blckshirt98

6th Sense Divine Underspins are top notch and the head fits on flush with plastics. Also 6th Sense just makes Japan quality stuff at domestic prices - http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/6th_Sense_Divine_Underspins_/descpage-6SDUS.html Edit: Oops, I can't read, you were looking for just the screw lock with the blade. These are angled if you're looking for something more aligned on the bottom, http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Pro_Point_Underspin_Blades_3pk/descpage-PPUN.html You can also always make your own using a barrel swivel, O-ring, a blade of your choice, and the following - http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Do-it_Hitching_Post_25pk/descpage-DOITHPS.html

Cabela's has Curado 300E and 301E reels for $159.99 with $5 shipping. You can get gift cards online to save another 12.5%.

Can't remember if they were priced this low before but American Legacy has the Stradic FK 2500 on sale for $129.99.

I've been checked twice fishing local reservoirs from the shore - once by a warden making the rounds on a boat, another time by one walking the shoreline on foot. I had my license on me both times, but I'm horrible about signing it so other than that it was okay. I will say I have a two rod stamp and sometimes when fishing for trout I'll put two PowerBait lines out and when i get bored will throw out a spinner/kastmaster for a few casts.

All the St Croix Premiers are on sale at Cabela's, I hope you bought it from Cabela's and used gift cards from a place like Cardpool to save another 11.5%!

Try Tackle Express or Carolina Fishing Tackle.

I'm a shore guy and jumping baitish is one of the best signs you could ask for, personally nothing is more exciting than when I see that. There are hungry bass chasing food so keep throwing a squarebill or chatterbait near the jumping baitfish and hold tight. Otherwise coves are a great spot to start, main points/secondary points, and dropoffs as well. You don't have electronics to help you so basically you're going to have to tie on something where you can feel the bottom (I like to use a dropshot) and visually map out the bottom as you fish. Each cast should give you a little more information about what's under the water - how deep is it, is the bottom soft and muddy, is it gravel, are there larger rocks, is there a patch of grass or milfoil where your lure is always getting stuck, etc. Look for any cover like cattails or dead tree stumps, mudlines if it's windy, any place that might be a good ambush spot for a bass. If you look in the water you'll usually see bass cruising back and forth in the shallows so there will always be some bass around, even if they're not hunkered down and stationary. Keep moving and moving and moving and eventually you'll find some good spots to fish.

Basically just follow the Golden Rule here. If you were on the dock and someone on a boat came by and started casting around you would it get on your nerves? Chances are it would, so don't do it to other people.

Those were the last Curados that had the "Made In Japan" stamp on the reel foot which carries enough weight for those to hold their value.

Disgusting! I like to use Pro-Cure Gels, the stuff is basically ground up bait and sticks for a good amount of time. I've bought a few "flavors" and while I can't tell the difference I'm hoping the fish do. I've tried Smelly Jelly but application is a bit cumbersome because of the jar. Not a fan of Megastrike because I keep dropping the stinking cap. What brand of toothpaste is that with the fitting flip-top cap??!

This covers it all, though some chatterbaits work better in some ways than others. A local company makes a chatterbait with a blade the size of a golf ball that is made to fish verrrrrrryyyy slow witha pronounced thump and side to side wobble. Other chatterbaits like an original Z-Man I find works better with a faster retreive like a crankbait/spinnerbait. Just make sure you test each method with whatever chatterbait to make sure it's doing what you want it to do.

How about a phantom Hudd? For a dropshot I would use a Molix Sator Worm in Seducente, or a Reins Bubbling Shaker in Morning Dawn or Oikawa!

If I'm fishing with a buddy I have no problem with them fishing the same spot as me. If there's a big fish as long as one of us catches it, I consider it a win. If some random walks over and starts fishing in the same spot, that's poor etiquette.

One thing to help with the time spent re-tying is to start using a quick snap like Norman Speed Clip/Decoy V-Snap/Gamakatsu G-Finesse Tournament Snaps. For reaction baits a quick snap will save you tons of time, but I wouldn't use a quick snap when changing finesse presentations.

I haven't fished a Levante but was thinking of getting one at a local tackle shop last year. Changed my mind after talking to a customer that used to have Levante rods but switched them all out for Orochis. He said the Levante just didn't feel right when he was fishing them, but the Orochi was the feel he's been looking for his whole life. He wasn't a Megabass rep and had no skin in the game, just an enthusiast trying to convince me if I was looking at a Levante that I would be better off spending the extra for an Orochi. Went with an Orochi Swingfire for small/medium crankbaits and couldn't be happier with the rod.

Pretty much every plastic bait on the shelves will catch a fish it's just a matter of when you were introduced to it and by whom to give you the confidence to use them. Each plastic bait someone has listed probably has a story like that behind it. In no particular order: - 3.5" GYCB Kut Tail "Baby Bass" - Started fishing a kut tail on a drop shot after watching Andy Cuccia talk about the bait on TV (Sport Fishing with Dan Hernandez) when they were covering the Yamamoto Big Bass Challenge on the CA Delta. Started out with green pumpkin but after trying about 15 different colors, the one that I felt got me the most bites was the baby bass, something about the little bit of gold flake they throw in. - 4" Molix Sator Worm "Watermelon Gold Shad" or "Seducente" - As drop shotting became my main finesse technique I started looking for baits that looked like it would have a lot of action when nose hooked that might be a little under the radar. Got a pack of these and they've since become my top choice in clear water. Crappie and bluegill will also attack it, but if I'm having a tough day and I just want to catch a fish, this is what I'll use. If nothing bites this it's time to go home. - 4" Havoc Pit Boss "Vampire Orange" "Lime Purple Passion" - I'm not much of a jig fisherman but Vampire Orange on a black or black/red jig, or, Lime Purple Passion on a brown or brown/purple jig, are the two best looking combinations of jig/trailer I've seen. If I ever decide to start fishing a jig heavily, this will be what I use. - 4" KVD Dream Shot "Brown Purple" - Another dropshot variant specific to one reservoir in the area. A local pro gave a seminar talking about how a Roboworm MMIII was what everyone was using to try catch a DD bass at this reservoir, so instead of going with the Roboworm I went with the Dream Shot to present something a little different. No DD but the fish do like the dark purple and I've caught more fish on that color than any other color at that reservoir. - 5" GYCB Senko "Baby Bass" - This gave me the confidence to give bass fishing a shot again. Having been absent from bass fishing for 30 years I only knew a Carolina Rig (from surf fishing) and when looking at surf fishing stuff I'd always look at the senkos and ask how a plain stick could catch a fish (it had no curly tail or ribs or any moving parts). I spent a lot of time reading about stickbaits, and the weightless senko was the easiest new rig to learn (tie a hook to the end of the line!), and it gave me the confidence to go to a freshwater lake and start bass fishing even though I had no clue what I was doing. I don't really have a #6-10, other plastics I have are more of a "what do I feel like fishing today" for the sake of variety, but the five baits above are what I bring with me anywhere I go for bass.

Either the Curado 200 I for $129.99 or the Curado 70 for $149.99 that are both on sale at American Legacy Fishing. From there you can just go all-in on like a Megabass Orochi, Phenix Ultra MBX, St Croix Legend Tournament Bass, or a Loomis.

A non-worm I'll mention are the Damiki Air Craws, they have hollow claws that always float up. If you wanna add some extra attraction you can stuff some broken pieces of alka seltzer into the hollow claws to let out a slow stream of air bubbles.

Replica for sure. I think most people that catch a giant fish nowadays let the actual fish go and have a taxidermist make a replica based on pictures. Mailing dead things, mammals or fish or otherwise is just weird to me.

There's always going to be some casualties when you're fishing, that's just part of the deal when you're using a sharp hook and living things. I've had my share of bad bleeders and while I never feel good about it, I accept it and move on. One thing I try to do is avoid staying at a spot for long when the bass are bedding. No need to hook the same fish more than once.

Dangit, I've been waiting for the next CybrSlydr post and hoping to see some success! I'm starting to think those waters you're fishing have no bass in them, or if they do they're all tiny. Are there any local forums or tackle shops that can give you some info, or at the very least confirm those places you're fishing have bass in them?

I have a few packs of the Dry Creek Dropshot Tubes but have only used them a handful of times and for some reason always go back to my kut tails. After WSB's comment about them being good for beds, I think I'll dig them up and give them another go. I do like to nosehook them, because it allows for better swinging/movement.

Went back to a local Wal Mart and asked if they had a clearance aisle, lady pointed me at a section with some clearance balloons and I got excited...until I walked over and saw nothing but candles and some kitchen/houseware items. No clearance out here on the west coast yet!

I'm about to call every Cabela's in the country to see if they can sell/ship a Curado 300.

Thanks for the info and glad you got a direct response from Keitech!