roadwarrior

This one surprises me. Nearly all of my biggest bass have been caught between 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM, either side of noon. Fish Chris has posted the same. I will start another thread to see how other members feel about "Best Time To Fish".

Man, I wish you were coming. Who's going to cook the burgers?

I don't know, but for a couple of bucks more you can get the highest quality from MegaStrike, the StrikeBack: http://www.megastrikefishingproducts.com/shop/strikeback-spinnerbait/

Woo-Hoo! Are you coming to Pickwick!

Faster, easier and more fun? Find a mentor, maybe through a local bass club. You can learn a lot when someone is there to help. I have also learned a great deal from professional guides over the years, some who have become good friends.

And there you have it... The best bang for your buck, if you have a little patience, is in our Flea Market. I have bought several reels and a few rods from our members.

Yes, it's all about weight. I was a little concerned about the lure performance and some have suggested The Rig would spin. However, I have had no issues, the baits run true and there is no spin. However, note with the 3" blades the package is lifted with a fast drift. You will probably want a different set-up for deeper water.

We're on the same page, but my take is a little different. We need to have the guide fishing, especially when it's tough. The guide will always try to put his clients on fish, but their skills vary. The guide can fish for depth, technique and even colors that are hot. There is no way for him to tell what is really going on if he isn't in the water with them. That said, once we find a pattern, I don't want the guide making another cast! I have been on two trips in the last three years when the guide caught most of the fish. I was with other BR members on both trips and did not want to cause a rukus, but I will never hire either of those guys again.

Wow! It's like the "Wake Up!" light just went off. For a long time the Gitzit was my go-to bait, but over the years I rarely fish a tube anymore. Year's ago I started collecting Mizmo 3.5" Small Jaws and the 5.5" Grandes. Time to get them back in play!

Post the question in our "Regional" section. I have lots of suggestions for the reservoirs of the Tennessee River and one for the White River in Arkansas. Other guys will have recommendations for the lakes they fish.

Here is a solution that 00 Mod suggested on an other thread: Tie a 3/4 or 1 oz weight on to whatever line you want for backing, but be sure to start with a full spool. Cast that sucker out in a field and set your rod & reel down so that it still releases line. Grab the line at the end of the rod and walk to your weight. Cut the backing and dispose of the line you cast. Tie the Tatsu at that point and you have two casting distances spooled.

The "VERY BEST DAY EVER" on the Tennessee River occured with sharply rising barometric pressure. How is that possible? For rivers, current is everything!

Nominated for "Video Of The Year". So, last year Jeff had a little trouble with break-offs. Tell us about everyone's gear, specifically line, rod & reels. And one more question, exactly how did you guys set your drags?

I never respool without KVD Line & Lure Conditioner. That includes braided line.

I like playing with different knots. Structurally, many or even most fishing knots have many similarities. Someone else can tell me if this one is REALLY new, but I think it is something you will find interesting. The Big O Knot is designed for braided or heavy fluorocarbon line. A primary goal is to provide 100% security when Big O sets the hook! I promise you this, if tied properly the knot will not break. This is a variation of the Pitzen Knot: http://www.orlandooutfitters.com/knots/knot.asp?id=12 The Big O Knot requires putting the tag end back through the eye of the hook one more time, just as you would do with a Palomar Knot. Bring the loop you created up next to the main line. Then wrap the tag end four times around the outside of the main line and the two lines of the loop. Start the wrapping from the bottom (nearest the hook) and work up. Finish the knot by threading the tag through the newly created top loop, moisten and tighten.

Think of it in terms of replacing monofilament or copolymer. The line is slick.

The Yumbrella is a great rig. I have several rigged with different combinations, but they all share one common element: Light weight. This is a specific example that produced a 35 lb, five bass bag in a tournament on Pickwick a couple of weeks ago. I rig the outer arms with a white Rage Tail Single Tail grub on a thin wire #3 Gamakatsu Offset Worm Hook, weightless; the interior arm with chartreuse. Another combination that has been KILLER for me is using LFT Live Magic Shad on the outside and a Johnson Silver Minnow in the middle. Since Tennessee only allows three hooks, I am experimenting with the same basic set-up, but with two 3" willow blades substituted for hooks on the outside.

Those are some fine fish!

Your money is better spent on one StrikeBack than a dozen from the bin.

Man, I felt like I was sitting next to you. Great post!

Well, if you are looking for state -of-the-art at a reasonable price, the Raymarine Dragonfly is something you should look into. Of special note, the Dragonfly has a range of 600 feet! http://www.raymarine.com/view/?id=6854#.UVF51hxJMuc

Glenn and the Moderators attended a Webinar to review the Dragonfly. The more you look into this, the more impressed you will be. We are all looking forward to on-water member reviews. State-of-the art technology at a reasonable price. I think you are really going to like this upgrade on your boat!

For the 18 months or so, I have been experimenting with a number of different fishing lines. The experiment included a broad range of both types and brands. My baseline is Yo-Zuri Hybrid (original), a favorite of mine for many years. I'm going to save the discussion of braided lines for another thread, so this is a short review of what I consider the premier fluorocarbon. The technical detais are available on the Seaguar website: http://seaguar.com/products/tatsu.htm My experiment began last year, but I just recently revisited the line. I am running 20# test on a CTE100GT, full spool, no backing. The line is noticably smooth and uniform which lies perfectly on the spool. I have not experienced coiling or twist. Tatsu appears to be extremely resistant to abrassion, while at the same time supple. There is no issue with knots and I do not believe any special care needs to be taken when tieing your favorite. On spinning tackle I have spooled #6. This line is thin, but strong. If you are looking for a manageable line which is invisible, this is the one. I don't believe I have ever fished with anything quite like Tatsu on light tackle. On a third rig I am using Tatsu #12 as the leader for Kanzen #40. Seaguar's Kanzen will be the topic of another thread, but just to tease you, it's killer, too! The lines match up nicely and knot strength is no issue. I'm using an Alberto for the connection. All-an-all, if you have been seaching for "The Perfect Fluorocarbon" I think this is the line you have been dreaming of. This goes beyond other fluoros, I believe this is the finest line of any kind I have ever fished.

I am a big fan of the Lamiglas. I'm also using this rod with The Rig.

Every fish was caught on a Berkley Hollow Belly: http://www.bassmaster.com/news/hite-hits-new-high-eighth-win