NYWayfarer

I assume you are shopping at Bass Pro? If so I would skip these 3 and get the Lew's Speed Spool LFS/Bass Pro Shops XPS Bionic Blade Casting Rod And Reel Combo they sell. $20 cheaper then the Mach Pro and the reel is aluminum framed.

Anywhere North of where you find these guys...

Don’t ever pay $79.99 for it. It goes on sale all the time. The new version was $60 recently use a $10 off $50 spent coupon and you get a decent reel with Winn Grip knobs for $50 Lew’s customer service is top notch in my book.

Only you can answer this question for yourself. Everyone is different. Some folks enjoy catching fish and don’t care if it’s with a stick and a string. Others like fishing gear almost as much as the like fishing itself *raises hand* Some folks are perfectly happy with a $20 Walmart combo. Others have very expensive Bass boats and a Shakespeare combo looks silly on the casting deck. Which camp are you in? I fish from the bank, ponds and rivers mostly. Sometimes in a Kayak that cost less than $250 new. Sometimes in my father in-laws 1972 aluminum boat. I have decent gear for how I fish but a Steez is not worth it to me.

Ouch! That’s a nasty looking wound.

There’s not much in my local waters I can’t catch with a live worm. If I am out past 11am and the bite slows down I will throw on a live worm for Panfish. Many a surprise Smallmouth or Largemouth have been caught during these times. Today I caught a Redbreast Sunfish on a live worm and as I was reeling it in a Smallmouth attacked it over and over. I was able to get my T-rig pole in the water and he nailed that.perfect mix of live and artificial bait action. http:// http://

Take the plastic off. Moisture can get underneath and trapped causing issues. I use cork sealer on all my rods thanks to the advice I received on these forums.

It was a bad news deal. I could not find the Max Scent Flat worm anywhere. The only thing close to its shape was the Strike King Dreamshot so I picked up some of those in Green Pumpkin. Went Kayak fishing this morning with a dropshot rig and a t-rigged rage baby craw. The Dreamshot worked pretty good. Lots of missing tails though. I also used the Tiny Child Rig as the fish were biting the claws of my Rage Baby Craws. Dropshot fish are no fun to get out of the net.

On my kayak I travel light. Basically what I can fit in my life jacket pockets which isn’t much. Some hooks, weights, couple of packs of soft plastics. I have two rods rigged with what I plan on using for the day. Tomorrow will be a T-Rigged Craw and a Dropshot Dreamshot.

The rods (ugly sticks) and reel (Shimano Snycopate) you mentioned cost almost as much as what it will cost to repair them. In other words for a few bucks more you could buy a brand new rod or reel for what it costs to repair them. Doesn’t sound like that’s an option for you though, sorry.

Tonight I will be having a glass of this red blend.

Beautiful Bass. What plastic were you using on the dropshot? I am looking for some ideas for this weekend. I will have my tried and true Roboworm.

Topwater: Rebel Pop-R and Whopper Plopper Soft Plastic: GYBC Senko, Z-Man TRD and Rage Tail Baby Craw Leaving out Crankbait and Jerkbait as I have no clear opinions on must have baits in these categories.

http://www.tackletour.com/reviewlewsprotislpcastingpg2.html Great review of the flagship Pro Ti made in Korea reel. It has lots of “bells and whistles” is 6.4oz and you don’t have to pay the $350 price tag. I got Dick’s to price match a $234 price I found online. Took me half and hour phone conversation but it was worth it.

I would assume my Pro TI’s price increase is due to the carbon Fiber handle with Winn Grip Knobs, the Titanium coating and little things like the upgraded tension knob dial And speed keeper. LOL, Kevin Van Dam, Jason Christie and Mark Rose must not fish any of those tournaments.

I needed a finesse spinning rod for my Father’s Day gift a Lew’s Speed Spin 200 The Lew’s TP1X is supposed to be released in the fall according to Tackle Warehouse but Dick’s sporting goods had 2 of them. I had a coupon for $20 off $100 so the rod and a pack of Rage Craws came home with me. http:// http:// http://

Are aliens among us? I ask myself that everytime I visit Walmart...

Right now bank fishing river Smallmouth I am throwing a Rage Tail Baby Craw on a size 1 Owner worm hook with a 1/8 oz. Strike King Tungsten weight. http://

The Lew's Pro Ti is the top of the line Lew's reel. It's MSRP is $349.99 Shimano Antares is $599.99 I love my Pro Ti but even I would not compare it to an Antares. Comparing the two would be like comparing the most expensive car Hyundai makes against the most expensive car Mercedes Benz makes. I think the best bang for the buck Lew's reels are the Tournament MP and the Tournament Pro Speed Spool LFS. Start with those.

If possible I am on the water with my Kayak by 6am and off the water between 11am and Noontime. This weekend I avoided a water skiing family on Saturday by leaving at that time. Their wake actually helped push me towards the exit ramp. On Sunday while I was paddling to leave 2 groups of 3 kayak paddlers (no fishing gear) launched with no PDF's and as I was pulling my boat out of the water a guy with a Jet Ski was preparing to launch. Glad I avoided that mess.

I have the boomerang tool, multiple pairs of scissors from Eagle Claw, Rapala, Kastking, Googan, Bass Pro and generic EBay ones. I find myself using the line cutters on my pliers most of the time. One less tool I have to care if the pliers can handle it.

If I got a $100 gift card I’d buy a pair of Muck boots.

After having a great day of fishing yesterday I had to take the Kayak out again this morning. I returned to the spot that I had the most success. Lots of structure, vegetation and shallow areas keep the boaters away. I fished the Tiny Child Rig around the structure I found sometimes dropping it straight down between rocks and fallen limbs. Often I would be right over the spot I was fishing dropping straight down. Lifting the bait a few times off the bottom would cause a fish to strike. I would set the hook and hold on for the ride. 20 Fish, mostly Smallmouth a few Rock Bass and one Largemouth Bass.

Took the kayak out again. It was a productive day with 33 fish landed. Mostly Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass and a couple of Sunfish big enough to take a Ned Rig. Lost a big Chain Pickerel at the boat. Flopped right out of my net he was so long.