blckshirt98

2500 Shimano because it seems to balance the best with most rods. As for which reel you need to have enough spool space for the line you'll need, a 1000 Shimano is fine if you're using braid, but the smaller reel doesn't balance well with a lot of rods IMO.

Domestically try Hagen's - https://hagensfish.com/ Non-domestically there are a lot of overseas manufacturers on alibaba that sell skirts in bulk.

For posterity sake here's a list of the mom and shop tackle shops in the Bay Area that have closed within the past 5 years - Ly's Fishing Goods (San Jose, CA) - Ly went into the machining business because he had a couple of kids and a tackle shop wasn't paying the bills. Mel Cotton's Sporting Goods (San Jose, CA) - Opened in 1946, closed recently when the offer they got for the land was better than the cost to fix their place up, and, the co-tenant on their lot took the offer from the development company. Hotel incoming. Walton's Pond (San Leandro, CA) - Jon Walton liquidated his shop and moved to La Paz, Mexico to be with his girlfriend and is now helping to manage/guide the Mosquito Fleet charter boats down there. Moreso than the shop that was lost, he knew everything there was to know about saltwater fishing in NorCal. The Angler's Choice (Capitola, CA) - One of the few tackle shops along the coast just a 1/2 mile from the shore. Fisherman's Warehouse (San Jose, CA) - Not closed yet but they did have to move locations and downsize significantly. Whenever I visit it's pretty dead, I'll be surprised if they make it another 2 years.

As far as I know there is no industry standard for IM-8, IM-9, etc, but within whatever labeling system Shimano uses the IM-9 should be more sensitive than the IM-8. Best bet is to just use it and see how you like it! https://www.flwfishing.com/tips/2003-12-19-graphite-rods

When I started to fish again I used what I had available which was an Oakley Sandbag sling pack. It's much smaller than other sling packs on the market but I found it very handy because I didn't carry much stuff with me at the time, and whenever I needed something I could just swing the pack around my body and I could grab it. Nowadays I carry a bit more than me and I like the more even weight distribution a traditional backpack provides, but it is kind of a pain in butt to have to remove the backpack and find a clean level place on the ground (mud, bugs, steep ground, wet plants, etc) to set the backpack while I re-tie. But if the sling feels comfortable to you, and especially if you find yourself reaching into your tackle bag often, I think you'll like using a sling-style pack.

I got some size 1 and size 2 dropshot Trapper hooks and while I haven't caught a fish on them yet I did snag something in the water with one over the weekend. While the Owner hooks I usually use will tend to bend and straighten out when pulling them free from a snag (using 10lb FC leader), the Trapper hook snapped clean at the first bend. So it looks like straightening the hook out won't be an issue, it'll just be total hook failure if it ever gets to that level of strain on the hook.

Where society is nowadays with technology, everything is quick gratification. Driving around burning gas and dealing with traffic and parking to shop is a lot of work if you had the option to just open a web browser, click a few buttons, and have what you want show up on your doorstep in *** days. I wouldn't be surprised if sometime down the line that BPS also doesn't start shutting down stores because the foot traffic isn't there. The new BPS in San Jose is dead whenever I go, even on the weekends - there are usually only 2 checkout counters open, with 0-2 people in line in front of you. There's a couple of mom and pop shops still open but in the past few years two have closed down, and one had to move to a smaller location and cut their inventory by 2/3. There's one tackle shop (Coyote Bait and Tackle) I try to go to once every month or two, and I'll pay full retail to support them (they also have a stamp program where for every $50 you spend you get a stamp on a card, and when you fill up the card with 10 stamps you get $50 off anything). They also have THE best staff/service of any shop (not just tackle shop, any kind of shop) that sets them apart from other places. Great service and friendly/knowledgeable staff to build relationships is what the mom and pop shops really need to focus on because that's how they can set themselves apart. Another mom and pop tackle shop that gives me the same vibe is Glory Hole Sports out in the Sierra Foothills - next time I'm in the area I plan on stopping by and spending some money.

Squarebills and lipless are all you need from the shore!

I'll usually use some kind of quick snap on my crankbaits - Normal Speed Clips usually but also Tactical Angler Power Clips (these are a big large for my taste unless it's with a large bait) and Gamakatsu G-Finesse Tournament Snaps.

There are a few surf fishing builders in SoCal that use Rainshadow blanks in their builds - have never read anything negative about those blanks.

Ouch, that's a rough combo to lose. I would have spent the rest of my day and the day after trying to dredge my combo off the bottom. Nice find though!

Don't forget to look around the internet for Cabela's gift cards as well, should be able to save another 10% or so. Metasearch - https://www.giftcardgranny.com/buy-gift-cards/cabelas/ I've used CardPool many times with no issues.

https://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_123/gander-mountain-bankruptcy-31017.html Not that any of you would have missed it on the front page, but some of you called it.

Bubbling shakers on a drop shot are amazing! Also has anyone else noticed that the package actually reads "Bubbring Shaker" like it was a bad Japanese to English translation?

American Legacy has the Stradic FK 1000 size on sale for $139.99. Great deal if a 1000 size reel is what will work on the rod you plan on pairing it with. If you really want ultra-finesse you could pair it up with an UL trout rod, like a Phenix Elixir FX802-1X. I use a similar setup (reel is an older model Fuego 1000) for dropshotting at times and it's a load of fun.

I hoard original D&M Piranhas when I can find them but also use the Picasso Shock Blades and SK Rage Blades. I also got a bunch of original chatterbaits from overstockbait that I'll throw into anything because they were so affordable. Trailer wise I for the most part stick to a single tail grub. I have some rigged up with different trailers but the single trail grub is simple and consistent.

I'm curious what 1000 bags of TRD baits look like! Someone should start a bait monkey rehabilitation thread, by posting all of their fishing stuff for everyone to see in full shame.

If you do get the guides re-wrapped locally, maybe look into getting a spiral wrap. I know some people say this makes little difference and it's a fad, but I have one glass crankbait rod spiral wrapped and would never switch back.

I'm a shore guy so I use the rod as a multi-tasker, but for a dropshot I'll use a 1/8oz in dead calm, 3/16oz if there's a bit of wind or current. Those rare days when the it's really picking up I'll go heavier as needed, but 1/8 or 3/16 is usually all I need (6, 8, or 10 lb fluoro leader btw).

I have a M1 (MX-S72M) and have probably caught more fish on that rod than all my other rods combined, and for finesse I fish a dropshot 95% of the time. Great dropshot rod that works for other finesse presentations, and small crankbaits as well. I'll even chunk small topwaters on it.

Never listen to music because I like to listen to the water/wildlife around me. Being a shore guy I like walking along the shoreline and only hearing the ground beneath my feet. Also sometimes I'll hear baitfish breaking surface and not having my hearing impaired helps me zero in to the location quickly.

I've thought this too but it's hard to stop, especially since I think it's good karma to visit a local tackle shop every month or two and spend some money there and keep in touch with the staff. Now I just look at it as stocking up for retirement, because once I'm on a fixed income I won't have as much to spend on fishing stuff. Buy now so I have what I need later!

It looks like people are going with larger 6/0, 7/0, 8/0 weighted hooks on the 5.5" shadalicious baits. I found a few posts that say the right hook is really important for these baits, and a couple of people suggest an 8/0 Owner Beast hook.

Have you tried a (larger) weighted hook so the bait stays upright?

Winn grips on golf clubs feel amazing, and if their fishing grips are identical I'm sure I'll like them. However I'm hesitant because I can see how fast the Winn grips wear down (my brother has some of his golf irons wrapped with Winn) and I can see them wearing down on a fishing rod that can regularly be held for hours at a time.