JohnFromLisbon

Owner Flashy Swimmer, specifically the 3/0 with a 4 inch Flashy Swimmer, has been lights out for me this year But now I want to try out the Duo Realis one @RRocket mentioned.

Thank you! Ours are northern strain, yes - first introduced in the Azores, then on the continent in the 1950s in the town where my grandparents lived. It was a great weekend and some of the best fishing we've ever had. That's our guide's boat, he bought it new a few years ago and had it shipped over. There's a Portuguese company making smaller fiberglass bass boats, but a lot of people around here get Nitros, Trackers, Rangers, etc., all made in the US. They just have to make sure to comply with Euro and local regs, both the boat and the trailer, and they're good to go.

Here's a few from a trip this weekend This one was 4lb 13oz - my new PB - and bit a walking bait. That was super fun. My first A-Rig fish We caught a bunch of these solid fish, mostly on a drop shot and a jerkbait Yesterday we went bank fishing for about two hours before lunch and I was dragging this little Keitech football jig when I thought I was snagged... Until the snag started swimming off with it. Turns out it was 13 lbs of pure disappointment. I was on 20 lb braid to a 10 lb fluoro leader so it took a couple of minutes to pull her in.

Just a few creek bass from yesterday morning. I only took one rod and one 3500 box and it worked out just fine. Good thing I took a spool of 10lb fluorocarbon line because I backlashed on my third cast after getting bit twice in a row. After catching a couple of 1.5, 2 lb fish on these little Keitech jigs with straight fluoro... This setup is definitely going back to braid to a leader. I'll just adapt my cadence and action with jerkbaits, it's fine.

Had to sort out gear for the next trip, thought I might as well snap a couple of pics The main lineup for fall. And I got to try out the Expride yesterday on a couple of two pounders and a bunch of dinks and wow. Even coming from the Zodias I was impressed.

Well built, solid action, good hardware, and a wide range of colors. I have a few and they're my go to 3/4oz lipless baits. This year I want to get a couple of 150s, they're basically a downsized, 1/2oz version of the 500.

I should not be allowed to watch any more YouTube videos. JDM Expride 6'10 Medium, OneTen +1 Jr. in Frosted Wakasagi and ITO Clear Laker, and the Zumverno 95 SP in ST Purple and S Smelt. I'm going to pair the Expride with a Curado 71 MGL but I might keep it braid to leader for now.

Thanks for the offer, but I'll pass. Partly because I want to keep it, but mostly because I'm about 4400 miles from North Central Arkansas, that way ➡️ But yeah, I feel this rod excels with small cranks. Give it a try with jerkbaits when you can and you'll see what I mean.

I have that exact same rod. It is the best DT-6 rod I ever had. It was in their "Fiber Blend" line, below the old IMX, I think. I remember casting jerkbaits on it with 12lb fluoro and thinking it was too soft to impart the right action. For light cranks it's the deal though.

Thumb over index for one, middle, ring, and pinky fingers against the hand for the other, and praying they stay put while I'm holding them 😅 The gloves help too

Here's a few photos from our guided trip on Wednesday. Santa Clara lake is spinnerbait country but I did manage to fool this little guy on a wacky rigged Senko. It was a tough day. Almost all fish came off of submerged oak trees and you had to cast the spinnerbait right through the branches to elicit a bite. Needless to say we spent some time getting spinnerbaits back after snagging. Our guide Joaquim knew the lake better than anyone and more often than not he'd call the bites as soon as we pulled up to specific trees. It was a long day with a lot of time between bites but all in all it was great! We're already planning to go back in October.

Just a couple of orders that got here at the same time. Plus two 3600 Plano Edge boxes, one regular and one Flex. Oh, and there's a couple more things on the way just in case, but I couldn't really go hog wild after getting the Metanium and booking the June trip and the cabin...

I think their 7'10 is built like a flipping stick and the 7'9 is an actual swimbait rod judging from the specs alone. The 7'10 has the same specs I have on the 7'3 XH Expride. So action-wise I don't know if you'd get anywhere close to what you need for swimbaits.

An older fiber blend G. Loomis CBR 783 paired with a Core 101 Mg spooled with that old wiry Sufix fluorocarbon, on a Rapala Scatter Rap Crank. Here's that combo:

Fishing had taken a backseat this past year, year and a half, but no more. Took two weeks off in June, booked a cabin in Santa Clara lake and a trip with the local guide. Oh, and I got a little something extra too: Now that I finally got one, watch as Shimano revamps the Metanium 150 in the next 12 months like it happened to me with the NRX and the Expride. Weight-wise it's very close to the Curado MGL and if feels like a just slightly smaller frame, but the tolerances are much tighter. Can't wait to put this thing through its paces.