GetFishorDieTryin

When GL moved production to Guatemala it was night and day difference as far quality goes. All of the baits I got were bagged before they had cured which ruined them. The worst part is GL had the audacity to keep the price the same.

The DMT pocket sharpeners are nice for smaller hooks, but they arent cheap and you can only theyre limited to 1 grain, which is fine for lighter hooks. The other option I like to get cheap files from amazon, you can get 4 of them for like 10$. I like that they have a course and fine side too.

Awful hard to beat an Alberto. They go through guides really well, are really strong and quick and easy to learn.

A lot of guy throw BGs out there for recs, but they use the older Daiwa size class, which is very different from the LT and MQ lines. The BG line is about a half size larger then the LTs. A BG 2500 is about equal to a 3000LT in size and it goes up the line like that. The best advice is to try several reels you have and go from there, because it all really depends on how you hold the rod.

I like this one and IMO its the best. You knot exactly how much tag you have before you cinch the knot, so no wasted line and the hook is locked in place. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-58Gh2xGac&pp=ygUTZHJvcCBzaG90IGhvb2sga25vdA%3D%3D

My buddy has all the top end stuff from Japan and the US, Destroyer, NRX, Yamaga and so on. He thinks Steez is at the top.

I always prefer straight shank hook to offset. I feel the position of the hook point allows for a better hookset. The drawback to straight shanks, are that they can go through baits quick. I found that the hybrid style offset hooks offer some of the advantages of straight shanks while minimizing the damage to the head of the bait. You can get some that have an open point like a straight shank or you can get some that sit flat like a traditional offset EWG, it all depends what you want. I like Decoys Dream Hook for light spinning gear or BKKs Basilisk for M and MH casting gear.

I catch fish on PBJ, but its not a big confidence color for me when it comes to jigs. I guess it depends on whose PBJ it is as they all are a little different. I like the PBJs that are more of a dark brown with purple instead of the black barred amber with purple. What I don't prefer What I do prefer

Locally there's a correlation. The bodies of water that can support large numbers of large (2.5lb+) pickerel have the healthiest bass around. Its the lakes and ponds with out of control numbers of small and stunted pickerel where bass seem to struggle for resources. There are plenty of other variables that make a good ecosystem for big bass besides large pickerel. Afterall, pickerel are the only species of fish that can survive in the highly acidic ponds, streams and bogs of the pine barrens. The presence of large black crappie in numbers is a good indication as well. Crappie being a schooling fish, depend on large numbers of smaller baitfish. If there's plenty of forage for large numbers of big crappie to thrive, then there should be ample food for bass. Crappie seem to be a delicate balance in an ecosystem. You want enough so there's another species that can sustain larger fish, but too many will wipe out large amounts of fry, as a school of crappie can eat thousands in no time. Jumbo yellow perch are a good indicator of a healthy ecosystem as well. Much like large pickerel, good jumbo yellow perch fishing is seasonal. The more quality aforementioned species a body of water has the more likely that body of water can sustain large bass. One of the first local lakes that comes to mind that has a health population of quality specimens of all 3 species is the lake "Ike" decided to build a house on, which he refers to as "Lake X"

Duo is probably my favorite. Ive never been disappointed in a Duo product. They dont try to cut corners and still manage to offer high quality baits at a mid or slightly higher than mid range price. They also make baits for everything from tiny mountain stream trout to pelagic big game. I do wish the baits were a little more available. They also stand by their product as well. If you have a problem, they will address it and make it right.

You dont need grass to fish a Dbomb. Just put on a T rig and pitch wood, you'll catch fish for sure. That ton will get whittled down pretty fast.

Its an Owner finesse ballhead. Its not a super heavy hook, but I personally like that, it make it easy to set a hook no matter how thick the tube is. Only caveat being you have to use tubes that dont have a solid head. To rig it, I go in backwards. You come in the back of the tube with the hook and poke the point through where the offset would come out. To find that, you size up the hook next to the tube before rigging and make a mental note of the where the offset is. Once you have come up through the back the tube and have gotten the point through the spot you marked earlier, you then thread the rest of the hook and leadhead through the back the tube. Sometimes its beneficial to lubricate the lead head so that the eye or clevis doesn't tear the tube if its a tight fit. If its done correctly the eye should be trying to poke out of the top of the tube. All you have to do is take a sharp blade and cut a tiny slit right down the center of the eye. If you cut to one side or the other it will make the hook **** eyed. The balance and angle of the eye on the Owner head, accentuates the spiraling and gliding action of the tube when rigged perfectly straight. The only drawback is the Owners can be a little difficult to find in larger hook sizes. BKK has a good ballhead EWG thats available overseas with larger sizes and they're bringing it to the US market very soon. https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Owner_Ultrahead_Finesse_Ball_Head_/descpage-OFBH.html

I use these. All the lead is inside the tube and its completely weedless.

Lucky Craft 1.5s are a little heavier then the KVDs at 1/2 and the profile is really similar. I like a 7' Med Fast for the KVD 1.5s and other shallow squarebills.

I use a 7'1 M F Muse #12 InvizX Usually using 1/8 or 3/16 skinny DS. My favorite weights are Reins Slim round eye, but swagger work fine. As far as baits go, there a ton of good ones. I really like floating and neutrally buoyant baits, they work really well when the fish are in a negative mood.

Hows the tip on it?

Its a good PE that readily available and not too expensive. Love the white, just know that it will turn brown real quick if you fish muddy water. Its really smooth and quiet, without relying on a waxy coating that will just wear off quickly. It is a thinner dia PE, but take berkleys dia claims with a grain of salt, so dont worry about it being super vulnerable to abrasion. I use #20 X9 on my surf rod to throw 1-2oz plugs off the rocks and it sends them. I like #8 for FW and light inshore spinning gear. #10 works really well too, but I haven't ever come close to breaking #8 on a fish and I like how well the #8 casts, especially with really light baits. So long as you use a leader you shouldn't have to worry about issues with abrasion.

There were some issues with the reel seats. I dont know if its more prevalent in the spinning or casting rods, I would suspect casting but not sure. The spinning rod grips dont look great, but after handling one, I think I might try to have my next custom rod built with a similar fore grip. The blanks themselves feel really good and are fairly light. If SC can straighten out the issues the BassX would be one of the better rods at the price point.

Oh wow, they go way go back. I think I got some of the 4" on my 10th birthday in one of them 20$ 150pc bucket of worms from cabelas. You ever try these out?

In the late 90s early 2ks, senkos crushed em. They took quality fish as they took numbers. I dont think any 1 bait is responsible for more fish in a similar time period. I dont think any other bait has been cloned or copied more so then the senko and that speaks to the effectiveness of the bait to catch fish and anglers alike. They still catch a lot of fish, but the fish have seen so many stick baits now that senkos aren't the lights out baits they once were IMO. I still do well with them during certain parts of the year or in certain conditions. Like them or not they're a legit gamechanger that spawned a whole new type of bait.

You mean the salt flicker? I had a few in 6", didnt never tried or even saw the 7.5" I know what you mean. The biffle bug is the only one I use anymore and once I run out of US made ones Im not buying any new ones. GL is on the ropes for sure, and would be broke without the bobby garland crappie baits. They still make a few good baits, but the prices are high and the quality has gone down.

I didnt know GL made them anymore. Did the quality go to hell when GL moved production to Guatemala? Ive bought 5 or 6 packs of biffle bugs and every 1 was bagged before the baits cured, which destroys the baits.

Thats hilarious. The Tatula was the MH I was referring to and 13s 7'1 M F is what I was the cheapest M power that came to mind that would work well.

Doesnt Berkley offer a similar color in max scent?