ironbjorn

If I'm transferring over to a bait I like better, I use the old bait(s) in the most dangerous places. 1. Because I'm more comfortable losing them. 2. Because in the most dangerous places the bass aren't going to be as picky as the angler.

Poor sentence structure on my part. I used a comma instead of saying "such as" frogs and Spooks.

Makes no sense to just do one. Nothing in bass fishing works that way. I'd focus on walking baits, frogs and Spooks. Covers a lot and covers open water and vegetation.

Casting gear is like working in the garage. Fun. Spinning gear is like doing laundry. Slow, horrible, and boring, but sometimes necessary. Some people can afford a maid (BFS) and can instead get back to working in the garage.

Positioning is as important for bank fishing as it is boat fishing. Whether you're fishing from the bank or a boat you should be using the gear suitable to the situation and cover. It sounds like you missed on both fronts. If you're fishing weeds from the bank, don't stand over the top of the weeds. Cast and fish horizontally and pull the fish away from the bank. If you're going to fish vertically over heavy weeds on the bank you better be using the equipment to rip those weeds out.

I wish I'd have figured out cover and current a lot sooner.

Spending more money on fishing than I can reasonably spend.

A vast majority of the time the context is about back reeling. Sorry for assuming.

No need with modern drag systems, which is what you're really paying for the higher in price you go.

Shimano SLX XT @ $130

I use casting gear for all things except a Ned Rig. I'm going to be getting into drop shotting and that will be on spinning gear with the Neds as well. The only reason for the spinning is because I haven't quite talked myself into spending the coin on BFS. Cheap BFS sounds like a nightmare.

My dad always says change will never happen in the world because you can't even get two people to agree on a cup of coffee. Funny how we see that in all things.

Couldn't say exactly. 7+ years ago, during the generation you bought your reels, I was fishing Presidents and was happy with them. I'd say at least 4-5 years? I know some people say 10+ years but that wasn't my experience.

You have the generation of Pflueger before they went down the toilet. Recent models would disappoint you, sadly. I find that the only reel worth getting anymore is a Trion. For $40 you know what it is and that it won't last forever. It's essentially the same as their more expensive reels, and that's both awesome and a problem.

Gotta give the credit to my buddy who taught me this several years ago

Squarebills bashing a long a rocky bottom in fast current is killer.

That's what a lot of people say, and a lot of people do it. I don't know how. I feel that dehydration and bloating so bad with beer in the heat.

Questioning anyone insane enough to drink beer in the heat ?

I originally settled on the Dream Shot over the Flat Worm because I was reading that the Flat Worm is a heavier plastic and needs more movement to keep from going vertical. But people can't stop raving about the Flat Worm so I went with it instead. Pearl and Black Shiner. ?

Yes, when I can. The specific water I'm struggling on has a soft, mucky, gooey, dead veggie, mossy bottom that strangles any bait that touches it though. I don't fish black Trick Worms, but I fish other Trick Worms and different variations of black Senkos. No luck. This place is ridiculously pressured. Not even a Ned is getting it done, or a Wacky. The beginning of the season saw many good Wacky days though, but not for over 2 months. Hence why I don't really ever do it. I've thrown the kitchen sink and now I feel like I have no choice but to throw this God forsaken presentation.

Yes, if I want to catch fish I have no choice but to do what I don't like to do. It's not meant to be as literal as you've made it. The Gammy Octopus Circle is my go to for Wacky. I've found nothing better. Interesting observation about how it would work with a drop shot.

I'm not much of a drop shotter, but the bite has been horrendous for me since mid June. Neds aren't even producing, and I can't yet generate any bites on a Vision 110 (should be changing soon I hope, it was my MVP from September to December last season). So I've got no choice but to move to drop shotting. I'm a huge believer in Gamakatsu Octopus Circle Hooks, so I'm stuck on that. For the Dream Shot, would a size 1 or 1/0 be better for this bait? Or am I off the mark completely on size?

It will be biased information, but the Dobyns Facebook group is a great place for Dobyns questions and information. I'm considering getting a fleet of these reels just to match my Dobyns rods (I'm essentially exclusive to Dobyns rods). I honestly don't care too much about a reel. I get as much out of my $50 Black Max/Max X reels as I do my SLX XT and Tournament Pro reels. After awhile you can cast any respectable reel. It just puts out and picks up line. Durability is the bigger factor. Money into rods is far more important imo.

Land, and building on it and fencing it and posting it.