Dwight Hottle

Lipless crank like a rattletrap.

The castability of a medium rod will be better than a medium heavy for most lures because of its flex. To notice a difference in sensitivity you probable need to step up to $200 range & above. Also I don't think the dobyns fury is noted for being a sensitive rod in the first place.

X2

Smallies change color based on surroundings/depth & bottom composition based on my experiences. They also will color up with some time spent in a live well. The colors get much more pronounced.

You need a MH moderate action rod & that will cover all your treble hook baits.

Got up at 3:45am yesterday morning to meet my fishing buddy Robert Perez to drive up to Headwaters adjacent to Stickmarsh. We got there at daybreak & fished until 1:30pm. The plan was to fish the deeper basins & holes with crank baits and to get more familiar with some baits we are planning to take down to Mexico in October at lake Baccarac. We started catching random fish at each stop. Some dinks & some between 3-5. Caught fish on jerk baits shallow & deep, paddle tail swimbaits & crank baits. At around 1pm I put on a Bucca bull shad to try it out. I had never thrown it before. I casted parallel to a weed line off the shoreline near deep water & got an explosive hit after a one or two cranks. It was not nearly as big as we suspected based on the hit but was the best for the day.

I remember todays safety issues did not exist. A new corvette cost less than $3000. Milk & ice were delivered to your front door. Your mom didn't drive. Most married women didn't work outside the home. You never pumped your own gas. If you were lucky you had an ice box in the kitchen People lived in rooming houses & the bathroom was down the hall. You heated with coal. Party telephone lines were common. The national athem was played before the network signed off.

What's your definition of big pike? I have caught a large number of pike over 20lbs while targeting them in northern Canada. I do agree that pike over 20lbs are tougher to catch than those under 20. Pike over 25lb are even tougher yet to catch but your lack of success could be based on numbers available rather than difficulty to catch. Also waters that yield musky & pike are usually dominated by musky. Statistically pike over 30lbs are more rare than a musky of the same weight. Large pike frequent colder water & greater depths than musky from my experiences.

Big congrats on a job well done. That’s a sweet PB.

Please tell me you were wading.

I have been hooking it to my belt loop on my hip for years. It has never came unhooked and is not uncomfortable.

Just attach the jaws thru your belt loop & let it hang.

As a long term tribe fan I have felt the pain before often.

Welcome to BR. I would suggest when you catch one of those golden shiners you quickly return it back to the water with a 1/0 kahle hook attached. Then patiently wait for the results. You will probably get several answers to your questions about the size & health of your private lake fish population.

Welcome to Florida & BR. It doesn't help that your post says SE Florida. Venice is on the southwest coast.

Outstanding accomplishment for any angler. Every time I see this picture it reminds me of an old PB picture of mine. The body shape of both fish are highly similar although the weight is off by 7 ounces.

It sadly reminds me of past member Oregon Native's journey.

If you ever had too much gin to drink you you would wish is was gen instead.

Those look a fun pair to catch.

Very good advice. I bought that rod to use on Erie for smallmouth jerk baits. It handled LC pointer 128 's which weigh an ounce. Very versatile rod & keeps those trebles hooked up. Also don't be afraid to look at saltwater rods to expand your search for spinning rods for freshwater applications.

Original Rapala Floating minnow Deps Buzzjet Wake bait

We didn't want you anyway. ?

Wait for the TW labor day sale @15% off. I'm partial to Shimano.

Robert welcome to BR.

Just saw this thread @shimmy good read.