Armtx77

...so, I'm looking to start using barrel swivels between my Sufix 832 10lbs and my inline spinners, for small river (wading) fishing. I have always had good luck with 1/8oz Rooster tails in this application, but I notice that I am getting a good bit of fraying from the rocky structures, along with a lot of line twist. This is causing me to retie pretty often and waste deep in water...it can be a pain. So, I am thinking of adding a #12(20lbs) bearing swivels and maybe a foot to 18" of flouro. School me on barrel swivels...what you use, what has worked and maybe a couple of flouro line options in the 6-8lbs range.

The wash in Nikwax, will absolutely lower the breathability of any gore product and Gore has claimed this for decades. Simply put, the polymer used to bind the product to the clothing, CLOGS THE PORES, of the semi permeable membrane of Goretex type of products. I have a Cabelas rain suite that I use the spray on, but I think I would double check with the MFG to see what they say about it.

832 is on all my rods.

Gammy 3.0 EWG for all my TxRigging and craw baits.

I bought two Diawa Tatula rods, late in the season last year. One was 6'3, the other 6'6" and I immediately started getting better hook ups. I am one of those guys, that has never met a hook set I didn't try to break their head open with. On of the club pros told me I should try shorter rods because of this habit and he is was right. I hook more fish. My only issue was that both have a bit of broom stick feel to them, for being Medium/Fast rods. When I pick up the Falcon Low Rider, it feels like a buggy whip.

Diawa BP

As odd as it sounds, I knock on a door and tell the homeowner who I am, why I am knocking and if I can park in front of their house. Never had anyone say no and some have said to use the backyard and if anyone asks who the heck you are, let them know Mr/Mrs So and So said you were good to go. Answer is always no, if you don't ask.

I use them and reel covers to keep them from getting banged up. You start factoring in the costs of rods and reels, it just seems like a low cost, low impact way to get added life out of my gear.

Senkos, lots of Senkos.

Senko in black w/blue flake, has outfished everything I own. I bought a case of them a couple of years ago. Should be good for another 2, maybe 3 years. The fish in my avatar and 7 more or 7 consecutive casts, were all caught on a black w/blue flake 5"Senko

They will turn you into a inshore, Redfishing addict, withing 3 years...ask me how I know. I'm in SE Louisiana, New Orleans metro to be specific, via Rock Island Illinois. So much water down here to fish, it is nutty. Not big lake or river fishing though. Bayous, marshes and swamps, but they are here and if you get tired of chasing "greenies". You boat 10 miles, toss on a Gold Spoon and you are battling Reds on the same gear. Not a very retirement friendly state though. High state taxes, cost of living and all the food here is the best you will find, but is also a gateway to diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol. The people are amazing, the weather is great for 7-8 months out of the year, but Hurricanes suck, GOD do I hate August through the 2nd week of October, but he'll we got one in November last year...yeah, HURRICANES.

Don't fish them much down here in SE Louisiana, but back home in Illinois, I used to beat them up on buzzbaits, thrown as parallel to the bank and in as shallow of water I could run them on top of. I have had smallies beach themselves, hitting a buzzbait that was running about a foot off the riprap bank.

Quoted for truth.

Something about that, made me LOL and choke on my rum, a little.

I use two bobber stops on a TRig...one between the knot and weight, to keep the weight from grinding down the knot and than one above the weight to keep it pinned. I like the "feel" of it being pinned down, but that could be 100% psychological.