DINK WHISPERER

I'm fortunate enough to not be affected by gas prices. My work pays for my fuel and my wife works from home. Even if this wasn't the case, I'm not letting much get in the way of fishing!

Two over 8lb back to back fishing deep water management canals. Both on the savage gear line through shad. Got to break in my new swimbait combo really good!

Just happened to me Friday. Officer was super cool though and didn't make a big deal of it.

My son wants to show off his new swimbait combo too. Megabass Levante Leviathan with a Curado 200k. 100mm carbon fiber handle and 20lb Abrazx.

I've had that specific Dobyns and the perfect pitch in both Orochi XX and Levante. The 744 has a nice progress bend to it and would make a great jig rod. The perfect pitch in Orochi feels too bulky to me and it weighs over 6oz. That's too much for me for a rod of that length. Out of your options I would definitely go Levante. The craftsmanship and attention to detail on Megabass rods is amazing. The Levante is also slightly less stiff than the Orochi which I like. It also weighs less if I remember correctly from having them. And yes they fixed the breakage issues long ago. My son is using the Levante Leviathan to toss huge swimbaits with no issues. Not on your list but the Shimano Zodias and Expride 72H are both amazing jig rods as well.

For leader there is no other better than Pline shinsei! I have put this line through the ringer for the past 2 years with absolutely zero failures! I've used it on the rock walls in Miami for big peacocks, snook, giant carp and tarpon. I use it as a leader to my braid throwing up to 6 oz swim baits and have backlashed plenty of times with no break offs. For my main line I stick to Abrazx fluoro or Trilene gold depending on technique.

I've only had to use their warranty once. It was fast, easy and hassle free. They rarely respond to emails but if you pick the phone up it takes literally maybe one minute to talk to an actual human that will help you.

The missing piece to my new swimbait combo finally showed up today! Antares DC Monster Drive. Going on the megabass TS destroyer Black Jack.

At 8" and 4oz, this is a t-bone steak for a big Florida bass. ?

I was finally able to get my hands on one of these! This will be my new big bait rod for 3.5 - 6oz. It's the Megabass TS destroyer Black Jack. This thing is a beef stick. Now I'm just waiting on the reel. An Antares DC monster drive is on the way for it right now.

After almost a year of grinding with big swimbaits, my 12 year old son finally caught his first one! He was throwing the bullshad 6" bull gill. His combo is a Dobyns Fury 795sb and a Curado 200K with Gomexus 105mm carbon fiber handle. The line is 17lb CXX. He is hooked now for sure.

At this point.... I'm scared to even know!!!

Not sure what this little guy was thinking attacking the Savage Gear line thru ?

Megabass blackjack for swimbaits! Just got it and can't put it down.

Expride 72H Zodias 72H Phenix feather 73xh

I had this happen during the black Friday sale last year. I placed 3 big orders from ALF. Somehow, I received an extra duplicate Poison Adrena rod that I didn't pay for. I called them and they said the shipping back to them was so ridiculous that they were willing to give me a significant discount if I chose to keep it. It was such a good offer I chose to buy it ?

First rat fish of the year and first fish on my new smaller swimbait combo. It's a Mike Bucca "show only" bull rat XL. It's bigger than the standard one they sale everywhere. Irod Kaimana Coastal 794 and 21 scorpion DC with gomexus knobs and 96mm Curado 70 MGL handle.

This is so true ? Happened to me down south just this weekend. I was throwing swimbaits on my Antares monster Drive then switched to my "beater" combo I use to fish live shiners for peacocks and was like WTH!

Where's the proof or testing to prove this?

We went out a while ago to catch some. This one is the smallest one we caught.

It's the complete opposite here on my waters ?. I can't seem to catch a shiner under 8". Even a 1 lb Bass will eat one of those though so it's all good. After much trial and error I have settled on the mustad wide Gap weedless hooks. Shiners love to run into cover to try and hide and this hook prevents them from getting all snagged up. My hook up ratio with them has been flawless in two years of using them as well.

I find it to be the complete opposite actually. I've gut hooked far more bass on a senko or a T-rig than anything else. When fishing live shiners or bluegill I always tail hook them and use a balloon. That way if the bass does swallow it quicker than I can react on the hook set it's still likely they don't get gut hooked.

Yes they will. Most Shimano knobs will fit all handles across the board with a couple exceptions. Remember though, you only get the 90mm handle on the XG JDM model. The regular or HG models come with tiny 84mm handles. And remember to transfer the thin metal washers found under the bearing that's held in by the knob screw. Otherwise you will have up and down slop in the knobs.

I replaced my small swimbait combo this week. Went with the Irod Kaimana Coastal 794 and a 21 Scorpion DC. The reel has a 96mm handle from a Curado 70 MGL and the power knobs from the Exsense DC SS. It will be my 1-3oz combo running 50lb braid to a 25lb copoly leader.

The higher up in the line you go the worse it is IMO. I have the 746 Extreme HP and it feels like a MH +/mod fast at best to me. It's labeled flip/pitch and that may be true for docks or isolated cover. I would never dream of using it in heavy vegetation here in FL.