[sharkchomp]

So what kind of reels does everyone like to fish with? I've never been able to master using a baitcaster reel (open face), although I own a nice one. Perhaps I need to practise, but I lose all patience when I'm on the water and I've got a bird's nest of fishing line hanging out of my reel. lol I mostly use spinning reels. The best reel I've got a Pleuger President. I got it on sale at Bassproshop for $50. I've got the smaller of the two models offered. It's the smoothest reel I've ever had!!!!

I like light/medium rods. I've tried medium and medium/heavy and they have their applications but mostly I don't need anything heavy unless I'm catfishing, but even then I usually use one of my good ultralight combo's.

Of all my setup's, I probally use my ultralights more than anything as I'm usually fishing for panfish. For bass and catfish I'll throw my Pleuger. For fishing line, I'm sold and have been sold on braided line since the first year spiderwire came out. I lost two big cats in one night on mono and the next day I tried the braided and that was all she wrote. I've never lost a fish due to my line breaking since!! I have lost a big cat due to my hook straightening out once grrrrrrrrrrr!!!! I've read tons of articles about flurocarbon lines and might consider using one as a leader, but that would only be in extremely clear water (such as Dale Hollow Lake).

I've spent thousands (not an exaggeration) of dollars on lures but my go-to, almost never fail lure is a white with a red tip or a green with a orange underbody - rooster tails. In fact, I bought so many lures I had to make myself stop - it was becoming an addiction and I wasn't using the lures. Or I'd spend the day tying on lure after lure, and not mastering a damned one of them! lol

I try to do one week long fishing trip every year (usually with my family). We've gone to many lakes but the best trips have always been to Ontario, Canada. That's a whole different fishing than fishing in the south. Different lures all together!! Although the tactics are pretty much the same - cast! cast! cast!!!!! We usally come home more tired than when we left - 14 hours of hard core fishing everyday the weather allows.

My favorite trip is Reelfoot Lake, TN. I've been there twice (stayed at Bluebank Resort and I highly recommend it!). The first trip was fairly unsuccessful, although I did catch a load of catfish on our last day!!!! The second trip we hired a guide. Again, totally differant fishing than what I'm used to. The guide had us use a small hook with a little jig head with a few fly-type feathers - in fact it looked like a fly on steroids lol. Then you put a cricket or a wax worm on the hook. And then we had to cast them right against the trees, let them fall, set a minute. If you didn't catch a fish in a few minutes, cast to the next. You never fished anyone place longer than 10 minutes. Our second trip was much much more successful and we had two coolers of fish to bring home!

Well, I've kept on long enough - good luck and tight lines for all!!

~~~shark~~~~~~~