Harold Scoggins

MB Dog X Diamante (Respect Series)

Yes. You might also try removing the paint from the jig eye.

I have used Rapala balsa baits for many years and I've had some of them fail, but it was usually my fault and the result of crashing them into rocks one to many times. I never slap a balsa bait to remove vegetation and I wouldn't recommend doing that with any balsa bait. There are many posts on other boards concerning the bill failures on the DT series cranks, but if you consider how they made, it stands to reason that they will fail if they are crashed into hard surfaces. They are designed thin for a reason; they dive quicker than other baits with thicker bills. The one thing you can not fault with the construction is how the bills are anchored into the body. (see picture) They are anchored deep within the body. There is a time and place for balsa, especially Rapala balsa, and over the years I've developed a love/hate relationship with them. The DT series, especially the DT6, catches fish and I will continue to use them. Now, if I can only remember to save the plastic cranks for the rock crashing.

I so got to get this box!

Grab your med/lt spinning outfit and tie on a clown Rapala F9 minnow and prepare to have some fun.

Those on the left look like Bombers, but Bombers have usually marked their cranks since the late 80s, early 90s. Should you discover the depths later, mark the bills or bellies with sharpie so you'll remember. The angle and length of the bills can give you a hint as to it's depth too. That crank on the upper left is definitely a shallow runner, 0-4 maybe. The bottom two on the left look like mid-runners, 6-8, and the two on the right are deep runners, 9-10+?

Especially when you want attention. Well said @Catt.

It's a "hydrodynamic" thing.

Can you post some pictures?

Happy Birthday, Jonah.

Found out I'm going to be a grandfather again.

The BPS Pro Qualifier has always been a good reel. I wonder if they are still made out of that factory in Korea, (Pure Fishing) a lot of good reels came out of that factory. I see they sell a combo for 149.97, that could even drop to 99 during the holidays. (BPS use to do that between Black Friday and Xmas.) I started my boys out on those reels and it wasn't long until I started using them when they started chasing girls. They are a solid reel for sure. I don't think you can wrong with the Pro Qualifier @Luke Barnes.

You never know what you'll find roaming around the old posts here on BR. This made it worth it.

Gene Larew HooDaddy Blackberry Sapphire

Yes!

I so can't wait until pre spawn.

I agree. Top right is a C.A. Clark Popper Scout.

I'd use a chatterbait or other search style baits and beat those points and adjacent ledges along the east. Check out the arms along the way if time permits. Have a jig, small swimbait, crank, and topwater in the gate at the ready.

The remains of Gerald B. Raeymacker, age 21, have recently been identified. Gerald was killed near the Chosin Reservoir on December 6, 1950, when Chinese forces attacked his unit. He will be buried in his hometown, Dunkirk, New York on October 19, 2019. Honor him. (There are still over 7200 servicemen missing from that war, the majority of those lost on the battlefields in North Korea.)

I think Glenn got beat by his co-angler.

It feels so good! I was going to launch this morning, but the wind is a little high, the front is still moving through. I've already broke out the NRS shoes and waterproof pants, no more shorts this year.

@jbsoonerfan and @Bluebasser86, don't know about you guys, but I'm ready to say goodbye to this heat. It was a little hard on the old man this summer, I hope we have a long fall.

I actually misread his reply, I thought he was speaking of another brand with "black" in the name. Regardless, if you were to see the work that some of these folks put into making these wood baits, you'd understand the price. The time that goes into one of these baits blows my mind sometimes. Knowing the work and quality that goes into some of these squarebills, I've paid up to $50 for some of them. That's not to say you can't find a good balsa bait commercially produced that are cheaper, there are many out there. That being said, I have too many cranks, both plastic and wood, that I call my favorites. However, when it comes to cranking through the laydowns, I don't believe one can dismiss the value of a crank bait that quickly rises/backs out upon making contact with the wood. That is one attribute where a wood (balsa) crank really dominates other baits.