Favorite Fly, Lure, or Bait?

sageadvice

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Post em up! It's that time of year again and i'm going thru my gear bag making sure that i'm well stocked up. I love fishing! It don't matter to me if i'm fly fishing, casting a spinner or Rapala type lure, trolling with riggers, or soaking a crawler off the bank, it's all good.

I would like to see a few of you guys post up pic's of what you might consider a hot item. Maybe a new variation of extended tail mayfly, woolly bugger, a new spinner, jig, scent, or what have you...

What's hot? Post em up and tell us the best conditions to fish it! Thanks!!

Joey
 
I love my rainbow pattern needlefish. Troll those behind the boat right on the surface with nothing but the lure on and you can't keep them off. Just thinking about it gets me excited.
 
SAGE-this is going to be a good thread...Its always fun to hear what other are using..I still don't have a good handle on the posting of pics...but i know lures and have many ...one of my all time faves is the blue fox foxxy jig in old school brown..standup..they don't even make that color anymore,no meat working it off the bottom...3/4 oz daredevils have somewhere around 40...tasmanian devils in flow pink, many a stocker bow have fallen pray to it,don't even want to say how many i have...I will admit it I AM ADDICTED to lure collecting...the arsenal is fierce,way too many to mention...one last one for the road..DAIWA- dead or alive someone was thinking outside the box when they made them.....
 
My favorite fly is the one that's catching the fish. I tie ALL my own flies and rarely use known patterns. When talking to guys on the river they'll ask what I'm catching them on, and I say "my version of a______.


I tie a giant scud that works great. Tied on a size 10 scud hook and gets dunn hackle palmered over before I tie in the backing, or the ribbing. it gets hits even when they are keying on 22_midge patterns.


My favorie dry fly pattern (and I fish very little in the summer) started out as my version of an elk hair caddis- again slightly oversized- 12-14, and when I first tied it I didn't have a hair stacker, I still don't use one for this pattern. Its a minimal pattern, using only black thread wraps for a dunn hackle covered body. The wing is tied about a half a gap longer than the hook.
That's it. I've since come to believe that its more of a spruce moth imitation, and there are enough of them that fall into Kelly Creek that even a savy old Westslope Cutty can't say NO to this fly.

I wish my phone would take a better close up pic for me to share with you.
http://www.monstermuleys.info/dcforum/User_files/48696fc97cd60c01.jpg
 
Thanks Guys, good stuff so far. And my puter is on the blink a bit and i can't call up pic's from my memory. i can't post up what i like fishing.

Years ago, i spent $50. on a card that had about 50 little extended body mayfly adult imitations. They were tied by a friend who is a master tier and really, were almost too pretty, to perfect, to fish with but boy they really work during the spring and summer on any of the small creeks and streams in this area. Beautiful flys, and maybe it's the confidence i have in these little guys that causes me to make the needed perfect little casts, not sure, but i rarely fail to get a rise, or a dozen rises, once i tie one of those little 14-18 extended bodys on. They range white. creme, tan, gray, to a light brown but they all seem to work when i can get a look at what is coming off and match it with what i have.

Also, I really like to fish PMD's, pale morning Duns. My eyesight ain't what it used to be and i seem to be able to follow these flys pretty good unless there are too many naturals on the water.

...And the bugger. Big fish can no doubt be caught on small, tiny little flies but by far, the most and biggest trout that i hook are on some variation of a bugger. I use bead chain to give the buggy two eyed look and one single pinch of marabou to tie up a little bugger, tail body and all, that has worked well for me. I tie them in black, white, and olive, on a size 8 or 10 xlong hook. They are a bit smaller that what a lot of guys use but they're mine, easy to tie so i'm out little or nothing, plus they work.

Lets keep this going, my next post will talk of lures. Thanks!

Joey
 
I have never tried fly fishing so if I'm fishing for slime rockets I'm either casting Panther Martins or Rooster Tails... Or trolling Jointed Rapala's..

As far as Bass fishing Goes Finesse is my strength...I'm either dropshotting plastics or sloooowly dragging Jigs that I pour and tie...

Here's My go to Jig pattern... I usually add a Uncle Josh pork trailer...

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If the bass are deeper than 40' I like to throw Purple..

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I got worms...lol

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My God Daughters and their daddy after trolling some Rapala's for a few hours..

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Same lure's different lake..

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They like bass fishing too...

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Nice Snort, Very nice!!

Tetra, those DAIWA- dead or alive lures, pricey devils at $30.+ a copy...i don't think so.
... and the Tasmanian devils, do you jig them down deep? I thought they are interesting, actually, both are interesting baits but i ain't paying $30+ a copy for any lure other than a nice collectible classic.

Joey
 
SAGE..those daiwa when i picked them up were around $40 each, that was about 5 years ago...and i bought 2 rainbow and baby bass...as for those tasmanian devils we troll them a lot..and when i fish off shore i like to work them on the bottom..some of my bigger lakers have been taken with those lures...Know lets talk meat..am here in colorado and we can buy a second rod stamp...as i work a lure( if I'm on shore)i have a bait rod in.. and i like to use big baits in front of a bait-runner...hole live crayfish, big gobs of calf liver, big suckers..those are my baits of choice for open water...all this talk about fishing, think i will do a little tomorrow!!!!
 
LAST EDITED ON Apr-23-11 AT 06:47PM (MST)[p]Todays fly; my version of a big double renegade (on the dead drift). Tied on a size 4 streamer hook.


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Been using this one for 30 years and it works like a charm BUT it is not for sale either.

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Brian
http://i25.tinypic.com/fxbjgy.jpg[/IMG]
 
Careful you may catch Paul Crawford

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Disclaimer:
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Hey kilo?

That'll pull a PC in every time!!!

For GAWDS Sakes Guys,We Got Kids on this Site,Some of them are 65 years Old!:D

I don't care if they're big or small!
If they throw lead I like em all!
:p
 
very cool post ! i thought i was the only bass junky here ! nice lures bucksnort ! what paint do you use on your football head jigs ? it looks great. also think it's cool you use pork trailers i do too. not to many left that do. i think i like collecting and organizing my lures as much as fishing. i just scored an AWESOME deal on some little finese worms at the last gun show i probably got 30 bags of baits for 15 bucks ! the bass in sw idaho are starting to bite now
favorite lure? too many to mention. i experament constantly
 
LAST EDITED ON Apr-24-11 AT 10:56PM (MST)[p]Beavis.. I use a powdercoat paint... Heat with a torch and dip it in the powder then hang on a rack in a cheap toaster oven to bake, very durable.. He's a vid http://www.csipaint.com/instructions/techniques-instructions/how-to-use-pro-tec-powder-paints.asp

I also made a fluid bed for the process which allows a nice smooth coat and the powder can do more jig heads this way...

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Disclaimer:
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thanks bucksnort ! i learned something useful today ! yes ! i love those jigs you made. i would like to make some slightly smaller ones for smallmouth
 
This is working out great. Please post up some more tackle ideas and what you think of as the hot items to use. Thanks!!

Don't you just love fishing? My neighbor and i were sitting around his parents living room one rainy day when we got the bug to go fishing. We mulled over the different places that we could go to and settled on a neighbor of my Grandparents, farm pond. It was a long walk out there, maybe 5 miles, but the rain had stopped and we soon got there with high spirits of catching some of the large mouth bass, up to 4 pounds or so, that lived in that pond. Soon as we laid eyes on the pond we knew we were in for a tough go. All the rain during the past week had caused the creek that fed the pond to rise up and dump the pond with silt. The water was the color of milky coffee with little or no visibility. We gave it a go anyway.

After a hour or so with no luck and little prospect, the rains returned so we headed for home. The road went a mile or so East then 4 miles South to get back to town. I talked my Bud into the shortcut straight across the field. It seemed to me, the good idea to take the straight line across that field...that was until the mud started sticking to our shoes. In no time, we had 3-4" of clay mud on our shoe bottoms and that made for a very long and tiring "shortcut",. I got bitched at by my bud but hey, we got to go fishing! :)

Joey
 
Good idea Joey!

Who's up for a little steelhead fishing, raise your hand!:)

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My favorite lure is the one catching fish that day. I would have to say my most consistant producer is the Glo Bugs (the yarn single egg imitation seen at top right). They are best fished in the tailouts when the river is dropping with a rising baromater. As soon as the sun hits the water, it's time!

The assortment of spin glos, puff balls, lil corkies, etc. are usually, but not always, fished with a little fresh roe.

The maribou jigs are fished in moderatly flowing runs in 3-5 foot deep water under floats, and can be good at times. Drift close to the bottom, as natural a drift as possible.

The Panther Martins and the Blue Fox Super Vibrax are for when I'm too mentally drained to drift fish.:)

The white Glow Puppy is glow in the dark. Charge it up with a flashlight right at legal fishing time. Fish it slow and deep. In the past I've caught a half dozen fish before the crowd shows up.

The bottom line is you gotta be flexable. You never know when and what a steelhead will strike.

Good luck to everyone, no matter where or how you fish!

Eel
 
About all I use lately are small midge patterns (size 20-28)and some mayfly stuff in size 18-20. Summer and fall are great for dries and big foam patterns. I caught this one on a size 12 Stimulator...on a 4 weight rod, no less. The fight was "interesting" to say the least!


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Pilthy, That is a most Beautiful Rainbow!! The water behind you might be a pond but it reminds me a lot of Fall River here in Northern Ca. I too use a 4 weight rod and 7x on that kind of water and though i have landed lots of nice ones, up to 4 pounds, on Fall River, i haven't caught one in a spring creek that looks to be as big as your hunken dude there. Lots of fun though! Thanks for posting up your fish pic and favorite methods!!

PC, are you planning to contribute or be the wise ass? Salmon methods maybe??

Eelgrass, Awesome display and explanation of use in practical steelhead gear. Though i have a similar group of stuff accumulated already. i'm very positive i've not been near as successful as you have. I still love fishing the big creeks for steelies though. Good job and i thank you!!

more, more, more. Love this stuff!!

Joey
 
Joey,

That's the San Juan river in NM at a place called "Death Row". My fiancee had one on last fall in Texas Hole that would put mine to shame! Her 5x got caught in the oar locks of my Hyde and that was all she wrote. Debbie's was a solid 27-28". I'm tying some huge stuff for night fishing this summer up there. Browns that are 30"+. That river can grow some real piggies but they're hard to catch.
 
CS, Thanks for your input. I've caught fish from Florida to Mexico to northern Oregon but am a trout fisherman at the core. Early in life, Bass were what could be had unless a special trip were to be taken so, we caught bass. This past 20 years or so, i've come to really like the smallmouth and though usually fishing for the better sized trout around these parts, stumbling into a good smallie bite now and again is always a good thing.

As you posted above
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Rebel Crawdads or Crawfish are a outstanding smallie bait and is the "go to" lure for my old High School buddy and still current hunting pard when he comes to visit and fish our Lake Almanor waters. The things catch fish...with them possibly being best suited for the small mouth bass.

As for your other recommended pick, the Peach Bottom Baits Little Lucy, who can really know the mind of a bass and why they can be fooled with some of the stuff we throw at them? After years spending copious amounts of thought on the matter, i'm not even going to try to utter an answer to that mystery other than to say that when hungry or protecting the nest, they will gladly eat anything that they might be able to get in their mouths...anything! lol I'm really becoming a big fan of the Smallie!! Thanks again!

Joey
 
I've done a lot of trout fishing too! We actually have pretty good trout waters around here right along the NC & VA & TN state lines. The streams are stocked with rainbow, brook, and browns. I even know of a few mountain streams that still have some native trout in them but I keep them a secret :)

I have not done much fishing in the past 5 years now since I have small children but they are 3 and 5 years old now so they are about old enough that I can start going fishing more again and taking them with me!
 
Sage, I prefer being a wise ass, but here goes. My favorite method for salmon in Monterey Bay is "mooching" with squid. However, trolling with a down rigger works well at times, too. Purple/Watermelon Apex and Hoochie (sp.) Mammas lures do the job. For largemouth bass up at Kaweah Lake I like using live crawdads. For trout good ol' Powerbait. Color doesn't seem to matter. I use Mepps spinners for 'bows 'n' browns in the Marble Fork of the Kaweah River in Sequoia Natl. Park. pc
 
Bevis, Thanks! :)

CS, Love those stream trout. As a young lad, i could hardly stand fishing in the Lake and wouldn't do so by choice unless i got to fish with my Dad or Grandfather. We'd camp on the Lake but you could find me up on some creek, boulder to boulder, seeking out the refuge of Big Browns and the occasional oversized native Rainbow. I'd take the planters too, some days they would fill up the limit. Other days though, i'd more than make a pig of myself catching monster, for our waters, browns and bows, the likes of which astounded both my parents and the older snowbird campers back at the campground.

My catch was won over with a variety of baits. A large night crawler with a size 6 buried in its head and little or no weight worked wonders behind boulders in the deeper holes. Mepps spinners took their share, size 0 and 1 in gold being the most fished. Then a few years later when Panther Martin introduced their spinners, a better bait could not be had. Also, i learned that even in fairly small creeks, If it held good sized Browns, broken back Rebels and later Rapalas cast and retrieved across good water would cause those big fish to un-nerve themselves, frantically trying to catch up to the bait and scare the crap out of me when they smashed into and took that big bait right at my feet. :) Talk about a rush!! Anyway, i envy you in teaching those kids of yours the way of the water. Fishing and hunting, mostly fishing, was probably the best quality time i ever spent with my Dad.

Paul, Thank you! You got me there with the mooching, i've long heard about the craft but have not done it unless maybe unknowingly in some fresh water fashion. Never heard of a Hoochie Mamma either other than the Elk call so i Google'd it up and found this??
6706hoochie_mamma.jpg

Is this what they look like?

Anyway, thanks for the post and yes, i too fish that Power bait from time to time. I rarely use Pautskies red eggs anymore as that PB has proved to me better in most cases and it's just too handy.

Where is the love for the Kastmaster? Awesome bait!

Joey
 
CS,

Yes you do have some awesome places to fish. Went to the South Holston a few times and also caught some Appalachian brookies up in the park when I flew into Knoxville with my last job. Unfortunately, I was laid off a couple months ago so I won't be doing that again soon.
 
Joey, you ever fish Kaweah? Kind of, but not exactly. Hard to explain. Next time I'm nosin' through my son in law's tackle box I'll get one and take a picture. Mooching with squid is just jigging at what ever depth the salmon are. My son in law and his dad caught two limits each last Thursday and Friday from 15-22 ponds. pc
 
"Joey, you ever fish Kaweah?" No, i haven't Paul. Fished a lot of places in the north state though. Is this the lake?
http://www.monstermuleys.info/photos/user_photos/932kaweah.jpeg

"Next time I'm nosin' through my son in law's tackle box I'll get one and take a picture." That would be nice. Look at all the stuff i'm learning!! :)

"My son in law and his dad caught two limits each last Thursday and Friday from 15-22 ponds." Awesome!!

Joey
 
The bass fishery is slowly being destroyed at Kaweah.. Most of the bank fishermen that use live bait (crawdads) are taking home huge females (10lbs+) when they should be practicing catch and release ..There are some Toads in that lake but not for long if this keeps up.. A lot of them also ignore the bag limits and leave their trash scattered all over the banks... In summer time it is by far the most littered lake I have seen.. You can only take home so many double digit bass from a small lake before it becomes a has been trophy bass fishery..

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Bucksnort, I release all the bass I catch. The only fish I keep are trout and crappie. Damn, I love crappie. You're right about Kaweah. What pisses me off is that most of Three River's sewage goes right into it. When the lake is low, Aug. through Nov., I don't go near that lake. PC
 
OK, so i'm going to show you my go to super secret bait that day in day out has caught more and bigger trout than any other lure that i've fished...

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the black and gold Rapala. Streams lakes, inlets, it's a fish catching machine. i like the 7's and 9's, lower left on the pic, and though black and gold work most of the time, i'll go with the whole catalog, must have over 150 Rapala baits, to put on what i feel might work under the conditions. I use the broken back or jointed ones as well and at times, the added action these jointed baits produce is plainly irresistible!

Shhhsh! don't tell anyone! :)

Joey
 
Joey, your secret is safe with me buddy.:)

Since you mentioned Kastmasters......My friend at the time and I backpacked into Hooligan Lake, CA. (check it out on Google Earth, I don't know how to copy it). Hooligan was about a 12 mile hike from the trail head back then. It's only about 9 now, as the road was extended up to the wilderness boundry.

Anyhow, we arrived about noon on the second day. After setting up camp I tied on a silver Kastmaster (about 1 1/4" long). I climbed out on this rock to fish. We had no idea what to expect. My first 8 casts, I landed 8 Rainbows 16-19" long! My friend wasn't ready yet and it pissed him off to hear me hoopin' and hollerin':)

We stayed at that lake for 4 days and I think we caught and released every trout there.

So, yes, I love Kastmaster!:)

Eel
 
LAST EDITED ON Apr-28-11 AT 10:27AM (MST)[p]I do the majority of fishing on Lake Almanor in Northern California. The lake has many different species of fish, but I go after the Rainbow's and the Brown's. I split my time between fly fishing, trolling and bait fishing in the heat of the summer. Here are my favorites.

This is a TS Bugger that works well all year on Lake Almanor, I caught several Rainbows this winter from 3-6 pounds on this pattern. I use this on a 5 weight rod with intermediate sink line.

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This is a 6 pound Rainbow I caught on the TS Bugger in March.

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These are my two favorite trolling lures for Lake Almanor. The Speedy Shiner Gold/Red, I put a small twist in it for more action and use a trout jell for scent.

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The last one is a Yo Zuri Pins Minnow that I started using a few years back. I can be real deadly at times, also use the jell on this lure.

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Eel, Way back as a kid, Dad used to bring the Family up to Lake Almanor where he rented a little cabin for a month each June. He loved to fish the lake from a rented boat, right where the Feather River that runs thru chester, dumps through a channel and into the lake. If Dad was out fishing, i was with him.

One year, he invited one of his friends to bring his wife along on out annual trip. Fine with me, we just rented a slightly bigger boat. Dad's friend though, quickly tired or bored of the waiting game we played as out weightless crawlers and red eggs sat out along the channel depths in anticipation of a run. We'd fish with the bails on our spinning reels open. That way, a fish could take, then swim off, while line unspooled from our reels, to better swallow our baits before we set the steel to em.

Anyway, Doug, dad's friend, every once in awhile would stand up and fling out this metal bait. He could cast that bait, what seemed to me, a unbelievable distance. More that that, he often caught nice Rainbows when he did so. The lure was a Kastmaster he told me, i believe it was the first year or two the thing was out. Neither Dad nor i would have thought to fish our sacred spot any other way than what we had been but that Kastmaster opened my eyes to a way of fishing that i still love to do to this day.

Larrbo, The lake was way choppy today. Hope the wind settles down some for our little trip out there Sat Morning. Thanks for your nice presentation Larry. Sounded good and looked better! I really like the looks of your bugger there. I think i have the stuff to tie some of those up. Never have fished a Yo Zuri Pins Minnow in almanor. If looks count, one might believe that they should fill the boat! Looking forward to Sat!!!

Joey
 
Sage, I hope we can fill the boat tomorrow.....if that knucklehead driving the boat can find some fish.
 
For those interested, Larrbo and i got skunked today. I did have one fish on but that's about it. We been having pretty brisk North winds. With all the disturbance, the water gets muddy pretty fast and today's water looked like a cup of milky coffee. We gave her a go and had a great time as always. Neither of us have to catch them every time out, we'll get our share!! :)

Joey
 
OK, time's up. Probably the most famous trout lure of all time, and one of my favorite too. Good for lakes or streams.

SUPER DUPER

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I was able to fly fish some new water for me on Sunday. Started slow but landed 8 rainbows up to 4 pounds. My favorite fly didn't work but a rust colored one did the trick. This photo is of a 2 pounder that fought like a 5 pounder.

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3Tags, beautiful Trout you have there. Is that a Lake Trout?

Eelgrass, Yes, the good ol Super Duper! I have a old map with a picture on it of a guy holding a fish up with Chester Ca in the back ground. It says, "Brown Trout 18 1/4 pounds", looks every bit of that, "one of the largest to be caught in Lake Almanor in several years." That fish was caught in Almanor in 1964. I remember well the telling of how that guy caught that fish while on vacation here on almanor when i was a kid. Seems the guy knew where this trout lived, i still fish right in that local often, and went after him again and again with his steelhead tackle. His bait used to finally catch that monster, was a 3 inch long Super Duper.

I well know another Gent that has the current "documented" Lake record Brown trout, a 15+ pounder. He's a good guy, retired fishing guide, and a great source of info if i want it. I don't have the heart to show him this old pic that actually is on the 1964 Chamber of Commerce info and lake fishing Map. I mean, why would i want to do that?? I don't have that kind of heart.

Larrbo, You look like Joe Cool out there on your one man pontoon holding up that nice bow. Somebody has to do it bud!! :) Great job and thanks for posting it up!!

Keep em coming guys, great stuff!!!

Joey
 
One of my favorite ways to catch Brown Trout. In the fall, white or chartreuse, Wally World, cheap old 1/16 oz crappie jigs.

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Lots of guys would think these cheap baits wouldn't work well on a high class fish. Not the case! These little cheapo jigs can catch the biggest fish in the lake. Fish them over springs in the fall and hold on, as if you don't, you might lose your whole outfit. :)

Joey
 
My tackle box is pretty small. I have tried various lures through the years, but I find that only a few seem to produce on a regular basis. I mostly fish streams, small rivers (I am in Nevada), small reservoirs (up to about 50 acres) and ponds. A big fish might be a 15" or so trout, or a 3-4 pound small mouth or largemouth bass. We have a few places for catfish and sunfish too, but that about covers my expertise for fishing.

1. Rapala - various sizes, colors, and variations.
2. Panther Martins - I have caught 4" trout and 18" bass on these.
3. Rooster tails - seem to work for the streams for trout.
4. Crappie jigs - 1/16 to 1/4 oz with various colored rubber bodies. Works for sunfish that I find in some of the ponds I fish, and is great for ice fishing for trout or crappie as well. I have also dropped these into pools on faster moving streams and done well.
5. I have a handful of Daredevil Spoons, and Kastmasters that I use if I get to go on water in a boat. I troll that behind a Sep's flasher leader. I also have a few spinner baits from the discount shelf at Walmart for targeting bass from a boat as well.
6. Various treble hooks, some sinkers, and steel leaders if I am wanting to target catfish. I rig a simple set-up with about 18" of lead, and fish off the bottom.

A Quantum 6.5' Medium Action with 12 lb Trilene XL.
A Shakespear 5' UL with a Sigma reel and 4 lb Trilene XL.
An Eagle Claw UL 5.5' with matching reel that I won at a raffle - with 4 lb Trielene XL.

Thats my set up. And everything except for the reels fits into a Plano 1120 double sided box.

Marcial

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