Uncle Leo

From Frankfort, South Suburb of Chicago, never fished up near Rockford but willing to give it a try. If you want to get together sometime send me a PM.

It this helps I have some experience with both the Cumara and Zillion. Both rods seem much stiffer then what you would expect for a Med. Power rod. As an example I bought a MH Zillion which I thought I would use for T-Rigs. A Med. power was much more suitable so I switched out. It seems this way for any of the Shimano and Diawa rods even the Crucial by my experience.

Get use to it, I have been watch mine grow for years.

I agree but the Bait Monkey will be hunting you down.

Rod- 7 foot Med Fast Zillion Reel- Daiwa Advantage HSTA Line- 12 lb Vicious Green Hook- Owner 4/0 EWG Weight- 1/8 oz Tungsten Bait- Watermelon Brush Hog Unpegged T-Rig all day long

Love this stuff, great on fried Catfish and Pizza.

I agree this is the exact application my STX has been assigned to.

I'll show you how its done at Kentucky Lake with a Curado. ;D ;D ;D If I remember correctly, Kentucky lake has mostly floating docks. Not much to actually skip under. I could be wrong cause I didn't see too much of the lake. 8-) If you can skip something 25 feet under a dock, I'll buy you dinner. Wait, I already am cause your driving! d**n, I already have extra line packed!

If that's all it takes I am definitely in.

Including the next state.

10 minutes away, Greg always talks me into buying what they are biting on.

I'll show you how its done at Kentucky Lake with a Curado. ;D ;D ;D

Unlike RW I use a variety of different lines and tests for certain applications. I am somewhat settling on a particuliar brand but still use multiple test. What I like to use is a Brother Lable Maker. You can print out Test and Brand until you settle on 2 like RW if that's possible.

I have found that it is not as cut and dry as that. For the most part it is a guideline. I have found that with certain rod manufacturers you may want a Med or MH for T-Rigging. I set up myself solely based on a particular manufacturer and how their rods respond to a presentation. Unfortunately there is a lot of trial and error until you find what is suitable for you. The one standard I found is for crankbaiting or any treble hook presentation you want a Moderate versus say a Fast. For Plastic you may want Fast or Extra Fast if fishing a weedy area. This is for both Med and MH.

Spinning gear does work better but with practice and thumb control I use a baitcaster. Use a side arm cast with a lot of wrist. You will not get a lot of distance but it is doable.

5/0 will work okay. Some say Gammy but for me Owner. Both are just fine though.

If he likes Berkley take a look at the new Shock. Nice rod for around $ 50. It is suitable for superline use.

In Springfield you will want to fish Sangchris. Good largemouth bass I found them best in the bays. This lake also has produced the state record Striper which I beleive it still holds. In Chciago if you are south of the city Braidwood Lake which is a power plant cooling lake is a good bet. This lake was featured in Bassmasters magazine last month. Work the points for largemouth, they can be found all over the lake.

June is not too bad but July can get pretty humid. As Tom said really need to know what part of the state you will be in. Illinios is not Rhode Island it takes a bit of time to get around this state. There are any number of great areas but a 5 hour drive may be in order depending on where your at. Could really save some time in knowing what area you will be in, also what kind of boat you have. Lake Michican has some great bass fishing. If you are in the Chicagoland area and have a small boat you need a south wind to get the lake to lay down. Otherwise you in for a rough ride.

I own both and am equally pleased with both. I voted Shimano as I feel they have a slight edge. I concur with the results of the poll.

Sweet, hope it tasted as sweet as it looks, Happy Birthday.

I agree but if you are looking for a MH get a M. These rods are quite stiff.

Great action wacky rigged but they easily get tore up.

As I have the best success with Zoom Brush Hogs that's my choice.

Body shape maybe but not the bill.