J Francho

I like to think that what makes a bait a catcher and not a swimmer is it's action, and in the case of square bills, deflection off obstacles is key. I would want to keep some consistency in that area. That's not to say, that your "altered" bait will not be a catcher, but how do you replace it if you lose it somehow? Maybe I think too hard about these things, lol.

Congrats!

For a few bucks, replace it.

You want something you'll be happy with for years. Double your budget, and get some significant seat time in several boats.

Pretty much this. Also, I'll net a crankbait fish, and then use the grip to keep the fish still while get the trebles out.

This is the issue. You need to fairly proficient with a casting reel to use line this thin. 40-50# braid or a 12-15# single filament line would suit you better.

A 300 series reel has a much larger spool diameter, so looking at gear ratios can be deceiving. For example, a 200 Calcutta D has a ratio of only 5.8:1, yet a that equates to 30 IPT. Contrast that with specs for a Cardiff. Neither reel reel lacks power. There situations in swim-baiting that demand speed.

If you get a wind knot after freshly spooling your line, you spooled it wrong. By "wind knots," I'm talking about two things that happen when there is twist in braid: 1. Slack line loops back over the tip top and first couple of guides after the cast, or when you introduce slack line by grabbing your bait. 2. Loops and snarls that appear during the cast from twisted line twisting on itself during the retrieve. Usually results in a knotted mess of line caught in the guide train, where the ring size is much smaller than the previous guide. Perhaps we're not all talking about the same thing. If someone has another definition, please share.

I've used a 7-11 swimbait rod for all kinds of shore fishing, but I was throwing swimbaits, not a general purpose rod. What he's trying to do is get the baits to brush covered shoreline from areas that are clear of those obstacles. Pretty smart move, actually. What he really wants is a longer rod with a lure rating of 1/2 to 1 oz., more likely.

Another decade old thread.....lol.

And take them on a livewell ride, LOLOL.

From the outside, looking it in, it does sound stupid. But I have caught fish that bit in prefishing, and shook off.

Wind knots from braid are from twist inherent in spinning reels. Though not nearly as frequent as single filament lines, you still need to troll braid out once in a while.

Most so-called frog rods I've tried are great at throwing and retrieving frogs, but stink at setting the hook and pulling fish from cover. I use a 7 to 7-6 rod that's XH/F rating. Often that means a flipping stick.

I have two, the Mat Daddy, and a shorter spinnerbait rod. I can't speak to the specific model, but over all quality is very good for the price point.

I can relate to that experience, Catt. I had one that refused to let go, I got her all the way to the boat, gently reeling back in, hoping she'd spit the bit. Last minute, tuns, and sets the hook on herself. She was 6-7, caught her on the wrong day. Lunker for that tourney was 6-0. We won anyway, but the lunker bonus would have been nice.

It has way more commotion than any of those baits. It also takes less input to make that commotion, and therefore allows a much slower retrieve.

Wow, this is the first time I'm seeing this. Truth is stranger than fiction, lol.

No treble on the bottom. I fish it as is, like a football jig. Slowly, on the bottom, like a distracted, feeding trout.

Done right, it's amazing. Unfortunately, that's an expensive proposal. Done half-bassed, yeah...delays, feedback, the potential to actually HARM your ears....meh. There's supposed to be a toy released at NAMM this year that allows you to splice into the back of the house monitor wedge, and control the volume separately to a set of in ear. Supposedly going to really help the small club musician. Sorry for the off topic stuff.

Not really. It's like 50%-60%. Left ear is fine. I use these for protection: http://www.discovervibes.com/ They're the best I've found. They don't reduce the sound quality like foam plugs, but still protect you from the high decibel exposure. I've tried in ear monitoring, but I don't like the disconnected feeling that brings.

The 68 are pretty much all I use.

What's the question? You seem to have decided on what you want to do. Are you getting a pitching reel or cranking reel?

I have deafness in my right ear. Cataracts in my left eye. I also have T1D. I have to be careful on the water, and have emergency snacks just in case I get low blood glucose.

Colors that match the local sunfish and blue gill.