Reel

I'll go against the grain. I like to buy new stuff and have some before everybody else finds out about it. I don't want to discover a fantastic bait a year or two after everybody else. Fish have gotten use to it and it's not fantastic any more. But I don't spend a bunch of money. When I learn about a new bait that seems to work well, I buy one bag or one lure (hard lures ) in a color that I trust (greenpumkin, black/blue ou shad ) and spend a couple of hour testing it when the fish are biting. This is my success rate: out of ten new baits 5 are duds, 3 are as good as classics and 2 are fantastic. I buy ten bags or ten units of these last two and I'm set for a couple of years. In general, that's how long it takes for others to catch up. The real test is throwing a lure in clear water 3 or 4 feet from a weedbed and, regularly, having the bass rush out to get it.

Doesn't seem wrong to me !!

Wherever he caught them... nice FAT fish.

Not a lot of reservoirs in BC

I fish places like this regularly for big smallmouth. It's like bone fishing in saltwater. A white marl bottom almost featureless that extends for a mile or more. The fish move in packs and are always on the move. The will stop if they find a rock or a bit of weed. One year I found 5 or 6 of them on a block of cement. Put the electric down to steer and start the big motor on the slowest speed to cover ground.

Lately, I've been using the Shimano Macbeth 50 and Shallow 50 with a lot of success. It's a new bait that the fish have not seen a lot of.

I like short (8 foot ) Talons in combination with my Ultrex. I use spot lock in deeper water and the Talons are not too heavy.

I've got 5 or 6 rods with Multi-taper : Ex6, IMX, GLX etc. with some that are almost 10 years old and that have been wonderful performers.

Shimano Conquest

I like the Intenza Series from Shimano. Very solid and sensitive. I like the seven footer.

I've been using a Poison Adrena for flipping and pitching for 4 years with no problem.

Same here

Same here, I use the Expride M mainly as a jerkbait rod but it has served double duty as a topwater rod coupled with a Curado DC.

Shimano Curado 7 footer in M

I like the Zodias

Have you ever caught larger fish in that river ?

Dr. Slick also - The best I've found !

When you are real hungry does it make a difference between Burger King and Mc Donald ? When you are not maybe it does !!!

So true - When the fish are really agressive, color is not that important. When they're not, just the color of flakes in a green pumkin senko will make the difference: not between 0 fish and 10 fish, but between 5 fish and 10 fish. It happened with two anglers fishing in the same boat... and I was one of them.

Shmiamo Curado with 65 pound Power Pro

There is a new reel from Shimano that you might like (very much). Take a look at the Miravel !

My favorite is the 852 also. A great all around rod for bottom baits. Nothing as sensitive.

No problem here with my Vanford on a Zodias.

You'll never find out !

In China. You decide if you want to buy there ! OM sinkers