camman

You will be fine with 12lb test on the 4000 size reel. I 3000 sized Sahara and it spooled with 12 lb P-Line CXX with no issues. I also have another reel that is spooled with 20lb braid that I run a leader on. I would say once you get beyond 15lb test on a 4000 sized reel you may have issues with the stiffness of the line.

It can do anything you feel comfortable fishing with it...crankbaits, lipless cranks, jigs, worms, topwater, etc.... My opinion is that companies came out with "technique" specific rods to hook anglers into buying more rods....looking at the rating its probably a little too stiff to toss light baits on likes senkos, drop shots, etc....and may not have a enough backbone to punch a 1.5oz weight or toss a swimbait....but it can do everything in between

Fishing....1 of the few positive points about living in California

Spook

Keep the E series and save the money for the Core. You won't notice that much differences in the Curado E series vs Chronarch E series.

Ditto on the Veritas...for that price its definitely the most bang for your buck

crazy never seen that before

Great stories. My PB came out of a popular lake in SoCal. It was during the spawn and was really windy. We had been fishing out in deeper water for most of the day getting a few pre-spawn fish but nothing of size. We roll in shallow and I can barely make what looks like a bed and a small male sitting on the bed. I flip a RI Beaver over just beyond the male and I see it take off. Oh well, I pop the bait once and as I start to reel in, my line takes off. I set the hook and casually bring the fish in as I thought it was the small male I had seen. I'm trying to force it in as I thought it had maybe wrapped when a huge fish jumps. Once I realize what I have I start to baby the fish and avoiding the weeds. My buddy nets it and it goes 14.2 lbs.....grab a quick photo and off she goes.

Toss a ROF12 8" Huddleston......drag the bottom SLOW

upsize your baits...throw a jig with a big trailer or a swimbait.... You will get a lot less bites but they will be more quality fish

yup don't waste your money on them

forget Casitas in Socal...look at Diamond Valley

Look at places like the Delta, Don Pedro, McClure

Those colors only seem to work in Louisiana. Orange/Blue works well in certain parts of Florida. Crimson works well in Alabama. Orange/White in Tennessee...etc....Not sure why it works but it does

ebay

To make them even cheaper, go to your local hardware store and get the smallest size rubber grommet they carry. It works perfectly as the "hub" and is only like 20 cents each.

It doesnt take much to start tying your own jigs. Get a cheap vice for like 15-20 bucks, some thread, a few jig heads and of course the skirts. If you go through jigs a lot of jigs in the long run you will probably be cheaper tying your own jigs. If not, no worries, you have something to do at night and can make your own custom colors. Here is a vice from BPS http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_98228_175004006_175000000_175004000_175-4-6 Skirts/rattles go here: http://www.fishingskirts.com/ Some people use thread to tie, if thats the case a fly tying bobbin will be nice. I use both thread and wire and lately prefer wire....your choice

they have quite a few urban lakes as well... http://www.azgfd.gov/h_f/urban_fishing.shtml

both casitas and castaic will be ripe for swimbaits....hudds etc... If fishing from shore, I would stick to the lagoon at Castaic. Less pressure than the main lake...drop shot, carolina rig, split shot....work em slow Casitas is pretty much the same tactics. I was there a few weeks ago and did really well on jigs and spoons, but I was in a boat.

shad have gone deep....

yes certainly pour your jigs in a well ventilated area....

I'd also say the Delta... as long as you have a car and willing to drive maybe an hour and half or so you can fish it... send me a PM and I will tell you a spot you can fish from the shore for some largies and stripers

you can fish off the rocks around the coast.... take some LC rip baits, krocs, and also some hooks/weights and some gulp or pick up some shrimp....

I've recently started making my own custom colored bass jigs...Where is a good place to buy the bulk lead heads...arkie style in maybe 1/4-3/8 oz? painted or unpainted would work?

I have the LTX Casting Extra Hvy 7'9. I use it for punching, flipping, tossing small swimbaits (6" hud), etc...I fish braid as well as mono on it and have no complaints. I can easily fish the rod all day with no problems. It has plenty of backbone to it, but still a decent tip to prevent me from pulling the hooks out of fish when I'm fishing braid. I think it really comes down to personal preference...you like the rod and the way it feels, get it...If you don't...don't get it