Jeff H

Gettin' cold up here now, quit fishin' awhile ago but this is still an easy question. Today, tomorrow, last summer or next....my favorite lure is a Black/green flake skirt on a 1/2 oz GMAN Poison Tail jig with either a Jet Black or Junebug/blue claw Producto Craw. I could catch fish on that jig this weekend with a switch to #11 pig in Moss Green doused in BANG crawdad....as long as we don't build too much ice. I have NEVER fished bass in November here in MN, but I'd bank it all on a jig right now. No pops or hops, just little twitches and dead stick it for 15 minutes.

Yup, be careful. If you have no idea what you are doing, either start reading a tech manual or take it in. If you choose to read up on the subject be d**n sure you understand what you read. You don't want to chunk your powerhead and get hit with a $3000+ repair bill in the name of experimentation.

I really like the Shimano Crucials. Excellent rod for the price. I don't have the drop shot model, but I do have the CRCX66M and use it primarily for my trap rod. My last time out I used it for throwing a weightless 5 3/4" Fin S Fish and that worked really well. Great rod!! If I was you I'd go with the CRC66MH instead for what you plan to use it for. I also have a Loomis GL3 and I don't think it's quite as sensitive as my Crucials are.

You would probably get more attention if you start your own subject. Add some details like what type of rod (spinning or casting) and what you'd like to use it for (all around, jig/worm, etc). You can get some very decent rods in the $75-$100 range.

Shimano Crucial (some models are $119.99) or Compre. My $129.99 Crucial is more sensitive then my $185 GL3 and that DID impress me. I like my Shimano rods!

Yes, you are right about that. If the name Garland comes up in fishing circles, Bobby is the name people remember from back in the day. In fact, when I typed out my first response in this thread, I had to go back and edit Bobby out and put Gary in because I put Bobby's name in there first and I know Gary controls Canyon now. Anyway, it's not a big deal I guess and it's cool some people still remember Bobby Garland and what he brought the finesse fisherman. It just seems like nobody makes a spider jig like they used to. Anyone remember Manns attempt at a Spider Jig? They were a little different but I actually liked them and did well with them. I just can't remember what they called it now. I have 1 left and I'm sure it will be gone next year.

Did I say Gary "invented" the spider jig? : I said I thought he had control of the term "gitzit". I never said he invented anything. I could be wrong but I thought "Gitzit" or "Fat Gitzit" was trademarked and belonged to Canyon.

My local Sportsman's Warehouse, Cabela's and Gander have not had Avids on sale yet as far as I know. I've looked each time I've been in them in the last few weeks.

I have some of the GYCB hula's and they are fine, but I want more "skirt" to them, or at least longer "tentacles". If they were just 1/4" longer I'd not have to keep looking.

Nice.

I want opinions from Cumara owners or maybe some who know Cumara owners and what they say about these rods. This looks like a nice stick for $200. This thing has got to be comparable to a Loomis IMX and yet a bit cheaper. My reason for wanting one is half stupidity and half necessary. Stupid because I just want to own one of Shimano's best rods and compare it to my Crucials. The necessity is arthritis in my wrists and hands and I've found lighter equipment helps a bunch, especially in longer rods. Lightweight, short rods make a BIG difference but I don't pitch jigs with a 6' rod so I want to experience the lightest they have. I don't think I could do better for my $200. If you think I can, throw it in here. I know this could be a stretch since they are relatively new and may not even be available at a lot of places yet, but if you own one, let me know what you think of it.

If they did THAT, they'd have to ban everybody because opinions are the only thing flowing around here.

http://www.canyon-plastics.com/ Could be these. The name Gitzit belongs to Gary Garland and Canyon Plastics as far as I know. Look at the menu on the left "rigged spider jigs" click that and it will take you there. Canyon offers spiders skirts and twin tail grubs, pretty much the same thing as a GYCB hula grub but a bit more skirt involved. I'm planning on this kind of setup on some of GMAN's 1/8 oz finesse heads for next spring, and yes, these types of jig's(spider) can be awesome in the right circumstance!

Visit the hardware store and get a length of pvc tubing in diameter and length desired and a couple end caps.

Some people don't need big speed. I can be happy going 40 mph as long as I have a roomy fishing platform. However, I'd buy a used boat with a 150 on it before I'd buy a 186 XT. With 25-30,000 to blow on a boat, I could find something I like really easy on the used market that would cover everything the XT offers and PLENTY more.

Bill Dance IS terrible about this!! Geez...I swear he's trying his best to bust their lower jaw right off their head the way he handles them.

I've had a GL3, a Premier and a Cabela's Fish Eagle II....all do this same thing. Not the noise, but loosen up on me through the course of a day. It's not just a St. Croix thing, and mine were not dirty. They all only did this once and it was when they were new and on their maiden voyage, after a "re-torque" they have never come loose again.

Hannon mentions the yellow factor in his book "Big Bass Magic" and he was talking about lures, not line.

Naw....heck, thats an 8lb'er ya got there.

Skill, practice, experience does have something to do with it, it comes with time... Whatever gets the job done for YOU is what you go with. The fish don't care how it gets there or what is taking it in. If you feel more comfortable throwing a specific bait/lure with spinning equipment, just do it.

Well, if this doesn't make your day (and I mean everyone who views it) then nothing will. Thats a happy young man right there!! You can just see where the future is going in this father/son relationship. Perfect!! If he's anything like my 5 yr old he'll be "high" for 48 hrs over that....LOL

You could "test" the lure your whole life....

I just counted mine....I have 11-400's and 10- 200's. Only 2 of the 400's have cracking finish on them at this point. All were bought in the 90's. I will admit that I don't use them much, but only because I don't crank very much. I usually put on one of the 400's when I go deep though. One reason I like them so much is they don't have rattles. I have not caught much on rattling cranks. When I'm fishing deep, I usually can't get a crank down that far (18-22'). and there is too many weeds to contend with.

Would Vaseline be as ok as a reel grease? Whatever crap they put in them from the factory is not very good stuff, I know that. That stuff is like wax.

Finesse Fishing. Light line, small baits etc. I grew up on a very clear lake that has a very respectable population of largemouth and a minority number of smallies. I was lucky to have the time and ability (clear water) to study these fish as they reacted to these kinds of presentations. As a process, it just went very well for me. Until Finesse became more widely accepted, I was considered a "kook" for my "sissy" fishing.