jdw174

I have an older AllStar TWS that I've been using for over 20 years and it's still going strong. It's my favorite rod in my boat. I use it for all topwater, jerkbaits, and small crankbaits.

I'd have to ask why use a BB swivel on a crankbait? I remove all split rings that come on the lure and use a plain DuoLock snap. I could understand a BB swivel if you were fishing a Roostertail, Mepps or other inline spinner, esp on spinning tackle.

If you don't have maintenance-free batteries you should pop the caps loose when re-charging. Also, do it in a vented area.

You missed one choice in your poll...."ALL OF THE ABOVE" I've used every choice on there and caught fish on all of them.

I figure I oughta dance with who brung me, and the Senko (or senko types) is practically all I've fished with so far this year. Rigging them Wacky or Texas style weightless, they're doing the dirty on both LM and SM.

Ten. Seven baitcasters and 3 spinning.

My personal opinion is that you can use your round reels for anything you want. For years I used them for worming, spinnerbaits, topwater, cranking, you name it. Over time, I've replaced most of them with newer gear. Recently I replaced two of my last three round reels because they were "going south" on me and they were old reels and hard to find anyone to work on them (they were Browning Midas 6's). One was on my topwater rod and the other on one of my crankin' sticks. I still use an old Quantum Iron 4 on my second cranking rod and it works like a champ. Your Ambassadeurs are good for whatever you want as long as they're properly maintained, although you'll most likely get more distance out of something newer.

If it worries you, add a leader using a double-uni knot. FWIW, Berkley used to make a "Solar XT" that they sent me a sample of. It was louder than a KISS concert ;D I fished tube jigs on that in Lake Erie for smallies and it bothered them not one bit so I doubt moss green will bother the fish much.

I'm using 20/6 braid with a co-poly leader. Works for me.

Glad to see him make the jump from 18th place to 5th 8-) He'll be in the finals, but he'd need a whopper stringer to win. Hopefully he'll stay in the top 5.

You said it yourself when you said "When I cast smooth I don't get a backlash". I cast farther with a nice, easy move with no backlashes than I do by really trying to snap a hard cast way out there. Work on it.

My favorite is whatever they're biting on that day But if you're asking what I like to fish, I've changed in the last couple of years. For fishing around brush I've changed from a spinnerbait to shallow cranks. I've discovered Wacky rigging and have done very well on it this year, as I have with shakey-headin'.

Bandit Footloose Bomber Square A Strike King 1XS

Watermelon Red Flake has taken the lion's share of fish for me on Ky Lake this year....and last year as well.

I've been using the Owner Wacky Hooks with the weedguard and I've not yet lost a fish. The little buggers are sharp as all get out and the fish seem to hook themselves. The hooks run about a buck each, but worth it IMO.

I have four older AS rods. A Zell Rowland TWS (topwater special) IM6 that I would have a heart attack over if anything happened to it! I also have three spinning rods. The SRMTN is a 6'6" med action with Tennessee handle that I use for Dropshot/shakeyhead fishing as well as grubs/tube jigs. The other one is a copy of the last, but in a MH action. I fish senkos/wacky and some wormin' with it and it's super. The third is a 5'10" SRMLTN. Action is med. light, but I used it for dock fishing when skipping tube jigs was the craze (Guido Hibdon days). I hauled smallies and LM up to 6lb out from under docks with that rod. Sad to say I don't use it these days, but it's still in the closet. Might just get it out one of these days.

I recently replaced the hooks on my 1/4oz RES with one size larger Excalibur trebles. So far so good.

I realize that he can't win them all, but a decent finish in the Elite Series would be nice. Two bad showings in CA, now dropped to 57th place at Pickwick after being in 24th after day 1. Obviously, I'm a huge KVD fan so I'm hoping he gets going soon. Looks like Skeet is going to be a shoo-in for AOY at the rate he's going.

When there's wind and a chop on the water and I feel like a topwater is the answer, out comes the Devil's Horse. Work it with sharp jerks...really make it kick up a fuss. Works for me.

10-17lb SilverThread, depending which rod I hang the CB on...

thats what i did. the rod tosses 1/4 oz baits very well and i assume would handle #5 shad raps if i wanted it too. the real problem i see with these rods are the rod rating doesnt meet reality. does that make them junk? couldnt tell you. That's one reason that I refuse to buy a rod sight unseen.....there's no set standard for rod ratings. Even if the maker specifically labels them for a certain type of fishing, i.e. dropshotting, worm, etc., the action may not be what I want. The store where I bought mine had most of the Tessera models in stock so I could see what I was getting.

I bought the worm/spinnerbait model for the express purpose of using it for crankbaits, specifically lipless cranks and some deeper diving models. In that, it works very nicely, thanks. I wouldn't own the crankbait model cuz it feels like a wet noodle, but for my intended purpose, the one I bought is fine.

I was nosing thru the local tackle store a couple of weeks ago and he had a box of them on sale for $2.98 ea. so I bought a couple. The color selection in that box wasn't the best so I chose one in chartreuse and the other in white with red mixed in. Caught fish on the white one last Wed. They really thumped it. Love the vibration it puts out.

I'd say to pick any good looking creek arm/bay and get out the topwaters. 8-)

I haven't missed a single showing. Right now I'm wondering what is going to happen to the series since the actor who plays Spartacus was recently diagnosed with non-Hodgkins Lymphoma.