Alex from GA

I've been using a Piscifun Viper X size 1000 spinning reel for a few months and have only good things to say about it. Using 6 lb mono the drag is smooth, it's quiet, smooth and very light. I have much more expensive reels and bought this one to test, it passed.

Not me but a friend was jigging for California yellowtail in Baja, got a bite and kicked the reel out of gear. It was a Penn 4/0 full of 40 or 50 lb mono. The reel was probably a foot in diameter. I never have a professional override.

I have a bunch of Mitchell reels including one with a 1/2 bail if anyone's interested.

I use a 1/32 oz beetlespin with a 1/2" green pumkin worm for bream. I even caught a bass with it once.

Last year I found a color that has worked well. Zoom trick worm Okochoobee Craw, 1/2 blue and 1/2 green pumpkin. Haven't used a purple anything in 30 years, maybe that's why I don't catch fish.

Thank you. I'm happy to go fishing again after 6 weeks laid up.

Fished the Rainbow River for the first time in a couple years. Motored up and floated back down fishing. Caught over 2 dozen with the largest 15" all on worms. The wild life was spectacular, as usual, with a herd of wood duck ducklings following moma the highlight. I took a picture but they blended in with the vegetation and didn't show. Stopped for lunch near the bank and fed the bream remains of my kipper snacks. For anyone that hasn't been there the Rainbow is a 6 mile spring fed river that's super clear the whole way. Boats are limited to idle speed to save the banks and kayakers/tubers.

Long casts with mono sometimes can't get past the barb. I had a few come off yesterday and I pinch the barb partways down. The worm doesn't come off but it penetrates better.

It depends what the bottom you're anchoring in. If it's soft mud or sand a mushroom will hold. Vegetation or hard bottom a fluke will hold better. I carry a 10 lb mushroom, on my 16' bass boat, and sometimes it takes a while to hold but it will.

I throw them and sometimes catch a mudfish/bowfin and they really trash a spinnerbait.

Last year my fishing buddy said he liked longer rods for worming so I built a 6-14lb 6'8" fast action rod, used it a few weeks and didn't like it. I then built a 6-14lb 6'8" extra fast action rod that I love. BTW I was using a 6'2" extra fast rod for several years. The rods are all spinning rods on Rainshadow Immortal blanks.

There are plenty of youtube videos on your problem. Take your time and it'll come out fine. Use many coats of Hard as Nails clear nail polish if you don't want to buy guide epoxy. It's different from hardware store epoxy.

Got to FL the middle of January and had emergency surgery for 2 leaking aortic aneurisms a week later. After several weeks of PT I'm able to go fishing again. Water temp 65 morning to 72 in the afternoon. All fish on worms.

I wasn't into bass fishing but I remember reading the catalogs for Heddon lures when I was a kid. I trout fished with salmon eggs and flies and ocean fished with anchovies. Older I used deep diving Rebel jointed minnows for Calico bass, bonito, mackerel and barracuda. Older still I used Mepps spinners in the MT rivers for trout. I go to garage sales and buy tackle boxes and find some funny old stuff in them.

I use a 6'8" xf 6-14lb Rainshadow blank with 6 or 8lb mono for trick worms or Sencos.

I just put 5 rods in my boat to go fishing tomorrow and I left a bunch @ home.

I use the Eagle Claw retriever with jack chains hanging from it also. It works over 50% of the time. As for using a square bill I don't have any.

Some spools of line don't have the diameter printed. I write on the spool after measuring.

IMO the Academy and Basspro worm hooks are soft and the points bend. That said I still use them but carry a diamond sharpener to dress them and pliers to straighten them when they bend.

I wear an AM24 when I get out of the truck until I'm back in the truck.

Digital calipers from Harbor Freight.

I use round bend worm hooks for a lot of my fishing and found Eagle Claw Brent Chapman hooks @ Walmart. They're 15 for $4.

I find the 25 for $5 basspro and Academy hooks are soft. I use them but carry a diamond file and check them frequently.

My goto is a pearl fluke on a 1/16th or 1/8th oz.

And the only one so far.