ironbjorn

It used to be that I was a 50/50 baitcasting/spinning angler. This was based on the baits I liked to use and how I liked to fish. Then I got into the Ned Rig and found that over time I wasn't fishing other finesse techniques nearly as often, and the spinning setups started to dwindle. Eventually it culminated with me almost exclusively fishing the Ned Rig as a finesse technique, and only using one spinning setup because of it. It was as simple as nothing working as well as the Ned Rig. I fish to catch fish and that catches fish better than just about anything. But of course the Ned Rig can get boring, and that boredom made me a better power fisherman. More and more I was fishing bigger baits on bigger rods with heavier line, and having a ton of fun and success doing so. The more I was pitching and casting around, the more experience and control I gained with baitcasting gear. I had thought that I was pretty darn good with it before, but I learned that I still had a lot to learn. With more experience, the lighter one can go with baitcasting gear. This also had an impact on the spinning setups going bye bye, because I could easily fish the things I would have previously fished on spinning gear, but with more control. It's just really interesting looking back and seeing how the Ned Rig changed how I fish from the top down; even making me a better power fisherman.

I've caught dink bass on big catfish setups, fishing big, stinky bait balls. I've also caught big catfish on light Ned Rig setups with light line. There's a lot of crossover that can be utilized. Speaking of Ned Rigs, I've got a thread about that I've wanted to post.

Important to note that dehydration can and will happen in the winter. Being cold outside doesn't matter. It just happens sooner, more easily, and more frequently in the summer in hot conditions in which you're losing water rapidly. Don't go without water, ever. It's foolish.

As money to get something not glass.

Same with pool players. "He's a good stick." It's because of the tool: in the case of fishing, a rod; in the case of pool, a cue.

I've also had nothing but problems from 30lb PP on BC reels. It does nothing but dig.

We had a snow and ice storm here today. In the coming days starts about a week stretch of teens and below zeros. Fishing season feels out of sight. It's not. It horrible. We lie to ourselves. You can get used to anything when it's your only option.

Easy: 664C Dobyns Fury Usually their rods are about a power or half power lower than listed compared to other brands, but the 6'6" Heavy Fury is pretty close to advertised.

I recently tried watching some of Randy's videos and in each one of them he does this snorting, snotting, disgusting throat clearing noise. Nope. Off it goes.

I don't do anything that literally nobody else does. I could say that I go when others won't, but pretty much everyone on a forum like this does that too. I will say that I have the patience that most people don't have. I'll cast to a spot dozens of times when others might make a few and move on. And that consistently results in a fish others would have left behind. It's not the most efficient practice, but I rarely fish competitively and I mostly fish smaller bodies of water. I have alllllllllll day.

If I don't sleep with you or if you don't call me dad, you don't touch my rods, so zero. My lady has broken a guide once and my son has broken a tip once. Other than that, they've never broken anything.

A spinnerbait to my bass might as well be the equivalent of the Golden Arches of McDonald's in Portland, Oregon. They know exactly what it is when they see it and refuse to eat it. I need some bass that are more like Mississippians spotting the Arches when they see a spinnerbait.

Are they supposed to have problems? Sounds like a bad business model to require a product with problems. The answer is no.

Spinnerbaits. It doesn't matter what pond, lake, or river I'm on, they do not work.

Thanks for this. I'm a Lews guy, but I max out at $200. A TI (sexy looking reel) for $250 is something I'll have to jump on.

"Just because you can, doesn't mean you should." Probably won't but it's a good rule of thumb to stick to the half way mark of the rod, with a little more or a little less being decent. Say a rod rated to an ounce. It performs best at 1/2oz. At 1/4oz it won't cast the best, and at 3/4oz it will feel overloaded. Maxed out is never really good or ideal.

Fury 705CB + stuff. The fact that it's a crankbait rod makes the decision easy for me. If it was a Texas rig or jig rod it would easily swing the other way.

Vanish is the among the best it you like line failures.

If I were to have a "do it all" baitcasting setup, it would be a Dobyns 704C or 734C. These rods are rated as Heavy/Fast, but their rating when compared to most other popular brands in bass fishing fall somewhere between a MH and H and MF and F. I would pair it up with a 7 gear ratio reel since it won't be used for deep cranking. I would spool the reel up with 12lb Yo-Zuri Hybrid (the breaking strength is close to 20lbs and its diameter is closer to 15lbs when compared to other lines) and forego the frogs.

I recently bought 2 of the Lews KVD casting reels and 1 of the Lews KVD spinning reels, and 3 Dobyns rods to attach them to. The spinning reel didn't lock into the reel seat all the way; there was a gap or a lip at the top; it's like the reel feet were too long. So I took a rotary tool and grinded a little off the bottom reel foot (maybe 1/16"). I grinded the burrs of next, and then I polished it up. Other than the paint being removed from the aluminum on the bottom reel foot, you'd never know I had done this. It was nicely done if I may say so myself. All snug and properly fitting now. I do have a question though. I didn't ruin the integrity of the reel, did I?

Ironically I currently am, but it's day 14 and it's been mild. I haven't had symptoms for days.

Ditto. I hate littering. Cigarette butts especially bother me. My skin crawls and I feel so gross stepping on or around them. It's sickening. Also ditto on the spot thieves. It doesn't bother me as much as it used to. I just move down a little and keep catching while they keep casting and reeling in water. However, I do hate when the spot thieves want to strike up a conversation and try to figure out what you're throwing and how you're catching fish. Call me insensitive, but in recent years I've combatted this by pretending to be deaf. As a bonus to them shutting up, a lot of the time it makes them uncomfortable enough to leave.

The Shimano I need most is a Lews

Jerkbaits; hard body and soft plastic.