piscicidal

I created a similar thread a year ago. Ended up getting the Dobyns 745DX and couldn't be happier.

Mikey is a flippin machine. I've been bugging him for awhile (as others have I'm sure) to join this site and he did a couple months ago. He'll add a lot to the site, but he's a real busy guy...doing a three day trip at Kissimmee right now. The hawgs are in trouble...

My last trip there with Jack was pretty poor also. Some of the guides seem to think that Sandy ripped up the South end pretty good and will take a little more time to recover. I think when it turns on, it's gonna be lights out for awhile...

My boat rod holders only hold eight, so for me nine is too many! I would take more if I could....

I fished one of carmens tourneys last year. He had the sign in at the backlot back by the bathrooms. We're not 100% sure of the details...winging it a little bit.

No problem. BTW Carmen Patti has an open tourney Saturday out of Clewiston. I'm gonna fish that one with Jack (shallow thinker). Sounds like the lake is still fishing tough, but we're gonna give it a shot. Only the second time fishing an open tourney in 2012 for me...I did one of the Slims deals back in June. I would really like to do more of these but man its hard to find the time.

If i am working a mat...I'll break it up, flipping a section about 4ft diameter at a time, working the whole mat. The initial flip...let it fall all the way down, un-impeded . Yo-yo it up to the bottom of the mat...let it fall again. I'll yo-yo it 2-4 times depending on how confident I am of the pitch or of the spot. After 2-4 lifts/drops, crank up and make a new pitch. At least half of the time, they hit on that initial drop....I would say 95% of the time they hit within the first 3-4drops. To me, it's about percentages, so I think in the long run you are better making a new pitch than continuing to yo-yo the bait 5-6-7-10 times trying to elicit a bite from the 5% of fish that are non-committal. If I'm flipping a stretch of reed heads or other standing vegetation, I'm typically moving a little faster and will rarely pitch to the exact spot twice. However, if there is an obvious piece of structure that looks good, I'll pitch to it repeatedly from different angles, trying to elicit a strike.

That Dobyns 745DX is awesome for jigs! I use the Dobyns 805C FLIP/PITCH for 3/4 - 1oz flipping/pitching and the Dobyns 766SS FLIP/PITCH for 1.25 - 1.5oz. All of these rods have full cork, though, and you mentioned preferring the split grip.

My Horny Toad setup... 804C Dobyns Curado 200E7 50lb power pro. That 804 might just be the perfect horny toad rod...can fling a toad a mile, yet has a strong backbone. The Curado casts light baits nicel and has a fast retrieve...necessary for frog fishing. Any braid will work...I use power pro, because I can get it really cheap.

Just got off the phone with Steve Daniel...there's a big open tournament this weekend out of Scott Driver. Bob Hayes Memorial, I believe it is called. Supposed to be a really good payout... I think they're getting a little better sacks up north. Anyone who's on anything up there should probably check that one out....

I talked to Mikeyballzz yesterday...he fished Burke's on Sunday with Val (owner of Gambler). Apparently, 17lbs won it...13lbs cashed a check. Pretty amazing considering all the big sticks fishing...The lake is fishing tough. I'm kicking myself, a little...Conditions Sunday were pretty similiar to what I had on Friday. If my fish haven't moved in that day and a half, I had 17lbs pretty much covered.

Yeah, Shane. As I wrote up in my blog...had to move around a little bit to find the kind of water I was looking for. This area really had it. Some nice fish crusing around here.

Glad you enjoy it! I've got some nice video from Friday. I'll put one up in a little bit...a nice 4.5lb smashing a topwater.

I had a 18-19lbs bag on Friday in about four hours. Ive got one good spot that has some nice fish staged up. I was hoping to fish Burkes today...think I could have done some damage today with the short sacks coming in. but just too much on my plate right now. I put a write up of my trip Friday on my blog...www.hawgtech.com/blog

I think my favorite right now is the war eagle. They cast really well, have good hooks/components, and the finish is reasonably durable. I have many different brands and frankly they all catch fish. For me, castability is what differentiates what gets used and what doesnt. I hate spinnerbaits that helicopter on the cast. This is a technique that usually requires accuracy. That war eagle casts like a bullet, right on target. To be fair, I haven't tried all the spinnerbaits out there. My opinion today is subject to change.

Here's my five year demonstrating his technique for senkos. This was his very first time using a spinning rod, after replacing his spiderman rod.... Luke is now seven and has caught hundreds of bass on senkos. The problem I think most people have with this technique is they fish too fast. The best advice I can give is use light flouro line, and a light wire 2/0 hook (so as not to affect the natural osciillating action of a falling senko) and fish it S-L-O-W. This method is most effective when the fish aren't chasing, so don't make em chase! Put that senko right in his face and let the tantalizing action of the bait compel that fish to hit it...

Here's what I have on my calendar, regarding open tourneys on the south side of the lake... Burkes: First Sunday of the month. Clewiston. Register at Roland Martin's Slims: 2nd Sunday of the month. Belle Glade Bass Busters (Silver): 3rd Saturday of the month. Clewiston Bass Busters (Gold): 3rd Sunday of the month. Clewiston Slims: last Saturday of the month. Belle Glade. I have only fished a couple of these in the past several years, so if my info is not completely correct, I apologize. Carmen Patti has a monthly open tourney out of Clewiston also, but I'm not sure which day...

Good one, Matt. LOL!

That's where I'm at also. The Curado G-series reel can stand alone quite well on it's own merits...but why-oh-why did they change the frame to the larger "Canaen" design?! I would have been OK with the other downgrades (plastic star drag, less bearings in the handle, etc), but please leave the basic form factor the same. My $0.02. For me it's going to be E series all the way...Curado, Citica, Chronarch...

Good point. I have 15 baitcasters, all of which get cleaned 2x a year. I buy bearings by the hundreds for the Hawg Handle and all those get cleaned, dried, lubed before assembly. The ultrasonic cleaner is nice, if it fits in your budget though. Besides doing an outstanding job on the bearings, fill it with warm water and a little bit of Simple Green and it cleans all the non-metal components on the reel with one quick, easy pass.

LOL. Yeah...the Bullet lists more toward my side, now. Makes a loud whistling noise when running 80MPH, also...strange.

BR members, have a happy and safe Halloween from Robert and Mike at Hawg Tech. Please give Hawgin Herman here a facebook "like". He might just leave you a "treat" in your pumpkin...

True, not only do you get the benefit of increased torque, but also decreased weight and improved smoothness (cnc tolerances/4 stainless steel bearings). In terms of just pure "speed" its probably a wash for most people (somewhat dependant upon physicality). But in terms of power, weight, and smoothness, the cf handle wins easily.

<- yes, this. I have a small ultrasonic cleaner ($30 @ harbor freight)...I put the bearings and acetone in a baby food jar, close the lid, fill the US half full of water and put the jar in the cleaner and run it. I do this cycle several times...replacing the acetone and running the US until the acetone is no longer cloudy. When the cycle completes and the acetone is clear, you can consider your bearings "flushed".

There's a few things I look for in a pitching/flipping rod Soft tip Stiff backbone 10guides Long, full rear grip (preferably no fore grip) Good spacing between reel seat and first guide Fairly sensitive Durable A good warranty (these sticks take a beating) I use the Dobyns FLIP/PITCH series. The 805 for lighter flip/heavy jigs and the 766 for heavy flip. That rage rod looks very nice also...I'm gonna try that one soon. .