Mobasser

Lots of times, depending on your fishing conditions, you may not need to completely disassemble your reels. If it feels smooth, oil all the visible moving parts and call it good. I've done this many times with spinning reels, and they work fine. At some point, you'll need a tear down and deep clean. When you do this is based on how much you use a reel, and your fishing conditions.

A- Jay, I chuckled a little at this post. Here I am still trying to beat my PB. And, it hasn't happened yet. Catching the huge bass is simply not an easy thing to do. I've caught a bunch of bass since I made these post, but the big one has eluded me. She's always on my mind though.

Mr. Twister Phenom is one of the best. Hard to go wrong.

There's been a couple of guys who report that this rod works well. I have handled one, but never fished one myself. Save your receipt and if it breaks or just doesn't work out, take it back.

I think my favourite bass that I didn't catch is Billy Westmorelands ten pound small mouth. I've only seen pictures. The fish is hanging on the wall at a restaurant in Tennessee. It's a beauty.

I'll say you can learn to do this yourself. It's really not hard. There's lots of good info on spooling line here on BR.

I have not. Looks like a good bait.

I liked the Critter Craw because it was as close as I could get to the Guido Bug. I wish we could still get the Guido Bug.

I have some that I use for panfish and stocked trout. Between the three are St Croix Premiere, and old Berkeley Hank Parker rod, and a Falcon 5'6 ultralight. The St Croix is 6'6 with a soft whippy tip. The others are much faster action. I use four pound mono with all of them. I like the fast action ultralights the best.

A-Jay, great post. I think you know where I stand on this topic. It's never" just a dog". It's a friend, loyal companion and much more. I am, and will always be a dog lover- to the core.

Guido Bug was my all time favourite. I used both sizes. Now I mostly use the Zoom Critter Craw. I always liked craw baits with long antennae out front.

Not sure what or how your fishing? Bass strike different ways. If your hopping a soft plastic bait on the bottom, most strikes will come on the fall. You'll feel a " tap". Take up slack and set the hook. You could be getting snagged, or I've just wasted my time making this response because this post is bogus? I don't know...

Mike, I can't explain it. I think Catt has mentioned here that he hasn't done good on the full size Brush Hog either. I gave my big ones to my grandson and his buddy. My own observation is that most creature baits get taken for crawfish. They don't have to have the exact shape of a craw.

My all time fave is the Baby Brush Hog. For some reason, I haven't done well on the full size Brush Hog.

I posted about the Tennessee handle spinning rods in August of 2021. I now have four of them. Mine are a Charlie Brewer 50th anniversary rod, an old Lews Speed stick, and two made by All Pro. Two are cork, two are graphite. When I made my initial post, some folks had never heard of them, and some( mostly older guys) had used them, and a few still used them. IMO, it's the best, and most comfortable handle available. Once your reel is mounted, you get a smooth feel, and works well in cold weather too. I use Scotch brand #33 electrical tape, which never comes loose or gets sticky, even in the hottest weather. At one time, Lews, Shimano, and others offered this handle style. Now, it seems they've lost popularity. Do any members here like or prefer the old Tennessee handle style?

Looks like a great place.

I used it also. I don't remember this line making any difference in numbers of fish caught. Line color is one of those debates that is ongoing for bass fisherman.

Not sure exactly what rod/ action your using, but sometimes a rod with a little tip flex can help land fish. Rods like this offer a give during the fight. Super stiff rods are good for many things, but there's a learning curve with them.

Koz, way 2 go! I'm glad to hear this story, and glad to know that you've helped him.

If, like many of us, you fish plastic worms, spinnerbaits, or top waters, etc, your fishing old school lures. Almost everything we fish today is the same, or a slight variation of a lure that was invented at least fifty years ago. Today's baits have better hooks, better paint, better skirts etc, but the concept is the same.

Tried and True always. I try to put the odds in my favor.

I enjoy the hunt and the fight because you never know what will happen? I had a six pounder roll in acting lazy one time. The next week, a three pound bass fought like crazy. You never know how they'll act. But, that's what keeps you coming back for more.

Zoom Finesse Worm. Junebug and watermelon.

The way I learned was cast with my right hand, switch to hold the rod with my left hand and reel with my right. I'm too old and set in my ways to change now.

Catt, I agree. When they won't hit on top after numerous cast, it becomes a waste of time. At that point fish bottom baits or mid depth baits.Its a fact. We can't force feed bass under any conditions.