Lets talk game plans/strategies

[Quillback]

I like the looks of the 6th Sense Flow Glider, just hard for me to throw $60 at a lure that I don't know how well it will work.

Threw the small I-slide around a bit a month ago, did catch one 12" spot and had a "follow" from a much bigger spot.  It does swim really well, nice side to side sashay, almost 180 degree turns.  Doesn't cast very well, it's not very aerodynamic, tends to flutter on the cast.

[abkeenan]

43 minutes ago, dtrs5kprs said:

That BD shad looks like a pretty straight up copy of the Buill Shad. Curious about how it will run. Every time I get the notion to buy a Bull Shad they are either out, or I can't decide on which version to buy. 

Oh it is a for sure dead copy. Only thing I will say is that it appears to be a nice bait @ $25 (considering the SB market) which is less than half the price of a Bullshad. Can't speak for the durability of the bait yet and am only going on handling it but looks like a winner to me thus far out of the box. Hooks are kinda dull bronze seemingly cheap hooks which I will probably swap out for some Owner ST-41's or something anyways. The paint is nice, size feels just right and there is a video online from one of Mike Bucca's GA buddies (FlukeMaster) on youtube that did a review on it (admittedly biased) and seems to swim nice.

[dtrs5kprs]

48 minutes ago, Quillback said:

I like the looks of the 6th Sense Flow Glider, just hard for me to throw $60 at a lure that I don't know how well it will work.

Threw the small I-slide around a bit a month ago, did catch one 12" spot and had a "follow" from a much bigger spot.  It does swim really well, nice side to side sashay, almost 180 degree turns.  Doesn't cast very well, it's not very aerodynamic, tends to flutter on the cast.

The only good part of the price tag is the market for used baits. If you don't like it, someone on eBay will.

20 minutes ago, abkeenan said:

Oh it is a for sure dead copy. Only thing I will say is that it appears to be a nice bait @ $25 (considering the SB market) which is less than half the price of a Bullshad. Can't speak for the durability of the bait yet and am only going on handling it but looks like a winner to me thus far out of the box. Hooks are kinda dull bronze seemingly cheap hooks which I will probably swap out for some Owner ST-41's or something anyways. The paint is nice, size feels just right and there is a video online from one of Mike Bucca's GA buddies (FlukeMaster) on youtube that did a review on it (admittedly biased) and seems to swim nice.

Saw that one. Biased is a mild description. Lot of stuff about US vs China. I could care less where a bait was made if it runs right and catches fish. America let that ship sail a long time ago. Looked like the BD ran pretty well. Not all the sink options though.

[abkeenan]

47 minutes ago, dtrs5kprs said:

The only good part of the price tag is the market for used baits. If you don't like it, someone on eBay will.

Saw that one. Biased is a mild description. Lot of stuff about US vs China. I could care less where a bait was made if it runs right and catches fish. America let that ship sail a long time ago. Looked like the BD ran pretty well. Not all the sink options though.

Agreed. People get their panties in a bunch over USA vs China/Overseas products. If a product is made overseas and is cheaper and just as or more effective I am going to use it. I will try to buy American Made products when I can but I don't obsess over it like a lot of people do.

As far as sink rates they are really no different than an over sized jerkbait, add/remove/, up/downsize weight/hardware in order to achieve the buoyancy or action you want. With a slow sink you can tinker as well with a floater....with a fast sink really no going back on that which is why mostly all of my swimbaits (ABT Banshee, SPRO BBZ Jr, BD Shad and S Waver 168 are slow sink models. The Gantarel I have is a float but with constant motion is dives to depth and has a slow float. 

Looking at possibly getting into soft swimbaits like Huddlestons and whatnot. But, so much "snaggy" stuff in TR that I feel like I would go through 3-4 of them a day and that would be a C-note per outing. Unless I hit the powerball tomorrow that just isn't feasible. 

[dtrs5kprs]

Big soft swimbaits may be a better fit for TR. Quite a few can be hand poured very easily, especially those with a flat back. Have molds for some Optimums, several boot tails, and the top shelf bait. 

[Champ188]

5 hours ago, nhornback said:

You make it sound as if there's something wrong with asking questions?

 Hope I'm not offending people by asking questions/wanting to absorb knowledge from those who have been around fishing much longer than I have.

Ask all the questions you want, nhornback. Someone will answer them. Any naysayers probably cut their fishing teeth in the pre-computer age (like myself) and are just envious that they didn't have such a broad source of information.

You'll get good tips here that will save you a lot of time, but as you obviously already know, you'll have to work out the details on your own. Keep asking questions and keep us posted on your progress.

[nhornback]

 

8 minutes ago, Champ188 said:

Ask all the questions you want, nhornback. Someone will answer them. Any naysayers probably cut their fishing teeth in the pre-computer age (like myself) and are just envious that they didn't have such a broad source of information.

You'll get good tips here that will save you a lot of time, but as you obviously already know, you'll have to work out the details on your own. Keep asking questions and keep us posted on your progress.

Thanks, champ

I'm by no means looking for a free ride to success as a fisherman, but some fingers pointing in the right direction will definitely help get me going and I'm thankful for the info you all are willing to share.  

[m&m]

nhornback, if you really want to boost your confidence start going to local or national tournament weigh-ins.  You will see some of the best fishermen who don't come to the scales at the end of the day because they got skunked or only caught a couple that will not cash them a check.  Rick Clunn once said that he sets his expectations to get 5 bites a day while fishing.  Sometimes we think that we should be catching them on every cast and that is just unrealistic.  As you get more experience you will find that a good day may be just a couple of fish.  Enjoy those days because there is no one on this forum who has not been skunked on a day when they thought they had the perfect plan. IMHO

Mike

[marcus]

when things get slow in the winter id say throw that jerk bait and then keep throwing it then id throw it again after that just keep chucking that thing till your arms fall off or your fingers are to numb to fish....match the hatch!!!

[merc1997 Bo]

10 hours ago, abkeenan said:

Agreed. People get their panties in a bunch over USA vs China/Overseas products. If a product is made overseas and is cheaper and just as or more effective I am going to use it. I will try to buy American Made products when I can but I don't obsess over it like a lot of people do.

As far as sink rates they are really no different than an over sized jerkbait, add/remove/, up/downsize weight/hardware in order to achieve the buoyancy or action you want. With a slow sink you can tinker as well with a floater....with a fast sink really no going back on that which is why mostly all of my swimbaits (ABT Banshee, SPRO BBZ Jr, BD Shad and S Waver 168 are slow sink models. The Gantarel I have is a float but with constant motion is dives to depth and has a slow float. 

Looking at possibly getting into soft swimbaits like Huddlestons and whatnot. But, so much "snaggy" stuff in TR that I feel like I would go through 3-4 of them a day and that would be a C-note per outing. Unless I hit the powerball tomorrow that just isn't feasible. 

at some point, when there are no longer jobs here in the U.S., and everyone is broke, i guess it will not make any difference if everything is from china, as no one will have any money to buy it, no matter how cheap it is.

just my humble opinion.

bo