Bigassbass

Yes it has a thick diameter blank, more so than other casting reels I've seen or owned.

Shimano upper end reels are fantastic, lower priced go with SLX. Lew's pro higher end reels are easy to set up and throw far. The resale on Lew's will never match Shimano. I've owned a few Daiwas but always went back to Shimano.

I have the ALX Enox in casting med power 7' bought it 2 years ago, it's a super nice rod, you have to like what I would call "fat" designed rods cause that's what it is. The action is right on and it's light enough, I don't think I'd buy another one though its not my favorite rod, and this is my personal choice and opinion.

IMO light, ultralight and med power rods can fish top water lures just fine. Any brand works for fishing, you pick the rod and brand that is your favorite to use to fish whatever technique you're trying to execute.

I have fished when my rod eyes were frozen up, that was in December low 30's, fishing for trout. I fish on warm days in the winter using live bait for crappies or brim, that can be fun sometimes. So, to answer the question I usually do not fish when the air temps are below 40 degrees.

Glad I don't have to be a biologist to enjoy the sport. I'll not be reading up on the spawning rituals of fish, I really don't give a flying flip what breeds and how they do it. Opinions are like round and oval anuses everyones got one but most are round IMO.

Why are you being a jerk? I don't want to argue with you nor do I enjoy your comments.

Sounds like you don't want a solution to your problem, you've got lots of excellent answers the first being buy better hooks.

I know what bass look like male and female. I caught a 6lb female bass 20 years ago post spawn and she had rubbed a part of her tail out, ( long story short) had not intended to keep her but she died while being weighed in at the marina. Taxidermist fixed her tail and identified her as a female fish which I already knew but I got schooled in identifying bass that day! I have this fish on my wall with her fixed tail. How do you know it wasn't a female you didn't even see it. lol

Have you ever caught a female bass in the spring that had a rubbed out tail? I've caught many, the female bass fans too, she may not build the bed but she fans it and female bass don't drop their eggs then swim right away. Sometimes the spawning ritual takes quite a while days in some cases. There isn't a rock solid technique for fish spawning, they just get it done however they can.

I have caught several DD bass and I've never thought it was a big deal, because I wasn't pursuing them I was fishing and I know how to catch fish. For me fishing is way more than catching a big fish, and I believe luck is always involved. Hope you enjoy the trip and good luck with that big fish.

Caught a nice female 3lb bass today and she had a red tail, been fanning out her bed. This was in a 2 acre pond.

Never ever share secret fishing holes, they're not secret anymore!

Makes you think about life and all the good stuff you have, nature can't be beat for whatever ails you.

Can't find any for sale, who has them in stock? I've looked everywhere, Tacklewarehouse says they will get them the last week in March, I want some now.

Does anyone sell any of the flies they make on here? I want some to use for the float and fly finesse fishing, some similar to the Spro Phat fly hair jig. Let me know what you have, please.

Do you sale any of your flies? I'd like to have some that look like Spro Phat hair jigs to fish under a cork, I don't use a fly rod but I love to fish bugs and marabou jigs crappie love them and I'm going to see if I can catch some bass using the float fly technique.

This coming up week the temps will be in the 50's and the quick pic store has restocked nightcrawlers so, I'll be going fishing by Wed or Thursday hungry fish will eat a good ole worm any day even in the winter!

The one closest to me is in Greensboro, N.C. and I think it looks like a Cabela's on the outside but inside no comparison. It's 40 miles closer to me than Cabela's but I don't shop often. Prices are a bit inflated.

I've had shore lunch which I cooked many times, grill fresh caught fish on a small grill cook what other veggies you like in a pan or put a bag of redi-made salad in the cooler take some bread! Yum

4" of snow on the ground in central North Carolina, temps are 26 and still sleeting as I type this message. NO fishing for a while, weather has to make huge improvement. Southerners don't fish in this weather, we watch football games.

Going to have lots of fun fishing, get a tan, chill more, make some new friends.

Last year I got a Loomis hoodie, probably not as warm as your Aftco, but Loomis does print a nice fish logo on their's.

Haven't seen anyone post about their Christmas fishing stuff? I got a new rod, Okuma and a Shimano Nasci reel (I bought myself) my daughter gave me a Shimano super nice tackle bag, medium storage, and a Shimano small hip bag which I love. I like to take a small bag when I go pond fishing. I also got some Salt Life T shirts, and some hard baits; lipless cranks and a few square bills. Gotta love Christmas and I do!

I bought a bunch of W.P.ers haven't caught a fish yet, really I don't like them, just a noisy top water lure. buzz baits are more fun and they're easier to fish.