Jrob78

A 3/16oz weight with a 12" worm isn't light, even by baitcaster standards. Keep practicing, you can also up your weight a little and maybe drop your line down to 10 or 12lb mono, although 14 shouldn't really be a problem. Fluoro is more difficult to work with, especially for someone new to baitcasters. Also, be realistic about how much distance you want to get. A 12" worm isn't very aerodynamic.

Thanks for coming back and reporting. Not everyone can admit when they were wrong.

I'm sorry, if you take back a 15 yr old rod and expect a free warranty replacement, you're a flawed guy. If there is a built in replacement fee to cover the manufacturers costs then that's a different story. My high end rods are all customs so I don't really know how the warranty system works but breaking an old rod isn't the manufacturers fault.

Your gear sounds ok and 50lb PP doesn't just break on hook sets. Something is causing it. Check your line, if it's really old I suppose it could get bad, I've never had braid go bad though. Check your guides for cracks. Run a Q-tip around each guide, especially the tip. If it leaves cotton behind you have a crack. Check your weights, like Iabass mentioned, if they have sharp edges they can cut your braid. Also check your knots, make sure you are tying them well and they aren't slipping.

That's really cool, I've never seen anyone cast like that but it obviously works for you.

I hear you, I didn't realize you were wacky rigging. The only thing I might suggest is trying a smaller wacky rig hook or rigging tx style. The trick worm fished weigtless will be easier to keep out of the rocks.

I've seen plenty of people retrieve a bait with a hand on the foregrip, just never cast one that way.

That is what will normally happen with a factory defect or damage in shipping, you should send it back. To me, if a rod doesn't break after the first couple of fish or the first couple of outings, it shouldn't be a warranty claim. A defect will show itself pretty quickly.

What kind of hook are using with your Senkos? You should be able to rig it so that it is very snag free. Try an EWG hook and skin hook the point.

Interesting. So you cast with a hand on the reel and one on the foregrip, vs. a hand on the reel and one on the butt?

Exactly, this is a HUGE part of the reason prices keep going up.

I get your point and agree that a soft bait is more versatile than a hard bait. If I had to pick one bait to fish the rest of my life, it would be a soft bait. I still think a good single hard bait will catch more fish, dollar for dollar, than a soft bait but it certainly wouldn't be the best choice in all scenarios. Different interpretations of the question I guess.

Hard baits don't lose their effectiveness unless they break. Some hard baits don't work great year round but some do,depending on where you live. A good hard bait will catch fish for years, unless you break it or lose it. $5 for 100 worms is certainly not the norm or even close to it, it's more like $5 for 8-12 on average. They're still only good for a fish or 2 in most cases.

I prefer the ECS too. I've never heard the ECS called a deal breaker, it's the "standard" seat. The foregrip is what I can do without.

To me it would be a high quality hardbait (crankbait/jerkbait/topwater.) You can catch numbers daily and the bait can last for years. Most plastic worms are good for no more than a couple of fish. Dollar for dollar, fish for fish, the hardbait kills the soft bait on a per bait basis, which is what the op asked.

If you could figure out how to make those fish bite consistently you could make a lot of money as a tournament fisherman.

More often than not my spinnerbaits have a few longer skirt strands that act as a trailer. I don't normally use a plastic trailer of any kind.

Sorry dude, it was a sarcastic reply to WRB's post. People have a bad habit of asking questions without even trying to think for themselves. It wasn't really aimed at you, your question is a good one.

Are you suggesting someone actually read and try to do some research before asking a mindless question?? How dare you! Good day sir!

It took a couple of years for the CU 50e's to come out, give it some time.

Yep, I'd say he definitely hooked you up..

I've seen guys go so far as turn their backs to the camera when they unhook a bass so their bait isn't seen. I think it's mostly to keep the hooks off the deck though.

Oh dear god, why?

That looks like a Stanford Cedar Razor. Really good baits, I have several. It isn't old though.

To me the Cumulus just begs for a Core. A CI4 or Metanium would fit the bill too though.