roadwarrior

Welcome aboard! I am confident you will get some specific recommendations shortly.

Certified scales? Nice catch. Congratulations!

lunker_D, Welcome aboard!

You guys are just bad to the bone. I hope Redlinerobert decides to join us at Fork, you guys might be in for a little butt whooping! We'll put all three of you gentlemen in a boat together for a day, that will make for a great pic. We'll see.

Welcome aboard!

SPEEDBEAD, * I don't know the Tennessee River on the east side of the state. * So, I don't know if or when you should go. * Any size boat will do, the river originates somewhere close to Knoxville and is not big and dangerous. * An out-of-state license is $28. WhiteMike1018, Where are the largies? Well, largemouth bass are found throughout the Tennessee River system, but the reservoir of note is the Big G, near Birmingham, Alabama. Guntersville is one of the top bass lakes in the country and a favorite on tour. This particular lake is probably the main reason Birmingham was voted Bass Capital of The World last year in Bassmaster's magazine. The nominated cities included Orlando, Nashville, Dallas and several more. Surprising, hun?

Well, no you can't post your website. But, every situation is evaluated on its own merits and some exceptions are made.... I think this might be one of those exceptions! Craig, you know YOU turned my fishing around a few years ago and I REALLY appreciate that. I attribute a lot of my success fishing for smallmouth bass to smaller diameter line. You introduced me to Yo-Zuri...Thank you!

If you skipped this article by Craig De Fronzo (earthworm77), go back to the Home Page and pull it up! Craig has written a short article summarizing some of the high points from his new book. I think we are all interested in ways to improve our catch, both in terms of quantity and quality. This is a very intersting article that I hope everyone takes the time to read. Comments welcome. What do you think about light tackle techniques? Is this a part of your fishing package? Have they worked for you?

I still have the 30 year old shimano Bantam Mag 10X that I fished with when I couldn't afford to pay attention. LOL. If successful fishing means catching fish, then that old reel and the several rods it occupied over the years, all together cost less than $100. That reel has caught more fish for me than several thousand $ worth of rods & reels I have bought since then. I don't catch any more or bigger fish than I did 30 years ago. My PB was caught in 1982. The difference is the journey. For the guys who dream of fishing with G-Loomis and Megabass rods and high end Shimano & Diawa reels, I say "keep on keeping on". Work hard, keep your nose clean and excell at everything you do. If you are catching a pile of fish on a 30 year old Bantam Mag on a Lightning rod, God bless you, "keep on keeping on". Fishing is a fun game, a sport, a past time. Make it what you will. Have as much fun with it as you can. Some guys have so much fun, they spend obscene amounts of money. Other have so much fun, they carefully budget every penny to enjoy it. Fish however you fish, and spend whatever you spend, but don't ever let money, or lack of it, spoil your fishing. JMHE Ronnie Well said. Ronnie speaks for me, too.

I buy most of my hard baits from BPS. If a lure is defective or becomes defective, I take it back for exchange. I have never had any problems with BPS and have never been denied. However, I don't consider cosmetic dings to constitute a case for the lure being defective. In fact, I like to fish lures that have been beat up CATCHING fish, it gives them a unique character. Most guys I know get kinda jazzed up whenever they see someone fishing a beat up bait, guys know that dog hunts! So, I wouldn't worry so much about a little wear and tear, Lucky Craft catch fish, period. Regarding customer service, go through your retailer, they have the clout and they always get their money back through credits on their next billing. Unless you just want to make it a big deal, it's not.

All right boys. Big one's line up, little one's bunch up. We got a showdown at the the OK Corral at High Noon, March 18 through the 23rd at Lake Fork.... Yeah, that's Texas. Bring your guns, it's last man standing and we ain't tak'in no prisoners. Be there or be square and don't tell yer mama...

Do a little homework on the website. The Senko is the #1 topic at BassResource.com. EVERYTHING there is to know about fishing a Senko is here, I promise. http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1121527643

Too Cool! Needless to say, I am NOT the technonerd, but if it is on video, it CAN be posted. Someone will be able to do it for you, FOR SURE!

There is no known cure.

Check the BPS website. If you are buying the 2500FH, it looks to me that this combo is on sale for $139.98.

That Tennessee River runs through downtown Knoxville and by Neyland Stadium. On the east side of the state the river flows south into Alabama, then turns north nicking Mississippi, running through Tennessee and Kentucky before it empties into the Ohio River.

Spinning G.loomis GLX PR844S/ Shimano Stella 2500FB St. Croix Legend Elite ES70MF/ Stella 2500FB St. Croix Avid AS66MLF/ Stella 1000FA Fenwick Techna AV AVS70MM/ Shimano Sustain 2500 Baitcasting G.Loomis GLX MBR844C/ Shimano CTE200GT Lamiglas SR705R/ CTE200GT St. Croix Avid AC66MF/ Shimano Calais CL200

avid had a post yesterday briefly explaining the legal reasoning for wording of the St. Croix warranty. I don't know why they don't just copy the G.Loomis Xpeditor program. In practice, St. Croix stands behind their rods 100%, or at least that has been my experience. A few years ago I slipped while bank fishing and broke my Avid AC66MF. At that time BPS exchanged the rod for me over the counter. Now the procedure has changed and you have to send the rod in, but I think the replacement policy is still in place.

Yo-Zuri Hybrid and Ultra Soft are a "bonded" nylon/ fluorocarbon blend. (P-Line Floroclear is coated). I think the main difference is in the component blend, Ultra Soft has more nylon and less fluorocarbon. The company does not specify exactly what their proprietary formula actually contains, so perhaps they are using a different nylon, too. justtrying, I agree! There is no "best" line, just "better" lines for certain applications and of course, our "favorites."

Vyron, How do you break it off when you need to?

First of all, the Yo-Zuri Hybrid Ultra Soft differs significantly from original formula. "In use" Ultra Soft has almost no memory. Second (Jim Blair), I assure you, this line is as resistant to abrassion as any line I have EVER used, including P-Line CXX and Trilene XT. I don't doubt that Susquehanna is "the most razor sharp, rocky, nasty" river environment in the country, but that's why you have all those beautiful brown fish! Believe me, some of the areas we fish on the Tennessee are just as tough. Third, a question about the strength of the line is what caused avid to start the thread, so let me address that again. Although I fish #4 on the river, I RECOMMEND #6 to most people because it is SIGNIFICANTLY stronger than #4. I have never been broken off by a fish using this line, but it is important to be able to break the line when you are hung up. Kind of a dilema, hun? That's the main reason I fish #4. Finally, With regard to your guide service: If your drag is set properly, you and your clients will rarely (never) lose a fish due to line failure. Also, you will only need to replace line as needed, it NEVER gets old.

That was the last trip I have had without a camera! I netted and weighed the monster. The third member of our party, Buddy Cotton, had caught a 5 1/2 earlier, which was his PB. Buddy held the fish while I was CAREFULLY hooking up my Shimano spring scales. The first weight was a whopping 13 lbs! This big girl was wild and I knew that reading couldn't be right. It took three tries to get her down to just over 10. No pics, just memories. BTW, Thanks Roger. Speedy and I will be on the Tennessee River tomorrow. That might be it for 2006, but I am looking forward to January and February. We'll see.

I have often used the phrase "virtually no memory in use." Storing the line, especially on smaller reels and for extended periods of time, results in coiling. If you troll the line the memory disappears immediately, otherwise it gradually straightens when you are fishing.

Avid, Man, that sucks! Maybe we can turn something bad into something useful. This thread brings up a helpful hint to all fishermen, but I don't want this to come across as just defending Yo-Zuri Hybrid Ultra Soft. These comments apply to all brands. All equipment must be "matched." The breaking strength of any line should be compatible with the suggested guidelines of the rod. The drag should always be set at 25-33% of the line's test pound strength. When the line and the rod are "matched" neither should break. This particular brand is HIGHLY abrasive resistant which is one of its greatest attributes, especially when fishing the Rocks from Hell on the Tennessee River. Retieing is always important, but less so if you are catching fish as opposed to rocks. So, what is the problem? Number one, I think the line is #4 (8.5 lb test). I spooled it up for trout fishing on the White River, but I got a new Stella 1000 about that time and never used the Stradic. I don't think it has been used since ReelMech serviced it earlier this year. Number two, 8.5 lb test just fits into the minimum required strength for rods rated Medium Power. This line may simply be too light for your style of fishing and your hook-set specifically. Number three, I wish I had spooled up some #6 (11.9 lb test) and you probably would not be having problems. However, line breaking is TOTALLY unacceptable for anyone using any line. The line on the reel is not "old" ( the fluorocarbon composite lasts forever), but still, I think new line is the answer. You will never have any confidence in the line you are using and you will need it when Miss Florida is hooked up. I don't want to hear a story about the 10 lb monster that broke your line and got away!

Online purchases are from Cabela's, in store shopping I can do locally at BPS. I like them both, but Cabela's seems to have considerably more to offer than BPS. An example is fishing line, Cabela's carries Yo-Zuri Hybrid Ultra Soft, BPS does not even though I have spoken with members of the management group in Springfield.