snake95

Thanks, DVT, I am guessing that the tell-tale signs of degradation are memory and evidence of fraying? I feel like my degrading mono also feels somewhat brittle but maybe that's all in my head. Interested in what you or others would describe as characteristic signs of degradation (the ones that occur before break-offs!)

I'm a weekend/recreational angler, and primarily fishing small water and catching small bass. I feel like my mono (mostly Trilene XL but I use several others) degrades by a detectable amount over a period of say 6-8 months of on and off fishing: memory becomes more noticeable, and I seem to get more frequent abrasion and breaks. I also use braid a lot on spinning gear, and occasionally spool up with Red label or Yo Zuri Hybrid. About how much life should I expect out of my lines fishing with this low level of intensity? How can you tell you've maxed it out, aside from the memory and kinks? Is this why line removers are so popular with tournament guys? The recent article posted by Mark Davis got me thinking abut this... https://www.bassresource.com/fishing/line-choices-mark-davis.html Thanks guys.

Hope I can give you some helpful advice here regarding getting good Walmart deals. First, it is very likely that the prices you got were 100% legit and not "mistakes." They sometimes have massive markdowns to clear out products. These deeply discounted prices are embedded in their system, tied to the product's bar code (e.g. the very specific product) on a store by store basis. Where they are more likely to make mistakes is in labeling the product's price with the tags. So - if you go in there and see the same rod in a different size marked at $99.99 - try scanning it - it might simply ring up at $16, and is being overlooked by every other shopper in the store. You can take the marked down item as an indication that other similar items might be marked down. Keep in mind there can be quirks to their accounting/inventory that make little sense: they might be blowing out the 6'-6" MH/F but there is no change in price for the 7'0" MH/F for a rod that is otherwise identical. And... as you suggest, you can always ask a manager who has the power to make a markdown if they are willing/able to make one since you found a similar one on sale. They might know that the store wants to get rid of those rods at just about any price - all it took was someone to prompt them to think about it! Trust me, a manager won't sell it to you at a price the store can't live with, but sometimes they are happy to sell at huge discount - all you have to do is ask, and there is no harm in asking.

Right on, guys. This is exactly what I do. I save up my damaged baits: trick worms and dingers ripped at the end where the hook penetration wore a hole, craws and flukes with a slot worn in the middle where the hook point penetrated, and ripped baits of all types. I gather them at my workbench and do a production line melt and fuse: put a drop on, hold to fuse slightly, then line them up gently in a row on a flat surface overnight. If I have a really badly ripped bait I want to save, I stick in a toothpick as a dowel across the break, then let it sit and if necessary break off the toothpick ends after overnight fusing is complete.

All work, they have a wide variety, for a variety of different actions, applications, and conditions. You forgot one of the top bass producers of all time, and the lure that would rank along with the original as one of the top classics of bass fishing: the shad rap! If I had to pick one for multi-purpose cranking, I would want to have a shad rap shallow size 09 in shad color, or an original in good old fashioned silver or gold, size 11. The original is versatile because it can be used as a surface lure by twitching it in place, reeled with a start and stop and allowed to pause on surface, and reeled in at just about any speed (and it will maintain fairly stable action). The jointed versions of the original work great, too.

Yes it does both simultaneously: eats holes in baits rapidly, and then helps them fuse together rapidly. Totally normal. It breaks down the plastic to enable it to re-set across the break. You have to apply it sparingly (and refrain from pulling the lure apart at the break), but also have to hold the two broken sides together while fusing occurs.

I will be fishing some small, weedy lakes just south North Bay, where I have caught largemouth over the past few years, and also some fast-moving rocky creeks along the Ottawa River near Pettawawa where I have heard there are some smallmouth. I don't get to get out on the bigger lakes and rivers, but I do get in a little bank fishing. With the warm temps I will follow your advice and bring a topwater or two along. Good to hear and thanks for the update.

I live in Georgia but going to be fishing for bass in Northeastern Ontario and the Ottawa River Valley in late September this year. Last year at this time I had good luck with largemouth on Keitech Swing Impact Fats on jigheads and even got some hits on the swimbaits and Zoom speed craws right on surface. I am out of touch with what the water temps will be, but seems like a warm late summer so far. I assume it will be well into the fall pattern, with the bass wanting rattlebaits and flat-sided cranks, maybe jerkbaits? Is it likely they still be hitting topwater? Any other baits to consider based on the time of year for this area? I typically fish weedy lakes for largemouth but there are some faster-moving rocky streams I plan to try for smallmouth this time around.

Wacky rigged a Z-drop worm on a 1/20 Zman Shroomz and caught small bass with it in clear water.

I had the same question, and I use Zman TRDs quite a bit and I'm loyal to that product. I have not been as happy with the original shroomz. This year I have been using both Cabelas bed jig and Cabin Creek's spider jighead for Ned Rigging and in my opinion both are better choices than the Zman heads. I have caught fish on both of these and my losses have been few to none. The bed jig is superior to the original shroomz in my opinion because the shanks are a better length for TRDs in regular and big sizes, and the hooks seem to be better quality, or at least hold up better for me. I have seen that Zman has come out with a new power finesse shroomz that appears to be more robust than the original shroomz. I know the spider is not the same head configuration - but also works great for me. A very solid jig with robust and high quality hooks. I got some of the Arkie mushroom-like heads from Walmart but have not tried them yet. They were only available in very heavy sizes (for the Neg Rigs I use) of about 3/16 and 1/4 oz.

I also take the same approach with the overlaps on the way "down." I find this helps me make sure the loops on the way back "up" are generally within the "grooves" so that the strands don't overlap. Another couple of approaches I have adopted: I pull the tag line to create the tightest wrap possible at the end, where the last loop is, before starting to come back up. I use a bit of a crazy mnemonic when starting and finishing inserting the tag line into and out of the loop in the leader. Bring the line in from the bottom/go over the "hump" of the loop/start the first wrap (e.g. "under/bump/first wrap") then say it in reverse on the way out ("last wrap/bump/under"). If I get distracted or confused doing the start or end wrap, I never take a chance and always start over.

What do you like to use the tiny Crazy Flapper for? (2.8 inch) Looks like it might work on a long shank mushroom head, or a small shakey head. Also, how do you like to rig them for rocky streams to reduce snags? (I am actually planning to take a pack with me on an upcoming stream-fishing trip for smallmouth).

@WRB very interesting responses. When would you choose a surface prop bait over a buzzbait? Hope this isn't taking the thread too far from the intent of @islandbass' questions, but what about comparing these options to ploppers?

I personally don't believe that bass get "conditioned" to baits or reject certain baits all the time. However, I do believe that their responses can make them appear to anglers to learn to avoid certain baits. For example, a few weeks ago I was fishing blue TRDs. Caught three in one spot before I stopped catching them. Then I threw a Canada Craw TRD and got two more. Then after a lull, threw a chartreuse green and got three more. Did they start thinking after a while that biting a blue TRD would result in being hoisted into the sky and then flopped back in? I doubt it. I think some of them found blue appealing while others responded to the craw, while others responded only to green (out of the three colors). Why? Who knows. But I don't think its because they reasoned through it or even remembered that blue was a bad color. I think they just responded to different colors for reasons we cannot know.

If you do a search for "Fletcher Shyrock" on this forum you will see ringing endorsements from Wisconsin Heat and Bluebasser86. I purchased a bunch of them and can only say they appear to be great hooks for the price. I haven't put them through the paces enough to really give an educated opinion, but the guys that have responded before on this are clearly happy with them. By the way the pro's name is spelled Shryock not Shyrock but a lot of us have made that mistake. Poor guy trying to make a living off a name that is hard to spell!

I can assure you that ALL future additions will be necessary. I've only been at it a few years now and as indicated by A-Jay, I find that what I like and works best for me is not always strictly in accordance with the generally-accepted wisdom (when there is some). Part of these variations may be due to subtle differences in the way we fish, and part of these are probably due to differences in rod ratings between manufacturers and the manufacturer preferences of different anglers. I fish a lot of shallow square bills and buzzbaits and I definitely do better with a more moderate rod action than some guys seem to get away with. I only really learned about that by repeatedly trying different combinations of rods, line, and lures over the time period of a couple of years.

@MickD I am not certain where the 0 direction is, but assuming it is straight up, yes the keeper is at 270 degrees, so it points toward the left, when the rod is held in the right hand and pointing out horizontally. I find the line often catches on the keeper as I cast. @D3FT I am using a size 30 President supreme. It appears this might be me more than the rod, as I don't see complaints about it. I might have to bend the keeper up or down to prevent snagging on the keeper.

I also have no problems with Zman products. But as far as what else works on Ned Rig heads for me: Zoom Z-drop Yum Grubs Yum twin tail grubs (figure the Yamamotos would work great, too) Haven't tried it but figure the smallest Roboworm straight tail 4.5-inch, maybe with the first 0.5-1 inch trimmed off would work.

Recently got a Fenwick Eagle spinning rod, and line gets caught on the hook keeper that sticks out to one side. Please let me know if you have an Eagle and have found a good work-around for this problem.

Recently got a Fenwick Eagle spinning rod, and line gets caught on the hook keeper that sticks out to one side. Please let me know if you have an Eagle and have found a good work-around for this problem.

Good deal, but that is the regular price for those packs at many Walmarts.

Wow. That's basically a bassboat on wheels.

Consider the 2-pc Fenwick Eagle. I bought a 7-ft med/mod-fast a few weeks ago as a trunk rod (aka my main rod) to replace a Veritas that did not last a year for me. Retails for about $60. I like the feel of the Eagle so far. I've thrown lightweight weightless worms and 1/16 oz - 1/8 oz ned rigs on it. Though maybe someone with more experience would chime in about how sensitive it is considering the blank is not exposed. I've caught quite a few fish in a short period of time so far with it. My hookup ratio must be around 90%. Considering I have only been throwing lightweight plastics, maybe there is the answer about sensitivity of this rod.

Just wanted to amend my previous comment by echoing the comments from Tom and Bluebasser. Particularly for small kids, the smaller metal Zebcos have been better than the bulk of a regular Zebco 33. My girl has tiny hands and was using the Zebco 33 micro and it worked well for her. Did not try the triggerspin but can see that would work well, too. As for the Dock Demons, those have also worked well for my family and kids we've brought along. The dock demon deluxe spinning combo has been the best of the very inexpensive kid-friendly combos. The longer rod is worth the few extra dollars over the shorter "regular" version, even for short kids. Yes... I have tried just about everything at one time or another.

I have two kids that I take fishing regularly. By cheap Zebco combos vs. more expensive ones, what is your cutoff? I have made the mistake of buying 202's and I think 404's and none of those cut it. I've had better luck with 33's and found the platinum 33's to work well. I have not gone up to the Omegas, because they are all using spinning or baitcasting now at 6 and 9. Honestly I have my 6-yo. girl (size of a 4-yo.) using an ultralight spinning combo, and my boy was using spinning at the same age. I found the pickup speed of the spinning reels vs spincast is a key advantage for kids fishing for bass every bit as much as it is for adults. I have not found it difficult for them to learn spinning at all. You just have to commit the better part of one trip to coaching them. After that they have been self-sufficient.