Hammer 4

I throw the Ragetail lizard weightless, over the weeds..

Your Lucky to get 1 fish per day..

I would do the following. Get some 6" flat tail roboworms, in your choice of colors, oxblood, and the purples like MM, Arron's Magic ect work well. If fishing from shore, cast out as far as possible. Don't impart too much action, especially if theres any current, I give it a couple small twitches every min. or so..dinks will still hit a 6" worm, but not as much as a smaller bait, at least in my experience. If that don't work, stick a 10" worm on there..seriously, use a ds hook, and nose hook the worm..that'll keep the dinks away.. Re: bell sinkers..I find they hang up to easy, imho a better sinker is either the 1/2 oz Mojo, or Lunker City pencil type weights where the line clips on, if you get snagged, all you lose is the sinker, pop a new on, and your ready to go..

Nope, a couple friends went to Dixon yesterday (Mon.) and not many people there at all. They did get some bass, but they were small males. Ha, try some of the lakes I fish, Dixon would be considered paridise by comparision.. ;D

kreatures are meant to be fished anyway ya want , imho unless they are beat up, it would be a waste of $$ to use them as trailers..but if you have the $$$, I suppose you could.. BTW, roboworm makes some decent creatures also..

I'm sure you'll get use to it..took me a while to get it.

Personaly I like XF tips. I held that rod at a fishing show, and it's sweet. It's all personal preference.

If it's a Shimano you probably could..

Depends on the ROF, but usually around 2 ozs.

I have hopped the Fat Ika, but not a Senko..I find I don't get bite as much hopping the Ika, as twitching it..

For baits..I know you didn't ask, but..grab a 6" weedless huddleston, and maybe a 6" BBZ trout or whatever patteren you like. Unless your fishing deep water, a slowsink is a bit more versitile. Both of these baits are under 50.00..at TW. Bty, check your PM's.

Musta got a bad one, cuz I have at least 6 of the Pure poision baits, and none of them stick. I would return it and get a replacement.

I actually use a reel that's considered to small..Chronarch 101 bvp. However, a Cardiff 400 will work fine, even a 200 will work unless you fish for big stripers. I ahve seen used cardiff from 65.00 to 90.00. So for under 200.00 youd have a nice swimbait rig..

I also have the Sk pure poision, that's the only brand I use. If the blade is getting stuck, it may be the following. 1..the oval ring may be getting debris caught on it, or in between the slot on the blad. 2..Your line may be the culprit, make sure when you tie your knot that you trim the tag end close, and make sure there's no line in bewteen the split ring. I find that when I cast out, once the bait hits the water, I give a smooth pull on the rod to get the lure into action, rather than start cranking, you will feel the blade flutter big time. Then start your retrieve.

Trust me, they are no where near the lures that the Ragetails are..

I have the Okuma 7'11" HF..2-6oz rated..I've tossed swimbaits from 5" spro's to 8" BBZ's I can say for under a 110.00 this rod is a Bargin..

You didn't say how the plastic's were rigged. if they were weighless, then my guess is you making contact with something other than fish. When I get bit fishing weightless, it's usually a "tap" not a thud, though a thud/ hang up feeling could be a fish. Try to keep as much slack out of the line as possible, once you pop it, lower the rod tip and reel in the slack. Hooksets are free, so if you think you might have a fish, set the hook..

I'm more of the "sit & twitch " type, especially if there any sort of current. If you use a 6" or 4.5" roboworm for example, and whether you t rig, or nose hook it, the current will give the worm enough action that you shouldn't have to do much, except maybe a small twitch now and then. For dragging the bottom, I prefer a C rig, or a splitshot. And yes, it's worth it to DS from shore..

I fish the Tiny baby brush hogs on a splitshot..I think imho the baby bh's are kinda long for trailers, but hey they may work for you.

Work on everything, to become a well rounded fisherman.. I.E..some days I only take 2 rods set up with jigs, and I'll only take maybe 4 to 6 jigs with me fishing. I then spend at least 3 to 5 hrs. fihing jigs, i.e. flipping and pitching. The next time, I'll do the same with another technique. Don't always catch fish, but I find I become better at things that aren't for the time being my strong points.

Same here. I honestly gave the righty's a good try, but tring to work a biat with my non dominate left was a pretty funny sight to behold.. ;D

Another vote for the Clarus...

I use a 7' MF..and this is for weightless, and long cast's. I do use the same set up if I add a weight also.

We mostly shore fish, so no nets. As for the size, well I have friends that have caught 13lb + bass, w/o a net. Never use em when I'm on a boat either.

I fish a bunch of city park lakes in so. cali, which as you may have guessed, are all highly pressured. First I'll break out the 6'6" mxf spinning rig loaded with 4lb fluro, with a huddlebug, or a tiny baby brushhog on a split shot. If that don't work, then I'll go to a dropshot on the same line, and use a #2 ds hook, and nose hook a 4.5" flat tail robow worm. Although at 1 lake, where the fish are bedding, I toss a white 5/8 oz jig, with a oxblood colored craw trailer. Other than that, I'm chuckin 6 to 8" swimbaits..lol