have found the cat action to be kind of good on the creek. They really like mayfly patterns on the fly roid as well. I just nymph near the bottom with some size 8-10 patterns and generally pull a few on the creek. But not since the floods though. Seems Hudson is not releasing so the creek is still really backed up. Spavinaw lake levels are good though. My plan is to get to Ft. Gibson lake soon and Eufaula as well. Need some experience at both those places, and Grand Lake of course.

I do plan on getting in on some tournaments here in the near future as soon as I repair the livewells on the Cajun. I am assuming the best route would be getting in on locally run tournaments? Or should I just enter anything and everything I can afford? How did you get started? I am in NE OK and there seems to be plenty of tournament action around me. I live about 5 minutes from the southern most boat ramp on Grand Lake of the Cherokee. And I live about a thousand yards from the banks of Spavinaw Lake...

I am not 100% on all of the rules on these tourneys but I plan to get down there to fish soon. I am not entered but I want some experience on this lake because I do plan on entering some tourneys in the future. Contact me through the boards and maybe we can get out for a day...

I always travel with all setups. I have an 8 wt Z-Axis and a Redington RS4 fast action 5wt in a dual rod case, 6' 6" MH all purpose baitcaster, 7' 7" heavy fast action frog/punch rig, a Medium spinning rod, and one of those micro crappie spin rigs LOL! Ready for anything, always! If you have any questions about fly rods let me know...

I will get one of those and try it out! Did you see the tip in the comments on the BP link about spacing the legs wider using boiling water and a shot glass? Seems like a more realistic look after that mod...

No problem! I have some friends that live in Farmington MO. Went there a few times and I need to give that Maramec Springs a go. I saw the hatchery on my first trip through. Got to feed the fish and everything. They were all up in that side slew waiting to be released. Cool place! That and the White River is a must hit for me soon. I need an epic Brown!

Been looking at different kinds of these frogs. So far I have purchased a Lunker Hunt frog, with realistic legs, KVD Sexy Frog, and a Scum Frog. I liked the action of the Lunker Hunt frog but after two missed strikes and one 2.5 lb'er both legs were gone. That took all of 30 minutes. Now it just kind of rolls around so it is no good. I contacted LH about the quality of the legs and they just said, basically, that is just part of the game. They are sending me a replacement though. I found that story hard to swallow because after 10 or so misses in the beginning, and now 5 successful sets and lands through the muck, the KVD Sexy Frog is still rockin just like when I pulled it out of the box. So, if I had to judge from my initial experience, I have to say not all frogs are equal. I will use the new LH and see how long it lasts now that I have the timing better on hookset. But if I lose the legs after a few fish then I will not be purchasing that brand anymore. Right now the KVD Pumpkin/Pearl Belly Sexy Frog is doing real well for me. I tried the Scum Frog but for some reason it did not inspire a lot of faith for me. So it will have to be a last resort backup. Next purchase with be the Booyah mentioned above. I really want to try that brand...

Thanks!

I am a transplant from NM. I moved to Spavinaw NE ok Tulsa just south of Grand Lake dam. I have been fishing primarily spavinaw lake a lot and the creek below. I have managed to learn quite a bit about largemouth fishing since I have moved and have been getting some good catches. Before I moved here I was all fly fishing for western trout. Did that most of my life and I was a guide for a few years before I left NM. I gotta fish! I have checked out the tailwater below Tenkiller and it is some decent trout fishing. But right now, I think I have done enough trout fishing and I am 100% focused on this largemouth scene. Love the equipment, already have a few specialized baitcast setups for specific rigs. My favorite so far would be the heavy action rod with 50# braid fishing weedless frogs over the mats on spavinaw! Crazy hits! I also have access to a private section of water below the state park here. It used to be an old set of cabins. The new owner is fencing it off, cleaning it up, and making it into a private camp/fish area. I have that section pegged for sure. Caught one of my biggest largemouth on that section. If you get up this way holler and we can go out. I have a 16' cajun and would welcome any knowledge in this bass fishing world for sure. I do kind of like fishing the banks though. I walk them a few nights a week just throwing weedless stuff basically waiting to see any rises. Once I see one, I cast through and run over it and 90% of the time it is a hit. Fun stuff. Reminds me of those guys chasing permit on the beaches with a fly rod. My next plan for fly fishing is to hit the lower Illinios with my new 8wt and latch on to some of those striper I hear so much about. Can't wait for that! Here are some Spavinaw area catches...

Frogs are hot right now where I am...