TOXIC

Because bass can change color. Somewhat. Ever caught a deep bass and it's got dark markings and then caught a shallow bass and it's almost silver? I've caught bass that have changed color in the livewell. They'll also change color depending on what they are eating and if it's spawning time. So........There's a lot of variables that go into the color.

I guess I should disqualify myself from commenting but I just can't. I'll make it simple......Fish what you have confidence in. There are always 3 camps on the Senko subject. 1. Those who will only use the original. 2. Those that have confidence in another brand of knockoff and... 3. Those who buy whatever is on sale. Nothing wrong with any of the three. You can argue the pros and cons of each until you are blue in the face. You are not going to change any minds. We all know what camp I reside in. I have my reasons, actually lots of reasons but they are my reasons based on side by side tests, years of use and proven results. Everyone has their own reasons and that's fine.

Always, always, always by hand. There's a few reasons many of which have been mentioned. My main reasons are because when I cast I am controlling the cast with my free hand for accuracy distance wise. I am also stopping over run after my bait hits the water but I still want it to fall on a free line but not with 5-10 extra loops of line feeding out. Same thing if it is windy. In all of these situations, my hand is right there so it's easy to flip the bail closed manually. I am a firm believer it saves some wear and tear on your reel.

Far be it from me to dissuade anyone from a GYCB product but I use the "Pro Senko" more than the Slim Senko. It's great for a dropshot, shakeyhead or Ned. Been catching the majority of my fish on the Potomac with it this year.

So many things could have happened here. Your rod could have been damaged in transit, you could have damaged it before you got on the water and not known it, you could have overloaded it with the jig. But I will say this......"Normally".......you trade off durability for sensitivity and a lot of new rods swing more to the sensitivity. The only one that I found to be tough as nails and still be sensitive were/are my CastAway rods. I used them for years in my guide service and they took a beating. Literally had clients step on and flatten guides and I just bent them back out. Never had one of their rods break or lose an eye insert. I also don't swing fish and that's another cause of breakage.

I won't even use a net. If I lose them trying to lip them then so be it. I will never bounce on on the carpet of the boat. I won't even swing them in unless they are under 2lbs and I can suspend them while I reach for a lip. The fly fishermen have been wetting their hands forever when dealing with trout and are meticulous about fish care. Anybody who smallmouth fishes knows that if you cradle them by the belly 90% of the time they stop struggling. I've been doing it for years although I would rather lip them to avoid dropping them if they do struggle, especially if they are caught with trebles. If you lip a largemouth, they will settle quick. If you lip a smallmouth they will usually thrash more before they settle down.

Just a comedy clip that I found hilarious by Louis Black!! CAUTION IF YOU ARE OFFENDED BY BAD LANGUAGE DO NOT OPEN!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5U66KlqJPGo

There is no higher quality swivel for it's size than a SPRO. It was one of the products they were known for before they got into the hard bait market. Personally, I don't use swivels or clips because it just adds more failure points to my setups. I have multiple options to deal with line twist.

This topic is always hotly debated. First the term "transom saver" is a misnomer. None of the products out there relieve any vertical stress off the transom. That's why the newer models all list them as "motor supports". Second, I have a big motor 250hp and when I asked the manufacturer of my boat (Ranger) which support they recommend the answer was and still is the LU to Trailer style. That's what I use. That is because it is just common sense. If you have a support that goes from the motor to your transom via the trim rams, mounting bolts or Jack Plate there is -0- amount of pendulum force transferred to anything but the transom. That is in addition to the actual motor weight. At least with the old style that goes from the LU to the trailer some of that additional pendulum downforce is kept off the transom. It is stopped via the trailer vs the transom. IMHO people got away from the old style for ease of application, no crawling under the boat to strap the bottom support onto the trailer roller and to keep from marring the LU with the rubber fork stoppers. As for transfering road vibrations back up to the motor LU with the old style, again IMHO a properly installed old style moves in unison with the trailer. In my 40 years of trailering long distances, I have never had any LU damage from my motor toter other than a marred up paint job on the foot of the LU. I also use steering clips to reduce the side to side movement.

I spend a LOT of time on the back deck of my buddies 2016 Ranger 520c. It's no different than being a co angler. He clears the bin behind the drivers seat for my bag. I have a bag that fits in that compartment just fine. If I have some oddball bags of plastics, they go in my pockets because I can guarantee you the bag is full to the brim. I have some of at least a dozen different techniques in that bag. Packing it is an art form.

Sorry, I can't relate. Even though I have fished a lot of the techniques mentioned, I can not relax while fishing no matter the bait. I am on high alert every time there is a bait in the water. Now there are some slow presentations but my brain won't let me relax.

All of my shakey heads stand the bait up when hopped on the bottom. A t-rigged bait will lay flat on the bottom. I usually go smaller weights with a shakey head as well. The only reason I weight a t-rig is if I am in current or punching weeds. 90% of the time it is weightless.

Yamamoto Single tailed grub.

$25 Sammy. Has caught hundreds of fish. Right after I got it about 7 years ago, I took it to St Clair. Foggy morning and could only see about 20 feet out from the boat. Dead calm, eerily quiet. I decide I'm going to throw it. On about my third cast out into the fog where I couldn't see it, I was walking it back and all of a sudden it sounds like somebody dropped a bowling ball out of a 747!! No weight on line so I continue my retrieve and just as the lure comes into sight, both of us on the boat see a 50 inch class Musky following it back to the boat. Looked like a nuclear sub under the water. My partner said "Kill it" meaning to pause my retrieve and I said...No frickin way, I am not losing this $25 bait to a Musky and reeled it in as fast as I could.

Yamamoto DShad. Killer.

In my experience, you answered your own question. Cheap store covers fit like cheap store covers and custom made covers are expensive. You can try Dean's Canvass or Aurora and see what they would charge for a semi-custom cover.

I know you said that you didn't like the "Club" setup but for a tournament trail that is nationwide and based on faith with a great group of people that you would probably enjoy very much, take a look at the Fishers of Men tournament trail. It would at least put you in with some great Christian fishermen.

You sir will get no sympathy from me!!

Great looking Brown Fish!! Can't wait for our annual trip to Lake St Clair next month!!

Funny story....When I lived in Florida I fished a Sunday trail that had about 20 boats. Amongst about 5 of us that fished it, there was a standing rule. If any one of us won, the winner had to buy lunch at the Golden Corral that was close to the ramp. Because of the Florida heat, this was an early morning to early afternoon tournament. I was lucky enough to win my fair share and while in line at the restaurant I got to the cashier and indicated I was picking up the tab for the 5 of us and under my breath complaining that it was taking most of my winnings. The cashier spouted off "Well, I did give you the Senior Citizens discount...." I never lived that one down the rest of my time there.

Try the Shad Shape Worm. I was never a believer because to me it is too small. I was proven very, very wrong.

I do use them in certain situations. I prefer the Pro Senko in most of those same situations (dropshot. shakeyhead, ned or on a ball head) My problem is that they get bit too well. Fish have a tendency to bite the tail off. I do swim the bigger versions and use them on a c-rig. Great bait though.

6'6 medium light spinning 3" Senko 7' medium spinning 5" Senko 7' medium heavy casting 6" Senko 7'2 medium heavy cranking Nose Weighted Senko 7'3 heavy casting C-Rig Senko Just kidding..........but I would be tempted.

You can buy PB&J premixed in the jar. I buy Uncrustables for the boat.

Define "Elderly".......