Fat-G

What are some of your baits you throw when you're lookin' for a good'un? We all have our techniques to just "catch" fish, but what catches you the more quality fish? I'll start, and break it down into categories, but first I'll state that for me, 95% of my quality fish come on plastics or jigs. 1. Hard cover; laydowns, stumps, trees (standing), docks, etc. Pitching and flipping really come into play for me in hard cover. I usually throw a t-rigged plastic or jig. Noteable baits include Rage Tail Hawgs, Roosters, Craws, Lobsters, Monkeys, Berkley Chigger Craws, and GY Flappin' Hawgs. Jig and plastic combinations as well. 2. Soft cover; matted vegetation, Hydrilla, pads, grass and weeds, etc. Punching and flipping and big here as well. I also have probably my best success with topwater frogs. Noteable baits are all the plastics mentioned above, with Spro and River2Sea frogs, and Rage Shads added in. 3. Isolated cover; weed patches, rockpiles, drainage pipes, etc. Weightless plastics on a spinning rig are big here for me. Noteable baits include Senkos, Trick Worms, Baby rage Craws on a t-rig with a 1/8 oz. tungsten weight, Ikas, and hopefully the Jackall Flick Shake will produce some good fish this year for me.

I like a faster IPT. I just like a faster IPT on all my reels in general, due to the fact that I fish plastics and jigs 90% of the time. Two summers ago I used a Shimano spinning reel that I bought for $12 at Tackle Express. I was still a "young" (new) fisherman. I caught two six pounders, six fives, and two dozen + fish in the 2-4 pound range, mostly on stick baits. I found that a lot of the time the fish would pick up the bait and swim straight towards me. With the slower speed reel, I couldn't catch up to them. When I bought a Sahara, that all changed. As much as I love fishing with great gear, the $12 reel took a beating and held up great. Now that I have much nicer gear, I would never fish with a reel that "crappy" again, but at the time it served me very well.

BOOM. This rig has ALWAYS caught fish for me. It is absolutely deadly.

I have a Sahara. Great little reel. Just as smooth as the day I bought it.

X2, I would buy every pack. Flip those little gems or swim them on a keel-weighted hook.

Her pits sweat. Like a lot. It's disgusting. And I agree, the show is ok but they make some dumb stuff.

Yup, I dropped a pretty penny on stuff this winter. Curado/Cumara combo: About 30 bags of RT's: New storage: (LOVE the Falcon term. tackle storage system) Also picked ~5 bags of GYCB plastics, couple of Spro frogs, a R2S BullyWa, a bunch of jigs, couple spools of line. Next: Cumara spinning rod Champion 734c Curado 50e Some of the stuff isn't pictured.

If you can't catch a fish with Rage Tails you're doing something wrong. Keep throwing them, trust me.

My suggestion: Rod: Veritas 7'6 MH Line: 50-65# braid, Daiwa Samurai, PowerPro, 832, etc. Baits: Beavers, Chigger Craw, Rage Craw, Smokin' Rooster, the list goes on. Paycheck punch skirts and others like that are good. Just like any other bait, they have their time and place. Ok I like the Veritas I have a 7ft Heavy and I have actually flipped with it but don't like the tip so I don't think I'm gonna like the Tip on the 7'6" MH. What I need to know is... Is 7'6 long enough or would I be better Off with like an 8 ft Skeet Reese rod? And the other thing is if I went with a lower priced rod but was very strong am I ginnards look back and wish I had bought a $150+ rod? I wouldn't get the Skeet Reese rod, I've heard they fish like a noodle. 7'6 is plenty long. I would go with the Veritas 7'6 MH/F. I doubt it will be as stiff as your 7' H/F. It should be a very versitile rod as well.

I haven't tried the Silver Thread, but P-Line and Yo-Zuri both make good products. However the P-Line Floroclear is the WORST line I have ever used.

I dunked a couple times at the beginning of last summer. It hurts like hell. So much respect for Griffon. He's such a monster.

Rods: Shimano, can't wait to get a Dobyns! Reels: Shimano Hard Baits: Strike King, Spro, Jackall, Megabass Soft Baits: Rage Tail, GYCB, Zoom, Jackall, Berkley Line: PowerPro, Yo-Zuri, CXX Storage: Hiking backpack, Falcon organizer boxes

My suggestion: Rod: Veritas 7'6 MH Line: 50-65# braid, Daiwa Samurai, PowerPro, 832, etc. Baits: Beavers, Chigger Craw, Rage Craw, Smokin' Rooster, the list goes on. Paycheck punch skirts and others like that are good. Just like any other bait, they have their time and place.

That's a real nice looking rod. How does it fish? Sensitivity? Balance?

Curado e7.

SNOT ROCKET!

Not if you want to keep the line tight and the fish hooked. I've neve lost a fish while doing that. If that changes this year, I'll let you know. I am using braid though. I just cinch my drag down all the way. If a fish REALLY pulls hard I'll give them some line. I had a fish last year pull probably five yards of line off my Citica while I had it all the way down. It was very impressive. I got it on video too.

A light action is a way better choice IMO. I have a lot of experience with light tackle. I prefer a 6'-6'6 Light or Medium Light, with 4# Yo-Zuri.

Yep, I love my Citisaurus. I have ABEC 7's, a Carbontex drag, the bearings have all been flushed and lubed, and the internals have been polished. It does make a difference, I just wouldn't do it to my Citica again. However when I get a 50e, everything mentioned above minus the drag will be done to it. IMO, the drag upgrade is so pointless. If you want a better drag, give the fish line on a free spool...

You need about 50 more bags or Rage Tails.

The only "new" Berkley bait I am interested in is the 5" Chigger Craw. I love to flip and pitch thos things when I want something other than a Rage Craw. They make a great subtle flipping bait. The big 5" version will probably be a big flipping bait for me this year.

I VERY MUCH agree with this statement, though in deep northern lakes, finesse usually means lighter line for bigger bass. Thus, light spinning gear, to help protect that light line. But yeah, you can fish a 1 oz. jig or DD22 with every bit of finesse. One of the best quotes I've ever seen here, thank you both. I totally agree.

I can throw a Zoom Finesse Worm with a 1/0 Octopus hook on my Citica. I don't though, because medium action casting rods are for girls ;D. It's not difficult, you just have to know how to set up the reel. I throw finesse plastics on spinning gear though, just for the fun of it. Edit- It also has alot to do with the line you are using. When I get a Curado 50e, I'm sure if I spooled it up with 6# CXX or Hybrid I could throw it much farther, especially if I had a M/XF rod. Too bad I never will.

When I get a new spinning rod, my finesse setup will be a 7'2 MF Cumara spinning rod, 2500 Sahara, 6# CXX.

Oops, didn't see the other post. my mistake.