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Bussbaits equipped with a "quad" wing (four blades)---I like to use for fishing "SLOW". Yes, the plastic blades can break, when banged against a hard object, such as concrete or steel walls, and rocks. Tanden-double-bladed, "counter-turning" blades make for lots of surface commotion. They spray lots of water, when moved at a rapid rate. These type buzzers, are getting popular, with some avid anglers--- bass as well as pike and musky anglers. Tri-wing blades are also popular, with a few anglers. Adding a plastic bodied trailer, also gives the lure a larger profile. Single-tail grubs are the most commonly used trailers---however, twin tail grubs provide more surface commotion, on the trailing end. A large grub, with the "c-tail" cut-off, half-way around, results with the grubs trailing end, waving in a side to side motion, vs a cork-screw like fashion. A "stinger hook" can be added---beneficial when fish are striking short. Some anglers use a trailer hook all the time, and their catch rates have increased. Works for me.

The 30lb test is a little larger diameter, and may result in improved castability. I've been using the MasterBraid, for 2 years now, on several ""Shimano"" Bait-Casting reels and spinning reels, and haven't experienced any of the problems you've noted. Never had a break-off during casting. Some anglers may experience a break-off during casting, due to "snap-casting" of some lures. It's also recommended by some, to use a "palomar" or "trilene knot", when joining lures, or the like, when using superbraid lines. I've experimented with various knots, and the two (noted above), are the strongest.

I'm sure many anglers are not familar with Cortland's MasterBraid line. It's not stocked in the big box or X-Marts stores.

Jonn, I've used the brand a few years back, and for several weeks thereafter. I was not satisified with its performance, and switched to other superbraid lines. Perhaps the OEM has made some recent improvements, in their processes of making their braided line. FYI--- the Dyneema ® fiber, presently used in the thigh quality superbraid lines is identical. Each line OEM has their own process, to make their braid/weave and each has their own means of top-coating the line. http://www.dsm.com/en_US/html/hpf/home_dyneema.htm

Jim, "Stainless steel" is the insert ring in rod guides. The guide frames are made of coated or plated steel wire. The stainless insert rings shouldn't pose a problem with line. Some OEMs have changed to the stainless steel insert rings in their rod guides, because of the ceramic type inserts getting damaged, due to misuse and abuse. Also the OEM's costs are less than. There are various grades of the stainless steel guides on the market. Cheap ones are found on some low cost rods. Some OEM's are using "titanium" rod guides, on their high-end rods. These are the most durable; however they cost a lot more. PS--- Some quality fly rods, on todays market, employ "titanium" coated wire eyes. These are suppose to be the newest and most durable. I've installed some of these new tip-tops on my fly rods---the eye is also larger over the regular plated eyes, found on most fly rods on todays market. The larger tip-top eye results in less snagging and catching of the knotted joints, where the leader and fly-line is joined, and less hangups with the "leader loops", that some fly anglers use.

>>>........... totally impervious to abrasion<<< Interesting..... Is that what the OEM claims? "piano wire" and bicycle spokes are very abrasion resistant. After trying several different superbraid lines, I've settled on Cortlands MasterBraid. Its formulated for spinning reels---NO "wind knots", loops, or knotting. MasterBraid is NOT coated. Nodules form on coated lines, as the coating wears/rubs off--- making for snagging/catching when one is casting. The nodules contribute to an increase in backlashes, on level-wind reels. Since using Masterbraid, I don't experience any snagging, and backlashes are nearly eliminated. The best superbraid line I've found, to date.

I'm sure someone thought it was a good idea. ;-)

Leader lengths? When you peruse a tackle/fly shop, there are so many lengths to chose from. What are the advantages/disadvantages of, 9ft 8ft 7.5ft 6ft Thanks for your inputs.

Congrats Don. That takes "skill" to catch clams on the river bottom. Says a lot for a guy who has mastered "depth and speed control".

Keep it simple--- Arm yourself with some Yamamoto 3.5" Kut-Tails worms, (color 297, Green Pumplin/black flake), some Gamakatsu #4 EWG offset worm hooks, and 1/16 oz bullshot weights. The Kut-Tails worms will catch you lots of fish. After you get bored catching fish, then you can experiment with all that other stuff.

check it out good info http://www.smallmouth.org/MissouriSneakyPete.html http://www.questoutdoors.net/skills/ftying...opwater/sneaky/

Removing line-twist in fly line: Feed out the floating fly line in moving water---(without a leader/tippet attached to the fly line). Allow the line to float down stream, until you reach the backing. Allow the line to lay on the moving waters surface, in the current, for a few minutes. Then wind the fly line back onto the fly reel. All the line twist will be gone. Akin to twisted mono line---allow several yards to be dragged behind a moving boat, (lures and hardware removed) ---for several minutes--- allowing the line to straighten out---the line twist will be removed, and you're back in business. Works for me.

Reducing/eliminating line twist: Placing a miniture "crane style" power-swivel, (SPRO #10, stainless steel, black nickel finish), about 8" on the line, ahead of the lure. This miniture swivel is very strong (35# test) for its size---very light---(equiv to a #16-18 of other brands, rated 10-15lb test). This swivel turns as smooth a some brands of ballbearing swivels, on todays market, and the SPRO brand is much smaller in size. Works for me.

I believe, that's why Berkley labels theirs "Lightening Rods".

Make a smaller mouse.

It's called "Bronzeback Brown", a "brown" color tone----a very appropriate name. Cortland also offers the Masterbraid in "Hi-Vis yellow", preferred by avid float/drift anglers, and for those who desire a line that is more visible. And, "Seafoam Green" for the saltwater anglers.

Great advice Scott, thanks for sharing.

The only thing I ever found to "color" fireline was to put permanent marker pen dye on it. It lasts awhile, then has to be recoated. Cortlands Masterbraid "color" doesn't ware off, like other coated superbraid lines, I've ever used.

Steve, I agree with your comments. All the fish are not in the same mood---some are active, some neutral and some inactive. Each may react differently to a certain stimuli, lure and its presentation. Everyone doesn't wolf down a burger, with one gulp.

When using a lure that is moving, such as a crank bait, spinnerbait, buzzbait--- the lure is moving, and in most cases the line is taught. The fish are taking the lure while they're moving, which may appear to the angler that the strike or take is harder. In most cases, when the fish takes the lure, it grabs it and turns---which makes it feel like the take is harder. Whereas, with a worm, tube, or the like, that is fished weightless, or with little weight, the fish just swims up to the lure and sucks it in. In many instances, the fish then stays in place, and doesn't run off with it. Most noticeable in shallow waters. When fishing a Senko weightless, over the tops of weeds, in deeper waters, the fish swims up, grabs the lure, and it heads back to the bottom, and the line peels off rapidly or there's a good tug on rod. I experiece this most frequently, with the same fish specie in the same body of water. Just my take on the matter. I don't pretend to be an expert, I just try to fish a lot.

When using "reel magic", or the like, on your line, what are the results after the carrier evaporates???

For smallies, select chub sizes in the 3-5" size. These size chubs are most ideal for smallies. In the late season, of Oct to ice-up, I often use 5-7" chubs, when target large smallies. To catch the small chubs, use UL tackle, a panfish size #10 - 14 hook. [A short shank fly hook style is best]. Dress the hook with a small piece of garden worm or grub, just to cover the hook, and suspended under a tiny float [Lindy's Thill Ice Float in the small size, or the like, is ideal]. When fishing smallies in moving or still waters, the chub can be fished along the bottom or suspended within 6" above the bottom, under a float. When fishing still waters and deeper fish, I suspend them about 12" above the bottom, under a slip float. Use fixed floats for shallow water and slip floats for deeper water. Select a pencil or cigar float---they offer the least resistance, when submerged. Rig the chub on a circle, #6 for 3" chubs and a #4 for the 4-5" chubs. [A circle hook is the way to go, so as not to gut-hook the fish, so it can be released with the least damage done to the fish. The circle hook with catch the fish in the lip]. Place the hook thru the chubs lip, when fishing along the bottom, or in the back near the tail, when fished under a float. When hooked near the chubs tail, place the hook behind the anal fin and the tail, and between the skin and back bone. Position the hook in the "upright" position. The upright position of the hook is important---it provides the least chance of getting snagged-up, with objects along the waters bottom, such as wood, weeds, rocks or the like. When fished along the bottom, a slip-sinker rig is most suitable. Select a bullet shaped sinker, [they are the least likely to get snagged]. Position the weight, 12-18" above the bait. Install a miniture swivel on the line, to act as a stop for the sliding sinker. A small plastic or silicon bead, can be placed against the swivel, so as to cushion the sliding weight, to reduce strain or damage to the knot. There's a very informative "Float Fishing" article for smallies, in the previous issue of the ISA Newsletter. The article describes rigging and presentation techniques. =========== PS---ryne, please send $25 and become a member of the ISA, to cover the "tips and info" described above.

Personally, I don't find fishing "tough". Infact, catching fish is easy--- it's finding them and getting them to bite, than can be the tough part.

And why isn't our Federal Govt doing anything to make those responsible, pay up? Like the foreign freighters, who dumped all those foreign critters in US waters? Nope---that won't happen. The US tax payers will have to foot the bill. That sure sucks.

$50 is a CHEAP price for a replacement!