Fishing_Rod

Greetings Atll, I started the month of May having to travel to Tucson. My afternoon schedule would allow for a couple of hours of goofing off. Since I would be on Tucson's west side I made my way over to Silverbell Lake. I have been there previously with limited success. Basically catching a bluegill and a small crappie there from a previous visit over five years ago. My visit there would be during Red Flag conditions where the winds were over 20 mph with gusts even higher. Being the recreational ultra lite angler my fishing rigs are not well suited for these conditions and I am presented an interesting casting challenge. I began by tossing a weedless rigged tube with a 1/32 oz weight. I figured this was a safe bait as I am not familiar with the lake and given the crazy wind who knows where the soft bait will land. Using low angle sidearm casts I was able to make the most of my casts into the water. Unfortunately there was no response on those initial casts. So I transitioned to my curly tailed grub on a 1/32 oz jig. That eventually found a bluegill that was interested. Catching the bluegill was a wonderful welcome back to the lake after all these years. Bolstered by the success I continued to cast. The response of the bluegill must have alerted other fish in the area to my presence and to my benefit too. A few casts later the grub on the jig just stopped as if snagged. Just as I was about to reach for the line to put a direct tug the line surged off the spool with the drag screaming. OH, what a fun and exhilarating sound and experience to have the UL rod fully loaded under tension. It took some time for the catfish to tire enough for me to gain back the line peeled off the spool. Even more time to encourage it to rise from the depths for a look. Just as with the bluegill, I thanked the catfish for the experience and photo. Who would have thought I would be successful under these crazy windy and hot conditions. My angling good fortune continued. A very nice large mouth bass managed to gain interest in my curly tailed grub on the jig. A fun strong fish that also took some line and time to photograph. Here is a solo photo of the bass. My goofing off time was quickly running to conclusion as the afternoon passed on. I had had such good fortune on the curly tailed grub that I figured that would be as good as it gets. Still it would be nice to catch one on the weedless tube rig too. Wish answered. I had transitioned to the tube rig and was casting a bit further along a different portion of the shoreline. It was great to feel the classic thump on the line with a gradual tension increase and the lateral line movement as the bass was swimming with the soft plastic bait. Yay! Whaahoo! FISH ON! So fun to have those rod bending, line peeling, experiences. Some special memories of my Red Flag May day fun at Silverbell Lake in Tucson to share. I hope you can enjoy the adventure too. I bid each of you well and look forward to my next angling adventure that I can share. Cheers!

Greetings and Good Day! As just an ultra lite recreational angler the "doubled" uni knot is my preferred knot for many aspects. Through the fourty years of goofing off that can be considered angling this knot has demonstrated good performance. The doubled uni provides me a secure knot that has holding power also with high shock load tolerance too. I have examined other knots and they have not demonstrated as well as the doubled uni. I mainly use mono but I have had good results with braid also. Depending on how you learn to tie it the doubled uni, there is also a positive virtue of being able to tie it in a very controlled way. This allows the knot to be fabricated easily in windy conditions and when there is low light as you can simply go through the motions to create the knot. The doubled uni also can be tied so that you minimize friction when completing the final overall knot cinch. It is possible to gently guide the knot to completion so there is minimal friction and heat exposure. The doubled uni has demonstrated to me over the many years of using it on both dynamic and more static baits. Taunting very strong large trout on moving baits that get hammered the knot holds well. Equally when dealing with weedless soft plastics and successfully managing 12 pound channel catfish or 8 pound bass on 4 pound mono. Yes thrilling and successful! So plenty of love and appreciation for the doubled uni as a terminal connection knot. Yes, I use the double uni knot when fly fishing and attaching leader material. I wish you and everyone on BR well. Best fishes and great knot tying!

Good Day All, I had an opportunity to get in some goofing off time (recreational angling) out at Parker Canyon Lake (PCL) here in breezy and sunny Southern AZ. The temperature roller coaster ride has smoothed out a bit as we have been in the mid 80 F (27 C) for the daytime highs. Some have mentioned we seem to have bypassed the mild typical spring time weather and moving towards an early summer feel. Personally, I'm just happy to be able to goof off and catch fish any time of year. However, spring and fall are exceptional times for supporting that aspiration. PCL did not disappoint and delivered plenty of multi-species fish catching fun. Currently the conditions are reasonable for the remaining stocked trout from our colder months. I managed to find several over 15 inches that wanted to play. Always a good time when you can find one of the larger trout, finding several is even more fun. Along with that search pattern I did manage to find several other species all in that sub 20 foot depth. The bluegills and shell crackers were very active and provided excellent entertainment opportunities. Of course the large mouth bass were out and ready to play too. Focusing on that "recreational" aspect allows me freedom to simplify my angling equipment to a basic level. These days using ultra lite gear on four pound mono works well as it catches fish and I simply don't have to work that hard to accomplish my goal. It was interesting how aggressive the fish are. Looking at the associated image you can see the 1/32 oz jig that I use along with the small curly tailed grubs. The one that is attached to the line is the actual one used to catch a bunch of fish. Either by storage age or simply when the different colored plastics were extruded, I've experienced a number of tail separations with this particular brand / type of soft plastic. Still while it does happen it sure didn't make a difference in the catching quality. I will mention tossing about the tail separated grub appeared to have less aerodynamic drag. It also settled in the water faster to get down to the bottom. At least that is my impression. Note also the worn color off the jig hook abraded from being in many fish jaws. A good thing! Here is another good thing since this is Bass Resource! Cheers to all the Bass Resource community members in promoting our sport and angling recreation. It is good to be "On-Line"! Be well, Cheers!

Greetings All, After traveling 260 miles today to go bass fishing, exploring a new place, I'm relaxing in the easy chair with my netbook looking at a few posts. Thinking about the number of fishing rods I own was a walk down memory lane. Yes, I've got way over 50 in my collection. This collection has spanned the over 50 years of angling experience. So the rods represent a tangible history book of my angling adventures. My collection of angling equipment is not fancy. Many of the pieces are low cost, budget, good value equipment. They suit my needs as I have appreciated functional while remaining within my limited budge during each period of my lifet. They are a chronological history of my angling pursuits. In my youth I needed rods that were very durable and could withstand being hauled about to the lakes, ponds, streams and rivers. Somehow they managed to withstand being hauled around strapped either on a backpack, on a bicycle, motorcycle, or in the trunk of a car. These days I prefer lighter weight equipment which allows me to feel less fatigued doing all that casting and catching. I am impressed how things have improved and how some things are still similar. I started with bamboo, then fiberglass rods, and then migrating to graphite fishing rods. Although I still find occasions to bring out the fiberglass poles and on special occasions I'll break out the old Orvis bamboo fly rod too. Yeah, that could be considered a lot of fishing rods but then again there have been many years of fishing adventures with time to build that collection and enjoy them. Be well, Cheers!

Greeting Glen, Thank You for sharing your personal story. We both have had a similar recent path in caring for a beloved adult relative and dealing with a serious personal medical concern. I'm glad we both made it through it all and continue with our lives. Your sage advice is helpful in addressing things early on to minimize risk. It is very important to be vigilant as there are more comfortable options when things are dealt with earlier. It is great you are able to share to benefit others. That is a key aspect of BassResource. Wishing you and family well through all this. Also to wishing you a great time on the water this season. Cheers!

Greetings! OK, since the thread topic is "inexpensive" spinning combos I'll share my recent experience, experiment. I was at Wal Mart and I happened across an interesting $10 Ozark Trail spinning combo. Initially I was only looking to use the split handled two piece 5.5 foot fishing rod. The reel is functional and is spooled with what I believe is six pound mono. The spool appears to be polymer and the drag is somewhat smooth. There are no clicks on the drag adjustment. Considering the availability and cost this is a good value as a functional low cost fishing rig. Ok full disclosure, I really just wanted to try out this $10 rig just to see what it could do. I typically use ultra lite angling rigs. So this is a bit of a departure from my typical fishing gear. I did use it on some Phoenix canal fishing as an initial test of this rig. It worked well for me to catch several five and six pound tilapia along with some large mouth bass. The large tilapia put the drag to a good test with long protracted surging runs. The line peeled out in a consistent and predictable way. I do miss not having drag click adjustments. So no big deal, just different for me. Now that I have used it on some larger fish I can say it works as intended. I'm happy I bought it and I'll use it when I'm seeking larger fish. It ought to work well with crank baits too as the reel is fairly smooth. Yeah, not bad for $10. Good luck in shopping. Looking forward to hear what you find. Be well, Cheers!

Greetings! My rudimentary recreational angling solution to complicated angling here in Southern AZ is simply using four pound mono for multi-species catching with ultra lite rigs. The variation is the choice between two budget friendly mono choices in either the Wally World bulk low cost Zebco mono in 4 lb or the BassPro CrappieMaxx in 4 lb mono. Both are exceptional value with reasonable performance. Both have demonstrated good performance on trout, catfish, large mouth bass, and various sunfish. I've used both lines successfully with small metal spoons, curly tailed grubs on jig heads, weighted / weightless worms, and small jerk baits. Yeah, nothing fancy or technique specific. It does produce results which is preferable. There have been some interesting responses to read through. I hope you're having as much fun reading as I have. Learning lots from the BR membership. Thanks to all for sharing. Cheers!

Greetings All and Welcome AZF, Howdy Neighbor! The AZ Game and Fish web site may be helpful as there is a good deal of information available there. Southern AZ has some interesting angling opportunities as does the rest of the state. AZ has a very wide range of angling environments to enjoy. Yes, trout and pike up in Northern AZ are thrilling. Currently there are still some good trout opportunities all about Southern AZ too. Due to the recent issues at our AZ trout hatcheries this year's stocking has been obtained from out of state sources thus some more premium sized trout (greater than 14 inch) are available. So go find some fun while the conditions permit as we are at the tail end of the stocking schedule. Just FYI, this past weekend was some awesome multi-species catching. The trout were willing to play along with large mouth bass and different sun fish. A good time! Oh also I recently had to run some errands up in Phoenix. After getting it all sorted there was a bit of time available for me to try some canal fishing. Something I'd wanted to try but didn't get an opportunity till just recently. Great fun tossing a simple curly tailed grub on a jig. Several five plus pound tilapia with a few large mouth bass for good measure. Not bad for just under a couple of hours of strolling and casting. A heck of way to test out a very easy on the budget $10 dollar Wally World spinning combo. Yeah, not my first choice but it was functional and it worked well through all that drag peeling fun. The experiment was a success. Spring has sprung and the fishing / catching is good! Cheers!

Greetings All, Through the decades of taunting fish I have managed to gather experience using different knots. I concur with those that prefer a doubled line passing through the hook to improve overall strength. Based on use and some casual testing I've settled on the doubled UNI knot. I principally use four pound mono so having a good knot is helpful. It needs to be strong and able to sustain high tension loads but also an occasional high shock load (like in the case when using dynamic lures). Personal preference also includes being able to tie the knot with a minimum of fuss in all angling conditions. Wind can make things interesting when tying knots. The MK knot was intriguing to me as it was pretty easy to tie. Again when I did some casual testing using the four pound mono it just didn't quite compare to the holding power of the doubled UNI. I compared both of them using three to five twists before finishing the cinch. So there you have my $0.02. Be well and cheers!

Greetings and Happy New Year! Since I'm angling from a kayak I occasionally use an anchor. I'll deploy it when I'm within a cast's distance from my intended focus area. I lower my 1.5 lb anchor smoothly to minimize disturbance and also to get an idea of the depth. Once I feel the anchor reach bottom, I'll add roughly 30% slack line so the small quad claws can do their thing down below. Even with that amount of anchor line slack I'm not too concerned with disturbing the focus area within casting range. I rarely vertical fish to where my target focus is where I"m hovering directly above. I initially had disturbance concerns as you have inquired about. Then during one of the summer time angling adventures I was angling in reasonably clear water near a dam with rip rap rocks. There were plenty of sunfish I could see holding near the rocks. I figured if I lowered the anchor it might scare and disturb the peace down there. Yeah, a couple of them darted as the anchor reached bottom generating a small dust cloud. Within seconds things returned back to what I saw prior. The first lowered jig got hammered so no harm no foul. I suggest an overall goal to improve angling success is basically to minimize disturbances. Depending on your angling goals, the significance of disturbing the peace may be a concern. Each environment is different when it comes to resilience so your mileage may vary. Smooth and easy has worked for me and mostly parallels my personal nature too. Best fishes to ya for the new year! Be well and cheers!

Merry New Year! That is a fantastic way to close out 2022. It has been quite the year of angling with substantial catching here in Southern Arizona. The fish, all of the available species, have been cooperative. I've got to parallel the thread theme. Recently the Arizona Game and Fish stocked one of the area lakes with robust sized trout. Usually they are in the 8 - 12 inch typical stocker size. Not this year! A great time on line! These trout are so aggressive they were hammering a weedless rigged three inch worm on my four pound mono ultra lite rig. It was a screaming drag session when taunting all these large trout. Best fishes to all! Cheers!

Seasons Greetings All, Sounds like you have had a good deal of shopping research put in already. I hope you are fully able to enjoy whatever you eventually select. I don't have a great deal of experience with a large sample glass rods. Similar experience scope with different graphite grades. I only have a couple of hybrid graphite / glass. Although I hope to try more some day. So I'm reading the responses in the thread for more information on the matter. The one area I assess the glass rods would have a potential advantage is durability. Obviously if you use them as intended each will flex and have a reasonable service life. Unfortunately life has those occasions to go outside of intended scope. Non angling shock loading or impacts affect the graphite rods more than fiberglass built ones. So all those times when transporting or "handling" them it is important to avoid damage. I don't believe that I'm abusive to my equipment as I'm simply a recreational angler so I tend to be reasonable when handling my gear. The only rods I've fractured have been graphite construction. I also notice with other anglers I fish with the trend is there too. I'm not sure as to why this is. It also may be that there are simply more graphite rods than the older maybe less popular fiberglass constructions. I will say when dealing with dynamic moving baits (cranking or working spoons) I appreciate the slower fiberglass response to better deal with shock loading. Much like when fly fishing too there are times where I'll use the slower glass vs the faster swinging graphite is helpful. Please update us on your choice. Looking forward to hearing more of the selection and your experience. Be well, and Cheers!

Seasons Greetings All! It is my understanding reel (like sewing machine) oil are basically mineral oil as a base. Very few additives. This is based on summary reviews of material safety sheets that are available. So unless exposed to harsh environments (temperature extreme or UV exposure) it would be reasonably stable. As for the label wearing or degrading, it is probably due to some level of diffusion of the oil through the polymer bottle. The mineral oil (petroleum distillate) can act like a solvent on the ink (paint). Best fishes to you for the Holiday Season. Be well, and Cheers!

Seasons Greetings! I would say different reels attached to any given rod will alter the feel of using that combination. It is possible to check where the static balance point is on a given combination as a guide or metric. I would also consider how the combo rotates during your casting motion. That is a bit more than just the hanging static balance point. I generally use what is considered as ultra lite fishing rigs so an overall lighter weight combo is helpful and preferred. The overall lighter weight of the combo does appear to improve sensitivity, my ability to detect slight disturbances better. I'm not dealing with more inertia of a heavier rig. I also find lower effort is needed to make casts / pitches. So conservation of energy, mine, applies. That improves the recreational aspect of angling. I have been experimenting comparing my fishing sessions using different sized reels with the same rod. I vary between 2500 sized spinning reels down to 500 series reels. The fish here in SE AZ can be managed using any of these reels so line capacity is not a factor for me. Casting ability and ease of use are important to me. The lighter weight, typically smaller reels are a better solution for me and my application. So yes, I find the lighter weight reel do affect a combo's handling qualities. I do encourage you to explore options. Hopefully you can find a tackle shop willing and able to help you. Just one of the reasons why I advocate for local retailers where I can. They are there to support you beyond many of the big box retailers. Best fishes to you for the Holiday Season. Happy shopping! Be well, and Cheers!

Season's Greeting! Use what you are comfortable with. Accuracy is associated with user proficiency not a virtue of particular equipment. Just like being able to cast using either hand, you can develop and refine that skill. Using different types of angling equipment is fun. It is much like different tools for different applications. Through the years I've developed reasonable accuracy using spinning reels, bait cast reels, spin cast reels, and the fish whip (fly fishing). So if you aspire to some level of accurate casting then some effort with practice is in order. As for feathering a cast depending on the reel type it may be a single or two handed approach. Examples: Feathering when using a bait cast reel can be accomplished using deliberate thumb resistance against the line or revolving spool. Feathering on a spinning reel can be accomplished using an extended index finger held close to the rim of the spool to moderate the line flowing off the spool. Alternately you can also use your non-support hand to gently cup about the spool too. This is the two hand approach I referenced. Use what works for you. I usually use the two handed method as my non-support hand is already there positioned to manually close the bail and add tension to the line prior to beginning the line retrieve. I must admit I get a good deal more of casting practice when compared to catching practice. I aspire to improve that ratio and bring them closer to parity. Best fishes for the Holidays. Be well, Cheers!

Season's Greetings! I have both a sit on top and sit in kayak. Both have different virtues and characteristics to understand and make use of. I started with the sit on top and eventually transitioned to a sit in. All my yaks are shorter than 10 feet so they are easily portable without fuss. I simply slide them into the back bed of the pickup truck, attach a safety flag, strap it down, and we go fish'in. One of the things that made me transition from a sit on top to a sit in was getting the soggy bottom syndrome (SBS). Yes, the freeboard is not helpful with the sit on top so waves generally greater than six inches are going to result in the SBS. Not a big deal if you are prepared or the weather is accommodating (warm weather months). It is a huge concern on larger waters as there are fewer wind breaks along with heavy boat traffic. You and gear need to be able to accommodate the SBS. Use of pedal drives also facilitate SBS as often the water comes coursing through the opening. You can see in some of the many YouTube videos of anglers using pedal drives with water flowing in an out of the yak deck. Which is why many of the chairs are suspended. I am fortunate to be able to angle and catch fish all year round here in SE AZ. So far the only concern using the sit in has been the water temperature. During the winter months the cold temperature eventually makes it through the hull and your legs and feet can feel the chill. A simple blanket helps with that. The sit in yak I have does have a graciously large opening so I don't feel confined getting in or out easily. The freeboard height is better too so you are able to accommodate more challenging waves and wind with less fuss. Recommend you do some research. I'm sure you'll be able to find something used within your budget. Be well, Cheers!

Good Day and Seasons Greeting! My tackle and rig don't change when I'm angling from the kayak. I will say my tactics get modified a lot when in the yak. It really depends on the type of angling I'm doing when in the yak. Most of the time I'm pretty much just drifting along and pitching to areas of opportunities along the bank or particular structure. So with that dynamic aspect a bit of movement is expected and tolerated. Usually if the yak is moving a bit a simple lift or sweep of the rod can also take up slack if you're not wanting to reel up quicker. There are those times when I'm anchored and movement is when the wind changes direction pivoting me about the anchor rope. So there can be a bit of shifting about to compensate. Alternative is to simply make a swipe with the paddle to change the yak's attitude. Usually not a big deal. Of course I would never want to restrict or inhibit someone from procuring equipment as a solutions after all isn't that what marketing is all about? I have found over the years I prefer simple elegant solutions that help me catch fish. Besides I do what I can not to have to carry too much "stuff" as I'm there to recreate. I'm not wanting to deal with a logistical burden. Enjoy all the Holidays! Be well! Cheers!

Seasons Greetings All, My principal goal as a recreational angler is to enjoy catch fish. Through the many decades of angling and taunting fish I've learned fish tend to strike frequently if you present an easy opportunity for them. Much like taunting pets with a toy if you move it too fast the interest is simply not there. Also learned through experience that the larger fish that I have been successful with have been on very slow moving soft plastic baits. Again learned from observing older pets they don't want too much of an effort involved. So presenting an easy target is also easy on the angler. Taking it easy on the water also means keeping the angling experience simple. I make sure the bait is in the water more time than not in the water. This applies when I'm shore fishing or using the kayak. I do what I can to spend more time with the bait in the water rather than moving about. Since I am the trolling motor, I subscribe to that conservation of energy theme and only engage that effort as needed. Based on the keep it simple theme, it applies for tackle too. Typically three rigs at the ready to address different regions of the water column, top, middle, and bottom. That way there is always a bait in the water unless I'm taking a break for lunch. I've just found I catch more fish working the baits slower, pretty much feeling for everything that is going on at the other end of the line. This has worked for the various fish species here in SE AZ (bass, bluegills, crappie, catfish, and trout.) So depending on your personal goals you can tailor your fishing style as you like. I happen to figure out I catch more fish by taking it a bit easier through four decades of learning and experimenting. I hope this helps. Wishing everyone well for the Holidays. Cheers!

Good Day and Seasons Greetings! Since I am a recreational angler I am usually following the theme of "conservation of energy", specifically mine. I prefer easier low effort angling destinations. Here in SE AZ there are limited angling venues so there is some amount of travel required to taunt fish. Pretty much all destinations require about an hour or so travel. Often more desirable destinations require more travel time. So adventure planning requires that travel consideration. We are fortunate there is pretty much year round angling opportunities. The cold weather months brings trout stocking to many of the regional lakes/ponds/streams. I do enjoy angling adventures in new destinations. Fun to explore! Wishing all well being for the Holidays! Cheers!

Good Day! I have experienced many of what you all have cited at various dealerships (some may have more colorful terms for those organizations). I will say that our local Toyota dealership has excelled in communication and professionalism. Throughout my over 30 years doing business with them I have purchased both new and used vehicles from them and always receive professional equitable conduct throughout in sales and service. During the sales portion, all statement are documented and clearly annotated for the transaction. They politely inform me they must present the following, at any time if I decline they will move on. They have been honest about that. They also make time to clear any confusion or issues along the way. They are not often the lowest price on service. They are the highest quality service. They have done that for Toyota products and other makes too. Our small town dealership does very well in treating customers with respect and honesty. I have compared my experiences with friends and family in some of the larger communities. The Toyota dealerships appear to make an effort to uphold professional values. It would be interesting to hear of other experiences if folks have found dealerships that are professional in conduct. Cheers!

Good Day! I have found a sweeping hookset assertively loads up the rod carefully without too much shock loading jeopardizing any part of the link. Through experience I found it helpful in successful catching regardless of equipment strength used. I'm typically using ultra lite gear but this also works equally well on stronger setups too. Also I find the sweep motion smoothly builds line tension, where I can gauge and regulate the tension applied. I can adjust between a lower resistant load or heavier load (say a larger fish or one that happens to be broadside to me when I respond). I also can sweep to hold that tension rather than bouncing the rod after a seriously intense slam. I will share that goofing off casting about the yard for practice. I've compared hook penetration with the two types of hooksets through examining snagged plants. I get good enough hook depth using the sweep with less risk to rod, line, and knot. BTW hopefully my wife won't know why there are so many poke marks in the plants. Cheers!

Good Day All, I am just an opportunistic angler that typically uses ultra lite rigs to simply catch more fish. Sharing my observations from angling here in Arizona. Many of the locations I fish in have very murky, stained, water. Usually within a foot you are not able to see your bait to provide some reference. Through several decades of angling I have concluded it is more about first getting the bait close to the fish without scaring them. Here it doesn't seem to make too much difference in the color. As an example I occasionally fish at several of the Tucson area parks with lakes using two identical fishing rigs the only difference is the color of the bait. During the spring and early summer I used four inch stick type weedless worms in red and green. Both caught fish easily at roughly the same rate. It seemed more important to simply get the bait near the fish and let them have a go at it. Then I switched things up to use the same two rigs only one still had the four inch stick worm. The oher I changed to a three inch worm. Now there was a significant difference registered on several angling adventures. It was easy to see I was catching way more fish using the three in worm compared to the few caught with the four inch worm. I also did trips where I would try five inch worms too. Very little success catching. Great success in casting practice though. These days I typically keep my baits at three inches or less to be successful at the various lakes. Same trend appears to be for hard baits too. Generally I catch more on the smaller baits. I am referring to multi-species not just large mouth bass. Just to clarify I do catch fish with the larger baits, just not at the higher numbers when using the three inch or smaller baits. There just appears to be a size factor in the willingness of fish here to strike the smaller baits. I don't believe it has to do with matching something they are foraging on. I suspect it may be simply a good sized morsel presented near them to have a go at. I hope this helps in some way. Good luck angling. Cheers!

Good Day! I just want to establish I am simply a recreational angler. So my goal is to simply enjoy catching fish. When angling on my kayak, I will typically have three fishing rigs on board. All are ultra lite rigs on four pound mono (spinning and spincast). - Small sub 2 inch curly tailed grub on a 1/32 oz jig. - Weedless four inch or smaller soft plastic worm. Depending on wind conditions, lightly weighted or weightless. - Small 2 inch top water plug. Usually the soft plastic baits only get changed once they are no longer usable (won't stay on). When angling from shore then I'll simplify by only using the first two rigs or just the first rig. Since those baits produce rather well all across Arizona, I'm not compelled to change it up. Keeping it simple and easy has worked rather well for me. I also find it keeps the bait monkey at bay too. Low cost, very durable, consistently productive in catching fish (multiple species). So no, I don't change up baits very often. Having saying all that there is the exception during the cold weather months, trout season in AZ, where I'll swap out the small top water plug for something like a small Z-Ray or Kastmaster (chrome / silver, or gold). I typically start and end the fishing adventures with the same baits tied on. Using the ultra lite gear the baits don't take too much of a beating since I'm not resisting aggressively. You really can't apply too much leverage without disappointment. So you sort of hookup and hope for the best. Additionally I've found over the years fish tend to match your input intensity. So by taking it in a more relaxed fashion they tend to play out where I can ease them back to me. Note: Still plenty of drama even with relaxed resistance. Good Luck and enjoy the Fall Fishing Fun! Cheers!

Good Day! The weather here in Southern Arizona lately has a definite fall feel to it. We are grateful for the recent rains. The local lake, just slightly over 100 acres, is still at full pool. So angling, catching, along all the newly flooded areas has been so fun. Yes, the cooler temperatures has shifted the number of folks on the water down a few notches. Also the pace of those on the water has slowed down too. Good to see more folks enjoying the paddle boards, canoes, and kayaks. Much less wake and more peaceful too. Yes, very fortunate here to enjoy year round angling. Although we do have bouts of tough weather with the high winds associated to the low pressure systems moving across. It sure makes for some interesting casting! The main threat is the lightning. Example was this past holiday weekend. I was out enjoying the morning on the water taunting fish. I had checked the weather forecast prior to departure. It did mention storms likely at about 2pm. Yup, 1:45 pm just as I was casting and catching like a madman. BABOOM! This little cloud formed and turned dark in the last fifteen minutes, it generated a massive lighting bolt. For those of you old enough to remember the opening scene to the original Hawaii Five O where you see the fellas in the ocean canoes paddling with great vigor. Yes, me in my kayak seeking safe harbor. Oh and the catching was sooo good too! Not good enough to be put in danger. There will be another opportunity, hopefully soon to go taunt fish while the fall fun is going on. I've lived in much colder areas before. I am grateful to be here comfortably in the high desert. Cheers!

Good Day! I have over many years purchased several spools of the BassPro Crappie Maxx in 4 pound mono. Interesting line for sure. It has virtues of being strong with a small overall diameter when compared to other 4 pound mono. It is rather stiff, not to the point of not being usable. It works reasonably well for some applications. I've used it on both spinning reels and spin cast reels with reasonable results. Due to the stiff quality you do have to be diligent not to twist it up too much when spooling it on. It does relax some with exposure to water and heat (angling here in Arizona there is plenty of heat). I have not looked at where it was manufactured. I have used it for over 10 years and they have been fairly consistent. I don't use a lot of this line but I do use it. I posted a 5 pound large mouth bass I recently caught in the recent catches thread. That bass was caught using this 4 pound BassPro Crappie Maxx spooled on a Zebco 33 Micro. It was tough enough to hold that beast as it thrashed about in the tree limbs and then later going and holding in deep water till it fatigued. It can come together nicely as a complete successful package (angler, rod, reel, line, bait, and a well tied knot). Good angling! Cheers!