finatic

By structure I meant seeing the contours of the underwater layout. Trying to find spots where big cats might be hanging out. I was considering buying a Deeper Pro+ and just casting that out to read what's underwater, but I thought contour maps would be more helpful. Dicks has a bundle deal on a Deeper Pro+ - one with a Gerber tool and a couple other goodies and one with a pretty awesome head lamp.

That's ok, I appreciate the reply and the link. It is the closest I've gotten so far to something useable. I even tried a thing called BaseMap, which I thought would show me a complete updated contour of the river area here, but of course they don't give you anything with a free basic account.

Yeah I zoomed, but like I said it doesn't cover the whole area.

Thanks for the link, but it doesn't show underwater contour or structure. Thanks for the links, but these don;'t show underwater contour. The closest one is the genesis map, but it only shows a limited area, not the full area.

I'm trying to figure out how to locate contour/structure maps of the waterways in and around my area. I live in Grand Haven, MI and regularly fish the Grand River area. I'd like to find some contour maps of the waterways so I can locate potential spots for catching big cats. Can anyone here give me some advice/links or something on where I could find these things? I've been Googling around for an hour or so and can't find anything. Thanks.

Not sure I'll have to check the box. I used it tonight and it seemed to behave better. I was getting a ton of hits, even caught a couple, but they came off after thrashing about. Most excitement I've ever had using a top water lure.

I just got a whopper plopper today. Casted with it a bit, but I'm unsure of it's performance. Is it suppose to tilt on it's side occasionally or just dredge along silently until you pop it to get it started? Maybe I got a dud.

I got tired of spending $$$ just to get line on my reels so I made my own line winding station. Using an old wooden TV tray, my spool winder and some other hardware I picked up for cheap off Amazon. Mounted the butt end of an old fishing pole on the table to attach the reels. I can move the spool winder to either position for spool to spool or spool to reel. Total cost: $25. To get one reel spooled up with line at the tackle store can cost almost that.

Exactly. And I know how to tie knots. I took that picture to show what was happening to the line while I was tying a knot.

Well guys I just initiated my new rig tonight. I got some new line (Sunline Fluorocarbon 20lb) and I also bought a pack of those Googan Bandito Bugs that I kept seeing the youtube guys using. I put one on a 3/8oz jig with a black/blue skirt and went out to see how the new line casted. I went down by the bridge in town where there was enough light and started casting the jig. I did not expect to catch anything, but then just as I was bringing it out of the water there was this humongous splash. My heart about stopped so I casted out again, this time jigging it near the surface and WHAM!! I caught this mondo in the photo below..... He put up on heck of a fight and I wasn't sure how I was going to get him in because I didn't bring any of my gear. It was still in the truck which was just behind me up on the road. Finally I pulled the line to get him up and possibly grab him and the line snapped and he plopped in the water between two rocks and just sat there. I quick went to the truck and got my net and came back and netted him. I swear I have to get a GoPro....

This is brand new braid. It is Seaguar Smackdown Stealth Gray Braid, check the photos below. Hopefully this satisfies all you people who are having a hard time believing my post.

This is Seaguar SmackDown the gray braid I just got it from tackle warehouse a couple days ago. I contacted Seaguar and they told me to get a hold of their customer support department. Tackle warehouse will of course refund my money.

Whenever I handle the line it just comes apart like you see in the photo. So if I’m trying to tie a Uni not like I was in that picture The line pulls apart. This is brand new line that I ordered from tackle warehouse. Been using it a few days and it keeps doing the same thing.

Just bought some Seaguar Smackdown and I've been using it on my new rig. I've encountered an issue that I wanted to let you guys know about so you don't smack your money down on this stuff. In the picture I took is the problem. The braid separates and just becomes a mess. It doesn't cut very well either. Hopefully I can get my money back for this trash. This is the second time I've had issues with Seaguar line. Guess I'm going back to Power Pro.

I've been debating on the Boga Grip for a while now, only thing holding me back is the price. I see a lot of the fishermen on youtube using those cheap Rapala digital scales.

Just bought this beautiful hand painted killer craw 4" crank. Dive 8 - 10'. Can't wait to try it on the new rig.

Starting off the season here in Grand Haven with these gorgeous, hard fighting smallies. smallies I have a size 13 foot, so that's why I lay most of them beside my shoe, lol. One of these days I'll get a tape measure and something to weigh them with. I was thinking of getting one of those Bogo Grips, eventually.

She's a beauty! This is the third time I've bought a rod/reel combo and the colors match. It wasn't intentional, just seems to happen. I took it out today and did some casting around. No fish, but the setup is insane. With the 7ft rod I can cast with much better accuracy and the reel is smooth as butter. I did a lot of flipping and even into the wind this thing refuses to backlash. Very impressed. Not so much with the Seaguar Smackdown. Seems like nice braid, but it does have some line twist/memory and it doesn't cut as well as Power Pro. I'll give it some time and see how it holds up to some hawgs.

Well my stuff is on the way and I’m pretty excited about it. It should be here Friday and then I’ll go out take it for a test run. Hopefully I land some pigs and I’ll report back with some pictures.

Thanks again for the tip. I ordered the rod (Diawa Aird X 7ft MHF) and the line (Seaguar Smackdown 40lb). Can't wait to rig this guy up and hit the water. I'll update when I do. Thanks again everyone for all your advice.

All the mojo bass rods I looked at at Cabela’s had micro guides

Thanks for the tip on eBay. I went ahead and got the Diawa Tatula SV TW 6:3 for $166. Says it’s brand new so I just saved about 40 bucks or so off the retail. I loved this reel when I was handling it at Cabela’s so I’m excited to get this one. Now to get the pole. I was thinking I might just going to get this one at Cabela’s or somebody local that might have one. I kind a like to have my hands on it and check out the guides and everything before I buy one. For line I’m going to try the new Seagar smack down braid that just came out. Reviews seem pretty good on this line so I’m going to try to 20 pound for this set up.

I've had a lot of people telling me I should get a longer rod (7ft or so). The two rods I have are 6' 6" (Lew's SpeedStik and a Berkley Cherrywood HD). They suggest a longer rod would be better for flipping, cranking, better hooksets, etc. So yesterday I was at Cabela's and I got my hands on a St Croix Mojo Bass rod - 7' medium heavy fast tip with the micro guides. The sales guy suggested that a leader knot (fluorocarbon leader to braid) may have a hard time of it going through the micro guides. It seemed logical to me, given how small they are. There really wasn't anything else I saw that had bigger guides. I really like the Mojo Bass rod, and since I don't use a leader anyway I decided to check that one as a possibility. Next I needed a baitcaster for it with a ratio of 6:3, because the advice I'd been getting is a reel with a lower gear ratio for flipping and even cranking, etc. The two setups I already have are a Diawa Tatula CT with a ratio of 8:1 and a President XT with a ratio of 7:3. I really like the Tatula so I was thinking of pairing the Mojo Bass with another CT at 6:3, but Cabela's didn't have one available. The only 6:3 they had was a Diawa Tatula SV TW, but I didn't want to spend $200 on the reel. Gorgeous reel and I'm sure it would be great, but the CT is a more affordable $130. I was wondering if anyone had any experience with this rod, and the micro guides? Would this be a good setup to have (Tatula 6:3 with the Mojo Bass)?

Try the ned rig. That's what I'm using right now and I'm catching a lot of fish - big ones, too.

Tried out the new NedlockZ jigheads yesterday (I got the 1/10 size). Using a Canadian Craw color I caught two 3lbs+ smallmouth and this gorgeous 5lb bass. It was a blast catching these fish. They faught like crazy (the smallmouth even leaped out of the water a good four feet) and then ran under the dock. I thought I was going to loose each one of them when they went under the dock, because I'm only using 6lb line (Sufix Seige), but I managed to get them out and the line held up to the abrasion remarkably well. The first jigheads I used were the original ones (Z-Man finesse shroom), but the first smallmouth bent the hook almost straight, so I thought I'd try the heavier gauge NedLockZ and they worked great.