those bucktails looks really nice. I've got some double cow girls, but they really do wear you out. Need a good real with 4:1 ratio for those big blades.
a pike will usually destroy a cheap spinner bait. It will end up costing you more in the long run replacing cheap ones. Spend a little bit more money and buy a better quailty one that will last through several fish.
i love my shimano reels. I have had a symetre now for 17 years and its still in great working condition. I also have a calcutta and citca that are great reals and have not had any issues with. Worth every penny and you do get what you pay for.
i still use that rapala technique and have been using for about 15 years. Works great on smallies and largies. Big-O used to be one of my favorites but dont use it any more. I had forgot about it. Maybe i will give it a try again this year.