As astute an observation as can ever be made, Craig. Those words speak truly
speak volumes of absolute truth. Great post.

One little point, though: SW actually is the best lure! ;-)

--
Bob Rickard
(AKA Dr. Spinnerbait)
www.secretweaponlures.com
--------------------------=x O')))


"GL3Loomis" wrote in message
...
I think after the 8-years+ of the r.o.f.b. and 35-years of Professional
Tournament fishing that we have enough data to sum up fishing (or at least
the equipment and tackle aspects of fishing) to: Confidence & Experience

Q: What is the best LURE for any given situation?
S/A: The lure (type, color, size) that YOU have the most confidence using.
We have seen in "HOLE" tournaments that 10 anglers can enter into a given
area and all produce fish using a wide variety of lures and techniques.
The
only common denominator is, a CONFIDENCE LURE was used, backed by years of
angler experience!

Q: What is the best Fishing ROD to use for a given situation?
S/A: The one that YOU feel the most comfortable using. Rod material
(Graphite, Glass, Boron), length (5'6", 6', 6'6", 7', 7'6"), power
(medium,
medium heavy, heavy), Action (Slow, Moderate, Fast, Extra Fast), none of
these factors have proven over time to be better for a given situation.
It
all comes down to what YOU like and that feels the most comfortable to
YOU!
If you have used a 8-ft, mag power, extra fast action rod to fish topwater
lures, and it feels comfortable to you and you have had good success using
it, than that is the best rod for you regardless if no one else in the
world
is using it.

Q: What is the best REEL to use (size and type)?
S/A: Reel Type (Spincast, Spinning, Baitcaster, Levelwinder), Multi-ball
bearing, brass bushing, don't mean a thing. Again, the deciding factor is
what feels, and performs the best for YOU! I have seen people use a
baitcaster on a spinning rod because it felt and performed well for them.

Q: What is the Best LINE to use (size and type)?
S/A: 1-pound to 50-pound test, Super-braid, Flourocarbon, copoloymer,
nylon
mono, doesn't mean a thing. Fish can detect them all through their
sensory
organs. What matters, YOU and YOUR Confidence about using a particular
line
type and size.

Sensing a pattern here. What works for one may never work for another.
What makes the difference is how YOU feel about something and how well it
performs for YOU! The road to success on the water is experience - plain
and simple. The more time you spend on and off the water perfecting a
technique, a pattern, the more successful you will become - because you
will
be more CONFIDENT doing it.

Getting away from competition fishing has allowed me to take a fresh look
at
it. With nothing to prove, no one to impress (sponsors or potential
sponsors), fishing for just the pure love of it, has changed my whole
outlook. I see the big debates over equipment, lures, and techniques on
various forums and laugh now. What's better G.Loomis, St. Croix,
All-Star,
etc? The only answer is the one that feels and performs the best for you,
and the only true way it to determined that is to buy or ask someone that
owns a G.Loomis, a St. Croix, a All-Star, a K-Mart Special, etc., if you
can
use it and see how you like it. What is the best lure type? try them all
and find two or three that you like, and that produce for you and spend
time
on the water learning all you can about them. The same holds true to each
lure type - what product brand, color, rattles, no rattles, etc, do you
want
to own and use. Buy several different spinnerbait, crankbait, plastic
plastics brands and types to find the two or three you like and produce
the
best for you.

Bottom line is not what equipment (rods, reels, line, lures, boats, sonar,
etc., etc., etc.) you use that will determine your fishing sucess. Its
time
on the water, learning to pattern fish (how to read structure and cover,
water and weather conditions to determine the best depth, speed, size,
action, sound, color, scent - presentation/technique for the lure and lure
type of your choice), and you (your comfort and confidence).

Take Roland Martin, Shaw Grisby, Hank Parker, and Rick Clunn as some prime
examples. Each of these anglers have represented multiple manufacturers
during their career. Each time they said their current sponsor's
equipment
was the best and demonstrated that by winning tournaments using it. But
in
reality, you could put a cane pole with 50-pound test line, in clear water
and these anglers are going to catch fish. Why? EXPERIENCE, and
CONFIDENCE!
They know how to locate fish, figure out the current pattern, and how to
present whatever lure they are given. This all came from years and years
of
ON-THE-WATER experience.

Regardless of the sport you choose (golf, bowling, basketball, baseball,
handball, or fishing), its the time and consistant time you put into it
that
is going to determine how good you get. Spend 8-hours a weekend and you
can
only become so good. Spend 1 to 2 hours a day, and you will get better
quicker.

Ah, I hope this makes sense, for it is just a few thoughts fired off the
top
of my head.

--
Craig