roadwarrior

I mentioned this earlier in this thread, but again, if you are looking for a pure mono you need to give Maxima a try.

There are three major drawbacks to using braid: Visibility For most largemouth bass water this is not an issue. For the most part, largemouth do not seem to be line shy. However, in some waters it seems like they are. Smallmouth, bigger trout and walley seem to be line shy. On several different occasions, even the line diameter has dramatically effected my smallmouth fishing. Strength Fishing on a river, from the bank or in a Kayak, the ability to break your line is important. No, I don't want to have a fish break my line, but when I am on a drift, especially when I am fishing with other men, I need to be able to break my line. Braid is difficult to break, can burn or cut you and will dig into the spool. Abrasion resistance Braid is very good at cutting through vegetation, but it will cut, fray and weaken when fished around rocks, ledges and ridges.

My favorite class of lures are suspending jerkbaits. I fish the Husky Jerk, Pointer, X-Rap & Rogue. They all catch fish. I don't think there are any reasons for chosing one over the other in terms of catching fish, but the Lucky Craft Pointer (all sizes) and X-Raps are better made and easier to use. The balancing system in the Pointer has been successfully copied by Rapala and both of these lures are more aerodynamic than the Rogue or Husky Jerk.

fourbizzel, There are a lot of guys that fish that way and for the life of me, I cannot figure out why. You obviously catch some big bass, but do you catch many BIG fish that way? I mean, I see your avatar and realize that if a guy is flipping, dragin' them in the boat might be all there is, but for every other technique, the drag is important. Are you talking about dragging them out of vegetation or just moving them out of cover? I don't get it.

Whoa! Buddy, I am ALL WITH YOU if that works! For most people, generically, all I'm saying is: Ya gotta make it fun.

I am a Micro Munch Tackle El Gordo fan. I fish these and the 5 1/2" Mizmo Big Boys on a Gamakatsu 4/0 EWG Offset Worm Hook, 1/8 oz bullet or barrel weight, with a bead and unpegged. I use this rig when fishing for largemouth. For smallmouth, I fish a 3 1/2" Mizmo, Kent's Classic (squash green) almost exclusively. I fish this on a traditional 1/8 oz inserted jig head.

Lard_Bass, Your "brake" might not be tight enough if you are referring to a baitcaster, but the drag would not have anything to do with backlash. I have no idea how this would apply to a spinning reel. lubina, Braid is another ballgame. Breaking strength probably exceeds the suggested parameters of your rod. When using a line outside this range, I would rely on the estimated maximum bend in your rod. Otherwise, your rod will break before your line will break, so adjust your drag accordingly.

So, are we going to guess the weight on that one, too?

After a couple of trips you won't be using Sensation either.

My suggestion with women, kids and anyone that is willing to "give it a try," is to take them "catching," not fishing. Bream, crappie, trout and spawning white bass are perfect examples of what I would target. You get people started by getting them excited. Fishing is boring to a beginner if there is no action. The fish don't have to be big, either. Take them some place where they will catch some fish and make the trip short. Bring food, drink and make sure everyone is comfortable so they have a good time. A good experience will make them want to come back.

I think you can fish year around, too. The bite is usually slower on the ponds I fish, but there are still a few. Oddly, there seems to be a tendency for the bass to school up and become more concentrated in certain spots when the weather is cold. If you can find one bass, there are usually several more holding on the same structure.

Yep, Bill Dance is a Southern Gentleman.

Take the lure back for exchange or replace the hook. I have never had any problems with the hooks, but "stuff happens."

The key is "balance". If you cannot lift the bag due to stress on your rod, chances are your line is too heavy for your rod rating. If you decide to use that line strength, be aware of the stress you are putting on the rod and back the drag off accordingly. Regardless of the line's strength, I want the drag to slip when my rod achieves what appears to be 2/3- 3/4 of the maximum bend in my rod (which leaves some margin of error for a strong hook-set or having the fish surge). At that point you eliminate rod or line breakage. Remember this: At some point, something has to give or break.

Repeating what Marty said, the NY chart says 7-5, but I think the bass is way too skinny to get there. It is, of course, very difficult to make an accurate judgement from a picture, but I have caught a few long bass that simply have no weight. I would guess either side of 5 lbs. BTW, Last winter I caught a "ghost" fish that would have weighed every bit of 7 lbs if it were healthy or in it's prime. This bass was scary, it felt like a piece of paper when I lifted it out of the water. Honestly, I don't think it weighed a pound!

The argument supporting barbless hooks involves "deep" hooking or gut hooks. This is rarely an issue with treble hook lures. I see no reason to flatten the barbs on these lures.

The G.Loomis SJR783 is the company's most popular spinning rod as is recommended as THE all-around spinning tackle. I prefer 7" rods and believe you will find the SJR843 perfect in every way.

Fiberglass has a very specific place in my rod collection. I fish three "soft" rods for a a variety of applications. For light and medium weight crankbaits, jerkbaits, topwater, spinnerbaits and buzzbaits I have two graphite rods for specific lures. My fiberglass rod is used for heavy and deep running baits. For specific applications, I highly recommend the Lamiglas SR705R. This rod is heavy power/ slow action and can handle lures weighing an ounce or more. I use this rod exclusively fishing Pointer 128s, big Spooks and deep divers (DD22, Mann's +20 & +25). These lures can certainly be fished on other equipment and graphite rods designed for big, treble hook baits, but this rod is "ideal". When all the variables are just right, this rod allows casts of 50-75 yards, which can be important. The forgiving nature of a slow action, fiberglass rod is unsurpassed when fighting a big fish.

Lake Fork 3/18/07-3/23/07.

I have never missed an opportunity to vote. I feel that it is my resposibility as a citizen. I strongly support several candidates here in Tennessee and strongly oppose a few. We have two important State Constitutional ammendments on the ballot and all of our local offices are up for election. In my suburban community, we expect over 95% of registered voters to exercise their right to vote. It is more than a privilege, it is an obligation in a free society.

Lard_Bass, This was running a week or so ago, I think this will help answer most of your questions: http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1161176446 Back on topic: Avid's advice is solid. I hope your slump ends soon.

A clean slate and a fresh start. Now, let's get back to fishin' or at least talking about it. I hope you can get a few more days in before Old Man Winter pays a visit and decides to stay. Good luck!

Roadtrip?

Looking for the big bite? Hmm...I guess you found it. Congratulations! Great fish, fantastic pics.

G.Loomis GLX PR844S/ Shimano Stella 2500FB/ Yo-Zuri Hybrid Ultra Soft #6 G.Loomis GLX MBR844C/ Shimano CTE200GT/ Yo-Zuri Hybrid Ultra Soft #12 1. Fat Ika 2. 6" Senko 3. Micro Munch Tackle El Gordo (tube) 4. Lucky Craft Pointer 128 5. Micro Munch Tackle 3/8 oz black & blue jig/ GYCB Fat Baby Craw Although I like to fish other technique specific equipment, these two combinations could be used for all of my fishing.