roadwarrior

Tickled pink or tickled orange? ;D ;D ;D p.s. You forgot to pick up your Shimano cases from me!

** MODERATOR NOTE ** I applaud the work of those involved in law enforcement. This thread has been edited and is now closed. -Kent a.k.a. roadwarrior Global Moderator

Congratulations! 8-)

*** MODERATOR NOTE *** Well, no edits or deletions, but we are not going to argue the merits of illegal activities. So... Good night Irene -Kent a.k.a. roadwarrior Global Moderator

Nice fish, great pic! I have had good luck with the Evolution Jig, too. http://evolutionlures.com/ 8-)

I have a variety of Shimano reels, several more expensive than the CH50MG. In my opinion this is a "Best Value" and perhaps my favorite reel. 8-)

If the bag gets warm the MegaStrike gets messy. A key attribute of this product is just how "user friendly" it is to work with. I recommend applying the gel as you use your baits, not pre-applying. 8-)

I just got these from Rage Tail: http://www.ragetail.com/ragetailchunk.html These are EXACTLY what you need! 8-)

Nice report, great pic! 8-)

I have no sponsors, but I have allegiances: The answer is Shimano if you ask about reels. My answer is Yo-Zuri if the question is about line. Rods? Probably G. Loomis or St. Croix, but I also have room for Lamiglas if we're talking deep cranking. Everyone has their "favorite" which should not be confused with "best". 8-)

Beautiful bass! 8-)

"RW wrote" Don't know...sometimes that's printed, sometimes not...it's a mystery to me. Regarding "drought". We get plenty of rain most years. However, every decade there is a drought, the last was two years, ending two seasons ago. There is no way of knowing if a small pond dried up and the fish were killed. I want to fish where I can be pretty sure big fish live. An example is my "Secret Pond". It did not go completely dry, but it got extremely hot and seemed to turn-over two summers ago. The water appeared almost metallic, with rotten, suspended and dead vegetation. I fished it once without a bite and haven't been back. I will give it another try in the next few weeks, but I think it's a goner. p.s. A friend of mine caught the biggest bass I have ever seen in person, at the Secret Pond. No scale, no pic and he would not keep her even though I insisted. Her eyes looked like gigantic shooter marbles. We settled on 13lbs, but she might have gone 15, who knows? To put it in perspective, fishing from a two man kayak and having no net, we spent an eternity getting her in the boat. HUGE!

I never fish that deep, but my rig will still work: simple weedless T-rig, unpegged. This is for bottom fishing, but you lose the spiral drop. This is very effective for me, but you might find the inserted weight is a better choice for you. This option is Tex-posed, too. http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_44436____SearchResults 8-)

The issue in the Mid South is drought. As a "general rule", I target ponds that are at least five acres, five years old and professionally stocked. My best ponds are 9-12 acres and 10+ years old. However, they are not "managed". My best pond has produced five 10s, my favorite consistantly produces 5+ up to 8 lbs. All but one are public ponds in city parks. None of these ponds have much cover or structure, but they are teaming with baitfish. Go figure! Currently we are in pre- spawn and the fish are fat. 8-)

Today's Quantums may be better reels, but their reputation is tarnished from poor long-term performance in the past. Shimano's reputation is solid: Strong, smooth, silent and reliant. 8-)

First of all, Yo-Zuri Hybrid and Hybrid Ultra Soft are not coated. Both original Hybrid and Ultra Soft are a bonded blend of nylon and fluorocarbon: http://www.yo-zuri.com/Products/ProdLine/Hybrid.htm In clear water, original Hybrid clear or green are virtually invisible. In stained water, smoke is a better match. Ultra soft "clear" is white in all water, the green is a better choice. Note: I fish all colors, both original and Ultra Soft. I don't really think it makes any difference. Pick the color that best matches your rod & reel! 8-)

What? I think you'll find that the recommendations on this Forum are quite helpful when choosing a reel. I prefer Shimano. : http://unattributed.net/html/whiskey.html

I agree. MegaStrike is very effective in "holding" a bite. Most importantly, this gel is user friendly. I use JJ's Magic on jig trailers that I dip at home and store in small, sealed plastic bags. For all other soft plastics and swimbaits, it's MegaStrike for me. 8-)

Crankbaits in general, Rat-L-Trap type lures in particular. If you are asking about the Rage Tail Anaconda, I highly recommend the bait, but not as a "search" lure. 8-)

Feed the Bait Monkey! 8-)

I used to trim until I bought some of GMAN's jigs. I asked him how to trim them "his way" and he said, "Just fish 'em the way they're made." Check them out: http://www.custombassfishinglures.com/ 8-)

Well, Catt's advice is always spot on, so I'm not arguing with his point. However, I fish Gamakatsu 4/0 EWG Offset Worm Hooks for most soft plastics. For big worms (Anaconda & 7" Senkos), 5/0 Offset Round Bend. I have no issues with hook-ups. 8-)

Welcome aboard! 8-)

Welcome aboard! 8-)

Woo-Hoo! Great way to start the season. 8-)