skillet

I would go with ReelMech on this one. You ought to be able to get a really good one for under $100 and a great one for a little over that... As Ever, Skillet

Michbass, I tend to stick with BPS Bionic Blades or Extremes in shorter lengths (5'6" to 6') which aren't real popular unless someone has enough set-ups to get one for skipping. I think I would listen to RoadWarrior for rods. He usually has really good opinions on tackle. Would also like to say WELCOME !!! As Ever, Skillet

I grew up in and always lived in a city, usually Memphis, and was use to what I call city birds. About 11 or 12 yrs. ago we moved to the back side of nowhere. You can't even get anywhere from here. You have to go someplace else to start!. We only live about a mile or two from the Miss. R. and a really large number of birds follow it as a migratory route North and South. In this day and age of tight spaces and everyone living on top of one another, I consider my wife and I unbeliveablely lucky to see Mother Nature in all her glory...... As Ever, Skillet

Nick, Just wanted to say WAY TO GO and CONGRATULATIONS!!! Miss your posts and responses. Stop by when you can... As Ever, Skillet

Corkster52, Don't really know anyone that fishes out of a kayak (never even been in one myself)tell us something about it: how large is yours, size of water, tackle storage and maybe is balance any harder to learn than say a canoe. Also, to let you know how WELCOME you are!!! As Ever, Skillet

Zel, IMO, any cover Joe Cocker did has more passion than anything those 2 have ever done. I almost hate to put their names in the same sentence. I'm not a real fan of any of the "newer" female singers except for Norah Jones and have always been a BIG fan of Joe Cocker. This Xmas one of my daughters found his 2nd album on CD for me. It has my favorite cover of Leonard Cohen's "Bird on a Wire"... As Ever, Skillet

Man, that was worse than a group of people sitting around and trying to come up with the drummer's name from QuickSilver Messenger Service! If anyone is interested, the name of that frog that I've got is Snag Proof Casting Frog and they come with Gammi hooks this year... As Ever, Skillet

Big-Bass, Have found what you said, correct. WELCOME !! As Ever, Skillet

Being the age I am (almost 58) and growing up (well, getting older anyway) when I did , music always meant a great deal to me and of course a large influence. I have the greatest respect for you folks that are talented in that direction. You'll just have to sign me Tone Deaf, Got a Tin Ear and Couldn't Carry a Tune in a Bucket :-/.... As Ever, Skillet

I didn't see this until today so that makes me as usual "A day late and a dollar short" Still wanted to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY !!! As Ever, Skillet

Man, I'm having a Senior moment. Can't for the life of me come up with the name of that frog I have. I even went and looked on the bait (nothing). It seems like the only time it takes on water is when a fish crushes it without getting hooked and it does have a hole in the bottom like the rest. I'm going to look at the one Rolo recommended or a Bronzeye (and still hold onto my "original")..... As Ever, Skillet

Squid, As always one of the funniest and probably one of the most intelligent people you'd want to listen to, more than a grain of truth to everything he says.... As Ever, Skillet

Deuceu72, I don't know how you folks out West and the Northeast handle it! :-/ I worked on most of the commercial waterways for about 6 years, tip toed, knee walked and low crawled on snow and ice to keep from going in the river every winter . I hate the stuff, can't stand it, don't even like seeing it on Xmas cards! Here around Memphis and the mid-south, the mind-set is pretty much what RW said. If Dave Brown (local TV weatherman) even hints at SNOW the whole town goes into a panic! The grocery stores and gas stations love it, they sell out of everything they have. You don't even want to get on the streets and "try" to drive. It makes a demolition derby (a Southern happening) seem like a Sunday afternoon drive in the park. Folks act like we're going to be house-bound for 6 months and then the next day or so the sun comes out dries everything up and all's right with the world, until the next SNOW . As Ever, Skillet

Gabriele, When I started lurking on this forum and saw the International Page, I was really impressed to find how many bass fishermen and women from other countries there are. It's great when you have a passion for a thing to find out other folks feel the same way, no matter how different we are in other ways. Wanted to extend the warmest WELCOME !! As Ever, Skillet

Thanks Guys !! Those were just the kind of answers I was looking for ... Thanking You, Skillet

Thanks everyone for your help! Rolo, I've never heard of that frog and I really like walking the dog type retrieves for top water baits. Where do you get yours at? Thanking You, Skillet

Hope I don't get laughed at with parts of this post but: I was using 'glass rods with Zebco 33's until the early 80's using mostly jigs, worms and spinner baits. Even with the 'glass rods I thought I could feel the bites on the worms and jigs "pretty good" (relative term I guess). After that I got a Garcia Ultra-Mag on a (I think) Diawa Pro-Caster Boron rod. I thought I had died and gone to bass gear heaven. My wife got a young Boxer puppy that was destructive when left alone. We went somewhere one night and left him in the garage. He ate my Pro-Caster down so close to the handle, there wasn't even enough left to beat him with it (joke, don't want the PETA people after me). I thought...The Miss. R. is only a mile or so from our house and tow sacks are so cheap, but the biscuit burning, egg-sucking hound is still with us. Haven't forgiven him but he is still around (has to say something about my self-control ). Having said all that to say this, you can catch fish with all different ranges of gear. I've never got to fish with upper end rods (so maybe ignorance is bliss) but compared to what I've fished with before and my budget, the BPS rods get the job done really well. That's not to say that if and when I can afford one of those afore mentioned rods I wouldn't jump at the chance in a minute !! I'll inflict ya'll no more with myself on this subject (I should hope, I don't type well and my fingers are in knots)..... As Ever, Skillet

You'll be missed! Come back whenever you can. Most of will probably be here... As Ever, Skillet

I used live bait my whole childhood fishing with my parents for pan fish (Crappie and Bream). Could not print on this forum what my Daddy used to say about artfical baits or those who used them . As a retired Pilot and First Mate off the River, he could get real creative with 4 letter words !! I have wondered more than once why it makes so much difference to me. The only conclusion I could come to was that IT DID ;D!! Like the others have said, this is not a put-down on those who do (truthfully). Know thyself be the first rule of the land.... As Ever, Skillet

Got so many good answers about the hollow body frogs (thanks everyone), thought I would try flukes. I haven't been using them very long (have always liked hard body suspending baits), they sure seem really erratic to me and always want to come back to the surface unless I really give them a littlt time to sink (don't know if that's the way they are supposed to act or what). Has anyone used those EWG hooks with a weight molded to the shank for flukes? It seems like they would sink more straight down when the line goes slack. Think that would be a good thing or not? Any help with flukes or those hooks would be greatly appreciated. I leave you Terminally Bewildered ... As Ever, Skillet

I was really happy ;D when I did business with Reelmech... As Ever, Skillet

I'm new to spinning gear for Bass (always used BC's). I don't use it for what you are talking about, but I have the Symetre mounted on a 6' MH rod and really like it !! Haven't been using it long enough to comment on how it will hold on the long run. They haven't changed it in a number of years and everyone on this forum who owns Shimanos speak highly of it. You sound like your buget for gear is somewhere around mine, for the money I don't think you can beat it..... As Ever, Skillet

Hitormiss, Hopefully not too obvious :-?, but if you are rigging it right (T-rig) you shouldn't be having this problem. Check the search option above for a diagram. I fish a lot from the bank and if I hang a jig it is usually the head trying to come thru a small crotch of a submerged limb or roots... As Ever, Skillet

Jc, Glad to have you here. WELCOME As Ever, Skillet

Glades, Glad you decided to start posting, always room for one more. WELCOME !! As Ever, Skillet