J Francho

Normally these threads are just personal preference, but there's definitely a pattern.

Thanks @smalljaw67 for the detailed process. I'd read about it, just couldn't remember the full story.

I snapped a $450 rod just in front of the reel seat on the first hookset I made - on a dink. Called that company, in a few days a new rod was on my doorstep. I didn't come on a forum to complain how dissatisfied I was. That was four years ago. That is a go to rod, and I'm very happy with it. Contact Favorite, and let them square it up with you. Complaining on a fishing forum will do will not fix your broken rod. Once you've done all that, let know the outcome. Their number is: 877-800-6246

Is it lack of confidence or lack of experience? The idea of "confidence baits" is hooey, if you ask me. Learn what baits do what in what, and build confidence in locating fish.

Any production rod can have spots like that. Do what they do, fill it with Elmer's Golden Oak, as mentioned. If you seal your cork with U-40, it will protect the cork for a long time.

It's not a terrible idea to try and match patterns with your local forage, though I find it's often enough to simply come close. Meaning, a fishy bait for fish based forage, a crabby bait for crawfish diets, and [worms and creatures in muddy habitats. Even then, I don't think too hard. I'm looking for active, hungry bass, using structural and cover features to guide me. If I can fine tune things, so be it, but mostly I throw what works best in the situation without too much regard for color.

The term "confidence baits" is so misused and wrong thinking. You start throwing your "confidence bait," a 4" senko in 15' of water, you are going to LOSE confidence in that bait. You start throwing your "confidence bait," a sexy shad DD22 into a weed line in 10', you are going to lose confidence. Be confident in knowing what bait is the right tool to get into the fishes' faces. Be confident there are fish where you are fishing. The rest is really just problem solving. Bringing back too many weeds on your wacky rigged senko? Change to a weedless worm hook. Same bait, same spot, get it to the fish more effectively. If that DD22 is digging in too hard, switch to a Deep Little N. It's just logic.

Interesting mix. Seems like zebes and depth dictate heavier gear.

Tungsten carbide weights are not melted and poured. They are compressed under extreme pressure, which creates the heat necessary to fuse the material. Good luck doing that in your garage. I suppose you could try mixing the powder with some sort of epoxy, though it won't be as dense.

Just a quick tip on this, since they both kind of fish the same. Don't just use a steady retrieve. Let them bump into weeds, docks, rocks, and fallen wood. If you fish stained water, keep them just deep enough that you can't see the bait anymore.

Saw some deer last night, out in the kayak with my oldest. Was nice to get out with him. He's 18, and pretty much never around.

Well, you're the one one that came up empty handed, and asked why. That's a 6 lb. 8 oz. NY northern strain bass I'm holding. Where's your pics? Sorry, you gotta put up, man. Putting a little smiley face with it's tongue sticking out won't get fish in the boat. But I digress, you're on your own.

Most EVERY response has been use punch rigs, flipping jigs, and even my Jika punch rig. These are all a T LEAST an ounce. You have countered with topwater, 1/8 oz. T-rigs with a 2/0 hook, rodents, swim jigs, senkos. You want to fish heavy cover, get the right stuff. Some of my biggest fish have come from fishing the worst slop. Many have offered you great advice, and are VERY experienced slop anglers. You've only made excuses, but have no results. Time to take the advice you asked for. The fish are undoubtedly there, you just have to open up, and learn how to catch them. Sorry for the straight talk, but that's how it is. ???

I've seen other use the tool bag option, and it works pretty well. I'd say you need to get over the part where you're feeling like you don't have enough. I bring three deep 3750 Plano boxes, another small box for terminal gear, a spinnerbait wallet, and that's about it. I don't need ten topwaters, usually just a Sammy and a Popmax. I don't need ten colors and three sizes of worms. I carry maybe a half dozen crankbaits. They're all various Lucky Craft in MS Shad. Find your favorite stuff, pack it. Then find a few new things you want to try, and if there's room, something weird. Be confident in your fish locating skills rather than having confidence in baits.

We're done with these frogs at this point.

I was just fishing a VERY clear lake that had the same type of deal. Some places were 20' deep with weeds just below the surface. I just kept drifting over the line, making short pitches, picking off fish as I went. It helps to keep track of the bottom if you use StructureID (white line bottom on H'bird units) and trun the clutter filter on, and sensitivity down a bit. You're just looking to track the bottom contour, not locate fish.

Insurance won't pay for Dexcom. Only Medtronix. I don't use their CGM, but for two weeks before an Endo appointment so they have some decent data. Otherwise, I already test ten times a day, and that's plenty of data to manage my pump.

Do you have an ACTUAL frog in your possession? If not, how do you know it needs any improvement? It's pretty common to have to squeeze the water out of any hollow frog after work the bait aggressively. One solution I use is to smear Megastrike over the hook opening. It doesn't block the air on the hookset, but keeps the water out.

My second largest NY bass came from a weed choked lake, 7-1. Figure it out, or not. They do thrive in them, as several responses have mentioned.

So far you've shot down every solution and tip offered for fishing heavy, matted weeds. I guess you should find another lake to fish.

Metric conversion issues. 150' is 1/3 of a 150 yd. spool.

If you're only catching pickerel, you're fishing way too shallow on that lake. On a good day, jigs on the outside of submerged weed lines prevalent on both sides, mid lake, is a good tactic. On a slow, same places, but dead stick an unweighted senko. Midday, in sun, Take that senko, and Texas rig it with a pegged 1/16 oz. bullet weight. Fling it near docks.

I can think of a frog related improvement. The Basyrisky wobble frog. They added a harder belly so the top would crsh easier when bit, and get better hook ups. I never really had a problem with the old version, but they at least didn't make it worse. Still one of my favorite baits.

Bite Me Big Dude 3/4 oz. or homemade 1 oz. that I get from a local.

Yes. I have a couple shallow lakes lie this. Look for any change in bottom contour, or creek inlets. Also look for a breakline formed by two differing species of weeds.