roadwarrior

We have this Chevy/Ford "debate" all the time, but it usually is just general brand preference and mostly targets baitcasters. There is a poll runing here on the first page just a few lines down. So, brand preference may carry over to spinning gear for some members, but it seems to me that Shimano has a commanding lead in this category. If you are looking for something different, 00 Mod anf J Francho often point to one of our sponsors, Pinnacle. The new mdels introduced last year are a giant leap from their entry level gear. Everyone that has given these reels a shot has been impressed.

The smallmouth in my avatar were caught on the Tennessee River. I don't like to downsize my presentation and I would NEVER fish with cheap hooks...NEVER. The two most important components of every fishing rig is line and hooks. Skimp on something else if you need to, but not on either of these. Your "Fish Of A Lifetime" only comes around once; when opportunity knocks, you need to be prepared to answer the door.

St. Croix Avid AVS68MXF http://www.stcroixrods.com/product/avid-series-spinning

Siebert Outdoors has their Cosmic Spinnerbait on sale: http://www.siebertoutdoors.com/index.php/cosmic-spinnerbait Last night I was going through my tackle and noticed one of my spiinnerbaits was MIA. Bingo...The missing item was donated to the fish gods at Pickwick on the last day of the RoadTrip. I was fishing with Mr. Swabby and Glenn. Glenn boated a nice fish near the end of the day, but since we were nearly done he didn't retie. He was fishing next to me and I said 'What are you doing?" He replied, "Fishin', what am I suppose to be doing?" I responded "Retying". Well, you know how many times you have an "Opportunity Of A Lifetime"? The fish that got away was the biggest largemouth I have ever seen in person! Just a little story, but another reason to give the Cosmic Spinnerbait a try.

Focus on eddies formed by wingdams or natural points sticking out in the river that divert water. Look for pools that are usually formed in front and behing shallow portions of the river (ripples). ALWAYS cast upriver and bring the bait/lure to you with the current. Lures are not nearly as important as location, but these are a few suggestions: Rage Craw, Rage Rigged; Baby Craw, T-rigged with a light weight, 1/4 oz or less; GYCB Kut Tail on a 3/8 ounce Shake2 jig head; MegaBug T-rigged; Rage Tail Single Tail Grub on a jig jead and both the Senko and Fat Ika weightless. You can try topwater Spooks,poppers, a Cavitron buzzbait and StrikeBack spinnerbait, too. Bandit 200 or 300 are very effective, but you will lose crankbaits fishing from shore. Right now I am having good luck with a NorthStar Original Swim Jig (bluegill)/ Rage Tail Menace or Shellcracker trailer. You might want to try the YUM Money Minnow, Shadalicious or Berkley Hollow Belly naked on a weighted hook.

Magnetic brakes are "touchy". Centrifugal are "one and done".

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/118549-favorite-swim-jig-trailer/

Well, if you read the piece you will see it's more than just the right gear and tackle, there's commitment and a time frame: "To make this testing fair, you need to spend at least one hour out fishing, two would be better. You can't hurry and you must stay focused. If you don't catch a bass after two trips or four hours of fishing, you need to find new water." So, the point isn't that you will ALWAYS catch a fish, but that you will catch some if they are there to be caught.

Okay, if you have a boat and want to challenge yourself with a GIANT step, this is my suggestion: Let's go deeper and focus on structure and cover. The easy part is simply fishing out a little further on points you should already be familiar with. Another fairly easy target is old stream beds that have been flooded when the lake was built. Lake maps are very helpful but you will still have to educate yourself on boat control and waypoints. Humps and pools are other options. Buoys are a must for casting targets. I don't like weights on Senkos or Fat Ika. For deeper fishing, in addition to shakey heads and drop shots, consider crank baits, most Rage Tail products and jigs.

Simple solution: Spinning tackle and Yo-Zuri Hybrid

I don't know exactly, but it's every bit of 12 pounds!

I wish you would plan a few days of your vacation time to join us next year's RoadTrip. You have a lot of fans here and we would all like to meet you in person. Maybe you could convince that Texan that molds worms for you to come along, too!

Well, I'm not sure there is a "best" answer...There are lots of situations that are different. On river reservoirs there is current when water is being released. It's not always perceptable, but still affects the fish. Generally, fish face upstream. This is a specific example some friends and I experienced last summer: We have some GPS coordinates for several holes beyond the mouth of Yellow Creek on Pickwick Lake. We dropped bouys to set-up casting targets. What we found were zero fish in the holes and no bites dropping off the downstream ledge. Over a period lasting about an hour and a half, me and three friends caught 45 bass! Then they left. Every fish was caught just below the lip of the ledge, retrieving the worm (Rage Tail Thumper, Blue Fleck) downstream. We were fishing a 19' bottom with two holes, one dropping to 25' and the other to 28'. We tried three more spots, but never got another bite.

Good job!

We are already working on next year, but the official announcement is probably months away, sometime this fall. However, if you really need a year to plan the trip, start takling with some local guys about it now. The date will most likely be around the first of May.

How do I get sponsors? Being a good tournament angler simply isn't enough. Good tournament anglers are a dime a dozen, and most sponsors receive dozens of resumes from them every week. However, if you keep in mind the bass fishing industry is a business in need of salesmen, you'll go far. Companies are not just looking for patch-wearing tournament anglers; they are looking for consultants-anglers who can act as a liaison between customer and company. Forget the resume and focus on getting their attention in other ways. The following articles will tell you how. Acquiring Sponsorships Bass Sponsorship 101 So You Want To Turn Pro? Sponsorship Workshop Sponsorship: The Ins and Outs Pt. I Sponsorship: The Ins and Outs Pt. II - Initial Contact Sponsorship: The Ins and Outs Pt. III - Acceptance Sponsorship - It's not about YOU! The Million Dollar Question The Hard Truth About Sponsorship The Fishing Industry and Sponsorship Fishing Resumes Versus Proposals

Many tackle retailers occasionally have "25% Off" sales on your entire order. This is a great way to save some dough on names that rarely go on sale.

Avid AVC70MM

I am glad you got this resolved so favorably. In the future you should always try to work with the retailer first. I have always had a great experience with Walmart, Cabelas, Bass Pro Shops and most retail companies. They will try to do what's right, but that doesn't always mean they can replace things when we screw up!

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/13845-guaranteed-to-catch-bass/

Transport them in the cab.

5/0 or 6/0 Offset Worm Hook

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/118696-dinky-trip-to-pickwick/#entry1300497

Missed one at 3:08 on the vid. Looks to me like he might be fishing the back half of a Swimming Senko. I have had geat luck with a similar set-up.

If you bring over my Huds, you can borrow my Lamiglas SR705R for as long as you need it! It's rigged and ready.