bigfruits

sure. you can even ditch the leader.

cavitron! x4

hook remover. store bought or homemade.

now that we have power (ul,l,ml,m,mh,h) and action (moderate,fast,extra fast) defined, here is a simple way to look at it. lets say were not worried about horsing fish out of cover - look at the lure ratings instead of the power. a rod with max lure weight of 3/8 is not going to be ideal for casting 3/4oz spinnerbaits. if youre buying a rod to throw 3/8oz jigs (trailer weight is significant!) and 1/2oz spinnerbaits, you probably want most manufacturer's MH which typically has a max lure weight of 5/8-3/4oz. aim for the middle (or a little higher) of the rod's lure weight range. the only thing you need to know about action is that moderate is ideal for cranks and not much else, fast is the best all around action, and extra fast is best suited for jigs and plastics, some hardbaits. some jig and plastics fishermen prefer fast actions. when you find a rod online that youre thinking of pulling the trigger on, post the make and model on here and someone will probably chime in. tell them what you want to use it for. they can tell you if it has a soft tip or not which you cannot tell from the action and power ratings. they can tell you if its a fast that fishes like an extra fast, etc. the only way to know without handling it.

i like 8-10lb FC for finesse jigs, specifically sunline sniper with kvd line conditioner sprayed on it. in stained or muddy water i use 15lb powerpro with no leader. if you had asked about 1/4oz jigs with a small plastic craw, id tell you that i use spinning but for 5/16oz it might depend on the weight of the plastic trailer. 3/8oz light wire jigs plus trailer and im grabbing the baitcaster with 12lb FC. for dropshot, i use 6-8lb sniper on spinning.

did you think that the more you spent on a rod, the bigger the fish it would catch? when i started spending cash on a quiver of rods i did a lot of research and made good choices. i am going to sell a few that are redundant now however with some nrx purchases i made. i learned from other hobbies, if you are in for the long haul, buy good quality or end up buying again. if all of my rods were stolen, id probably buy avids for moving baits and glx or nrx for bottom contact. nrx has to be on sale for my wallet! (outdoor proshop)

his secret is the banjo minnow. please don't let this secret get out or the lakes and ponds will be wiped out within the year.

I throw spinnerbaits on some of my xf rods. I don't like using soft tipped xf rods for spinnerbaits however.

id start with what you have more confidence in. i prefer jigs but a weedless t-rig might get less hang ups. how bout a creature on an offset shank jighead?

skip happy hour, throw in another $25 and you can get an Avid. 7' Medium Fast or 7' Medium Heavy Fast would make a good all around rod. st croix has one of the best replacement/upgrade plans for when you slam your car door on it.

i also switched to "left handed" baitcasters years ago and I am right handed.

ill have to try synthetic. does it stay warm as well as wool does when wet?

Thanks, man. At least it gives me an excuse to buy new gear (haven't bought crankbaits in years) so I am having a little fun. Going to try some Japanese hardbaits!

thanks, StinkyBass. are you saying you don't notice a difference between flouro and mono or flouro and braid?

sounds like someone has never paddled in a kayak.

wool socks if you end up wearing something non-waterproof.

NRX 852s/2500 CI4+/8lb Sniper. exceeded my expectations

I mix different colors of soft plastics in the same bag. For example, I might bring 4 each of black, green pumpkin and watermelon senkos in one bag and the leave the rest at home. You might find both 4 and 5 inch senkos in that bag.

I lost the better half of my moving baits at the launch last week and Im looking to replace them. Im planning on adding less than what I had but I'd like to try out some of the JDM treble lures. I have 2 Megabass Pop X (bass and white python from TW) on order as I've read great reviews and was wondering what else I should try out. Anything from Lucky Craft, Megabass, Jackall? I'll probably add a few jerkbaits and a squarebill soon and maybe stock up over the winter. I'm a plastics guy and I dont think I've bought a crankbait in 5 years so I'm out of the loop! Thanks in advance, -Z

wow, that's sad. I wonder what happened to the poor guy. I cant bring myself to wear my pfd unless im river fishing down class II or III rapids or in some very choppy river or ocean water. I always have it on the kayak with me though. I know that wont help at all if I unexpectedly flip but that's a risk I am willing to take. especially on calm hot/humid days. that being said, don't be stupid like I am and make sure you wear your pfd at all times, kids. buy the self inflating ones if comfort is an issue.

interesting. can you elaborate?

thanks, guys! I feel warm inside

id recommend taking a break from fishing and come back to it when you get the bug.

my favorite is the Fall

Thanks, Dypsis and Choporoz. I had to place an order with Siebert (4/0 finesse jigheads!) and TW last night as it appears the bag was taken shortly after we drove off so I am assuming I will not see it again. Hopefully I will receive the packages before a weekend fishing trip planned next week. 50% of my moving baits and almost all of my terminal tackle and jigs were in there! I was sad to find out that several of my lures are no longer being made. A PB next weekend should ease the pain.