JohnFromLisbon

Zodias 6'10" Medium, Shimano calls it a "moderate fast" but it's still more than enough to give the bait the right action. Also good for smaller to medium poppers when that bite starts. I have it paired to a Curado MGL 71HG spooled with 20lb PowerPro so it can pull double duty, but I do admit that it performs better as a jerkbait setup if you spool it with 10lb fluorocarbon.

The monkey got me. That monkey got me good. Can't wait to put this thing to the test. I've been using the older 802S for drop shots but as long as I was upgrading might as well get the DSR. The only place on this side of the Atlantic I could find that carried these Plano Edge was a shop in Sweden, thought I'd get the terminal tackle and a couple of standard 3700s to check them out. And yes, from what I've seen so far I will be getting a few more... Also got the last 2 packs of Rage Chunks in "Falcon Lake Craw" from a local shop, by far my favorite color to match the green pumpkin craw Bass Patrol jig, because Strike King Europe only sells the same 4 colors everywhere else. And a spool of 15 lb Power Pro SS V2 to replace last year's 832, because the yellow is sold out everywhere around here.

My Zodias scratches super easy. No peeling yet though

Bass Patrol makes a good living rubber brown and black football jig. I have a couple of those lying around somewhere but haven't thrown that particular color yet.

In late 2020 I bought my first NRX, Loomis updates them in 2021. Last year I bought my first Expride, this year Shimano updates those. Any particular line of rods any of you want to see updated next year? I could use some ideas next time I'm browsing online stores at 1 in the morning. In all seriousness, they look really nice - except for that "autograph" looking deal on the reel seat like the Poison Adrenas have. @NorthernBasser I thought the same thing when they showed the new ones. I have a crazy theory that it was to discourage people from pairing them up with SLXs and giving Shimano more money...

Finally got my hands on this little thing. Can't wait to glue it to my 844 MBR's reel seat where it'll stay for the rest of its life

Here's my lineup: Spinning: IMX-PRO 852S + Stradic FG 2500HG: the "all purpose" spinning setup, also great when I take someone else fishing NRX 802S JWR (older model) + Vanford 2500HG: drop shot, ned rig, and general finesse combo Casting: Zodias 6'10 Medium + Curado MGL 71HG: jerkbaits, poppers, Keitech football jigs, blade baits, shaky heads E6X 845C CBR + Chronarch E5 201: cranks and chatterbaits IMX-PRO 844C MBR + Curado MGL 151HG (the reel is currently somewhere in a DHL warehouse in western Germany, should get here by Monday or Tuesday): jigs, 3.8-4.3 Keitechs on Flashy Swimmers, spinnerbaits, t-rigs Expride 7'3XH + Curado K 201HG: frogs, pitching heavy cover, punching If I'm bank fishing I either just take the MBR and the 802S, keep the one I'm not using strapped to the side of my backpack or add the 6'10 medium once it gets warmer just so I can throw a popper on it. It will also pull double duty with smaller crankbaits. If I'm on the canoe I'll usually bring 4 rods. If I'm out on a boat with a guide I'll take all of them, might even add one of my old Mossybacks with another Curado K.

Thank you @DomQ! Thanks guys. Well, I'm not saying I went and ordered some new Simms stuff and a new Curado MGL just to celebrate but... I did. I totally did. ?

I have a 71 on my jerkbait/light topwater setup and it's very very good. I also just ordered the 151 today to replace the 201K on my jig rod. The way I see it, they're most likely a good choice, unless you put them on a rod that's not that well balanced and the fact that these reels are lighter contributes to the whole setup feeling tip heavy. So, unless you're using a tip heavy pool cue of a rod, the MGL reels are superior to the regular Ks.

Hey guys! Sorry I completely missed the last two calls. Took a little break from fishing, there was a lot going on at work, had a serious job offer from this games studio I was considering for a while - in Germany (you know, that famous bass fishing haven, Germany?). Ended up staying put, got promoted, and long story short I haven't seen freshwater anywhere other than from my taps since early November. Even managed to miss this years Black Friday sales. But I'm back now! Hopefully in a couple of weeks I'll hit the creek and try to trick a cold slow winter bass into biting a jig or a drop shot Here's hoping I can get on the next call to catch up with all of you

If we're talking freshwater, I can say that carp is probably the most fished for species. Bass is fairly popular, especially here in Portugal, in Spain, and Italy (and a bit in France as well I think), but carp fishing is still the most popular form of fishing. These guys have rigs and digital strike indicators and they camp out overnight in camo like they're hunting for boar or deer... If you move further north/northeast you start seeing more folks fishing for northern pike and zander (the walleye's European cousin). I know a guy up north, a German guy who lives in Denmark, who's crazy about them. For the life of me I can't understand why carp is as prized as it is. Sure, they pull like a freight train, but they're some of the ugliest fish around. And what's the point of having all of that gear if you can't even touch it half the time ?

Took a few days off and went south to fish with a buddy of mine. We caught a few, but nothing huge. After beating the bank throwing a frog over the last bits of good vegetation we could find, we hit the dock and tied on the drop shot. This 2-11 was the biggest one we caught over 3 days.

I have the MGL 71 HG (lefty) on a 6'10 Zodias and it pairs up just perfectly. Palms great, especially for stuff like jerkbaits and topwater, where you're constantly imparting action on slack line. If you spool it with 20-30lb braid as a main line you'll never run out on a cast. I tried it with my 201 and it just sort of overwhelms everything. It's a great reel, but on a shorter, medium power rod it's too big and too heavy. As soon as I can get my hands on a 151 it's going straight on my jig rod.

I know it matters to me a lot more than it matters to the fish, but I go all matchy-matchy with my jig and trailer. I even have a list of combinations that match perfectly.

Went down to the creek this morning and this little guy was the only thing biting. Caught him on a green pumpkin Chatterbait with one of those Berkley The Deal trailers. After about an hour, got in the car and drove to the lake. Made a few casts right where I had parked the car, but about 100 yards away was this spot. Ever look at a place and think "this is it"? Made a cast right at the end of the limb there, let the jig hit bottom, dragged it, and immediately felt a bite and a couple of head shakes. Managed to get this guy out of there. Now, he may not look like much, but it's my biggest jig fish so far and the latest entry in Johnny's Jig Journal. Lost that jig, plus two more on that little lay down. And I had already lost another one when my connection knot fell apart - also causing one of *those* backlashes. Oh, and another little Keitech jig at the creek earlier. Also backlashed another reel that was spooled with 15lb InvizX - not liking that stuff as a main line so far, but it works okay as a leader - and had to take my little Curado 71 MGL from the topwater/jerkbait rod and put it on my jig rod. Turns out that 30lb regular Power Pro to 12lb Trilene fluoro works just fine for a football jig setup.

Went out yesterday, only managed to catch small ones. Here's the biggest one of the day. At around 10AM I had to go back to the car, the gentleman who works on the nearby property had backed into my rear door with his truck. He was super apologetic about it, I see him every time I'm at the creek, and it was an honest mistake. Here's the end result... Made two or three more casts after getting all of his insurance info, but the day was kinda ruined after this. Went back today. Things were... A lot different. Got a couple little ones on the popper to start out the day. But because I was dead set finally learning to fish a jig properly before fall and winter get here, switched to a Bass Patrol football jig with a Rage Chunk and managed to get this little guy. That jig eventually got hung up and I broke off. Switched to a Dobyns jig (the one with the EWG style hook) with a Flappin' Hog on the back of it and got bit on the first or second drag after it hit bottom. I gotta say... After avoiding these things like the plague for years, I'm REALLY loving jig fishing right now. Getting the right gear for it really helps (even if just by having to mentally justify spending more money on a dedicated jig setup), but just sticking with it until you figure out by yourself what exactly you need to do was the way to go. After that I caught another 1-1/2lb fish on the drop shot and called it a day before 10:00 AM, got home in time for lunch.

Thanks @MN Fisher! It's a shame that I have to miss the good Zoom calls just because I have work ones early in the morning. @Boomstick that was me, yeah! You guys recommended I just pull the rod sideways instead of the "slow lift" like you do with a drop shot. That did the trick. My biggest one this year so far was on the ned rig of all things.

Another one I missed... Sorry guys. Same old two tired excuses: work and timezone. Here's to hopefully catching up with you guys on the next one. Since the last time I've done some damage on jigs and finally started setting the hook right on the ned rig, even the little weedless ones.

This is the regular one https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/catpage-SIMMSFNPRTC.html?from=basres And the Bugstopper one - it's the exact same cut but the fabric has bug protection https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/catpage-SIMMSFNPRTC.html?from=basres The fabric is super light so it wont feel as tight and heavy on the skin as the regular ones. Also, it's wider below the neck so it tucks nicely under your collar and doesn't leave much uncovered.

Starting mid to late spring and all the way through late fall I'll wear sun gloves and either a hoody with UPF 50+ protection or a buff. I'll go fishing looking like a bank robber. Granted, I have vitiligo so I have to be extra careful with my white spots. I'll even wear these open palm gloves while driving during the day. I've had my knuckles burned bad enough to blister just from driving in the summer because the skin without pigment *does not tan*, it just burns. I found that the main issue I had with other buffs were how tight they were. As soon as you get one that's either shaped or larger than usual you'll actually want to wear it. Right now I have either the regular Simms Solarflex sun gloves and "gaiter" or the Bugstopper ones, which keep you from getting eaten alive. Also I like them better for driving because they're a little closer to actual tanned skin color than the "cloud camo" ones. Also, at least for the Simms stuff, if you're wearing it in like 100-105 degree hit and a slight breeze suddenly hits it actually feels cool while it wicks up your sweat, so you get this cooling effect while being protected from the harsh sunlight. I got tired of the thick (like, candle wax thick) sunscreen on my face and hands and having to reapply it every two hours or so, and having that stuff on my cork handles. So yeah, buffs and gloves all the way.

Got up at 3:45 and drove an hour and a half to go fish on a big lake near my grandparents' old place. Wasted two hours beating the bank, so I decided to try a little creek where a buddy and I used to fish a few years ago and boy did it pay off. In about 90 minutes I caught 7 fish, including a 3-10 on a ned rig and my first swim jig fish. The little guy on the Keitech football jig was the smallest one of the day, although that's not saying much.

I thought I'd be able to stay awake for a few more hours and finally catch up with you guys, but... It's 10:15 PM here and I'm barely awake, sorry. See you on the next one!* *Not an actual guarantee of John's attendance and so it is not valid as such. Offer heavily conditioned by how many bugs developers let slip on the silly mobile games John tests for a living and how early his first meetings are.

On the 15th a buddy and I went on our first guided trip for the season opener in Santa Clara lake, southern Portugal. It was a really tough day, we spent 9 hours running around the lake looking for active fish. Ricardo, our guide, was able to put us on some willing participants, but no big ones - all of them on spinnerbaits and a 3.8 Keitech on a 1/0 Flashy Swimmer. Regardless, we had a heck of a time and we'll definitely be back in the fall. This was our view from the cabin, early morning on Saturday.

Every time I drive through southern Portugal I'm reminded that all the best rods have a little bit of this place in them, and that just gives me the warm and fuzzies. I present to you the mighty cork oak.

The green mirror is a copper lens - https://www.costadelmar.com/en-us/performance-technology/lenses - but the mirror finish helps to filter some more light. They're great. Provide great contrast, you can wear them anywhere if you want to because they're not too dark. Also, get the polycarbonate (580P) instead of the glass (580G). Partly because they're cheaper, but mostly because they don't shatter when hit and provide an extra layer of safety.