ElGuapo928

This^^^ Buzzbaits have always been more of a bigger fish bait for me than a numbers bait. I’ve had the same phenomenon with a Plopper/Choppo this year as well.

Pork was far superior, especially flipping the shallows. I think the subtle, natural action is the key. Though the new ones aren’t quite the quality of old, I’ve just about reached the end of my hoard and had to switch. Still better than plastic by a long shot.

Normally during the summer algae blooms I’ll switch to darker colors to increase the silhouette somewhat. Usually around here when the blooms are happening, the fish move out toward deeper ledges or start getting really tight into the brush.

Another good point, 4 carrier tends to be a headache. It may serve to tie something heavy on, and work on casting with just your wrist. Gradually start working the elbow in, and keep your shoulder still.

Okay, that makes sense. Braid’s limpness makes it prone to wind knots coming back at you, especially if it gets some slack in it, or are using really light baits. Also if the spool is overfilled it will have some blowouts. How close is it filled to the edge of the spool?

I’d get a can of Weldwood Contact Cement for that repair. It’s not as finicky about the old glue on the backing as some other adhesives.

What kind of line do you have on your spinning reel? Usually if spinning reels are getting a nest, something is wrong with the line itself, or the way it’s spooling.

I strictly do a sweep set. When I was in my 20’s, I got to ride from the ramp at Havasu to the ER with a Wiggle Wart embedded in my forehead. This represented the end of my hard hooksets.

To the best of my knowledge there hasn’t been anything official released yet - just the usual rumors and innuendo. I’m relatively certain that once something official drops, YouTube will be in flames.

It’s coming!! All I did this weekend was dropshot!!!

I’ve started tinkering with some custom painting. I figure if I can’t get the colors I want, I’ll do it myself. Not too crazy about the Amazon blanks I bought, but they’ve been good practice pieces.

When confronted with a front, I start thinking “slow”. Slow rolling a spinnerbait is the fastest I will go, basically deadsticking a floating jerkbait is effective as well. My mainstays though are dragging a hula grub on a football head around the nearest cover, or switch over to the dropshot, with a short dropper and a reaper or 3”-4” worm. Again, basically just drag it. If you can get your hands on them, a purple or black/yellow Westy worm are absolute killers on post frontal fish.

Honestly, if you like the Trilene and its handling, stay with it. No sense in screwing your own rhythms up by switching to an unfamiliar line unless that is your goal and/or a necessity. Hell, I should be giving the XL a chance, as my boat was in a Phoenix market Trilene commercial in 1989.

I wipe mine down with a damp rag (bottled drinking water on a microfiber) before putting them away. I’ve started hitting them with the rag after wiping the boat down (Lucas Marine Speed Wax), and they’ve been staying remarkably cleaner.

I usually hit mine with a shot of PTFE (Teflon) dry lube. Doesn’t collect dirt and dust, and maintains a pretty good lubricant film.

Just the tolerances in the reel changing the lash in the gear train. You could spend hours with a set of shims and theoretically get perfect lash and root clearances, or just go to a thicker/thinner lubricant and call it good. There’s not a reel on the market I am aware of that is entirely helical gears, so you’re going to have some geariness from the straight cut sets. Keep them clean and oiled, that’s the most important thing.

I personally use Izorline XXX for chatters, in the 14lb flavor. McCoy, Maxima, Sufix and Gamma are solid choices in copoly/mono as well.

Try Bass Pro reel repair - (417) 873-5274. They have an extensive selection of parts, and have had a few long discontinued odds and ends I’ve needed.

No reason at all to change there. The difference in mono and fluoro for hookset is going to be so minimal that you wouldn’t really notice it (unless you are buying some REALLY bad mono). To be perfectly honest, I like a little slower tip for a bladed jig than conventional wisdom dictates. I’ve had much better numbers on a “reel/sweep” hookset than I have trying to cross their eyes.

A friend of mine is on the pro staff for an “up and coming” bait manufacturer (translation: Temu quality plastics with a cool label), and he has gotten to the point that he will claim he caught the fish on the whatever the name is stick bait, with a 10XD plainly hanging out of the fish’s mouth.

I think I’ve still got a couple. They were nice for deep water, but just not as good for vertical/yo-yo presentations as the Red Eye and some of the JDM lipless baits.

I think Chinese made traps started around the COVID era. My guess would be within about 30 minutes of GSM’s involvement. I’ve only had one Chinese one, and it wasn’t noticeably different in action and quality than a later USA made, but I haven’t bought any since that one.

They had a color/pattern like you’re describing called “caterpillar” or something like that. Hope that helps some. this along the line?

Most of the time I burn a spinnerbait is when the water is in the mid 70’s to low 80’s - I’ll burn it every third cast or so when they’re in the mood to chase. Works best in clear to somewhat stained water. I like a 3/8 oz double willow for burning, they seem to track best. As far as line goes, I absolutely hate braid on a spinnerbait. The knot travels on spinnerbaits worse than any other line, and fouls worse than mono or fluoro. I prefer a copolymer/mono for shock absorption.

I’ve seen this, mainly with rods. I’ve even seen a Ranger wrap put on a borrowed Nitro.