DitchPanda

A lews lfs speed spool is a solid reel for $100. I don't normally spend over that for a reel so I don't have anything to add after that.

I agree 100%...I don't think enough anglers take weight into account. Depth control and fall rate are 2 of the most important details in my opinion...often times trumping lure color and type.

That's a haul..basically the complete opposite side of the state from me. Bout a 6hr drive.

Where abouts?

I promise you...promise you 175% promise...that if you let me pick the week and flew up here I could get you on some spinner bait bass. Im so confident that if I failed to do so I would pay you back your expenses...plane ticket, lodging,food...for the week.

Ice went out here about 5-6 days ago...got out yesterday a couple hours and got the ol ice out skunk. Snuck out to a different pond this morning with a buddy...I caught 2 dinks and he got one. No size at all but those first bass of spring are always exciting...we both got our first fish curse lifted for the year.

I'd kill for 51 degree water...I've had ice out for less than a week here...I'd guess the water is maybe 40-42ish. Caught one today on a jerk bait and one on a dark sleeper hopping it like a jig.

My strategy can be summed up in 2 words -dark sleeper. I bought a few of these last year then never tried them. Finally busted them out today and caught myself a bass on it and missed a 2nd one. Nothing crazy but impressed me and I saw alot of potential. So now I'm gonna order more and give them a real go.

Sunglasses...I've done it and its miserable. The other thing I'd hate to be without is a rod and reel...I'm not a hand liner!

I'd say normal hours would be bed by 10-1030 and up by 6. Weekends it may vary...not uncommon to stay up til 1 and sleep til 9 or 10 unless I plan on fishing early.

Had the ice off here a couple days but I haven't had time to get out..my buddy that I was teaching last year tried our local haunt tonight and got skunked. But it was 55 today...51 tomorrow...63 and sunny Saturday and 69 and breezy Sunday. Those temps plus sun should help warm our small bodies of water a decent amount.

I fish ...like you...because I was raised doing it...that and baseball really helped me bond with my dad. To this day we still enjoy fishing together..although it doesn't happen as often as it should. Also its my escape...I'm all in at work and I take my job very seriously so fishing is my pressure relief valve.

I'm interested as well

What moving bait do you reach for first in that cold water of spring? I've had luck on several different ones over the years...just curious to hear what you guys reach for

I throw a green pumpkin/ bluegill color as we get close to spawn and postspawn. I throw shad colors starting in summer thru fall when they target shad more here. I rarely if ever throw black and blue anymore. Last spring I had some decent success on fire craw...about the only reddish bait I've ever had much luck on.

Very nice weather here...lows above freezing mostly with highs in the 50s and 60s. My local ponds are ice free so I plan to get out there some night after work this week. I just had stomach flu over the weekend so I'm healing up from that.

Poppers for me go on a medium fast or extra fast rod with 10-12lb mono. Frogs always on at least a medhvy if not a heavy with no less than 50lb braid...even when I'm not fishing vegetation I'm often times throwing into trees or skipping under them and I want some horsepower to get em out.

What water color does this color work best in?

For years my only cold water crank was a shad rap...a few years back I worked the frittside into the rotation and have been happy with the results.

Normally this time of year I'd throw Colorado blades because I need to slow down and my water is usually muddy. This year we have no flooding and no snow melt so my local ponds are super clear. Because of this I'm gonna throw light swim jigs...I feel they are more subtle in clear water.

That's awesome

For what its worth I always appreciate your insight and expertise...I bought some Iovino plastics and a major craft nanoace rod both sight unseen based of your recommendations. I can't say I'm not jealous of your catches but I don't feel your are bragging...and I definitely don't feel like your a liar. I do believe becoming cynical is natural to a certain extent..hard not to after you've had years of people disappointing you.

I thank my dad for instilling the passion of fishing in me. He claims he started taking me when I was weeks old...but he said he remembers me standing there holding a rod starting around age 3. Growing up we didn't do a ton of bass fishing ...we spent our time chasing inshore saltwater species like redfish,black drum, speckled trout,flounder, sheepshead and several others. But we always had bassmasters and in fisherman so my love for freshwater fish was there before I really even pursued them.

Yep doing my best to eat better...I had one week.in there where I ate like total crap and even gained a pound but outside of that I've stuck to it. My first post a month a go I was down 17.5lbs...now I'm down about 22 lbs so I've actually lost 6lbs if you count the week I gained. Back and knees are still feeling better. Best thing is my girlfriend was hugging me the other night and I could tell she could actually get her arms all the way around me..so she said wow look at you skinny!...makes a man feel good.

According to several guys on here Tatsu is more important to mankind than oxygen...apparently fish won't bite baits on other line. So I guess you'd be nuts not buying it...which makes me nuts.