sal669

"Maybe" the smallies live deeper in your lake this time of the year , Or all the year. They just come shallower to feed in the morning and evening, and then go back deeper. Try dropshotting in 30-50ft ( or deeper ?), see if you get any bites. Tight lines PS: how about a jigging spoon???

I use BPS Extreme 5.4 : 1 for my crankin'. They work realy good. NOT ALL THE LOW GEAR RATIO REELS HAVE A LEFTY VERSION

I totaly agree with keeping and eating some of your catch, but keep the small ones and release the big ones. If you want "proof" of your catch, take pictures. The big ones make los and lots of "babies" to replenish the fisheries, the barely legal ones are a lot tastier. What would you preffer : the meat of a 20 years old cow or a 6 month old veal ????

Take a look at the Shimano Compre CB rods. They are good rods for about $90. I had the chance to buy 2 of them ( 7ft med and 7ft med-heavy, mod fast action) at a great discount, so I jumped on them. Fished them for better part of a day, cought only one small bass and a pike but the rods felt realy good in my hand. Then I winterised my boat (Michigan) and I'm done fishing for bass until next spring. I hear BPS Crankinsticks are a great value for your $$$

I thought that it's a line that will "straighten out"" your memory.... Like for old guys...Like ..... Muddy, Muddy... You are putting to much stress on your brain !!!

Here is something to laugh about ! I started fishing SBs on a spinning combo when I didn't have any baitcasters (mostly 1/4oz). Yes, I was a spinning gear only guy. The first BC combo I used for SBs was a BPS Grafite Series 6-6 MH rod paired with a Daiwa TD-S reel. I upgraded the rod to a Shimano Clarus 66 MH and didn't like it. I upgraded again to a Fenwick HMG 66 MH and still didn't feel right. The "better"rods felt TO STIFF ! Now I'm back to the BPS Grafite, wich is a slightly sfoter rod. I changed the reel to a BPS Extreme 5.4:1 , just to experiment with cranking ratios and I like it even better that the Daiwa TD-S (6.3:1). The BPS rod doesn't have action rating but it feels to me like something between mod-fast and fast, maybe closer to mod- fast.It loads better, cast more accurately and catches more fish for me. I am buying a 70 MH crankbait rod right now and I will definitely try it out for SBs !!! I believe that a "softer äction rod is better than a faster action rod for any bait that moves relatively fast (CBs, SBs, Swimbaits, Chatterbaits, etc.) It gives the Bass the chance to INHALE the bait, and it's not jerked out of his mouth by the stifness of the rod. So yes, I like better a $70 combo for SBs than a $250 combo.It's all int the ACTION for me. Go ahead and laugh... Now, as a suggestion regarding "TO LONG A HANDLE", I would just buy a rod that has the right action ( watever you like) and take it to a rod builder and have him cut a couple inches of the handle. Soudn't cost you more than say $20(?).

Well deserved, young man. Congrats !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You are 100% correct. There are some differences regarding the composition of the lines that will change the line managebility, abrasion resistance, etc. but as far as breaking strenght, you hit the nail on the head. I grew up in Europe, where fishing line is advertised, sold and compared by diameter. I am still buying my lines based on diameter, but for different aplications I am choosing different brands and compositions.. Once the weather gets in the 60-es , I fish mainly Tectan premium and BPS Fluoro; on colder weather I'll go with Trilene XL and/or P-Line CX. Basicaly I use aproximately 0.25mm for spinning and 0.30-0.35 on baitcasters. As well as i know, they use the "diameter" system in Asia and Australia, too. Good post !!

Hey ,Rooster Stepping up to a Compre would be my sugestion, since you are concerned with the "sensitivity". I'd also recomand you to look at the Fenwick HMX series (about $80). Would be great if you could have them in your hand at the same time ( the Clarus, Compre and HMX) so you can compare them. Tight lines...

Great read, thanks.

I own 1 Prodigy and 2 BPS Extremes, and I'll be buying another Extreme (5.4:1 ratio, for CBs). This Prodigy is way better than the previous model (wich crapped out in 2 seasons), but is not as smooth as the BPS reel. Just my opinion....

Congratulations !!! You found "THE HOT SPOT"

I am with you !!! Even better if you can get them in clearance or a good sale ...

My "rule of thumb" is one size up for 2 inches up. Let me explain: for a 6" worm i divide 6 by 2, wich gives 3, that means 3/0. Similarly for a 4" worm you will get 2/0. And so on. I will downsize when using a "skinny" bait like a finess worm and up-size for a more bulkier/ meatier bait like a Senko, usually one size. for example, I'll go down to 1/0 on a finess worm; and I'll go up one size on a 6" senko ( 4/0). Most of the times I'm using Gamakatsu EGW, sometimes roundbent offset Gammies. You have to take in consideration the average size of the fish you reasonably expect to catch. Hope it helps

Great story !...And WELCOME !

Well...Not to burst your bubble, but for cranks you would been better off with a lower gear ratio, like 5:1 or even 6:1. Anyhow, enjoy your new toys !!!

If you don't see crawfish it doesn't mean they are not there !!! There are lots and lots of species of crawfish spread preaty much all over the country; some prefer rocks, some clay banks, some live in weeds; some live shallow some go deep. Check with your local natural resource department, they should be able to bring light on this issue. And by the way, J&P works everywhere...

Mid july, around 2:30pm, 5-09lb on black/blue 3/8oz jig w/ same color craw trailer. I fished all morning with reasonably good results, mostly shallow weedy water; about 10:30 the bite died off so I went "scouting" since I just got a fish finder a couple weeks earlier. I get to an area with stumps on the side of the old creek channel wich I would never fished if not for the FF. I start casting the jig ahead of my drifting canoe and surprise (?), they were home !!! I got some of the biggest LMB of the reservoir, all of them about 4.5-5 lb, with the 5-09lb thrown in for good measure. My best bass fishing day so far.

Holly macaroni !!! Who came up with this "BRIGHT " idea ?????

Great review !!! thanx

This is a realy good post for the guys on a tight budget !!! There are good inexpensive rods to be found but you have to have an open mind and be willing to at least look at them. Some guys wouldn't even consider a "cheep" rod as an option. My "best find" is Daiwa Triforce Z. I own 2, 6-0 ML and 6-6ML spinning and Id like to buy more but they don't make them anymore. Cost me about $15 each (clearance at K-Mart) Next would be the Mitchell Copperhead 7-0 M; got it at FFO for $17 was my favorite allaround spinning rod until this season when I started using the new Avid 6-8M/XF(clearance at Gander Mountain $87). The Copperhead still casts better and farther then the Avid but the Avid is more sensitive. As baitcasters go, the BPS Graphite Series is a great value in sale/clearance( $ 19.99). It's my spinnerbait rod(6-6MH) Tight lines, Alex

Awesome review ! Thanks !

Great stuff! Just for curiosity I measured my old, old Fenwick HMG 66MH and it "clocked in" at 4.63 oz(digital scale). Anyhow, I htink it's more important to have a well balanced rod than a light rod but tip heavy. Just my $0.02

Very interesting. You'd think those big companies would pick up on something like this !!!

I would suggest a mod-fast action rod, if you gotta have only one rod for both applications. The Silaflex is parabolic (soft, it's not the best option; you might wanna use it for crankbaits). I think an IM6 or IM7 graphite rod (inexpensive), would do just fine. Power wise, you'd want a medium for top waters, but a med heavy would work better for lipless CBs. So back to 2 rods... :-[