abkeenan

Glad that my sterling field journalism record and getting the latest scoop on gear remains intact. Maybe I have a career in TMZ Outdoors? Breaking news Roland Martin just broke the world record largemouth at Lake Okeechobee with a 37lbs 2oz swamp toad slounch beast shattering the previous record of 22lbs 4oz held by Japanese angler Manabu Kurita. However, I have multiple sources citing that the record could be ruled ineligible as it was seen by a witness that Martin was cramming fishing sponsor products down the fishes throat....as he is well know for doing. The fish only measured 19 inches so tampering is undoubtedly suspected by Florida Fish and Game. Plus it was caught on a helicopter lure senko model on a 7'6" medium heavy boca grip rod ( neither has hit market yet). Oh Son. Stay tuned.

It's always been that way at BPS. I am sure their highest profit margins are on their own store brand products and that is relayed to their associates working the floor. Push our products first, then give info on other brands if need be. But I think people fail to understand that members of OAF aren't really your typical fisherman. I would dare to say that well informed fisherman such as the members here make up the minority of customers walking into a BPS store. For every one of us there are 5 that don't know what a Daiwa Steez is nor what you are referring to when you mention a Vision 110. It's a Megabass. Is that a movie on the SyFy network? BPS caters to the average Joe's that don't know any better and they are the majority of guys who walk into the store and also walk out of the store with BPS rod/reel combos. There is nothing wrong with that and I am NOT trying to say that I, nor the members here, are elitist gear snobs (although we kind of are) or that we are better than the guys that buy the BPS stuff. Just saying they are truly the ones lining Johnny Morris' pockets. Johnny knows where his bread and butter comes from.

There is certainly truth to that. The old Abu Round reels are tanks and if taken care of will last a life time. BUT, just like anything else as time goes on newer technologies make improvements in performance (reduction in weight, better drag, casting distance, retrieve speed, etc). There is nothing wrong with the old round reels and they have their place but as far as on the water performance they can't hold a candle to the new low profile stuff.

Yep. 13+ lbs. I also like the design and simplicity of the Mag Z- Force braking system. I had no idea what it was or how it worked until I youtubed it and there is a guy that has a ton of REALLY thorough product reviews on fishing reels, tackle and baits. Youtube handle is KeepinItReelFishing and is unbiased in all his reviews. He went through and broke down (literally) what magforce is and what the difference is between the 3D, Z and standard. It was a 30 min video but I am a science nerd (sometimes) and like to know how things work. Anyhow it's sound science and the magnetic braking is both centrifugal and magnetic at the same time really. Pretty cool deal.

That was the reason for wanting it, the quick take up at 8.1:1. Would use it for a jig, soft plastic or burning baits setup.

I haven't had a Daiwa reel in about 20 years. Have been thinking of getting a Tatula Type R for myself for Xmas to see what they are all about and they feel like a nice reel. Played with them when they first hit the market in 2013-14 and again yesterday at BPS. Can pick one up new off Ebay for $120 compared to retail sticker at BPS or TW for 199.99. I don't REELY need the REEL but I want it.....and the bait monkey/gear gator usually wins out....I am so weak.

Agreed on seeing it before I believe but the employee at the reel department has worked at the St. Charles location for as long as I've been going there (10+ years). He isn't some college kid or some guy just needing a paycheck who could care less about giving quality information about product. He knows his stuff and while I won't take what he said as fact, I will take it as coming from a pretty credible source. And yes money talks and BS walks. Johnny can see how Lew's is now one of the biggest players in the reel game and wants in on the action. Differences can be set aside where there is money to be made (or lost). But for now this is just water cooler talk and we shall see what transpires in 2016. Maybe a Lew's BPS introduction at their 2016 Spring Fishing Classic?

Nice fish hoghunter. Not sure what it has to do with this thread but nice fish nonetheless.

Went to Bass Pro today to get Santa pics with the fam and spoke to the employee at the reel department. Got to talking and he informed me that Bass Pro is going to start carrying LEW's reels and that they are also going to dump Daiwa. Said that BPS and Daiwa got into a "pissing contest over pricing and BPS told them they can keep their reels and cram it" as he put it. If true I am surprised on both fronts that BPS would dump a quality brand like Daiwa and also bite the bullet and carry LEW's. I thought Johnny Morris would never carry LEW's products being that there seemed to be bad blood between the two companies.

Some call it Jerry Rigging, others call it Redneck Ingenuity/Engineering. Which one of you Hillbillies is this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTQT21CeeS0

Yes. I believe that is a Rapala (fat raps, etc with the chartreuse bill, usually clear colored lexan) thing and wiggle warts have been a staple for the northern toothy critter hunting trollers just as much as they have been for the Ozark impoundment guys.

Found a pic of Moreheads 6-10'er.

Might take some time to dig through the archives here on OAF in the Table Rock forum but I believe 3 or 4 years ago a gentleman posted a pic of his friend that had caught a 6+lb spot on a jerkbait in the late winter/early spring'ish time period. He had it weighed at one of the Marina's and I think it was up in the upper white river if memory serves me correct (probably not). Also during a FLW tournament (back in 2009 I think) Dan Moorehead caught a friggin' 6lb 10oz spot. Toad with a capital T. The 11lb spot caught in Cali a few weeks ago is just unfathomable to me.

Man Jolicious, you have some talent my friend. Heck all of you do. When I tried my hand at painting baits NONE of them turned out like what you guys have posted. Those things are just too purdy to fish.

Time to get on a diet.....or re-power the Ranger for that yearly increase in lag on the hole shot. I myself am going to have to upgrade my trolling motor to a kicker motor on the bow to get my fat butt around the lake. Motorguide isn't cutting it, Dieselguide is what I need.

Jolicious, I really like that top one you have. Almost like a smoke gunmetal hologram flake color. Big fan of smoke myself.

MnM....lol. I believe that is the masking tape. But who knows maybe YOU are onto something with bright colored bills. Maybe catch some walleye on them.

Man MJK86 those look awesome. I'm impressed.

Nice reports by all. Sounds like there is good fishing to be had lake wide. Enforcer sorry to hear about your phone. Mostly because of the pics lost. I am more concerned with the actual content on my phone (pics of family and daughter) than the phone itself. I back all my pics up on an external hard drive every so often just in case I fat finger/stone hands the phone into an abyss somewhere. Alex, maybe even more painful that losing a phone is losing your best wart. That hurts and even worse it was on a fish of a lifetime on Table Rock. Maybe you will get redemption this weekend when you go back. What area of the lake were you fishing big guy?

Totally agree. Even mass produced baits have variation from one bait to another. But for the most part they are going to be more consistent than buying blanks and shooting them with your own paint. Maybe not you Hughesy because you have been doing it so long but to the average Joe like me it just wasn't worth my time and to have crummy results. I don't get enough time to fish as it is so I don't want to waste precious time fooling around with a bait instead of actually fishing. As far as the McSticks you are correct. Their original runs had issues to where they filled with water and sank like a rock. I had bought a handful of them and about half did that. I sent them back to Spro and they replaced them with new ones plus extras. For that reason I am a big fan of Spro and their customer service. Plus their baits flat out catch fish and come with quality components inculding gammy hooks.

I bought from Predator YEARS ago and had some LC Pointer KO's and other cranks painted. I ran into the same problem as Quill. Most of mine sank and varied A LOT from blank to blank. Fractions of ounces make a huge difference on suspending jerkbaits and in the end it just wasn't worth the pain in the rump to deal with and I just went back to buying McSticks and other mass produced jerkbaits. Changing hooks, split rings, suspend dots, weight of paint, how many coats of clear coat, etc....nah.....now I'll leave it up to the professionals that do more lab testing than I ever could and get it right to where I can open the pack and fish it. I get it that some take pleasure in tinkering with baits and there is nothing wrong with that. But, now I guess I am getting older and lazier and just want something I can tie on and go to work with minimal tinkering.

Forgot to add them. They are another good crank on the lower end of the price spectrum. Bomber also still makes a good crank for the money. I will also add to the BPS cheesy line of do not buy cranks: Rebel and Cotton Cordell. They are so cheaply made it's sad. From hook hangers, to glue, to bills, to paint finishes to just overall durability sucking. I know that Pop R's are legendary and rightfully so as they are a great design and fish catcher. I also know that the Red Fin has a special place in many hearts in the Ozarks but let's face it....they are junk quality and there are better out there.

I don't mean to be a Debbie Downer nor a BPS basher but their cranks are straight garbage. They are made from the cheapest Chinese components (I know all baits are cheap Chinese junk lol) but these are the cheapest of cheap. They also have the crappiest hooks you can get. By the time you swap out hooks you have paid as much for the BPS stuff as just getting another brand. People get on here and knock BPS for all their house brand products for being super low quality...some are and some aren't. Some of their rods, reels, gortex clothing, etc is good stuff while other things are not. If you are on a budget the best cranks overall IN MY OPINION are Strike King. They are basically about $5 for everything, have decent components, run true out of the box 95% of the time, are durable and have good enough hooks. Norman is also another brand that are cheap by market standards and perform great. Sorry for the long winded post but steer clear of the BPS cranks and hooks for that matter. Their soft plastics are pretty good though, no issues there.

Bass Pro (dare I mention their name here) during their Spring Classic Sale ALWAYS has wiggle warts on sale for like $3 in one of their big bins located in the middle of the isles. It's a good time to stock up if you need some. That sale is usually early March.

I was just WAITING for a text all night. But then again you don't text your buddies when you catch a 13" fish, which is basically the equivalent of beating up on a pathetic Tigers team. To put it another way that was like fishing a heads up tournament where you have your full tackle box at your disposal and the other guy has nothing but 3 helicopter lures in the same pink color. They aren't gonna catch anything and you can't throw anything else. I wish I could use the KU excuse "Just wait til basketball season" but that isn't going to work for my Tigers either. Just wait for men's wrestling????