TOXIC

Just an FYI, Cabela's is having a Spring event, it is nationwide and at all stores. May be more than one weekend but I know it is March 23-25th at least. It's called "The Great Outdoors" whereas Bass Pro is normally their "Spring Classic".

I'll be working a show at Cabela's the weekend of March 24th. I'll report back on how the Gainsville, Virgina store is stocked. At least with the baits I am representing.

Yes and no. It's nice to get back to basics but you can't forget what you already know. Then the "what if's" start. There's never going to be 1, 2, 3 or 10 baits that work all the time. If a pro has a bad day on the water what do they say the reason was 99% of the time>>>>>>I didn't adapt to changing conditions. You have to be willing to adapt even in the bait department. Granted you can eliminate a lot of different baits in the same groups but you can't eliminate the whole group without losing opportunity.

They were made for cold water. The trick is to s-l-o-w down. They use Tungsten coated bearings to make a different type of rattle. I fish them on St Clair in cold water, I fish them here in VA year round. No matter the season though, they need to be retrieved slower.

All Yamamoto baits do have a combination scent/oil. It's just not as pronounced as others.

You are correct. These were not available when I bought mine. Good to know!!

Run a Grass Goat or Ninja blade and you should be fine. The Ultrex doesn't have auto stow and deploy though so I did not get to see that feature in action. My buddy had the Grass Goat on the Fortrex I have now and it was fantastic in the heavy grass of the Potomac. He kept it and I need to pick one up.

Glory Bags were created right here in Virginia by Tommy Ball who is a great man. I've worked many a show with him. The bags are weighted so that they suspend upright and should not float to the top. Personally, I have never heard of a fish being killed due to this system but I guess it's possible. The only complaints I've heard are the cost, the bag size relating to bigger fish (which has been addressed) and the time it takes to insert and cull with the system. For fish well-being, I think these ate the top of the line. I saw demos where smallmouth were caught out of very deep water on Erie and did not even need to be fizzed using the bags.

Have a read..... https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/35514-rods-power-and-action- defined/ There may be some new information to add since 2006 but it is a good reference. Something that is rarely addressed is the proper construction relative to the blanks spline or spine. Lots of people can't tell the difference, but get a poorly constructed rod and you will. Almost all rod blanks are produced by wrapping graphite and/or fiberglass around a steel mandrel. This process causes a slight deviation in the material which results in softer and stiffer sides to the rod blank, and is commonly referred to as the spine. Think of a rod spine as if it were your backbone. You only want to bend in one direction, forward, and it is the same with a rod blank. Every rod blank has a spine; some are just more defined than others.

Copper, orange, yellow/amber and brown lens tints make an environment appear brighter and are commonly used in low-light conditions. These lens tints significantly block blue light and enhance contrast and depth perception making them helpful for overcast, hazy and foggy conditions. Drive into the sun with this color and you will be disappointed. Not a good all-around color. That's why I suggested medium grey. Here is a good chart. https://www.vsp.com/lens-tints.html

Totally depends on weight. What weight Jig? Also, T-rigs is too generic a term. T-Rigs can be finesse weightless to 1 oz mat punchers. Jigs cover the whole spectrum of weights as well. Generally, unless weightless I would never use an extra fast rod. And even then it would be rare.

As I said, I doubt very, very much he would be willing to part with any of his rods but message me your contact information and exactly what rod length, action, type, model #, etc. The more info the better and I will ask him.

If you want the old stock of AllStar, your best bet is Ebay or a private seller. You'll have to be patient and keep searching. Otherwise in that price point you probably need to look for another manufacturer. I happen to be friends with the gentleman who used to be the head prostaff for them and he has a 55 gallon cardboard barrel of the old stock but I can guarantee you he isn't letting any of them go.

This is the box I use on the boat. I take all of the horizontal dividers out of the top compartment and can put a lot of 5" Senko's in various colors separate from each other. I use the 2nd compartment (underneath) for different size Senko's. With that being said, it would be too big for either shore or wade fishing. I would go with the original bags in a binder.

Are you more comfortable reeling slower for baits that require it (burner) or reeling faster on baits that require it (assassin)? You now know why we are borderline hoarders when it come to rods/reels and always have an excuse to buy another!!

Conservation is a multifaceted plan that includes catch and release, habitat, and harvest. They all work together to make a healthy productive fishery. Any one of them can upset the balance dramatically.

In my experience you will find the best deal on a Cabela's combo (if that is your retailer of choice) that either is a combined manufacturer combo, like Lews as mentioned by finshncamp or a straight Cabela's combo. Just check the stats on the reel and get the action in the rod you want. They usually have multiple actions available. You also might want to wait for their Spring event which is coming up next month. There will be some additional sales or discounts.

All things being equal (hull design/deep v/modified v/pad, deck layout, towability) size matters. It is amazing the difference in ride and handling the extra length gives you. Now, if you fish small water or are on a tight budget then it may not be necessary or relevant.

Upsize that Senko to a 6 or 7inch, try the 7inch Kut Tail (shakeyhead). Sometimes you gotta throw them some groceries!!

Boga Grip or cheaper Rapala knockoff.

I was on CastAway's pro staff for a number of years. As a matter of fact, I might still be, I need to check in more often. They make the most durable rods I have ever fished with. When I was guiding, I had clients totally abuse those rods and they just continued to perform. I have some that are 10 years old that are still fishable. The Skeleton is my personal favorite and I have a couple of the Invicta that I have literally worn the Wynn grip down on from use. You will find that their stated action (all of their rods) is a little heavier than others. A medium is more like a mediun heavy for example. You will not be disappointed in the CastAway line at all.

Do you sight fish? Do you bed fish? Are you going to use them for driving as well? As is with most things, a jack of all trades is a master of none. Meaning, the more you narrow down what the intended purpose is, the more you will be satisfied. I was in your same position but knew I wanted a "quality" pair of mixed use glasses. My problem was that I decided to go with my first prescription pair. Up until then, I just used off the shelf medium quality fishing, polarized sunglasses (Solar Bat). I found that bed fishing on Lake St Clair, I was not seeing the same detail my fishing partners were. They were spotting fish on beds where I was just able to see the bed. I knew it wasn't the glasses fault so I figured it was my need for a prescription. Once I started checking into prescription quality sunglasses, I was floored at the prices. I was griping about my experience at a show I was working and come to find out one of the guys I regularly worked shows with who was a reel rep, had a day job as a lense manufacturer in a lab. I got an education that day. Let me sum it up: 1. Cheap sunglasses are cheap for a reason. Don't skimp on your eyes. 2. Only very, very, few manufacturers make their own Rx lenses. Some that may surprise you that do not are Costa, Maui Jim, and a lot of others. Once you go Rx, they pull their lenses out, send the frames to a lab and you get the quality of the lense the lab produces. So you have just paid big bucks for a designer name stamped on the frame!! 3. In our freshwater fishing applications, NEVER go with glass lenses. Yes, the optics are better but a 1/4 oz weight or jig that hits them will put glass into your eye. Shatterproof or not. Not worth the risk. 4. Best "overall" mixed use color is grey. Get specific and the color choices change. Yes, amber will be best for low light but wear them on a bright sunny day and you'll be disappointed. Dark grey will allow you to almost look directly into the sun and would be great driving into the sun but will be like night fishing on a cloudy day. That's why I went with medium grey. 5. Get frames that fit your head. There is nothing like the headache you will get from bad fitting sunglasses after a day on the water. I ended up with a pair of Rx Oakley that once I picked out the right fitting frame, got sent back to Oakley for them to make the lense. This was after they put clear lenses in the frame and used a sharpie to mark all of the proper points on the lense for my prescription (progressive). I got a medium dark grey with a blue mirror. I use them for driving and fishing and do not know how I ever got along without them.

My job has regularly taken me to hundreds of "abandoned" buildings, houses, farms, etc. Just because it's abandoned doesn't mean it's fair game. Get yourself seriously injured or god forbid killed in one and the lawsuits will be flying. If there are "caretakers" there and they didn't have you sign a release, then they are just as responsible if something happens to you while on the premisis. Who puts a caretaker at an abandoned building anyway? Nonetheless someone owns that property and unless you have been granted permission, you are trespassing. You want to look for relics be like Frank and Mike on American Pickers. Do not sneak into abandoned buildings without consent.

Only crankbait that I have literally worn out on fish....SPRO Little John (original) in Cell Mate. Computer chip crank that catches fish year round. My favorite of all time. If I have a crankin rod on the boat, this is tied on.

And some advice from someone who has been there......If you use bass freshwater gear, you will need to do a full teardown and cleaning/re-oiling/re-greasing of your reel(s). If you do not, you can write them off very soon. Even my gear used in the brackish Potomac River requires a lot more maintenance than my lake setups. There's a reason they make inshore reels with sealed bearings and more stainless components. Salt is ruthless!!