Ben Lipiec

guys, the smallmouths stay in the bay up through about the middle of may. After they are done spawning they head back out to the deep drops, ledges, humps, and weedlines to recouperate from the spawn before the long haul back out into the lake. ben

Gamma is by far the best line i have used yet!!!!

probably not, it is personal confidence in what you are throwing. I myself will not throw anything above 6 or 8 lb. flourocarbon in clear water. I have even scaled down to 4 lb. many times last year. I have never really tried dropshotting in dirty water, i dont think that they are very effective because they dont move enough water to attract the bass. ben

May is by far the best time to come up here!!!!! Smallies can be found anywhere from shallow to deep. if you cant get out on the lake, then you can still catch a bunch of really nice smallies in the bay. If you come at another time though, as Eric said, we do have the best largemouth fishing in the state(probably most of the country). pm me if you have any other questions or are intertested in a guided trip. hope this helps, Ben

i throw my rattle traps on a Kistler 7'6" MH Helium. it has the perfect action and length to cast the bait a mile (even further than they already do). They extra length really lets me rip the bait out of the grass. It a graphite rod so i can really feel the bait way out there. hope this helps, ben

I live in Erie, PA and that obviously makes me a smallmouth nut! I have fished out of 16-18 foot boats out on the lake and done very well but i have also feared for my life on other occasions. A 19-22 foot boat is best. I chose a 19 footer because i also fish many inland lakes as well and fishing shallow water and in and around docks is much more difficult with anything larger. I also second Presque Isle Bay!!!! It is by far the best fishery in the world for smallmouth(given time of year) and largemouth bass. Day in and day out you can go out there and catch 50 to 200 bass a day, most of them being 2-5lbs. This spring i will be starting a guide service focusing on catching largemouth and smallmouth bass on Presque Isle Bay and Lake Erie. It will be the cheapest service in my area and I GAURANTEE you will be you will be so worn down by the end of the day that you will need an ice pack for your shoulder!! If you are looking for a little bit smaller inland lake then I highly recommend Chautauqua Lake in western New York. Smallmouths can be caught anyway you like: flippin', crankin', spinnerbaits, drop shot, tubes, topwater, grass, rocks, docks as opposed to dragging a tube or drop shot out on the lake for hours. this past spring i won a tournament on chautauqa lake with 24 lbs. and my partner came in second with 19. Let me know if you are looking for more information or current updates. Ben

I just got a 2006 Z19 with a 225 Yamaha HPDI on it. Last year i went up to the Buffalo Elite series tournament and on the final day we went up there early for the launch. talking to one of our friends who was a second year pro who made the top 12 and a few of the guys from the "Dirty Dozen", we learned that most of what is in these pros boats are tools and spares. they carry one rod box filled with rods one big compartment of tackle and the rest is tools and spares. this is my first bass boat. I was wondering what tools do all of you guys use and carry? thanks, Ben

when you give a potential sponsor a collateral package what all do you include in it? In my folder i have on the left my cover letter followed by my resume then behind that is is a xeroxed copy of several print appearances i have made. On the right i have a 8.5x11 color photo of me and my business card. I have been thinking about adding a DVD in a sleeve in one of the pockets. It would be sort of like a highlight video of me fishing, at weigh-ins, giving seminars, working sports shows, etc. ben

Eric, I left Gander Mountain in July and never got the Kistlers in there. They were trying to go to more of a walleye and steelhead store. I really left because we were going in different directions, they told me i was fishing too many tournaments. I worked out a sponsorship deal with the Erie Sports Store where i will be able spend more time promoting them through guiding, seminars, and tournaments. I am, however, talking to a few other local tackle shops and stores about stocking a good selection of kistler rods and Gamma line. Give me a selection of rods you are interested in seeing. thanks, Ben

I too use like the 7:1 Zillion reel. It is one of the best all around reels you can use. I'm really getting to like the 7:1 Gear ratio for many techniques. Not deep cranks or spinnerbaits though. For frogs, I think the Kistler frog and slop special is the best rod i have used. It is very light and it has more than enough backbone. I can skip and cast the frog way up under trees and into laydowns with incredible accuracy. All the rods mentioned have been good sticks. You have to find the one that fits your style.

I am bias to Kistler Rods but, I really do believe they make the best senko rod under $200. The Mg 7' MH Senko Special has the perfect action to cast and skip the lightest senkos a mile with plenty of backbone to bury the hook on a hawg!With the fast tip you can feel a weightless senko as if you had added a sinker. If you prefer a different length or action Kistler has several rods that are designed for and work very well for fishing Senkos. Hope this helps you.

I have an opportunity with a local truck dealer. I read the thread in the "read this before you post" area on vehicle sponsorship, but i was wondering if there is anything else that I would be able to offer other than those already listed? thank you, ben

The Gander Mountain Advantage Crankbait rod is $30. A really good price for a pretty good rod. I have many people compare it to the st. croix glass rods, and it is even lighter. But no, the Gander Mountain brand rods are not made by St. Croix. They are made by a few different companies who don't put out their own brand's products but simply make house brand products for stores. ben

It is well worth the money! I have been using it for the past year in a half. You think your saving yourself money when you buy that cheaper spool of line, but when you loose $35 worth of lures in one day like I have on more than one occasion, or if you fish tournaments when loosing fish is loosing money its more than worth its price in my book! I used to throw my Lucky Craft Pointers on 12lb. test line, but since I've been using Gamma I have scaled down to 6lb. and I think I'm getting plenty more bites as well!

it is a great stick and you couldn't go wrong with it. I also think the longer the better. i like the 7'11" Heliums. they are real strong and light. unlike most flippin' sticks kistler's heliums are not bulky and cumbersum at all. their 7'6" and 7'11" rods only have a 10" handle and are a pleasure to use all day. they cast, flip, pitch, and skip equally well, and i think the extra length helps you put the bait right where you want it.

just wondering... how many of you guys have tried Gamma and if you have did not like it? In my opinion it is the bes line out there(i dont get payed a penny to say that). I work at Gander Mountain and i have tried every line on our wall and nothing even comes close to the breaking strength, suppleness, and sensativity of gamma line. and even though gamma's breaking strength is nearly double its diameter size it is the same diameter as all of the berkley lines. thanks, ben

My drop shot rod is a Kistler 6'9" Mg drop shot rod with a daiwa tierra spinning reel and 6lb. gamma edge flourocarbon. It is a great setup. The rod is the perfect length and power to give you a solid hookset on a big smallmouth but not break the line line. The gamma edge line is by far the strongest and most supple line I have ever used. Last summer I was swinging 4 1/2 and 5 lb. smallmouths on 6 lb. test with no problem. This year like a few other fishermen I know, I will be doing some experimenting with some 4lb. test on smallmouths.

I think Kistler makes the exact rod your looking for. the Mg Jig and Toad special. It's a 7' heavy power, fast action rod. but its not just a broom stick, it will cast lures from 1/4 to 1 1/2 oz. great rod and its not too big and bulky either.

I have 7 of the TD Advantage reels and I think they are great for the money. they cast lures down to 3/16 pretty good. Although, if you have the money you may want to upgrade to the supertuned model. It's $40 more but it will give you a little more casting distance. ben

You can't beat the Kistler MgTBWWMH610S for a great all around rod. They are also comming out with a 7' Mg Medium action spinning rod if you like the long sticks.

I had the same problem two years ago with stren and vanish. Though, I do agree with roadwarrior that it does not sound like the line's fault. I would check the reel and guides for nicks. Second, stren and vanish were the worst lines I have ever tried (no offense). Try this test you will be amazed. Grab a spool of 12lb vanish and a spool of 6lb gamma(either edge or copolymer) and cut about 2 feet of line from each spool and tie an over hand knot into each one. Have somebody help you tie each end of the vanish to a pen or pencil and you pull until it breaks. Do the same with the 6lb gamma and youll be amazed how much harder it is to break the 6lb gamma over the 12lb vanish . ben

When I am throwing a jerkbait, I am usually using a Kistler MgTWJB68. I like 8-12lb. gamma edge. I think it is the strongest line out there. Because of it, I really got into fishing 6 lb. test last year for smallies. I can get a lot more bites and with gamma 6lb. flourocarbon I can swing a 4 pounder in the boat no problem. I also use this rod for topwaters in the summer time, but I do switch out the spools to 12lb. gamma co-polymer. For my bigger jerkbaits, I use a MgAPSMH69 with 12lb. gamma edge. What a nice stick. I usually use it for spinnerbaits, but it works perfect for bigger jerkbaits. ben

Crankin' is one of my favorite ways to fish. I have 4 crankin sticks: 1. Kistler Mg 7' composite crankbait rod/ Daiwa advantage reel(all are 6.3:1)/ 10lb. gamma edge flourocarbon. This rod is a great all around crankin' rod. It is usually the first one I pull out of my rod box. I use this one almost everyday. 2. Kistler Helium LTA 7' Medium action/ Daiwa advantage reel/ 12lb. gamma edge flourocarbon. I use this rod mainly for square bill crankbaits or any shallow runner. I like the graphite because I can feel every limb in a laydown and every stump on a shallow flat. 3. Kistler Graphite Plus 7'6" Medium action/ Daiwa Advantage reel/ 10lb. gamma edge flourocarbon. This is one of my favorite rods. This is the rod I pull out when im fishing a DD22 or a DT16 or any other super deep diver. I can use the extra 6 inches to cast further and get the bait deeper. 4. Kistler Mg 7' composite crankbait rod/ Daiwa Advantage reel/ 30lb. Spiderwire Stealth. This rod works great with rattle traps or any other time Im trying to rip my bait out of the grass. Those 4 combos really narrow it down for me. Every once in a while when I get dialed in on a really good deep bite, I will have all of them rigged up with a deep diver. Although, I usually switch spools with my braid rod and put one in with 8lb. gamma edge. I know some people dont need 4 crankbait rods, but it is one of my favorite techniques and one of the best ways to whack a real big bag! Hope this helps. ben

Kistler makes a 7'3" Frog and Slop rod that has a heavy power, but I'm not sure if it has a fast enough action for flipping. I recomend the KFRST76, I know you said you dont like the 7'6" rod but the kistlers are incredibly light and only have a 10" handle. So it is not bulky at all and and it really feels like an extension of your arm. If you really want to stick with a shorter rod the have many nice 6'10" to 7' rods that are suitable for flipping anything from 3/16 oz. all the way up to 2 oz. Hope this is helpful. ben

I have never personally been on the water with either of those two St. Croix's, but I have played with both of them at my Gander Mountain where I work. I was not a huge fan of either of them. They seemed a little sloppy to me. However, Kistler has 3 spinning rods in their Magnesium TS lineup. A 6'9" ML drop shot rod, a 6'10" MH tube rod, and a 7' Medium All Purpose rod. I have never used the all purpose rod, but I have both the drop shot rod and the tube rod. The tube rod has a faster tip and obviously a stiffer butt section which is what you sound like you would prefer. I usually use the drop shot rod when I feel like I need to downsize to 4 to 6 lb. test. For most shaky head applications (1/16-1/4 oz.) I like the tube rod. I think I can get a better hook into the fish(especially those smallmouths) down deep, or even when I'm fishing shallow near cover so I can really move the fish away from anything dangerous. You can check kistler rods out if you have not already at www.kistlerrods.com. Hope this helps. Ben L.