BirdNestBen

yeah it's tough to match up rods and reels without a big budget..... Out of all the rods I do like the Fenwick HMG, checked out the Johnny Morris model- it's super nice...... and my fav is the Shimano Crucial..... think I'm going to hold out till I can get one of these 3 at a good deal preferably the Crucial......

thanks for all the info. so far........

Well the Revo I'm buying gonna cost $$$$$$$$$$ so looking to spend around $50-60 on a rod for it....... Hate to scrimp but times are tough...... need a rod for senkos, flukes, spinnerbaits, worms (texas rigged) ........ what do you think the best rod in this price range might be??? maybe could go $80 if a rebate is involved??????????

WOW nice fish, I can't say I really feel bad for you with a lunker like that!!!!!!!!!!

thanks Paul......... I've got my drag set right for my spinning rod so I won't get broke off again....... I fish a lot of baitcasters with a tight drag, so it's been hard to get used to fishing with a loose drag...... Good luck on your trophy quest..... hope you catch even bigger ones in the years to come.

thanks micro....... can't wait to get it out on the lake...... love to fish flukes, senkos, etc. on spinning tackle but gonna switch and start using this reel for that....... Been running into some BIG BASS lately that just have flat out overpowered me....... put some good line on this one and maybe I can start to win a few battles I hope....... thanks again

WOW- just the tail looks 6 lbs... nice fish........ ;D

Well we have been having awesome weather down here in Texas..... calm sunny and about 80d. every day...... Left about 4pm..... pond is about 5 acres.... fished a new area caught 4 on flukes and powerworms...... There is an old fishing dock sitting down on the lower end of the lake which has been my best honey hole..... got a couple good bites on the powerworm but they really wanted the fluke...... Caught around 7 by the dock...... and then bam..... looked 5 lbs. but weighed it and was 3.5 lbs....... stripped a lot of drag off my President spinning reel....... earlier had drag set too tight and got my line broke again...... Around sundown went down towards the dam and caught 7 or 8 dinks... and called it a day....... Took a friend but was hard headed and wouldn't switch lures.... oh well he caught 1 dink....... on a roostertail....... Only made 1 adjustment the entire day...... earlier when the sun was up and real bright outside... had a split shot on and was sinking the bait down say 3-5 feet........ Late before sundown- went weightless as a lot of bass were feeding on top...... and bam started catching them again....... Anyways still dreaming of the one right before I left that was stripping drag like crazy but pulled off the hook.... dang why do I always remember the one that got away.........

well thanks guys for all your help and opinions..... my fav reel is definitely the SHIMANO MG 50... WOW but over my budget...... One mentioned the Pflueger president reel and I have one of those in a spinning reel....... nice- truth is I catch most of my fish on it........ And I like the Daiwa Zillion the most of all the models they have out now.... but very pricey........ So, really think I'll go with the Revo Stx.... went and tried it at Academy and felt super smooth...... I think I can find one in my range if I keep a lookout...... thanks..........

heeeee this is cheating so I hope no one else but you reads this.... One of my most fun outings in a while occured on a summer trip on about a 30 acre private lake..... I had caught several dozen live perch during the day with my cast net, and we waited for nightfall as this trip was in August during the dog days of summer... It was real fun as we used those glow bobbers and it was nice and cool with a bright moon provided enough light.... We caught a few big channel cat....... I caught a 3 and 5 lb. bass.... and then my buddy just starting yelling...... he had no telling what on and line was stripping like he had a Godzilla on the line........ He fought it around 10 minutes and unfortunately it went right under the boat and finally broke him off.... guess you would have had to been there but it was no doubt a monster fish.... Now I'm not a proponet of live bait fishing but it was a nice change of pace....... that's all I'm saying...... RW had give me a tip to start using Yozuri ultra soft line as I had a few fish break me off.... so I'd try this line or some heavy duty braid as you'll probably get into some real nice bass.... Another technique that works when the bite turns off is drop shot fishing... there are many lures for this but my particular fav is zoom finesse worm...... Good luck.

Just about to buy a new baitcaster in a few days for all around fishing... flukes, worms, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, etc. Have been looking at a Revo Stx, but highly regard everyone's opinions, so wanted to see what you guys might recommend.... Thanks and good fishin'

watermelon seed fluke booyah spinnerbait texas rigged blue powerworm

My best all time lure other than a fluke.... is the 7 in. powerworm blue fleck---- spray it with Gulp crawfish attractant..........

yeah the water temp there is still too high...... last few times I've fished the bass have been sluggish....... cooler temps should be on the way....... for the dropshot I've really been catching them on Zoom junebug/chart. tail finesse worms....... if you don't know how to rig a dropshot can look it up on youtube.com (it's fairly easy to do and a simple way to fish) The blue fleck powerworm really for me catches some nice bass... I like to use the Berkley gulp spray and really helps them hold on really long to get a nice hookset........ Get those topwaters ready........ with the falling temps you should start to hammer them on the surface........ Keep chunking the senkos and for sure the flukes........ with the fluke, get a pack of watermelon seed---- it's my main color and really works!!!!!!!!! Good luck again........ let me know if u catch any???????????

I think you really got a deal at $40.00 WOW....... guess I should ask if you are anyone else on here has used this reel before, and what their feedback is??????

found a team daiwa baitcaster..... not sure of the year model... just wondering if anyone knows what it is worth??? is in brand new cond. with box.......

well I don't know if u have a boat or not?? Weather conditions play a big part... one day they bite everything the next nothing..... Fish any visible structure you see....... even fish along dropoffs, points, etc.... May take a little time to get to know the lake and get a feel for it..... I would maybe try a few different lures next time...... flukes are great lures so I wouldn't give up on it..... maybe try a few powerworms?? dropshot with a zoom finesse worm?? buzzbaits early and late??? I'd probably start off with a spinnerbait and go from there....... good luck.......

I'm lucky enough to have found a few tanks here in Texas to fish in... I'd certainly follow the comments you received so far they all look good.... I like to take 3 rods with me....... A lot depends on the conditions.... fall is right around the corner and more active fish...... cloudy overcast- look to use topwater baits for bigger bass..... sunny- plastic worm- texas rigged and dropshot It's true a lot of the bass you may catch on a dropshot rig will be smaller, but sometimes you will get into some bigger fish....... Use a spinning rod and a Zoom finesse worm On my baitcaster I will Texas rig with a berkley 7" powerworm- really will catch a lot on this lure!!!!!!!!! I will take a 3rd rod- spinning or baitcaster and fish a zoom fluke texas rigged weightless........ sometimes add a small split shot to sink it just a bit..... truth is I get more bites on this than anything else..... and they will flat out hammer it........ good luck and if you see fish breaking the surface be sure and chunk a topwater plug or buzzbait

thanks for the tip RW.... I will try that..... I know it was a big one as I never even could get her turned.... anyways 5lb. works for me- at 20 inches I guess that sounds about right.... will still try to get pics up and let yall guys be the judge..... over and out..

reading these posts remind me of an old spinnerbait I used to have... It was very unique and I once ran it thru some submerged logs and snagged a 5 lb. bass... I ended up giving it to a fishing buddy when the golf bug bit a few years back... Now that I've got back to my bassin' roots I long to find another... Not sure of the name but it was adjustable- had 3 different setting for a straight, right, and left retrieve... anyone remember the brand name of this spinnerbait????????? :'(

will try to get the pic of the big one i caught up soon.... was very fat and measured out right at 20 inches.... didn't get the girth measurement.

1 lure I really miss is the bagley's small fry perch.... dang I only have 1 left and skeered to lose it...... Another topwater lure that is so funky looking but nails big bass is the Powerpack topwater lure....... both can be bought on ebay but extra pricey...... like $10-15 for perch and around $10 for powerpack.......

What a thrill it was to get to fish today.... Temp 80d. calm overcast.. light misting rain off and on fished a small 5 acre pond today about a mile from my house.... 1st fish stripped off about 50 yards of drag on a powerworm and caught me up around an old boat dock.... lost this one Tied on a topwater popper and bam!!!!!! will try and get pics up soon of this one.. stripped off a good bit of drag and finally landed her... estimated 6 or 7 lbs. Threw a fluke on 12lb test spinning rod.... bam instant strike... stripped off a good bit of drag.... didn't want to let her run too much due to all the stuff she can hang up in.... and she broke me off as soon as I put a little pressure on her.... Had another monster on the powerworm and got her about 10 yds. from me- she swum into some hydrilla and pulled off the hook.... Caught several more 2-3 lbs. on the fluke and called it a day

I had a question about the Booyah spinnerbait... its a 3/8 oz. and has double willow leaf blades- gold and silver

let's see, I know some of the members here have been having trouble catching fish, so wanted to let them know what has been working for me.... Have been catching them on various lures, but the one that really has been pounding them is a Zoom finesse worm on a dropshot rig.... Color-junebug/chart. tail Blue fleck powerworm- have been catching the larger fish on this lure texas rigged- w/ berkley gulp fish attractant Booyah chart./white spinnerbait Zoom fluke watermelon seed