Amen on Robert! Buddy is back, too. Wow, like all I wanted for Christmas was my two bass beasts! Anyway, striper fishing near Boston a couple of years ago we were casting 9 wts with sand eel imitations. We'd cast, then place the rod under our arm and pinch the line in a half inch at a time. Reeeeeeeeaaaaaaal slow. Up here, one of the techniques for crappies and gills while ice fishing is to do a quick, jerk lift and allow the jig to settle back down near the bottom, an inch or two above the bottom. Then let it sit. Right after ice out, again hitting the north bays of the lakes up here, you adapt by casting a weighted nymph and letting it sink. Take some time to commune with nature. Then use a very slow, almost imperceptible retrieve. That hand twist technique is great, but it has to be slow. Deep. Slow. Fun. JGW