kirbydog

The only real problem I've had throwing cranks on braid is, getting the braid caught up in those treble hooks on the cast. Usually its not much of a problem but if its windy and the crank tumbles on the cast, I go back to a mono or fluro leader.

I'm like you. Don't fish from the shoreline very often but when I do I think etiquette requires that you give any other angler a proper amount of room and you should expect the same. I've had this happen to me when on my boat out on the lake. If they came up and asked me what I'm using that would be one thing but when they come up and just start crowding you I usually pull up the TM and head to another spot.

You're right, I am trying to get one rod to do two things (cranks and jigs) that are not very compatible. My rod guy is building a second rod for me to take care of that problem. Regarding braid and cranks, I'm throwing my deep cranks with a 15 lb braid and I'm getting just a deep as if I were using mono or fluro because its smaller diameter and has less resistance on the retieve. I do set the drag fairly loose so I'm not taking the lure away from the fish when it bites. So far its working very well, not losing any more fish than I have on mono and the plus side is I loose very few cranks to snags (that 15 lb braid probably tests out closer to 25-30). Been throwing deep cranks (DD22 Norman) and getting an honest 16-17 ft which is as deep as I've ever gotten on fluro.

I got a rod built with micro guides and I love it. These guides seem to improve both distance and accuracy. I will be fishing this rod with heavy cranks and jigs (5/8 or 3/4 oz and above) and typically tying the braid directly to the lure. I would like the option of adding a fluro leader but the ones I've tied on so far although they get thru the guides do seem to have some trouble doing it. Is there a leader to braid knot that will glide thru with less hesitation or should I just stick with stright braid or straight mono or fluro,

I don't use the yellow-getting older but I still have decent vision and the yellow just seems unatural. For a leader I generally go with a fluro (Yozuri Hybrid which is actually fluro coated and not a true 100% fluro). A uni to uni knot works fine. I use the suffix 832 in green but just got two spools in their ghost color and I'm gonna try that as soon as I need to respool one of my reels. Braid is a funny thing, some guys love it (I do) some guys hate it. I've started throwing my deep cranks on braid and one nice thing is you rarely lose a crank to a snag. And I figure that deep, fish can't really see the line anyway. Plus I get longer casts with 15 or 20 lb braid than mono or fluro.

I have used just about all the braids at one time or another over the years and Suffix 832 is hands down the best. Never had an air knot or any other problem. I fish spinning only and this is where braid can really give you problems. I use the 10 lb for light applications and the 20 lb (about 6 lb mono diameter) for heavier stuff. Use it for 2 months or so and then just reverse it on the reel. Really, if you use this, you'll use your other braid for tying up gargage sacks. About the only bad thing I can say about it is the green color fades over time. My fish don't seem to mind and I use a fluro leader anyway

Great accounting of the day on the water-I felt like I was there with you.

Jack has taken down any mention of a 6 lb crappie caught by a client so I guess it was an April Fools joke.

I was just wondering if this is an April fools joke.

Jack's guide service is reporting a client caught a crappie that went 6.02 lbs. Hurrican Deck area, mm 33. I can't even imagine what a crappie that big would look like. Is it true?

Senko, tube, spinnerbait and a topwater if the season is right.

I think you're gonna need more than one rod because of the weight of different lures you'll be throwing. I'd get a 6'6" medium action rod with a fast tip-a great all around rod that will handle anything from 1/8oz to 1/2 or 5/8. For the heavier stuff like heavy jigs, deep diving cranks, etc I'd get a 7' medium heavy again with a fast tip. You need to decide on the price range you can live with but decent rods can be found for between $50 and $100. And Wayne you're right, Berkley lighning rods are great value for the money.

I'm from CO and have only fished Oz three times for about a week each time. Once in April, then Oct then Dec. I keep hearing I sould avoid the lake between May and Sept due to all the recreational traffic..Is it really that bad.? I can put up with some boat traffic but if all I'm doing is rocking and rolling out there maybe I should find another lake to fish during those months. Seems like with all the coves there would be places to hide from the madness.

Boy isn't that the truth. I've fished with guys that use heavy line and the fish is in the boat in seconds. Wheres the fun. T fishing I guess I can see it. Not when theres no money on the line.

I've been throwing braided line with a fluro leader for most everything and really like it. Been using suffix 832 for the braid and YoZuri Hybrid for the fluro. Although it isn't a true 100% fluro but rather mono with a fluro coating. Join the fluro to the braid with uni knots. You get kind of the best of both worlds IMO. Sensitivity of braid and invisibility of the fluro leader. If you're targeting trout I'd go with 10 lb strength on the braid with 4 or 6 lb on the leader.

That is a great fish-looks like she has spawning on her mind.

Senseless, makes you wonder what this world is coming to.

Until you fish with a really good rod, you'll never know what you've been missing. Think I might be too new to this forum to really understand whats going on here.

I've been fishing ozark area lakes for 15+ years-Bull Shoals, Norfork and Lake OZ. I live in CO and the warmwater fishing is OK but nothing like what you guys have, I try and take a fishing trip every 6 weeks or so (semi-retired) and hope to find a nice second home on Lake Oz in the next few years. I also go down to TX in the winter and fish some lakes that stay above 50 water temp but I have fished Oz in Dec and done well-fewer numbers but bigger fish. Really like throwing a jig or tube and deep cranks and I'm working on jerkbaits-find it hard to wait 30 seconds!!, but I'm getting more patience. Seems like a really nice forum, no drama that you get on alot of other forums. Looking forward to learning what I can from the site.

I always thin out the stiff plastic weed guard-usually just leave 5-6 bristles and splay them out so they're not all togeather. And I like the chompers stand up head with a 4 or 5" twin tailed grub. Like said, I'd rather loose a few more jigs than fish.