tstraub

I use Big Game 12# on most of my casting reels. I started using it because its affordable 1/4# spool is like $6-$7 at Walmart. You can do a lot of reels with a spool. I like it so much that I keep using it. Its tough, holds a knot well, and untangles easy enough when you get one of those professional overruns. Tyler

There spinning reel has 121 ball bearings if you read the title. Must be a typo because the description says 13 but I thought it was funny when I read it http://www.shoppingezy.com/p/shishamo-full-metal-body-5-5-1-121-ball-bearings-with-one-way-clutch-spinning-reel-left-right-hand-exchangble Tyler

I never have, but I don't have real high end gear. The most expensive rod I own was $85 and has an EVA foam grip. If I were to take the plunge on a rod with a really good cork grip I would consider making an effort to protect it. Tyler

That Abu Garcia in the bin is the same type as I picked up a few weeks ago. They were on the shelf marked clearance then. I'm not to worried about it breaking. I've never broke a rod unless it was stepped on. I always use a landing net or lip a fish of any size. The rod is pretty light and has my favorite style hook keeper you can hook up a T-rig plastic without taking the hook our of the bait. I did a search on Cherrywood HD and your name came up a bunch LOL. So far I'm really liking that $5 rod. I mounted up my old BPS Megacast reel and casted all the way threw the braided main line and into the mono backing. I guess it's time to reline that reel. That rod can really chuck a 3/8 oz piece of lead.

I have seen that reel on the shelf and was somewhat curious about the quality. The blister packaging keeps you form getting any reel feel of the reel, so its hard to say what kind of quality or lack of quality it offers. Just a couple of hooks over and a for few extra dollars you can get an Abu Black Max those have been around forever and are a proven low price perfectly usable reel. I still would like to hear anything good or bad that someone who has tried the Outdoor Angler reel has to say so I'm subscribing to this thread. Tyler

I just picked up a 6' Cherrywood for $5 and a 7' Ugly Stick Pro Light for $10. I thought real hard about one of those $40 KVD rods but put it back in the bin.I probably would have got it but I just bought an abu rod on clearance for $30 a few weeks ago. It really looked like a deal but I don't have an extra reel worthy of that rod and could not justify the price of that rod plus a reel to complete a combo. I did talk to one of the guys that works there (I used to work there so I know him well). He saw me with the rods and said you know where those rods came from right? They are those rods that have been in a barrel back in the corner of the back room for over 2 years. They finally decided they wanted them gone before inventory. So I suggest that you keep checking that bin whenever you happen to go into that store. If they don't sell They well most likely keep cutting the price until they are gone. Thanks for the heads up on this sale. Tyler

I went over to mississenewa today and came up empty. I did see some guys on a boat catch a crappie and they said that they had already caught a bunch earlier. Also saw a guy pull in a catfish that had to be around 10 pounds. Going to try the river now. Tyler

Thanks I might make a trip tonight or early tomorrow morning

Looks like a great deal to me. Were there any more on the shelf or did you get the last ones? Tyler

My replacement spool came in today so I put a drop of hot sause on the bearing and installed it in the reel. I spooled it up with 12 pound Berkley big game. Then took it outside and and threw a crankbait around for a few minutes. Its casts like new again no more rubbing noise. Tyler

I imagine most guys wil say get an abu max series. I have a silver max and I like it OK it's a good reel for the price you will not be disapointed if you go that way. Anouther reel in the same price range is the H20 Xpress Mettle. I own 3 of them and absolutly love them. I just prefer the centrifical brakes over the magnet brakes. The silver max just seems like I have to fiddle with the settings a little more to get it to cast the way I like it. I have not done a fair test one reel to the other but I feel like the silver max can probably out distance the mettle on a cast when you get the brakes set just right, but it's also more likley to backlash if you push it just a bit to far. With the mettle I just set 2 brakes on and go fishing. Acadomy sells the Mettle combo for $89 for the regular version or $99 if you want the fancy camo version. Good luck Tyler

I have 4 boys and have bought several different low budget combos over the years. All of those low cost combs seem pretty similar in cost and preformance to me. Personally I would probably let the kid decide what combo they want. My twins are now 8 years old and one of the loves to use a spinning reel and the other is perfectly happy with a spincast. Both kids can use either if they have to but they just prefer different reel types. If you go with a spinning combo that comes with line on it you might as well plan to reline it or at very least do the drag the line behind the boat trick. I have had line twist issues on almost every spinning reel I have ever bought with the line already on the reel. They always fish OK if you can get the line on straight. Dealing with tangles right away can really take the fun out of fishing. Tyler

Today's fishing report: I have no fish to report . I'm off work tomorrow so I'll give it another go. Tyler

I'm going to take the kids fishing this afternoon. Then I'll go by myself tomorrow while they are at school. I hope this warmer weather gets the fish more active. I'm still skunked for 2016

The story I've always heard is that because bananas have such a short shelf life only the fastest ships were used to transport bananas. If you used a slow boat the bananas would go bad before they reached their destination. Crewmen noticed that the fishing was poor while transporting bananas and blamed bad luck on the bananas not the speed they were moving. Tyler

I hope you carry plenty of sun screen if the only thing you wear is a hat while fishing. LOL Tyler

I try to support local tackle shops when I can, but around here they just don't carry a whole lot of tackle. I have one I go to for minows, bee moths, and night crawlers. I did buy an ugly stick spinning combo there because it was black and pink in color and the wife wanted a pink rod to keep the boys from taking her fishing rod. Tyler

I love the BPS Stik-Os. I got the 210 piece assortment kit last year when it was on sale for around $15. Regular price for the kit is $22 and well worth it. The hooks that come in the kit are about worthless but you get plenty of baits in 3 different sizes and a good selection of dark and light colors. I think they cast better wieghtless than the GY version. Tyler

If your fishing a river you can tie on a swivel and a bobber then cast it down stream. leave the bail open until all the line is let out. Leave it float for a few miuntes then slowly reel it back in. it's the same princable as draging it behind a boat just you're standing still and the water is moving. Tyler

Why are so many guys afraid to throw a pink bait? The way I see it is that I'm trying to impress that big female bass not the other guys in the boat. If she wants pink that's what I'll give her. Tyler

I've only had power worms go bad once. They were on board when my boat sank a few years ago. We recovered the boat then let it sit on blocks over the winter. The next spring when I went threw the compartments I had a bunch of rusty hooks and moldy power worms. The weird thing is it was just the power baits that molded other soft plastics were OK. Tyler

I did get out for a few hours yesterday. I took one fo my boys to wildcat creek park outside of Kokomo. Unfortunatly we have no fish to report. He was fishing a few different soft plactic panfish jigs under a float and missed a few hooksets but had very little action. I threw a lipless crank, shaky head worms, T-rig ribbon tails, weightless stickbaits, and anything I could cast into the 30mph wind gusts. We came up empty and I'm still skunked for the year. This was our first trip to Wildcat park so we were in new water under tough conditions we still had a good time. As they say, "That's why they call it fishing not catching". Tyler

Good to see a few local guys are catching fish. I don't go back to work until Tuesday. I hope to find some time to wet a line.

I always make my first cast short and to a place that I feel is unlikely to get a bite then retrieve it quickly to try to avoid catching a fish. I never fill the livewell until I need it. Now I have a question. They say it's unlucky to change the name of a boat and it's also unlucky to have a boat without a name. I got my boat used and have no idea if it has a name. If the previous owner named it they didn't mark it in any way to show is name or the dealer removed the name. So should I give it a name and possibly change its name or not name it? Which is the least unlucky?

I have a BPS megacast reel that would act the same way, but only after a few years of heavy use. It worked great when new but something wore out over time. I ended up shaving the knob down with my pocket knife so I could tighten the knob down further before it bottomed out. Casted like new after that. That reel has since been replaced because the drag started acting up but I got my moneys worth out of it. I still use the rod it came on as one of my main rods. Tyler