blckshirt98

I'm actually more worried about the laws they're trying to pass to ban lead weights in Calfornia. Tungsten is just too expensive and steel rusts.

Get the biggest tree stump you can lift, go to the end of the dock, toss it into the deepest water you can reach with the throw. Fish the tree stump.

I wouldn't use one on a bait where you tie your line to a wire (i.e. spinnerbait/buzzbait) - the snap will slide up and down the metal wire when you cast and doesn't always settle at the "tie" location when you retrieve.

If anything, the pros will have a custom line of rods created with their name attached, with length/actions/specs worked out with the pro, for mass public production.

I look for 1) a brand I trust with a good warranty, 2) bargains/closeouts/clearances/sales. I usually like to spend a certain minimum on a rod to make sure the components will last (i.e. I use braid and fish in saltwater so I make sure the guides are ceramic/titanium and can take the abuse of salt water corrosion) but will go cheap if I know I'm just using it for freshwater (i.e. I have a couple of Shimano Sojourns I got for like $15 each at a Sports Authority closeout and I've caught a bunch of trout on those rods and they're both still good as new.) I also look at re-sale value in case I ever want to buy something different - so non-chain-branded rods/reels, and stuff with transferable warranties are a plus. One thing I'll never do is pay full retail for the latest and greatest. It'll only be latest and greatest for one season anyways.

I also like to think that any of the Department of Fish and Wildlife officers that routinely patrol the Delta will have some respect for the wildlife of the Delta and be somewhat understanding of why people wouldn't abide by the law and not be a power tripping a-hole and ticket everyone they see throwing fish back. Driving over the speed limit can get you fined and ticketed as well but not everyone sticks to the hard speed limit, nor does every police officer ticket someone for driving over the speed limit. All that being said something like this will never be passed because it would kill the business and communities along the Delta that rely on the sportfishing industry.

There's common sense laws and there's stupid laws. Killing all "invasive" fish in the CA Delta is a beyond stupid law.

I dunno what tournament fisherman would do but as a recreational angler I'd just let them go. "It slipped out of my hand back into the water while I was holding it."

I'd go with basic black. With rat baits, and topwater in general, I buy more into the theory that when bass see the bait from underneath they just see a silhouette/outline against the outdoor light. Black I think would offer the greatest contrast between the silhouette and the light.

I use a Phenix M1 7'2 M/XF rod for smaller/lighter crankbaits, and smaller/lighter baits in general - spinnerbaits, smaller profile topwater, smaller swimbaits.

You can also go with a panic bucket - i.e. a bucket of live minnows lol. I've read that article on Ike's panic box but one question that keeps crossing my mind is, if he or other pro anglers have a box of baits that they go to when nothing else is working, is why not use the baits in the panic box from first cast?

While it might not matter which you buy in terms of your catch rate, there's something to be said about getting a reel that increases your confidence. I think the Ci4 looks nicer with the all black/red trim and paired with the right rod can give you a showcase combo that looks nice just sitting on the rod rack at home, but also once you hold in your hand ready to cast, can really give you a confidence boost.

A small 4" dropshot worm is my last resort bait. Something like a Jackall Crosstail, Yamamoto Kut Tail, Molix Sator Worm, Damiki Pen 2. Big bass, small bass, crappie, bluegill, they all eat or peck away at something that small. If I throw one of those out there and nothing even pecks at it, I know it's going to be a tough day no matter what I throw.

I think 90% of the different color/flake combos made in any one product line are to catch fisherman (but I buy multiple colors anyways because I like to think my color selection had to do with my success). Lots of pros just use 2 or 3 colors of a jig or plastic and do well enough to make a living off of it. 1) something dark 2) something light 3) something green.

I use both 1000 and 2500 size reels for bass, depending on the rod. I'll use the 1000 size on UL or shorter rods (6'8" dropshot rod and shorter), since it balances better than a 2500 reel. I have the 1000 size reels spooled with 8 or 10 lb braid, and will use a 6-8lb fluoro leader as needed.

For under 3 bucks, Pit Boss and Paca Chunk can't be beat.

+1 to 6th Sense, they're going to take a nice chunk of market share in the crankbait segment. Their quality and finishes are more towards the Japan side of crankbaits, while their pricing is more towards the American side of crankbaits.

That's a ton of rods from one manufacturer! Overall review of them? Ever have any of them fail or have you dealt with Kistler's warranty/customer service? I started out a Shimano rod guy but now have started to go with St. Croix and Phenix...always looking to check out other manufacturers when the reviews are good.

That St Croix Legend Elite is an awesome rod, I have a 9'0 model from about 3 years back that I've yanked the sh** out of to try and get snags out and it hasn't broken on me yet. Just be sure to pull with the natural bend of the rod and not "high stick" it. Plus if anything does happen, St Croix has one of the best warranties around.

IMO jigs are not a good bait to start out with, detecting a bite on those can be tough!

I read about these but haven't seen them in person. The idea sounds nice but more moving parts to a lure just seems like more possible places the lure can wear out/fail over time.

There's a lot of custom plastic pourers that I'm sure could make you the worm you're looking for!

Skinny Bear jigs are top notch, not sure about their hooks though.

A lot of shore fishing is just elbow grease and grunt work while you get familiar with the body of water you fish. As a shore guy myself, pretty much every place I fish has limited shoreline access, it's not like I'm on a boat where I can access almost 100% of the fishable water. Every lake you visit first is a mystery, but as you cast and and drag your lure along the bottom or run your crankbait, you'll start to make your own topo map of the fishable shore areas of the lake in your own head. You'll be able to note the spots where you know you'll get a snag, where there's a big rock, drop offs, channels, rocky bottom, muddy bottom, etc. if the water gets low take out your cell phone and take pictures of structure so when water levels go back up you know where to cast. Fish a place from shore enough and each trip will add another piece to the puzzle where future trips will be more successful.

Havoc is zero scent just mass produced from plain plastic molds they they probably pour by the truckload for dirt cheap. Berkley's done an amazing job marketing the Havoc line as pro-designed(with a name attached), and keeping the price lower per bait than almost all of their competitors. They've also done a great job of putting out some unique colors that you don't see elsewhere. $3 for a bag of plastics is dirt cheap in today's market, and they're durable too. The pit boss has to be a staple in almost everyone's collection.