Wayne P.

I use them for 3/8 oz or less spinnerbaits, medium to shallow small crankbaits, and jerkbaits.

I only use EWG's for bulky baits and then I open the gap a little. I don't like the angle of the hook point to the hook eye-too direct. I prefer Gammy Offset Round Bend hooks or similar Owners for lizzards, worms and craws.

Wacky for me. Conditions: anytime the water is not frozen Where: anywhere in the country Color: doesn't make any difference as long the the fish can see it. I tend to use shades of green/watermelon in clear to stained water and shades of purple for dingy to muddy water. When looking for worm colors, I look for the ones with the highest number of colored flakes as it makes the worm softer for easier hook sets when I rig them weedless with an Octopus hook. I may use a solid bright or white color when sight fishing sometimes for my visibility not the fish's.

When I have to urge to change spinnerbaits a lot, I use a snap too. I buy mostly twisted wire baits so I don't have to bother with the snap sliding down the shaft. If I want to use a "R" bend bait, I use some prepared ones that I have wrapped some braided line around the "R" and them put some super glue on it. I've tried rubber tubing and shrink tubing also, but both slip off the bend after a few fish.

A photo of a 2/0 Gammy Octopus hook #02412 rigged exposed point and weedless. Note: I always mash the barb down-usually it breaks off. It makes removal easier since the hook shank is so short-doesn't result in any lost fish. About 2000 bass caught on this rig in 2006 (mainly the weedless setup) including one over 9# and one over 10#

I used Power Pro until the Stren Super Braid was introduced. The Stren is smoother and casts better. I gave away all the Power Pro I had. I still use Spiderwire Original, Spiderwire Stealth, and Fireline for some applications, but Stren is one I use most.

Today's small HP outboards are way less heavy than those of the past as some of you have mentioned (60's-70's). From 6HP to 15 HP pretty much weigh the same. Just because you have a 15HP motor doesn't mean you have to run it wide open, they do idle well and are used for trolling when attempting to catch many species of fish. I have a 12' jon boat and although it's rated for 15HP, I use a 9.9HP because two of my favorite lakes have a 10HP max limit. I run it from idle speed to 20.4 MPH when fishing alone, most of the time around 1/2 speed. A friend of mine has a 14' jon boat and I use my 9.9 on his when we fish together on those two lakes. Another important piece of advice is to get a motor that has through hub exhaust and not a shear pin type prop. Those shear pin propped motors are just an on-the-water breakdown waiting to happen. My advice is based on the ole saying "been there and done that".

The best size OB is the maximum the boat is rated for. The second best size is the largest HP allowed on any HP restricted waters that you fish. The third best size is the highest HP you can afford within the HP rating of the boat.

You can try fluorocarbon line for cranking. The line is more dense, therfore heavier, and is slicker than regular mono. You may need to increase the spool tension to prevent over runs though due to the extra weight.

Avid, do you use mono because it stretches more than fluoro when wet? Most fluorocarbon line stretches as much and more than nylon monos when dry.

Wacky rigging with a finesse worm? Sure do, a LOT. I use a 2/0 Gammy Octopus hook and rig it exposed point or weedless (same hook) depending on the amount of cover. I carry at least 10 bags of Zoom finesse worms with me at all times. I used two bags of them yesterday. My thought on why to wacky rig is, the presentation makes the bait look more vunerable to the fish and when pulled and given slack, it backs up when it straightens out. It also looks like you are presenting two small baits at the same time when you move it and it folds in half. Sometimes I will dip 1/2 of a bubble gum worm in chart. dye to get the orange color and have a short pink and a short orange worm together. I do that with the Trick worm also.

I use fluorocarbon with braid for wacky rigging. I use the fluorocarbon for weight since the braid floats. I start with about 4'-5' and replace it after I retie several times and get down to about 2'. Uni-Uni connection for me.

I met the Banjo Minnow inventor at a BASS tournament several years ago. He was staying at the same motel I was. We talked about it and he gave me some. His room mate from the same state (Connecticut, I think) said that they were using a Super Fluke during the tournament. NO, I have not used them. They are in my junk file along the Flying Lure, Helecopter Lure, Dancin' Eel, and Sound Bites.

There may be a few lakes in South America going through the turn-over process now. ;D

Simple, reverse the wires at the battery, if it runs correctly, you had it hooked up backwards.

The best I have used is Kick'n Bass. I prefer the garlic flavor. I have Kick'nBass, Smelly Jelly Pro Formula, Megastrike, FS 454, and Fish Formula in my boat, but use Kick'n Bass the most.

The Sizmic Toad comes in a floating model and is only available in white. That one will sink too if a very heavy hook is used.

I prefer the Spider Slider (a more cone shaped head) since I'm usually fishing around a lot of cover. Basically, Slider fishing is swimming the lure using light line without any added action by the fisherman. The technique mimics small baitfish that move about without any noticable body movement-kind of sliding through the water. I rig the tail verticle, but some rig it horizonal.

Everything you need to know is at this site; http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sideimaging/

Roadwarrior, the copolymer lines are touted for their LOW memory as compaired to monos. From this site: http://www.tackletour.com/reviewsufixdna.html "The Sufix DNA line casts easily and has a very nice feel to it. It's extremely smooth and glides off the spool going through the rod guides quickly and with little friction. What allows the superb castability is due to a few factors. First the DNA line has low memory, as Copolymer lines are known to have low spool memory because they are generally limp. With a low memory and soft fishing line, casting the distance is not a problem."

A few years ago, I was at the Bassmasters Classic Show in Charlotte N.C. where the developers of the Chatterbait had a booth. The selling point by demonstration was the bait would come over limbs without rolling over and getting hung up. They had a water tank with a couple of limbs where they would bring the lure over and it would not hang. I even did it a few times and it convenced my to buy some. Because the blade is attached directly to the jig eye instead of using a split ring like some copycats have now is why it worked like it did. I still get them hung up sometimes in timber, but have started using a split curlytail trailer to lessen that happening. The only bait that is similiar that I have seen is the Booyah model, but I don't trust the connection between the blade and jig for tournament use. The only problem with the Chatterbait I have had recently is with the ones with colored blades. The finish peels off easily with little use. Also I do not like the included trailer that is packaged with them since the orginators sold their company. When I want that type of trailer, I just use the Zoom trailer.

When I use a Super Fluke, I use a Gammy Superline EWG 5/0 hook. When I use a Fluke, I use a Texposer 3/0 or 4/0 hook. Pearl white is the color I use the most. 75% of the time I use them weighless. When I am after schooling bass, I use a shank weighted Gammy 4/0 EWG after they go down to follow up a Rat-L-Trap. The retrieve I use is the same as with a suspending hard jerkbait.

From all the research I have read, both lines have about the same amount of stretch with the fluoro. having a bit more. As far as sensitivity, the fluorocarbon is denser and therefore transmits vibrations better.

WhiteMike, the Horny Toad Hook and G-Mag Oversize hooks do not have a size shown on the package, but they are about a 7/0

http://www.kistlerrods.com/p/KR/c-/KFGS73.html