Just got my “last” two orders in to allow me to give BFS fishing a try this year. I love the feel of this reel, and I must say I’m truly impressed with the quality of some of these little BFS lures. 

well this is a busy page during winter. 

 

I've been adding some lures - these are all handmade wood lures from Japan for bass.  The Heddon Zaragossas are made by Smith, along with the Hutley's Mercury.  Mostly topwater, the propeller lure is Haneda Craft Barrel II. 

The tiny lures, also wood, are for limestone creek endemic bass (Texas brook trout) on my finesse 1500C and Troutia rod.  The Lure Rep on the left floats, the Ito Craft Bowie and smaller Lure Rep both sink - small trebles will get single plug hooks. 

 

These are salt lures, two topwaters on top, everything else sinks with the exception of the Blazeye Evoroots in the lower right, which is a neutral-density wakebait.  Imitating glass minnows, shrimp, and mullet from fall into big winter mullet. The top two are Tackle House K-Ten lipless minnows. 

The Duo Toto come with salt trebles, the Duo Spearhead will get salt plug singles. 

I wish you could see the color of the Ima B-Ta on the lower left.  It's blue on top, fading to purple through halfway, also dark on bottom, and it's translucent purple - very mullet-looking sheen. 

2 hours ago, nhpleasantlakebass said:

I get tons of bites on the dark sleeper, but only land maybe 10%. What are you throwing them on for a rod. 

MH/XF jig rod with 40lb braid to 15lb FC leader. 

1 hour ago, Oklahoma Mike said:

MH/XF jig rod with 40lb braid to 15lb FC leader. 

I was using a M/F. I’ll step it up and see how it goes thanks. 

19 minutes ago, nhpleasantlakebass said:

I was using a M/F. I’ll step it up and see how it goes thanks. 

I use a MH/F

3 hours ago, bulldog1935 said:

well this is a busy page during winter. 

 

Isn't this the truth. My friends and family always ask me "what do you do to get you thru the winter months?" (frozen lakes up here). I answer "buy fishing stuff."  

11 hours ago, nhpleasantlakebass said:

I was using a M/F. I’ll step it up and see how it goes thanks. 

Dark sleeper rod is supreme for those (go figure) so I would look at specs and try and match it as close as you can. A jig rod is not really ideal as the hooks are on the smaller size compared to jigs but preference varies

6 cloud 9c15 deep diver crankbaits 

1 Norman dd22 crank

2 strike king hybrid hunters

1 pack speedworm in junebug 

1 pack max scent tubes watermelon red 

1 pack chompers in rootbeer green

1 pack swing impact fat keitech in bluegill flash

1 pack of owner beast hooks 6/0 weighted 1/4 oz.

I have hobbies other than fishing and I see people succumb to the FOMO effect, and I just smile to myself because I'm more measured and restrained than them.

 

"The mind recoils in horror, unable to communicate with the spinal column, which is interesting because you can see yourself behaving in this terrible way but you can't control it." - Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

 

I dutifully bought my TW gift card at a 10% discount to set me up for tackle purchases over the year. I stocked up during the black Friday sale so I should be set for a while. Then, I got a 20% off code from TW. Then I heard about Megabass price increases - snapped up a Levante. And Shimano price increases - snapped up a Metanium. I convinced myself that I could actually slim down my rod collection by buying a G. Loomis MBR. Is it spring yet?

 

 

Won a pack of Rico blems and had to come up with a few things to get that free shipping. Pretty happy with the colors I got on the Ricos

1 hour ago, jimanchower said:

I have hobbies other than fishing and I see people succumb to the FOMO effect, and I just smile to myself because I'm more measured and restrained than them.

 

"The mind recoils in horror, unable to communicate with the spinal column, which is interesting because you can see yourself behaving in this terrible way but you can't control it." - Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

 

I dutifully bought my TW gift card at a 10% discount to set me up for tackle purchases over the year. I stocked up during the black Friday sale so I should be set for a while. Then, I got a 20% off code from TW. Then I heard about Megabass price increases - snapped up a Levante. And Shimano price increases - snapped up a Metanium. I convinced myself that I could actually slim down my rod collection by buying a G. Loomis MBR. Is it spring yet?

 

 

Did you order the Met from TW with the 20% off Rico blem consolation prize coupon?  

57 minutes ago, RichF said:

Did you order the Met from TW with the 20% off Rico blem consolation prize coupon?  

 

 

Unfortunately not. I even reached out to them to ask if Shimano would be discounted after the fact and got a "sorry, but no."

50 minutes ago, jimanchower said:

 

 

Unfortunately not. I even reached out to them to ask if Shimano would be discounted after the fact and got a "sorry, but no."

Dang it! They're like the only brand that is excluded from that coupon! Daiwa and St. Croix even accept the discount! Thanks for the reply brother.

23 minutes ago, RichF said:

Dang it! They're like the only brand that is excluded from that coupon! Daiwa and St. Croix even accept the discount! Thanks for the reply brother.

I got a nope on Megabass too.

47 minutes ago, PotatoLake said:

I got a nope on Megabass too.

Megabass discounts for me when I put it in the cart. Rods included. 

thank you tackle supply depot going out of business sale. $15.99 a pop

 

30 minutes ago, infamouz23 said:

Megabass discounts for me when I put it in the cart. Rods included. 

Shoot that’s weird. No discount on spark shads in my cart. What gives? Ah. After double check, my eyes deceive me. They’re discounted. Carry on, I’m wrong. Order all the megabass folks!

Here is the latest pick up....

 

I really like the Levante. I have not fished it yet but what a nicely made rod.  I also picked up 5 packs of Ned rigs heads, drop shot weights and hooks,  a new rod rack and some spark shads.  It was a busy week for the monkey.

 

 

 

 

 

4 minutes ago, FishTank said:

 

I really like the Levante. I have not fished it yet but what a nicely made rod. 

 

Which model did you get?

 

I have the Jerkbait Special. It's a really nice rod. My only gripe is I don't like how short the trigger is. Definitely shorter compared to all my other casting rods. I feel I don't have as much grip and control with the rod as I do others. I normally have the trigger between my pinky and ring finger.

 

I'm curious if other models in the lineup have the shorter triggers as well. Of course it may not bother others. All depends how you hold it I guess. 

8 hours ago, NorthernBasser said:

Which model did you get?

 

I have the Jerkbait Special. It's a really nice rod. My only gripe is I don't like how short the trigger is. Definitely shorter compared to all my other casting rods. I feel I don't have as much grip and control with the rod as I do others. I normally have the trigger between my pinky and ring finger.

 

I'm curious if other models in the lineup have the shorter triggers as well. Of course it may not bother others. All depends how you hold it I guess. 

 

It's the jerkbait special as well. I haven't really noticed the shorter trigger.  Definitely a nice rod for the money. We will see how it fishes when it warms up.

8 hours ago, NorthernBasser said:

Which model did you get?

 

I have the Jerkbait Special. It's a really nice rod. My only gripe is I don't like how short the trigger is. Definitely shorter compared to all my other casting rods. I feel I don't have as much grip and control with the rod as I do others. I normally have the trigger between my pinky and ring finger.

 

I'm curious if other models in the lineup have the shorter triggers as well. Of course it may not bother others. All depends how you hold it I guess. 

I have the Braillist and and it also has the short trigger.  Also my only gripe about the rod...that is...until they jacked up the price.

Lone star special and another REVO Winch. The winch is now on my 7' heavy iRod.

10 hours ago, RichF said:

I have the Braillist and and it also has the short trigger.  Also my only gripe about the rod

Thats my only complaint about the megabass casting rods. The short trigger is not comfortable to me. I dont feel like i have as much control over the rod, especially on hooksets.

Therefore I  no longer own any of their casting models

My Dobyns Champ 766 flip boom boom showed up today.. Champ 765 2 weeks ago..  Scratching my head on reels .. thinking about giving these new Okuma Hakai reels a try.. Should be in next month according to TW.. 

14 hours ago, TcRoc said:

My Dobyns Champ 766 flip boom boom showed up today.. Champ 765 2 weeks ago..  Scratching my head on reels .. thinking about giving these new Okuma Hakai reels a try.. Should be in next month according to TW.. 

I agree on trying that Hakai.  I might try the standard and the pitch/flip.  I hope they are as good as I think they will be.  I love my really old Okuma Helios.  I bought it when it first came out and it has been used hard as a frogging reel and never missed a beat.  It is still as good as it was the first day I tried it.  Not much maintenance on it either.