king fisher

Thanks. I just ordered a TAT 150 from this link. Great Price and shipping was free. Thanks again.

I was fishing this past weekend with a friend on a lake where he lives. The first day we fished a familiar pattern and caught 65 bass. My friend bragged that he knew that lake better than any one. The next day we fished, and the wind blew hard. The previous day's pattern was not working, and we struggled to catch 14 small bass. We had brought a novice angler wit us the second day, and he kept saying the bass must not like to bite on windy days. My friend would agree and all day long they both kept saying we should just go back home because it was to windy to catch bass. I don't get many chances to fish, and begged them not to give up. I pointed out that the bass still lived in the lake, and had to eat in order to survive no matter how hard the wind blew. I told them the wind may make the fishing difficult, but the fish were as willing to hit lures, as they were the day before when the wind was calm. We simply needed to figure out where the fish were, what they wanted, and if we could present the baits properly given the conditions. I told him I'm sure a professional was adjusting for the wind, and catching fish at that very moment. My friend disagreed, and said no pro would be doing better than us. He new the lake well, and was a excellent fisherman, the bass simply did not bite on days the wind blew this hard. The next day I looked on line to see how one of the local guides did on the lake that day. There was a picture of two happy clients each holding bass that looked to be around 8 pound's. The date was shown to be the previous day, and I could see the white caps on the water in the back ground. He put the numbers down at 46 smaller bass along with the two big ones in the picture. The guide makes his living fishing for bass. Not only did he have to find bass that would bite, he had to find a way for his clients with different skill levels to catch them. If he can't get his clients fish on windy days, than he doesn't stay in business very long. Any one that makes their living fishing has to be exceptionally good, or they wont be making their living fishing. Many amateur's can be very good, or even better than pros some of the time, but to be a professional, means you have to be good all of the time. or you wont get paid. I was going to send my friend a link to the website and show him what a professional caught that day, but I decided I want to go fishing with him again, more than I want to prove I was right.

I just ordered a 2021 SV TW Zillion from Digitaka. Thanks to everyone for the help. Now I need to replace the second reel I lost. The reel I had was a Coastal 200. Digitaka does not have the Coastal, and Tackle warehouse has it for $240. I was thinking of getting a Tatula 150 at $170 in order to save some money. I used the Coastal 200 for deep cranks, A rig, and light saltwater use. I was very happy with the reel, but was wondering if The Tat 150 would work as well for the same applications, and save me some money, or if I should bite the bullet and buy another Coastal 200. I was also thinking about replacing it with the new Shimano Bantam, but am worried about line capacity and use in salt water. Any advice appreciated. Thanks. Tim

I see three Zillions offered on Digitika. 1. SV TW. 2. HD. 3.HLC. I have been wanting to buy a SV TW for a while now, but would like to know the differences between the three before making a decision. The HD is more expensive, is it worth the extra money? I hope replacing lost rods and reels is reason enough to get the Monkey off my back.

I lost two rods out the back of a friends boat yesterday. Don't ask how! I have decided to buy a Zillion reel from Japan to replace one of the reels. I have two questions. 1. What importer should I use? 2. What is the difference between models? How are they different from the new Zillion that is sold in the states? Which one would members recommend? I would be using it for spinnerbaits, chaterbaits, crankbaits up to 3/4 OZ. and other moving baits. Line will be 15 pound mono.

Most of my bucket list is complete but there are a few things left to do. 1. Go to a Super Bowl, preferably one the Seahawks win. 2 .Go to Hawaii, the only state I haven't been to. 3. Fish Lake Menderchuck 4. Tell the Bait Monkey to go bug some one else, because I have it all.

That is exactly why I haven't let the Monkey talk me into buying any expensive glide baits.

Jitterbug. Simply because I believe every bass fisherman should get to experience the hypnotic blurb, blurb, blurb, sound interrupted by a massive strike, at least once in their life. After that the Top Water Monkey will take over.

If I could go back, I would take more pictures. Not just of the fish I caught, but the friends I caught them with, the places I caught them, and my dog, who didn't care if we caught a fish, but always was happy to go fishing.

I rarely use spinning gear for bass fishing. I also rarely use a crescent wrench, but I always have one in my tool kit. Most of the places I bass fish in Mexico, the water is dirty, the bass are not pressured, or just plain stupid, and can be very big. Most of the time my idea of finesse is a drop shot rig with a half ounce weight and a 7 inch Senko. I go many days when spinning gear is the farthest thing from my mind. Every once in awhile the only thing I can catch them on is a small inline spinner, or a small floating Rapala. Can I cast these light lures with my bait caster? I can, but why? Like the Bait Monkey is always telling me. It is better to have it and not need it, then to need it and not have it. Of course he is also telling me that I need a BFS bait casting outfit. I just tell him to go talk to my wife, while I continue to use my spinning rod.

Depends on the water depth. Fish caught in 6 feet or less, most were caught on surface, or middle of the water Column. Deeper than 6 feet, almost all caught, on the bottom. Baits I have had success mid column are, spinnerbaits, chatter baits, jerk baits, lipless crankbaits, shallow running crankbaits, underspin's, A rig, and swimbaits.

If I live to be 200 years old, I wont have enough time to throw everything I have. It might be beneficial for me to try a new location sooner than that.

I use a 7.5 foot medium heavy fast, with 40 lbs. J braid, and make bomber casts in and around tulles, and wood. If you are not making long casts in heavy cover, a MH moderate, with 17- 20 lbs. mono would be a better choice.

Only if they charge $25 per bait, and they break if you hit a rock with them.

Neither, it was the moon phase.

I make them sit on the bench, tell them how important they are to the team, and promise them I will put them in the game when the time is right. After a year or two on the bench, I make them stay home, but promise to give them a chance to be a hero again some day when the water level is right. I never sell or trade them. Once drafted on to my team, they are with me for life. A few make the hall of fame, and spend their retirement reminding me of the glory days, but most simply end up fading away. I recently did well in the draft at tackle warehouse, and am planning on winning a championship with the new team soon.

I wish I would have brought a scale with me the day I caught the bass in my Avatar. I wish I would have never taken my loud mouth friend to my favorite fishing hole.

I agree with previous posts and am sure you will be able to fix your drag, simply by respooling the line, either with backing or by securing it solidly to the spool with another method. Lately I have had a more serious problem with the drags on all of my reels. I'm not able to fix the problem, and am starting to get desperate. I have not been able to catch a bass big enough to pull drag. Even on a very light drag setting a half pound bass doesn't seem to be able to make a drag ripping run. Closest thing to a drag screaming run in over a month, was a snagged gill net while drifting in a strong wind.

I'm best at locating snags. If there is a way to hang a lure, I will find it. I am also good at replacing tackle I lost, with way more tackle than I loose.

When I'm on the water, I use whatever the bass will bite. Lately I would gladly pay double for a bait that I could actually catch a bass on, even if it is only one bass. I can deal with the Bait Monkey after I get home.

Rabble Rouser was the name of a lure company in the 70's. They had a whole line of baits. All of which had the square dished out front like the one in the bottom picture. They caught fish, but came out in a time when lure companies started making baits shaped like real prey, with natural looking colors. Not a good time for crazy looking baits even if they did catch fish. One of their lures, a shallow runner, had a similar shape to a Lazy Ike or Hellin Flatfish, but with the company trademark front end. I see a different company has resurrected this bait, and is producing it in an endless number of colors. Seems to be popular with trout and salmon trollers in the Great Lakes region.

Most holes start at what is called the head of the hole, which is located where a riffle or run dump into a hole. The head of the hole is a prime feeding area, and usually includes areas of fast water with, eddies, and current seems all in a small area. Their will be feeding and resting bass in the head of most holes, as long as the river isn't to high and current to strong. The middle of the hole will be deeper with slower current, and will hold feeding and resting bass. The middle of the whole may also have boulders and other structure that will attract both resting and feeding bass. The tail out is at the end of the hole and prime feeding lanes where the current picks up and is funneled into the next riffle or run. The tail out is a prime feeding area, with too much current to be good for resting. A bass in the tail out will be very aggressive, and is a good place to start fishing a hole. Rocks or logs can create eddies in tail outs making for ideal ambush spots, and if bit enough will also hold resting bass. If the water is clear you can observe bass moving in to a tail out simply by tossing a can full of night crawlers or crawdads, in to the middle of a hole. Bass will instantly leave the deeper water and position themselves in the best feeding lanes of the tail out. It may be illegal to do this and then fish, depending on the regulations dealing with chumming in your area. It is a learning experience to do even if you can't fish for the bass after they position themselves. A large insect hatch will position the best bass in the tail out as long as it is deep enough for them to feel safe. Not all places on a river will have the classic riffle hole make up, and can be a combination of holes, large slow runs, sections with virtually no current, areas with swift water containing no current breaks, and large rapids with with eddies that are too turbulent to hold bass. Banks also can provide current breaks, and feeding lanes. Undercut banks on outside bends are prime feeding and resting areas over looked by many anglers. An angler may literally walk right over the top of the best bass in the whole river, while walking on an undercut bank. Smaller streams can be thoroughly fished with inline spinners, 1/4 oz hair jigs or grubs, and floating Rapala's. Drifting a night crawler through all likely looking spots will teach you where the fish hold quickly. You will also catch many un targeted species, but it will teach you how fish relate to current. Large rivers are more difficult to read, and the bass may act more like they do in lakes if the river is big enough. They will still relate to current, but not in the easy to recognize locations where they are at in small streams.

As a general rule, I pay half the price of what it costs to buy the same bait new.

Hey Bubba, hold my beer and watch this.

A friend flew down today, and he brought my TW order with him. The order started out much bigger and included a new reel, but I managed to shake the Monkey off my back and simply get what I had to have. That is my story and I'm sticking to it.