roadwarrior

SWEET!

WOW! I am sooooo jealous...Great day! Those are some beautiful fish. Here's a tip: put the smallmouth in you livewell for 10 minutes or so before taking pictures. This will bring out their tiger stripes.

As Fish Chris said, "You gotta find 'em first". The biggest smallmouth in Kentucky Lake are in Tennessee! The tailwaters of Pickwick Lake consistantly produce good numbers and some monster smallmouth. The best time of year is mid-October through mid-March.

I ask if it came in "red"? Mike said, "Sure, they just add dye or make it from grapes".

I agree... I want a 1 year "warranty" for defects, not accident coverage. However, since I have already paid for "insurance", I'm glad to get a replacement at a reasonable cost.

Timely topic for me... Last week I smashed a Legend Elite in transit to Guntersville. Yesterday I talked with Customer Service at St. Croix. The representative was very pleasant and I told her exactly what had happened. No problemo, no excuses required. Their replacement program is called the Gold Star Plan. I am required to mail the rod to Wisconsin, including a check for $75. I download a FedX shipping lable for another $10. Upon receipt, a new rod is shipped back to me. My rod is an original Legend Elite 70MF, probably 7-8 years old. My new rod is the 2012 edition! So, for $85 all-in, I get a brand new rod. Simple and sweet.

WOW! That's a beauty!!!!!!!!!!!!

Surprisingly I do not have this particular rod. My main jig and weighted soft plastic rods are the MBR844C and BCR854. My favorite is the MBR842C/ Core 50MG for small swimbaits and swimming jigs. More generally, a firmer tip for bottom contact and softr tip for "moving" baits. Although all three of these combinations can be used for a variety of presentations or for that matter, EVERY technique, all of my stuff is "technique specific" just for fun!

Welcome aboard! I don't think we had a chance to chat, but I hope to see you again next year and perhaps fish together for a day.

WOW! :respect-059:

I fish the Baby Craw on a 2/0 Offset Worm Hook, T-rigged with a 1/8 oz weight, unpegged.

Keep the rod you have and spend your money on a baitcasting reel this year, upgrade your rod next year. The Shimano Citica is a great reel in your target pricing range. You should find one NIB for less than $100.

Nowhere north... Falcon, Amistad, Choke Canyon, Lake Fork and several lakes in Mexico. DDs are caught in other water, but you have almost no chance on a single trip.

Hmm... I don't expect Thank You. To address the question, always. "You're Welcome!"

Symetre 500

+/- 4lbs

Fat Ika

Let's add BITE IT! to the mix. Once you fish the baits, please post your thoughts and maybe a pic of a big bass!

7lb 7oz

My #1 suggestion is to fish new gear when the bite is on. There are so many variables in fishing that the specific bait or color may have nothing to do with performance on a given day. For example, if you are on a good bite with your favorite lipless crank, that's when you change to another brand with a comparable color. If your favorite "purple worm' is killin' 'em, try some other colors.

Give it a try, it's an inexpensive experiment. Most guys like the line, but some don't. I recommend #6 for spinning tackle, #12 for baitcasting. The overall performance is enhanced with KVD Line & Lure Conditioner.

If any of you have tried the Edge Products, please post a review.

Most of my biggest bass have been caught between 10:00 A.M. and 2:00 P.M. on the hottest, brightest days of the summer. The bass are VERY active during this period, but it's tough to be out there in 100+ temperatures. If you are going to fish during the heat of the day, drink plenty of water!

Value vs. price: Value engineering (VE) is a systematic method to improve the "value" of goods or products and services by using an examination of function. Value, as defined, is the ratio of function to cost. Value can therefore be increased by either improving the function or reducing the cost. It is a primary tenet of value engineering that basic functions be preserved and not be reduced as a consequence of pursuing value improvements. I fish Rage Tail Baby Craws, Craws and Lobsters for jig trailers.

Don't be silly, you need a variety of sizes.