blckshirt98

I need some more drop shot weights, lemme know if there are any ebay codes floating around!

Google Express has a code "DEAL20" that can be used once per account, for 20% off anything, even already discounted items. https://express.google.com/ I used mine to grab a bunch of already discounted Trokar hooks so I got them for almost 50% off MSRP. Searching for stuff is kind of the wild west, as their search filters are garbage. Try entering in brand names to get a list of what they have available.

Ha, I was being facetious with the Johnny Morris comment, I hope he doesn't. The way he bought and consolidated so many of the bass boat companies makes me think of him as Vince McMahon who decided the best way to be the only wrestling show in town was to just buy up all of the competing brands. I do hope Pure Fishing goes to a better owner. Last time they were sold which was just a few years back, I hear they got rid of pretty much all of their sales reps. I only own some of the Abu/Berkley/Sebile stuff, and of those three Berkley is the only brand I buy heavily (for trout fishing it's PowerBait or bust, and I'm a big fan of their Havoc line).

I'm a 100% shore guy, dropshot probably 80% of the time, and catch 90% of my fish that way. I use a fairly long leader (30" or so and eyeball the hook into the midpoint. The long length from hook to weight is because I'm dealing with both a) casting out from shore so the line will be at a 45 degree angle or so, and b) the natural incline of the lake topo. So 15" between the hook and weight will actually only have the bait sit maybe 6-8" off the bottom. From there you cast it out, barely twitch the rod, and let the bait sit. I'll leave the bait in relatively the exact same spot for a minute or more at times, which is when I get a lot of (subtle) bites.

Phenix Feather line - the price point on these rods for what you get is a game changer. They're super light (2.4-3.6 ounces) and strong (on the Medium Light they hang tested 5kg(~12 lbs) hanging from the tip.

I'd use a 3.5" plastic on a dropshot and fish it deadstick slow.

I would use mono for backing to be safe - one time I tried the electrical tape route, and it was probably user error on my part of not winding the line on tight enough, but it started to slip immediately. I use whatever heavy mono I have laying around, I believe it's currently a spool of 12# Daiwa I got for free from the local tackle shop. You just need to cover the spool a couple of times but you can add more if you want to use up less braid. I use mostly Shimano 1000/2500 sized reels and I've spooled them with all sizes up to 20lb braid. Be careful if you're spooling from a smaller capacity spool of line that also has a small diameter (for example 150 yards of 8lb PowerPro) because if you don't put enough backing on, you'll put on the entire 150 yards of line but still have a good amount of space to the lip of the reel. You'll need to either use it as is, or tie on another spool of line to fill up the reel, both of which can impact your casting.

I deadstick my dropshot all the time, lots of subtle bites I don't believe I would have gotten doing anything that requires a moving bait.

Johnny Morris can't buy these companies up either?

The fact that he's done very little to learn, but complains at the lack of results, shows a lot about his (lack of) character. He's the guy that will show up to the gym once every two weeks and say everyone else is on steroids. You're not being a jerk at all, your friend is just a free-loader that wants success handed to him without doing any of the required work.

6th Sense baits are solid. Japanese made quality, at domestic prices. You will not be disappointed.

I've had the same braid on some of my spinning reels for the past 5 years. Other than some fading color and the occasional cutback because of fraying, no need to change the line out.

Tough to come up with a definitive answer. Custom rodmakers will let you pick out a blank and components where you can find the prices of everything out of a catalog. From there you can get a rough estimate of labor costs the rodmaker is charging on top of materials. With the big companies it's more difficult because it's hard to determine what kind of blank they're using. Some make their own blanks in-house, others are just buying them in bulk from a manufacturer, whether from China or the USA, affixing catalog components on it, sticking some labels on them, and marking them up. You'll never be able to find out what it's costing them to make their blanks, and unless they specifically say where they're sourcing their blanks from, it's anybody's guess (they could be buying them by the thousands from some no-name alibaba.com manufacturer). You basically need to find a rod/brand you like to fish with and trust they're giving you good value. My favorite rod company is Phenix and their blanks are made in China. I have no idea how much they're marking them up, but to me that's irrelevant. I like the weights/actions/components on them, I have yet to have one fail on me, I like fishing with them, and I have yet to find a Phenix model that has disappointed me. Whether they're marking them up 10% or 200%, I'll still buy them and use them, because those are the rods that give me confidence on the water. (It's also a vote of confidence when Ben from Low Down Customs uses their hybrid blanks for his swimbait rods).

Here you go, 100% Nylon pants, $15, those even have a couple of side pockets to hold some fishing stuff. https://www.sierratradingpost.com/dakota-grizzly-parker-convertible-cargo-pants-for-men~p~254hm/?filterString=clearance~1%2Fnewmarkdowns~1%2Fmen~d~5284%2Fmens-clothing~d~15%2Fmens-pants-and-shorts~d~143%2Fmens-hiking-pants~d~9936%2F

I re-apply about every 3 hours, a lot of people seem to forget about reapplying. I hear you about the sunscreen being absorbed which is why I try to keep my exposed skin to a minimum - hands, upper face/ears, neckline where the buff can scrunch up, arms. Arms are the big one now but I got some long sleeve sun shirts to cut down on the UV exposure/sunscreen there.

Do not f around with UV rays. I always wear long quick dry pants, a full brimmed hat, sunglasses, buff covering neck/ears/lower face, and sunscreen over any exposed skin. I'll even use sunscreen in parts shaded by the hat as UV will reflect off of surfaces (like water) so even if you're fishing the day in shade, you'll get UV exposure. This past winter I bought a couple of long sleeve quick dry shirts that I'm going to wear during the summer to cover up my arms. The part where I think most people mess up, is neglecting to re-apply sunblock every 3 hours or so, as the sunblock will wear off.

I don't eat much freshwater fish besides hatchery raised trout. I let the bass/crappie/bluegill all go, but I'll eat almost any saltwater fish that's edible and legal.

I'm a shorts guy myself, but when fishing, the lightweight polyester pants actually keep me cooler by keeping the direct sun off my legs. I wear them with a loose fit and don't even notice them on me. If you haven't tried them yet find a generic budget pair for like $15-20, they might change your life if you fish often on hot sunny days. Get a non-greasy type like Neutrogena Ultra Sheer. Barely noticeable once you apply it.

For me it's my Frankenstein spinning rod setup. Being a shore guy I don't like juggling around multiple rods so usually only take one rod. To avoid having to re-tie often I'll have my 15lb braid mainline, tie on a quick snap (Decoy V-Snap, Norman Speed Clip, etc), then use that as my "base" setup to be able to attach almost any rig quickly. So for example I'll drop shot and attach a size 10(35lb) Spro Power Swivel, have my fluoro leader with hook and dropshot weight. If I want to switch techniques instead of having to cut anything, i'll just unhook the Spro swivel from the quick snap, attach on a squarebill, jerkbait, another Spro Power Swivel with a Neg Rig tied on, another Spro Power Swivel with a shakey head tied on, etc etc. The quick snap to power swivel is the unconventional part, but fish don't seem to mind it.

The quick dry pants are a godsend for me and not only keep me warmer in cold weather, but it keeps the sun off me and keeps me cooler in hot weather. I've used the ones from Columbia and Alpine Design, but I've also used the cheapest generic brand from Sierra Trading Post when they're up on clearance and they all work the same. Number of pockets and layout are different but as long as they fit, I don't have a brand preference.

I no longer worry about rods breaking because of a fish, as long as it's used properly, after watching these guys catch tuna on a Barbie rod -

@ChefsterThe past 5 weeks have been the best stretch of shore fishing I've experienced...double digit bites every outing except one tough morning the day before that rogue storm came through the day after the Coyote Mega Sale. Besides that day, been landing about a dozen per weekend! Highest count was twenty!

The Phenix X-10 up for sale in the Fishing Flea Market would be perfect.

You can impart your own "deflection" of sorts by quickly snapping the rod back in one direction or another. Not exactly the same as it's not producing a "thump" as it hits an object, but it gives the random darting motion of a fleeing baitfish.

3/8oz on calm days is a good baseline to start, going heavier based on the conditions and contour of the lake.