ElGuapo928

Why yes I do, Jefe!!

Sometimes the old rubber skirts are money. I’ve seen fish absolutely hammer the old school H&H spinnerbaits and completely ignore the modern ones. Just a subtle difference in action.

I think they can see pretty much everything except the top/back depending on their distance. That said, I go for darker colors at night, lighter in the day. When it’s really glassy, I go for more translucent. As far as wild colors go, during the Color-C-Lector approved baits phase in the 80’s, I remember my uncle flat cleaning our clocks with a fluorescent orange Zara Spook.

Glad you came out of it relatively unscathed.

I agree, this would be beneficial.

I too wish I was that organized. Have a “man room” as my wife has named it, a shed, and a boat in varying degrees of disarray. Then there’s the loose stuff in the truck, the garage, and the spinnerbait hanging from the tree in the front yard.

My Mustang has gone off by itself twice from humidity in the locker on the boat. Finally got smart and keep a couple rearm kits on hand.

I like 1/8 and 3/16, I don’t think I own anything heavier.

Not the same model, but we added handles to my neighbor’s little Sea King 12 footer. He found some really nice stainless grab handles from McMaster Carr, and we drilled and mounted with 1/4-20 stainless steel hardware. Use a good sharp twist drill (do NOT under any circumstances use the ones with the built in pilot - they will mangle the plastic) and add a dab of silicone to the holes before pushing the bolts through and you shouldn’t have any problems. Use stainless fender washers on the “interior” side of the transom and a dab of antisieze and you should be golden.

Generally Columbia PFG “Terminal Tackle” shirts, either Columbia shorts or the off brand water shorts from Scheel’s, a Huk boonie hat, sun gloves (currently Kastkings) and flip flops. I do have an oversized straw cowboy hat that I will wear when fishing long days (or just to irritate the Mrs when we’re at the river).

I wouldn’t go beyond 14 lb on a casting reel, as stated above 12 is better for general purpose. I wouldn’t put straight fluorocarbon on a spinning reel, that’s usually just an invitation to stress and anxiety. Better off with braid and a fluoro leader. I personally use 10 lb braid and an 8lb leader on my spinning rods.

I bought my first Black Max based on it being the only baitcaster Walmart had at the time. Turned out that I really liked it, and it was a good price, so I bought a couple more, then a couple more came along. Time passed, and they still work great…..might be fun to upgrade the oldest of the bunch, so I did. I’ve never had another baitcaster that made it this long with just basic maintenance, including far more expensive ones. To me that’s a win, and worthy of recommendation.

I’d keep the Daiwa if I could only keep one. Lews seems to have the least consistent QC of all the Doyo built reels, so I wouldn’t want to have one as my only reel.

I run mostly 6’6” and 7’ rods, but I still carry a 6’ spinning rod and a couple 5’6” casting rods for tight quarters and precision casts. I have found that when the fish are really negative or pressured, the finer wrist based movements of the short rod can be a real advantage. I always have one with a “finesse” Texas rig on it in the locker as my “panic” rod.

I too lean toward a faster tip for lipless baits, being able to snap it out of the grass and brush is vital. I’m convinced that some baits will reach out and hook any cover that they get within a foot of (I’m looking at you, LV500).

If I were committing to one bait, I’d go with a 4” reaper. Texas rigged, splitshot, dropshot, darter head, pitched weightless into the weeds…..the possibilities are endless.

I’ve got a couple Black Max 3’s still in the regular rotation, and a Black Max 2 with upgraded bearings and drag washers (Even lives on a late 90’s Berkley Lightning Rod). Not many reels that can compare for less than $150.

This is very true!! I’ve come near falling out of the boat a couple times when they do that!

I keep going all the way to the boat. Baits get hit by followers right at the boat more often than you would think.

I’ve been launching at 3:00 AM and going back on the trailer by 10:00 AM for the last month or so. We don’t have the humidity, but 105 is still hot enough for me to become nocturnal. We fished a Tuesday nighter a couple weeks ago and it was still 102 at 9:00.

I forgot to add that when all else fails, dragging a 4” straight tail worm on a splitshot rig can put a few in the bag.

Good review! I might get some to try splitshotting in place of my normal Zipper (Especially since GSM appears to have killed the Robozipper).

Generally in the mid summer, I assume that they are keying on threadfin and start there. I’ll usually start with a spinnerbait, then do some targeted casts with a topwater. If neither is getting any attention, I go to a lipless crank, and see if I get hits or followers. Once that slows down, I switch to a free rigged Zipper worm or a Tiny Fluke on a dropshot. Most of the time I find myself alternating between the spinnerbait and dropshot.

I use a 7’ MH Fast for all of the above, I recently picked up a BPS Tourney Special that I absolutely love for slinging lipless and shallower cranks on. The tip loading on this thing is amazing - can put a 1/2 oz Rat-L-Trap into orbit with it, and holds its own in the fight. I have a BPS Formula on it spooled with 14lb Izorline Platinum and wouldnt change a thing.

I had one, built on the same architecture as the older Black Max. It worked pretty good the couple of times I used it, but I can’t give you much idea for long term quality, since mine is currently under about 50’ of water. (Along with a BPS Crankin Stick and either a DB3 or DD22).