bigpoppabass

Can I have em? I Have had the opposite experience with em. Try using a heavier back hook so that those baits rise diagonally to the surface like a sunfish popping some bugs. Figure that out and you got a couple of unicorns on your hands.

I wouldn't mess with a long knot and just tie a shock leader that doesn't come thru the line guides.

If you are referring to a matts hardgill, 17 or 20 will be fine. You might want to check if there is an issue with how it twitches and sits. I haven't caught many fish on the straight retrieve using this bait. If Matt were smart he would design one that sits head upwards in a bug eating posture. Some can be tweaked to do that and are unicorns imo.

I don't think you will have a problem so long as you have a rod that fishes like a jerkbait rod and loads up. The gantarel in particular is not a slow roll kind of bait but more of a twitch twitch pause drag kind of bait imo. PS Now keep in mind when bait first came out it had the unfortunate reputation of broken line ties and heads (fortunate for me cuz I bought many on discount) when peeps would over power em with heavy duty rods with braid. I have never had this issue using 20lb yozuri hybrid and a more limber mh rod. PS1. Also, it would be great if it had a welded split ring cuz tying and retying is a pia with the bait. You will need to move the knot usually so that the connection sits in the edge of the split ring. It fishes best in this position. Of course tying line in the edges of the split ring is a no no and makes line prone to break off there.

That's awesome! ...I don't see a ring on that finger tho. Haha.

Sometimes you get a feeling a decent stick is moving into another direction, more saltwater fishing, atving or whatever, sometimes no time, and you get some great baits with rash. Rash I like since it adds flash and sometimes looks wounded.

You gotta do both really. You buy used in part because generally the seller is buying other baits too. I have way too many baits already, but a good deal often triggers me.

As will all gantarels a shock leader on braid sticking with non braid line is a good idea rather than tying directly with braid.

Fish super shallow in areas where baitfish like.

What that guy above said. I never got the mojo with em using my traditional slammer rod for 1x 9 inch models. I am more of a pitcher and twitcher rather than a bomber and a long slow roller of slammers PS. But the old xl 2x slammers "the phat disco girls" are similar and are great wake baits. They are similar because they are pure wake baits. The 2x 12 you have invokes that vibe I bet.

Bass West years ago used to have alot of sb talk, and then it went more finesse and I never renewed. Dunno if it is still around.

Nice work!

Real Prey Joe said you made it to the Boxboro show on Friday. I wish they hired you to do a seminar.

Over $500 would have shrunk demand considerably imo. At least it is not $499.99 as one might have expected.

Great vid on fishing under calm but otherwise good conditions.

Slow handle retrieve like during the day.

I met a fella who only threw a nail weighted rof 0 at night.

By cranking slammer I meant the 2x 9 inch trout.

Baby wake perch near last weed clumps, and mid sized gantarel near wood, both twitched and paused. For trout lakes the 185 islide and cranking ms slammer can be fun big number producers but they don't tend to draw up the lunkers. PS. And that's if I decide not to throw a Hudd which is always on deck come fall.

They say that lures with line tie on the lip are snagproof wonders in timber. Don't know many swimbaits that do that. Older school deep diving minnowbaits are like that.