Hooligan

Whatever you do, don't, I repeat DO NOT, drop shot the little ones. Waste of baits.

Ghoti, you should like the Hawk. I've fished it a bit and I quite like it for the same things I used to like the Bacon RInd. It's got this great glide to it, and it fishes really well on 3/8 ounce mag-shakey.

I forgot to say this, the plastic thing on the flippin hook won't stay put after a while. Get some of these: http://www.ecoprotungsten.com/diamond-pegs/ to fix keeping your baits put. Since finding these, I've gone back to using a LOT of straight shank hooks; they're so much better on the hookset...

Definitely launches 1/2 ounce baits with ease. I'm not going to state that the rod is an ideal rod for fishing deep cranks, but it does have enough protection built in. Where the rod REALLY excels is fishing traps and such in heavy cover. I fish a lot of hard bodied baits on it, like the giron, JSJ, and Shellcracker. It's a perfect rod for those baits.

IMO don't overlook the Cumara 7-11. The XF is a little overpowered for DD cranks, but it does handle them well, as well as protect hooks, but if fishes small swimbaits very, very well.

852S. I really feel like the GLX version of the rod is better.

I have Baby's now. (Had to rub that one in.) One of the best cranks I've fished.

I won't fish another hook in plastics, by choice. I've got a few jigs on Trokar hooks and...WOW are they deadly good. I've noticed a huge difference not in the number of solid hookups, but the effort it takes to set that hook. It's a lot less with the Trokar. The thing I dislike about the Owner is that it can "blow through" creating a hole that tears much easier, don't get me wrong, they're superb hooks, but the Trokar is that much better. I broke some hooks initially, and I rolled a few points. It seems, though, that they got their stuff straight and they're now basically flawless. I fish the flipping hook, the HD worm, and Mag Swimbait, as well as the jigs I have on the Trokar. Not a better hook out there right now.

That can be an issue, if they're not tuned right. It doesn't seem to be an issue with those blades that are in line with one another, though. The doubles I use are simply for helicoptering, basically. Big size 7 Indiana blades and 1 ounce heads. It's a substantial package that falls relatively slowly. GREAT for bluff walls and ledges.

It's been discussed, ad nauseum, here. Do a search for it and read through the threads to pick out what you can. There's been a lot of good info already shared. (FTR, it's not blown up in the past year, it's only since October.)

I haven't had that issue, and if it were an issue, I'd just about guarantee you that I'd have had it by now having something like 9 of the rods in the series. The problem, in terms of adhesive, has been associated with the Reel Seats, which I've had on a couple of rods. Other than that, I've experienced none of the other things that people talk about. I've heard everything from bad guide inserts to misaligned Recoils- again, no issues to report on there. The two rods in the series that I like better in the GLX are the 802 and 852. The 852 in the NRX just doesn't have the depth and feel that the GLX does. The 802 feels underpowered in the NRX.

Tatsu>>>>>>>>>Shooter>>>Bawo>>>Super Finesse>>>Sniper. Sniper is far from the best fluoro. Toray makes superb light lines, Super Finesse is a great line in 7lb (if you can find it) Upgrade is a great line in 7lb as well. Likely one of the very best in that specific category is Bawo Premium Plus. It's got a very good diameter to strength ratio.

I disagree. I fish just as heavy cover and and I have no issues whatsoever. And all those baits I mentioned? Those get fished a LOT in FL, man, don't kid yourself. Harris Chain, Okee, Toho... I've fished them all many times, and they're baits I use. Again, braid does not stand up to heavy cover, be it hard or soft, as well as fluorocarbon, it's a fact.

IT depends entirely on the rod model. There are a couple of the NRX spinning that I detest, they're better in the GLX line.

There are techniques that call for a slack line, not to mention that when a jig is falling it's on a slack line. Fish a senko? Slack line. Fish Ikas? Slack line. Fish tubes for a drop? Slack line. Fish blades on the fall? Slack line. Fish jigging/flutter spoons? Slack line. I fish equipment that's among the best there is, Steezy would argue that point, but that's another story. tuning your equipment has nothing to do with fishing braid, and the fact of the matter is that all of those things will occur with braid. It's not a matter of opinion, it's fact. Wind bellies braid, again fact, not a perceived instance. I agree that it's a matter of preference, but one should be truthful in stating the advantages and disadvantages, not one's perceptions. As a case in point: when you're dragging a jig, nothing can beat braid for the sensitivity, no doubt about that. Yet, it is not the perfect line for all situations and all conditions. If that were the case every pro would be throwing braid on every rod under all conditions. Yet, over 90% of the Elite series pros are using fluorocarbon on their jig rods, on their flip sticks, and for TX rigs. Many only use braid on spinning reels. THAT says something in, and of, itself.

There's a lot of misinformation in that post. Let's start with fluoro being easier damaged, it's absolutely untrue. Under normal fishing, fluorocarbon has greater abrasion resistance and is more resilient than braid. Braid has zero abrasion resistance, none whatsoever. I fish fluorocarbon in the deepest, thickiest nasty for a reason: I know that it isn't going to pop like braid from fishing in rock and wood. It's also my preferred line, as well many others will attest, for flipping. Fluorocarbon is less likely to wind knot and tip wrap than even 65 braid. Braid is notorious, again, even in larger diameter, for digging in on the spool whether from a snag or setting the hook and fighting a fish; I don't care how large a diameter you fish- braid does it and nothing you say will convince me otherwise. I've been around it long enough, and fished it long enough to know the truth. When it digs, it's likely to create more issues for you- backlash, losing a fish, break-offs; they all can, and will, happen over time. Fluorocarbon has better casting behaviour and gives you more feel under all conditions. Yes braid is very sensitive, but you can't feel anything on a slack line with it. It's also terrible for fishing in the wind; you can't tell what's going on with your bait or your line. The fact that braid floats is also a pain, it bellies on the water, and below, and you lose your direct connection when fishing lighter jigs. The only time I fish braid is for frogs and I have one reel spooled with braid for certain conditions flipping. As a general jig line, fluorocarbon is the better choice.

Copoly lines are a standby for many, many anglers. I wouldn't want to be caught without at least two rods with it one there, regardless of where I am in the US. I fish all my topwater and all jerkbaits on copoly lines.

I'm fortunate enough to fish outside my home area an awful lot. I spend extensive amounts of time in TX, CA working in pursuit of green fish. My job takes me a lot of places that have some of the best black bass fishing in North America; amazing how they generally line up, too. I couldn't have planned it better if I wanted to.

Great baits under certain conditions. Not my favorite style of bait, but they do work situationally.

Most often it's a Lobster or Craw. I rarely use another trailer anymore. I'll sometimes color coordinate, and sometimes I want them different colors. A combo that works well on some of the water I fish is the new Hard Candy Craw on a Missouri Craw colored jig.

It's so subjective, they're all tools that I use based on where I am. The 6XD is one of the most versatile, but it's terrible in wood and chunk rock. I love Little John DD and Baby DD for banging rock and wood, but they're really superb for moving across flats and ledges that have a lot of depth change. I Dig the heck out of Bombers BD8F for soft cover, it rips through weeds and grass like nobody's business. The 5XD is a SUPER bait for deep rock, when you're in that 13-15 range, I have no clue why it's so much better than it's bigger brother in rock. The Lucky Craft BDS XD cranks are simply incredible on shell beds, deep ledges and dragging down deep points... They're all tools and they all serve purposes for me. Some are better in situations and other excel in different conditions. I think that's one reason I've never been tied to a specific bait. I really don't think I could choose a single bait to be limited to in that all too often asked, "if you could only have one..."

They're a harder, lighter material, yes.

I'm in complete agreement that a 7lb fish brownie is where you start to talk about "holy Grail" sorts of things. I've caught many over 6, but very, very few over the 7lb mark and I fish some of the best smallie water in the world very consistently, waters that are known for pushing out sevens with semi-regularity. If I catch one fish over seven each year I feel I've done incredibly well; whereas with greenfish I have the expectation that I'm going to catch several over the 10 marker.

Braid sucks, fish all fluoro. And there you have it, all bases are covered.

I fish a lot of 1/8 and 3/16 ounce jigs throughout the year on both casting and spinning. It depends on what you're doing and how you're doing it. JF is dead on about your drag, if you're breaking off on the set, you're not setting your drag. For 1/8 ounce hair jigs with tiny trailers, I'm fishing a spinning rig. For a 3/16 or 5/16 finesse jig, I'm fishing casting- regardless of the trailer. The times I switch that up are when skipping docks. Also for those 3/16 and 5/16 jigs, I'm fishing on my regular light jig rod with 12lb Tatsu.