blckshirt98

At one of my local lakes a 3.5"-4" Kut Tail in any shade of green on a dropshot is my #1 fish catcher. There are other baits I like and mix them in for variety, but I've caught more fish on a kut tail on a dropshot than any other bait. Haven't tried rigging them any other way.

Awesome price on those Keitechs, I would have wiped them out as well.

" 5 foot gator" nopenopenopenopenopenopenopenopenope

I'm not sure about river trout but reservoir trout I've only had success using 2-4 lb leader. Anything heavier and I think the fish just spook. If I were looking at a bass/trout combo the Stradic FK is a perfect reel, the rod I think really depends on what you're gonna throw on it for the bass side. I would probably pair it with a Phenix Elixir FX802-1X, with 8lb PowerPro on the reel, and switching between a 2-4 lb fluoro leader for trout or a 6-8 lb fluoro leader for bass. I don't know what a comparable St. Croix rod would be, but if you're okay with spending $200 on an Avid, go to St. Croix's website and check out the Legend Elite rods in their Bargain Room. For a few extra bucks you can get one of their flagship rods and they have almost every model on sale. Not sure how much overhead clearance you have at your local river/lakes to recommend a length, but I'd probably go with a ML/M Power in either F/XF Action, as long as you think you can get away with.

Brand new it's very difficult to find a CI4+ on sale/discounted. If you can find a reputable eBay dealer selling one brand new, go for it. A used reel in various fishing forums is really the only place I've been able to find a CI4+ on the cheap, and even then they find a buyer very very fast.

I went to the DSGs in Fremont and Dublin. Just call and ask if they're participating in the extra 25% off yearly clearance, because it's storewide in all departments not just fishing.

FLW Bass and Bass Angler are the two I read now. I used to subscribe to In-Fisherman but they cover too many species I don't fish.

I stopped by the two Dick's nearby. Both had the 25% clearance on sale items, and one had a dedicated rack by the hunting section they put a bunch of stuff on. Both places had 90% of the same SKUs on markdown. I did get some punch skirts and tungsten weights, and got a *** Combat Frog on a whim (though reading reviews it looks like it takes on water and sinks). I might go back and clear out the Storm Arashi cranks. They did have Lew's Tournament Speed Spins at 25% off their discounted price but don't really need any more spinning reels.

Got my new PB on a D&M Piranha Sexy Shad chatterbait - roughly 7.5 lber

I was fishing a heavy Krocodile spoon in the surf for the first time ever. On like the third cast, *snap*, gone like a rocket into the incoming waves. Another time I was fishing a KVD 1.5 crankbait from the shore, snagged up on some tules about 10 feet out, 5 feet high, first half dozen casts so it was brand new and sparkling in the morning sun. No boaters/kayakers around to help and I didn't think the lure was valuable enough to wade into the water to retreive.

"Rained for 24 hours previous day, stopped raining during night." I've gotten skunked so many times the first clear day after a downpour I stopped going fishing those days altogether. Waiting to hear some responses to this thread, maybe get my confidence up to give it another go!

Weird you posted this, I've been watching YouTube videos tonight and came across this review of the Keitech Swing Impact FAT - Looks like a solid option!

I just got some Flambeau's with the ZeRust after they were marked down so heavily at TW's sale. The reviews seem like the ZeRust is the real deal so I'll stick some of my non-plastic stuff in there. The latches lock down securely and the dividers fit fine. Against the Planos, it basically comes down to whether you want the blue dividers or the clear dividers between compartments.

You must also be looking at the Simms Contender on Cabela's

I'll nose hook it 95% of the time because I think it gives the bait the most action with little to no movement of the rod. If there's some junk in the water where I think I might get hung up I'll put the hook halfway into the plastic and start pushing the hook through towards the center of the nose of the bait, but stop just before the tip of the hook comes out of the plastic. Also keep in mind I like using small size 2 or 4 hooks. I know a lot of people probably like to use larger hooks (I think Aaron Martens uses a 1/0) so texposing might be a better weedless option if you're using the larger hooks.

http://www.tntbaitco.com/home.html TNT Baits and Cooch's Wadda Jig! Andy Cuccia is a former pro who bought the company and now designs/ties the jigs!

I've always stayed indoors when it rained because I don't really have any waterproof gear but everything I've read about how good the bite can be with some bad weather makes me want to try fishing in some downpours. Do any of you have some opinions or reviews, both good and bad, about some of the rain gear avaialble to fish in? Waterproofing, range of motion when casting, pocket storage, etc. I would be fishing from shore and wouldn't bring a backpack, but a couple of 3500 sized Planos that I could fit into the pockets of the rain jacket. I went to the local BPS and they only had thier BPS jackets and some Frogg Toggs. The 100MPH suit seems a bit much, the Pro Qualifier is almost spot on but the online reviews are mixed, the Bone Dry jacket seemed like a good option but the online reviews were terrible about leakage. The Frogg Toggs felt too stiff, like starched polyester. I tried looking online but there's too many "non informational" reviews or reviews from people who haven't tested the jacket out in the elements. Some brands I've looked at are BPS, Cabelas, Gill, Simms, Under Armour, Stormr, Huk, Frabill. The Simms Contender seems to be the strongest of the lot, but was wondering if anyone here can provide their experience with various pieces of rain gear?

The Sedona is a great reel at that pricepoint and would be the one I would recommened. I'd actually even consider the Shimano Solstace that Cabela's has on sale right now for only $25.

Are the Wahoo jigs any good? I always see those on sale but not sure if they're durable.

Whatever bait you use, cast it out right in front of you and watch the action if you do nothing, if you barely twitch the rod tip, or if you make more pronounced rod sweeps. Most of the time barely twitching the rod will be enough to make the bait come alive. Once you see the action of your setup, use it anywhere a prey like that would entice a bass - usually a small baitfish about a foot off the bottom. As a shore guy I usually fish my dropshot close to shore, and barely twitch the rod tip. Sometimes I'll let a bait sit out there for 4-5 minutes before recasting.

Awesome, I'm actually going to get one for my trout setups for sure! Trying to rig up a size 16 treble on 2 lb test with numb fingers in the cold is a *huge* pain.

By the way, is this 25% off chainwide across the country or is it certain regions/stores? I'd hate to drive out to the two DSG's around here and not find the extra 25% off!

That Cumara is a deal...ugh now I want to go to the two DGS's around here but the closest is about 30 miles away, and the other about 50.

I've always thought about pre-rigging dropshots as well but could never think of a way to store them where they won't get tangled up. How do you store your pre-rigged ties so they're easily accessible and don't turn into a tangled mess?

Find a used Citica E on a certain site, then grab a St. Croix Rage or Mojo rod from their Bargain Bin (or if you call them on the phone I think someone said you can get 2 of those rods for $100?). Should just be in your budget range!