MassYak85

Other than a chance to support local baitmakers I don't have much reason to go to the expos anymore. For a while they were a unique chance to grab certain swimbaits without going through the whole "drop" process, but many have ramped up their production to make them easier to get where that's not really as much of a concern anymore. And as far as "sales", those are pretty much gone too.

Looking like a late Spring this year with the cold we've been getting. Last several years I was getting out on open water in early March but not looking likely this year. But yes the "chase" of figuring it out is what makes it so fun. The mystery of it is what's addicting.

If I'm just around spawning areas but don't think they're on beds I'll use a spinnerbait/swimjig/bladed jig to search and get active fish to bite. Whatever I think best imitates a bluegill on that day and conditions right on the edge of spawning flats. If I'm fishing deeper or shallower I'll usually go to a jig.

I used to be pretty bad but at this point I only use like 10% of what I own and I've already bought backups so I can't justify buying much more unless I want to try something new. I've been staying away from the grass piece because the last time I fell in love with a bait (jackhammers) I stocked WAAAAAY up when TW had a sale. Should last me a few more years lol.

The TK is another favorite for sure, gets more love from me in the Fall but I used them pretty interchangeably with jerkbaits.

Does it just "sound" geary or are you actually feeling binding when you reel? If it's just noisier it's probably a lubrication thing. If it actually feels like gears are catching on each other I suggest something small happened during reassembly. If it's happening every handle turn it's probably something in your drag stack and main gear, if it's more frequently it might be related to your pinion or levelwind. A couple small thing I've had go wrong, that plate with posts that the pinion yolk rides on can be finicky. If it's not sitting perfectly flat or was not aligned properly when you tightened those screws it can indirectly change the height and alignment of the pinion gear and cause issues. Likewise that plastic assembly that has the metal bar that goes through your thumb bar, that sits around the pinion gear and has the ramps that actually moves the pinion gear up and down when you click the thumb bar, so if that is off at all it can make things feel weird. Also those little washers in the well below your main driveshaft can sometimes get pinched when reassembling, or if you forgot them it can make things feel loose and "geary".

I generally don't. I have before and I don't think there's anything wrong with snagging a few 2-3lbers here and there. But it's just a generic white fish, it's as tasty as the amount of butter and crackers you add to it lol.

Been avoiding these for the sake of my wallet because I know I'll love them and need to buy 5 or 6 lol.

The big baits are strangely popular in MA. Biggest I own are the Deps 250, Cl8 Baby Possum, 12" Slammer, and a Real Prey 10" Trout. I toss the Possum a good amount but there's a specific use case I like it for that I don't get to take advantage of much because of how prevalent weeds are in my lakes. I like cranking it into deeper laydowns I get some good bites deflecting it off wood. The Deps I should commit to more I'm just not really a glidebait guy. The Real Prey Trout, never seriously thrown it. But the first time I tried it I just wanted to see what it looked like swimming so I threw it without hooks, and there was QUITE the shadow following it back down below. That thing is heavy though, probably the only bait I own that makes my 867 feel a bit underpowered. The 12" slammer gets the most love out of my bigger baits. But most of the time my big bait fishing is 9" slammers, Psycho Gill/Trout, Monka Crawler, 6-8" softbaits, 6" crankdowns like MDC or bullshad, the Gill and Shiner Real Prey baits.

Precisely why I didn't go this year haha

Mine is my smaller swimbait rod so I use it for smaller glides, topwater wakes, crankdowns, basically anything under 3oz that has big trebles on it. I use mine sometimes for the 130 or 190 whopper plopper. It's a bit overkill, but who cares when you can bomb them 70 yards.

The whole system is what I'm basing that off of. Including the rod, reel, lure, and line. I am generally swinging on most things, I really only hold back on presentations where I am using a light wire hook that can penetrate much easier, then I'll go for a slower sweep set. Everything else the combination of drag and rod flex take up the shock.

I think most places capable of producing a record bass aren't exactly a secret. Sure the EXACT spot might be, but the greater waterway or lake, probably not. The MA largemouth record can't be beaten because it was based on a lie, but the smallmouth record realistically can only come from two places, the Wachusett or Quabbin reservoir. Neither of which are any kind of secret. So yea I'd be fine submitting that. Same with Pike, only a handful of western MA lakes or the Connecticut river system are capable of producing pike that big, and the guys targeting them already know that.

I remember many years ago they had a similar deal on their Power Worms. PLUS there was a rebate through Berkley. I think I'm still working through those packs lol.

I don't crank much but my "crank rod" is a Champion 764 (so Medium power 7'6). I tend to like longer rods anyways but that's what I use for things under an ounce. If I was going to make a true deep cranking setup for that 12-25 foot class of baits that get over an ounce I might even consider something like the iRod cranking rods they make in that 7'9-7'11 range. Something you can absolutely bomb baits with. The closest thing I currently do is fish crankdown swimbaits in that 2oz range with a 7'9" Dobyns Fury. It' a bit too heavy for a true crank rod but that thing can still LAUNCH a bait a good 70 yards if it's aerodynamic enough.

I get the premise, but to me this falls more in line with giant Japanese glide baits, a tool to "find" fish and draw them out to see them, not catch them. The hookup ratio on that is going to be abysmal, and forget about it if a bass tries to jump and throw it.

Fished one day with my dad in the Fall. Air temp was in the 50s but a nasty storm rolled through. It's the only time I haven't been able to at least hold position with his boat with the trolling motor on 10. We were about 200 feet from shore....and I couldn't see it with how intense the rain was. We drifted with the waves through a windblown cove and I was actually doing pretty well on a bladed jig. Only other time that sticks in my mind was I launched my Kayak in February in MA on a river when it was sunny in the 30s, but very windy. I had outriggers for safety and paddling back to the launch, against the wind, with outriggers....was not fun.

I have a handful of these pre-made that I use when around toothy fish to keep my swimbaits safe. It's really great stuff.

I got quite good at it. I used it for a couple years and I trust the knot. What I don't trust is that the finishing hitches will stay in place, because I've seen them unravel. I know someone on here started using Loon Glue to secure the knot, but I am not going to glue my knots. Alberto or Blood knot does everything I need. I can envision scenarios where you might want a 20 or 30 foot leader and in those situation having the FG to go through the reel guide would be beneficial, but that doesn't apply to my fishing.

Do any of you guys use ice rods in open water? The biggest thing I've learned ice fishing is just how subtle those cold water bites can be. 80% of my bites jigging on the ice I don't even feel, I just see the rod tip slightly deflect, but my regular bass rods are not responsive enough to see those kind of bites. I'm curious how using an ice rod in the open water with a hair jig might do.

I do braid to 16lb leader (Sunline System). It's Daiwa Samurai braid which is a very smooth 8 carrier. Can't even tell that it's braid when reeling it in. That braid is also thinner than its rating for many brands. 40 is more like 30 in other brands cause it's rated closer to true breaking strength.

There's a point of diminishing returns. I don't buy junk but I also am content with "workhorse" gear. Most of my reels are Tatulas or Fuegos. Rods are mostly Dobyns Champions and Tatulas. My nicest reel is a Daiwa Ryoga for swimbaits but that was one I bought secondhand and had to fix up a bit.

I really like the concept but the reviews online had me second guessing when it came out. How many of the mini boxes does it come with? 5 bucks a pop is pretty steep if you want to buy more to completely fill it

I'm starting to get "The itch" again lol, been too long since I've been out

I fussed with the FG knot for about 2 years. Don't get me wrong it's great, thin, strong, everything it's advertised to be. But the finishing hitches, I just never had 100% confidence in them. The Alberto is plenty strong and thin for me and my applications. When I break off, it's the lure knot that fails, which is all I ask out of a leader knot.