KevO

I have never used the drop shot technique before but I would like to add it to my arsenal this year. So I have a few questions. What is the correct way to rig it? Do I use a 3 way swivel? or some kind of special knot? What kind of weights do I use? Bell sinker or something else? What size do you recommend? 1/8, 1/4, 1/2 oz? What kind of line should I use Flouro, Mono, or Braid? What baits should I use? Senkos, lizards, flukes? I think thats all for now... If I'm missing somethings please feel free to fill me in.

Checked mine out yesterday they had a few things that caught my eye. I picked up a couple packs of kinami Flashs' chartruese shad color and some gamagatsu ewg hook. Other than those items they didn't have much that interested me. I looked for some line but there was none to be had.

January 28th on a day that the weather man said would be sunny and 60* in Nashville, but turned out to be cloudy and down right frigid.

Thanks for the help. I guess its time to change out the line since I actually went 6 times in january.

I am using mono right now. Once I finish off this spool I am going to give the Yozuri Hybrid Ultra soft a shot on my spinning reel. I have never used flouro before, whats a good brand?

How many times a year would you recommend changing line on your reels if you fish once or twice a week?

I was throwing jerkbaits yesterday without any luck but I was using a spinning reel (stradic 2500) with 8# sufix elite. I got plenty of distance on casts without much effort and my arm felt fine. I suggest you make the switch.

I fish for fun a lot... I am wanting to get into a club and fish tournaments though. Just to see what its really like.

I have a 12' pelican jon boat, and it is pretty stable. I always stand up when fishing and have never had any problems. Other than getting blown around on windy days. I would however recommend getting an aluminum boat, they will last a lot longer. I don't think I had my boat more than 2 months and the inside wall had cracked. It still floats fine because the outside is still in-tact, but it makes me a little nervous fishing around rocks and or running over some submerged cover by accident. But the price was right and it has served me well for the last couple years, now that I am graduated from college and have a real job its time to upgrade.

I fish Percy priest in Nashville, the harpeth river in Franklin, and Williamsport WMA around Columbia. There aren't any smallmouth at Williamsport, but it is a great place to go if your fishing from the bank. They also rent boats for $8.

I would stick with the spinning reel if you are fishing for trout and crappie. You will be able to cast those lighter lures with the spinning gear.

nice fish... Red shad is my favorite worm color

I have a shimano cardiff 200a, but they make a 400 series for stripers, muskie, pike or light saltwater use. I've only had this reel for a little while, but I love it. The drag is very smooth and the price ain't bad either. 200 = $99, 400 = 109 at basspro.com

I have both on my reels right now. I prefer elite on my spinning reel, because it casts the smaller, lighter lures better. I use seige on my baitcasters cause its tougher and more abrasion resistant, but it also casts very well.

X2... Sufix is good stuff. welcome aboard too. nice name ....

yeah, it works great. I took the stradic out today to the neighborhood pond and hung a nice 4.5lb lmb on a clown color husky jerk. I think its gonna be a good year. Now if only I could find my camera...

Here in Nashville we have the Tenn Fishing expo and the Nashville boat and sport show. I went to the fishing expo for the first time in years, and it was pretty much exactly how you described yours. There were only a few fishing booths and none of them had what I was looking for either. And I was also out of there in an hour. Didn't make it to the Nashville boat show but I wasn't expecting it to be much better.

Rattle Trap is my go to bait in the wind.

So I bought a new Stradic 2500FI and a Cardiff 200a and they just got delivered saturday night. It rained sunday So I couldnt test them out, but I had a few hours free today to try 'em out. I went the golf course pond near my house, I wasn't really expecting to catch anything, since it was 40* and the water was just as cold. I just wanted to get a feel for the new reels. After about an hour I had the reels tweeked and working properly. I started out throwing a black/blue jig on the baitcaster and a t-rig senko on the stradic, with no luck. Then I decided to try a rat-l-trap since it was kinda windy, and 15 min later I had my first bass of the year, 14in 1.4lb lmb and then about 15min later I had my first keeper a 15in 2.0lb lmb. Unfortunately, he inhaled my trap and he got it bad in the gills. He was bleeding really bad but he swam off. I hope he makes but who knows.

Well I bought the rod today at Dick's, it's a St. Croix Premier 7'0 med fast #PS70MF. Now if my stradic would just come I would be set. I can't wait to give it a try. I also bought a shimano cardiff 300a but I am not as excited about that reel.

I went to the fishing expo in Nashville last weekend and was very dissapointed. I was hoping to find a good deal on shimano reels and there wasn't even one booth that had any. In fact there were only like 15 booths and the rest was all boats. I thought it was a waste of $6 (entry fee) and $20 gas. I am planning on going to the Nashville boat show this weekend, hopefully it will be a better show.

Hey guys thanks for the advice. I am really just looking for an all purpose rod to throw soft plastics, small jigs, maybe some small topwater.

I would have to say no also. I was going to buy one but I asked first here and was told to buy an avid or premier rather than a triumph because they are not as well made.

So I just ordered one this afternoon off Ebay, now all I need is a rod to go with it. I am looking to spend about $100 maybe a little more. I would like a St. Croix but I am open to suggestions...

I just bought a shimano stradic 2500FI today on ebay for $135. I know its a little out of your price range but it is really nice. I can't wait for it to get here. I couldnt find any stradic 2500FH online but I did find the new Saros for about $100 online. The symetre is also a good deal at $79 retail.