blckshirt98

The new Stradic CI4+ reels they're releasing at ICAST look sweet, and will probably retain more value if you ever need to sell it for some unforeseen reason.

Go to sanjosebass.com and register yourself there and introduce yourself. It's a local fishing site for the Bay Area where you can ask/read about local lakes and possibly find a buddy to fish with. Kind of tough to find someone with a boat, but there's a lot of shore guys. A few surf fishing guys too that fish up the Santa Cruz coast to Half Moon Bay and down south to Monterey for perch and stripers. I fish mostly freshwater lakes in Santa Clara County but surf fish as well, let me know if you want to hit a place up!

KVD is aligned with all the big sponsors already that can probably give him both the most sponsor money, and, the most resources for R&D to create and test new equipment. Quantum(Zebco), Strike King, Bass Pro Shops, Oakley, Toyota, Mustad, Plano, Mercury, MotorGuide, Humminbird...unless he wants to start fishing high end Japanese gear like Megabass over Quantum I don't really see him switching to anyone else in any of those other categories.

I think some of better evidence I've heard of how pressure/conditioning affects fish are those that have ever fished remote lakes where the fish have never seen a lure, or, how people recall when a technique first started being used where they could catch fish nonstop before it became widespread and the fish became accustomed to the presentation (i.e. dropshotting).

A bit higher than $200 but one of the MH Orochi XX rods that were posted up in the For Sale forum would rock.

I've had it in both elbows from gym stuff and for immedidate pain relief (i.e. have a tournament you need to fish) take whatever OTC meds work for you (for me it's Aleve - aspirin/ibuprofen/anything else are like sugar pills to me). After you're done using your elbow, ice ice ice ice ice ice ice and more ice. Ice is your best friend. If it gets to the point where it's so bad that OTC meds and ice isn't helping, just go to an orthopedic surgeon and ask for a cortisone shot. Don't be afraid of the shot, I got a shot in each elbow and both times they felt good as new. Right elbow I got a shot like 7 years ago, left elbow I got a shot like 6 years ago, I recently got a second shot on my left elbow but this time it's not inflammation there's something structurally jacked up in it. Right elbow still feels fine. If you really want to fix it fast and easy and there's nothing structurally wrong with it, the Magic Needle is your friend!

I use the Columbia pants too, I never use the zipper to convert them to shorts though, they keep my legs from getting frostbite on cold mornings, and, when it's hot they keep my legs cool by keeping the sun off of them. Also that sunburn looks freaking nasty!

The Whopper Plopper. It's been getting a lot of chatter on forums but really got a boost when Chris Lane fished it on BassMaster Live.

Those reels sell for about $150 in very good condition and $200 in like-new condition, so $120 is a good deal, even if you need to send it off for servicing.

You should have told her to send a private message to Glenn, that he's super helpful to people that are new and getting into fishing and that he's willing to help them and answer any questions.

I'm wondering if anyone knows what kind of a boat they use on In-Fisherman for their multi-species? I see Doug Stange in I believe a Lund boat, and it's not a bass boat it's more of "sit-in" multi-species boat as opposed to a classic "sit-on" bass boat, and, the engine is controlled with the old fashioned handle instead of a steering wheel. Looking at their website I'd say it looks like it might be the Fury...can anyone confirm?

I see some of those clips of some pros on the great lakes or other large bodies of water when there's white caps and the boat is rocking. I don't know how they don't get seasick or how more people don't go overboard on their bass boats with no rail. Or even how they don't stumble around on deck and step on a few rods.

I'll rotate around because fishing the same spot can get monotonous. If the bite is really hot though I'll keep hitting a spot, but once it slows down I'll mix it up a bit and try a different spot or maybe explore a completely new area altogether. Better to have a few options because you never know when something might happen to your go-to spot.

Fish a dropshot and your luck and confidence will change dramatically!

I have two Gen 1 Cumaras and they're awesome rods. Have not owned any Gen 2 Cumaras though.

I think a lot of it was just that for the longest time most casting reels were right handed with very few left handed versions, so most people that have been fishing for a while had no choice but to use right handed casting reels and learn to switch. Recently though most companies have most reel models in both left and right handed versions so now you have the option.

KVD I'm sure can pick up a phone and get whatever sponsor he wants! But I'm sure he'll stick to the large companies that have the resources to let him design and develop product as he wishes.

If I were buying a custom build I'd go split grips for sure...grip material would have to depend on aesthetics of the rest of the rod. Winn grips might feel nice but aesthetically aren't my favorite. I'd probably go X-Wrap or clean high quality cork, then EVA, then average cork. The cork on my St. Croix Legend Elite is like velvet...the cork on a couple of my Phenix rods have a lot of cork filler and not so great.

I tried the SS8 after using regular PowerPro and I hated it. It was quiet and casted far but the wind knots drove me up the wall. The line is so supple that once you get a wind knot you're pretty much out of luck trying to undo it and end up cutting chunks of line out, and then end up with little splice knots that ruin the casting aspect as the knots now go through the guides. I switched back to regular PowerPro.

Awesome, let us know how it goes!

You can always do the dirty and drop a piece of structure in there lol

Can you just take a hair dryer to the open box?

Get a glass or composite crankbait rod. I think the heavy rod you were using with max casting force is making the bait spin like throwing a baseball. The glass or composite rod will load the rod properly and should let you slingshot the lure out when you cast. I use a Phenix XG-3 for heavier/larger crankbaits and chatterbaits and a Orochi Swingfire for medium weight ones, would recommend both! You may want to consider the Phenix XG-1 for a 7'-er!

I use a Gen2 STX for my crankbait rod and it's been solid for me, would not hesitate to use a Gen2 STX again.

I've been hoping to get a Winn grip rod but none of the rods I fish use them (yet). The first time I gripped a golf club with Winn grips I immediately asked what kind of grips they were, they felt THAT good. Really hope more rod manufacturers use those grips, but I also hope they're durable (the golf grips get worn down fairly quickly).