Hammer 4

I can only speak for the Curado....BUY One..

Never used a St Croix, I flip with either my 7'11" Shimano, or my 8' Dobyns 807. As for length, I like the longer rods, I think you get more leverage and I find that I'm more accurate with a longer rod vs a 7 footer for example. I flip mainly into thick reeds and weeds with a 1/2 oz to a 1 1/2 oz jig. I have even flipped with a 3oz swimbait..lol IMHO, it's all personal and what works best for you.

Ditto..

On the Spro's, I cut off about 1 inch, but I cut them at an angle, i.e. about a 45 degree angle to kinda mimic a real frogs leg.Seems to help with the swimming action just a tad too.

Kinda strange, but I get more than 1 fish per roboworm..I apply a nice coat of Megastrike to each one. I've caught fish ranging from 7lbs to dinks. Sometimes the head of the worm will get torn, but you can cut off a 1/4" and use it again..

Next time you go, PM me, I'll point you to a couple good spots on the south lake..

Good luck out there, and watch out for the poachers. Only got 1 bass on a hudd swimbait. Most have come on either roboworms on a dropshot, ot T rig. Red/craw colored rattle traps work good sometimes. That lake like tri cities gets a ton of pressure, but you can luck out every now and then.. Opps, just noticed you went today...so how was it..?

I love the 301 for swimbaits from 6" on up. I currently have 20lb yozuri ultrasoft on it now, I find that that line holds up really well. I have it saddled to a Dobyns 807, and have used it a few times for inshore fishing, i.e. calico bass, ect. I would however have it serviced right out of the box, mine was over greased..I also had corbontex drags installed. Also sorry for the OT..

This would be a Much better forum to ask in.. http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/forum/10-bass-boating-canoeing-tubing-and-more/

I have a curado, castaic, and a chronarch bpv101. When I first looked at the curado, I asked to see the chronarch, which felt much smoother, as was related in a earlier post, anyways, I bought it. I have flipped, pitched, worm fished, and just about any other method, even threw swimbaits with it. Now the castaic is my primary flippin/pitchen reel, while the 301 curado takes care of most of my swimbait duties. I think unless your going to be using the chronarch for finesse type stuff, I'd go with thr curado, and maybe have it supertuned..?

I have success about 98% of time rotating the spool backwards with my thumb, while keeping tension on the line. The only times I couldn't clear a birdsnest was with braid. Just take your time, and don't get Frustrated..

I use Yozuri in mist green in both fresh, and saltwater. Good results in both..

Where were you 2 months ago..?

Good tips Sam... OP, you are flipping with 12lb test..? Your much braver than I am..

Re: the post that said to wait until a count of 5. If I did that here, 99% of the fish I've caught wou;d be gut hooked, something I try to prevent. I've fished worms ect. since 1973, and as soon as I feel a tap, I count 1-2 and set the hook. Sure I've missed some fish over the years, but then everyone misses fish from time to time. T rigged, Ds'd or c rigged, the 2 count works for me. Make sure your hooks are Sharp, and be a line watcher..

I couldn't agree more...

After aboutn 5 months, mine dried up..I got 2 repairs out of it..At 11.00 a bottle, that wasn't such a good deal.

I use Spro's mainly, but a good frog/toad that does run true is the Ragetail Toad, If rigged up properly..

I fish swimbaits in stained water 90% of the time. Hasn't stopped the fish from biting.. However, I usually bottom bounce them, or fish em REAL slow..

My DS rig is usually a Clarus 7' MF with a stradic, or sahara 2500 reel, and 8lb yozuri ultrasoft line. So far for the last couple of years, I've had good luck with it. I think the crucial would be even better with any of the reels you listed.

I just keep mine in a standard 3700 box. If the tails get bent, I just hang them in boiling water for about 1 min..good as new, with more action..also use a scent like Megastrike on your soft baits, keeps em soft and supple.

With soft baits, you mainly fish them slow, or bottom bounce them. If your an antsy person, a 5:2 would be ideal, however, you can use any ratio if you have the patience, so it's a matter of which reel you want. I use a Chronarch, 5:2, and I have a Curado 301, 6:3. Be careful of the smaller reels, as a good cast can almost spool them, so you want to sorta match the rod, and reel to the weight of the baits you will be throwing. For instance, I can spool my 101 Chronarch casting my 8" Lunker Punker, not so much with jointed hard baits, soft baits like the 8" Hudd is a bit ify on that reel, so I use the 301 for those. The 6" baits can be tossed with a 100, or 200 sized reel.

Might look into some of the Inshore rods. I have a Shimano Calcutta, 7'6" that I sometimes use for the lighter swimbaits in the 1 1/2 to 2 oz range. I would check e bay , ect. Although mine isn't a spinning rod, they do make them.

Ha..wait until she wants to learn how to Drive a car...

Brian, according to the Yozuri rep, the line conditioners will not penetrate the line. I used kvd on yozuri in the past, but once my supply ran out, I stopped using it, I didn't notice much difference. Re: the Invisx, and Abrasx, the yozuri has a much better breaking, and abrasion resistance..