A-Jay

Me neither ~ But it does seem to help. A-Jay

In a non-competitive atmosphere - that may be up to you. Personally, I'd say it's no less 'sporting' than throwing an A-Rig for instance. If it's legal, puts fish in the boat & a smile on your face - Go For It. Might not exactly be my cup of tea but that has nothing to do with you. Btw ~ I'd be terribly disappointed if you didn't get some video of you Pole Vaulting & Tarzan swinging pot-belly bass into that Pro-V ! A-Jay

Hello Matt And Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

Sounds pretty much like how Dee Thomas did it when he started the whole Flipping deal. A-Jay

Check out the new Gamakatsu G-Finesse Weedless Wacky Hook ~ comes in size 1 & 2 ~ The Gamakatsu G-Finesse Weedless Wacky Hook is currently available for pre-order at TW - and expected to arrive by winter. So until then you may just have to break out that vise - but you lknow you love it. A-Jay

Hello Nick and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

Disregard the sound, continue to reel the bait and wait to feel the weight of the fish as the rod loads. Then set the hook. btw- that works pretty good during the day as well. A-Jay

As mentioned above, polishing bare aluminum is a bit of a beast & an eternal requirement if you're set on maintaining that appearance. As for "whipping the foggy area with a dry rag", I'll admit that I'm not familiar with that technique. Perhaps a new red hat would help . . (sorry) A-Jay

You may find that most of the 'trout' specific sticks are going to be pretty 'soft' might even approach 'noodle' compared to what you may be used to or looking for flipping heavy cover. What is it 'problem' you're hoping to solve with a stick that long ? I have some surf casting rods I'll sell you - they'll definitely improve your 'distance'. A-Jay

See now ~ That's just a really Dirty Trick right there ~ So is that when you braid the Fluoro & Braid mainline together ? A-Jay

That was pretty Intense ! I'd need a "debris escape flap' on the back of my suit right there. Isn't it safer just to order the square fish from Micky-D's ? A-Jay

Doesn't get much better than that ! A-Jay

I'm more apt to kiss my boat ~ "not that there's anything wrong with that". A-Jay

I Do Not have that motor (nor this product) so I have no experience with either. My TM experience is limited to MK Fortrex which is cable drive. I've been on boats with electric steer TM and what you've describe has always been a bit of a challenge. I posted that product as a possible solution not a recommendation as I haven't used it. Also, the use of vinyl compressor hose sounds like a legitimate idea and after looking at what I posted - appears to be what that product may actually be- and as stated - is less $$$ Here's a couple more choices / ideas - of course one will need to ensure that the inside tube diameter is appropriate for your needs and the color is a personal choice A-Jay https://www.amazon.com/Kegco-BF-ALA516-5-Assembly-Clamps/dp/B003830Y3O/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1501766091&sr=8-4&keywords=vinyl+air+hose https://www.amazon.com/HydroMaxx-Flexible-Non-Toxic-Clear-Tubing/dp/B01BHALAUK/ref=sr_1_19?ie=UTF8&qid=1501766018&sr=8-19-spons&keywords=vinyl+air+hose&psc=1

Could this work ? https://www.cornfieldcrappiegear.com/product-page/copy-of-copy-of-cable-save-r-for-xi5 A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

Hello Wes and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

Hello Brian and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

@Looking for the big one ~ I would tend to agree with you regarding the angling prowess of @everythingthatswims ~ But me ~ Well, not so much . . . . . A-Jay

The 200 comes in at 4.5 inches and the 300 is listed at 4.75 inches ~ granted the profile of the 300 makes it seem somewhat "Bigger". I'll agree fishing it a bit could help you make a decent assessment. btw - Shame your tournament fishing isn't fun . . . . . A-Jay

It has always been my contention that the bass I'm actually targeting with a 200 size bait will usually devour it. If she can't, well then, he's not The Right Fish. No Extra Treble needed here. A-Jay

Hello James and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

A-Jay

A-Jay

Here's the rig, from the main line to the hook: -A sinker stopper or stopped knot (I use a double uni-knot made from left over braided line) - A small bead to keep the knot from slipping through the weight if the hole through the weight is larger than the stopper. - A Bullet weight - I like Tungsten - a Boss Punch Hub - this is placed inside the skirt collar - The skirt of your choice - A parasite clip (optional, but does help prevent the plastic from sliding down the hook) - A 5/0 Owner wide gap plus EWG hook (#5139 - very stout, I love this hook) - Your favorite soft plastic - pictured is a Power Bait Beast The Boss Punch Hub is avalable at TW Hope this helps A-Jay