Hooligan

Lets just say my best days fishing smallies on the river are thanks to this bait. The bait you posted and the bait he's talking about are two different baits.

I'm like you. I fish from Jan1-Dec 31. Ice, ice out, soft water, ice up, then start all over again.

If you're talking about the Xrap Shad shalllow, they're a great bait for smallies and walleye. I've not done much with them for largemouth. They're nothing like Pointers, or any other jerkbait. They work with a motion much more like the shad rap. I use them a lot like working a crankbait, except that I'm usually cranking to depth and holding. They allow you to stay in a "zone" for a longer period of time while moving the bait very little sharp twitches work better than slow pulls.

Good rod for the money. It will handle the baits effectively, and it has enough power to move big fish in a hurry. I'd possibly break from their weight allowance, though, if you're going to be throwing more 5 and 6 inch baits, and go to the XH. I fish everything I throw on that rod and have had very good luck with it. Initially, I bought it for throwing Musky swimbaits and Cowgirls. It does that well, but it also throws smaller baits very accurately. The heavy, though, will perform just fine if you're never going to step out of that range. Either of the rods, though, will perform great for the money.

I love all four of mine. Great reels.

Oh holy cats man...that's more funny than funny.

I flip a lot with a 6-10, and I flip with a 7-11 and a couple in between those. It depends on the situation. I'm only about 5-10, as a point of reference. If it's comfortable to use a 7-0 use it. If you are comfortable in a 7-11, use it. Like DVT stated, the time that length comes into play for me more than any other is fishing tip down baits.

Eeliminator Smokin' Rooster Trick Worm Rage Lobster LFT Ring Fry In that order.

Tabu, that's it. Thanks a ton.

Trying to find a small swimbait that I'd used for smallies and crappie last year and I can't for the life of me remember the name of them. They're about 2.5" and similar to the Optimum baits but really scaled down. I can't even remember anything about the name, packaging, or anything. Total loss other than I know it wasn't Optimum. I've Googled the heck out of it and I can't find it. Any ideas?

For some reason, I could see that up in your area. They're a killer Great Lakes Spoon. We fish a lot of spoons. A guy I know turned me back on to them several years ago. They're a great tool to have. I use them more in spring than any other time. Most of the time I don't use them as a search lure, I'm targeting active or aggressive fish with them in specific locations on a lake. They're very, very effective here in NE on smaller ponds and lakes; say under 40 acres. I love Little Cleo's and plain jane Daredevils. I change my trebles out for a single siwash, usually. There's a guy in MN that makes a tin spoon, rather than brass, that really flutters on the drop, far more than its heavier counterpart.

Stoopid Monkey. Leave me alone already... Really though, I ordered two have gotten one. Waiting on the second. Got the 893, waiting on the 853. I'm debating the 802S with tax return. I think it would be a supremely good rod for 'eyes, too.

I used them a bit last year. At first was having great luck, used them for a while with really hookups and no issues. Then I started breaking them. I had very little problem with the hooks staying sharp, I carry a LJ file for that reason. That said, I have some jigs from a guy in MN that are built around the Trokar and fished them over the winter in CA and had zero issues. I still don't like how brittle the hooks are, but have yet to break any others after the flipping hooks.

Let's just say you don't want to bang rocks with that bait. I've only broken one DT6, and it really was my fault, too. I was dragging it past boat docks, and I happened to get one that had the framed timbers coming out at an angle. Banging off the timbers was producing fish with a Thug. Grabbed the wrong rod, broke the DT6 on the third cast.

I'm with RW. I've got it on seven reels now, and I have had zero problem with it. I actually have used it on the ice for one of my med rods for jigging eyes and it's done very well. I am doubtful that I would buy any other line in the future, outside of braid or ice lines, that is.

I disagree with your opinion. My Stella is worth every penny. If I had the disposable income to replace all of my spinning reels with Stellas I'd do it in a heartbeat. In terms of the ugly green reel in the original post...man that thing is hideous!

Outfits: never wear pink fishing, unless it's Breast Cancer Awareness function or month, you'll get kicked out of the boat every time. In all seriousness, though, you can run most everything you're going to fish with those two rods, provided you can cast them. If you want to dedicate a jig/worm rod to the MH, you could always have one rigged and throw whatever else on the M.

Just curious, why do people like split grips with techniques that require you to chuck the bait around all day>? IMO full grip handles allow me to throw all day with more comfort. Everyone likes different things. I prefer split grip for the comfort as well. I never questioned the fact that people like split grips. My question was WHY?? do people like split grips for these techniques... I like split grips because the rod is less likely to rub a scar where I had surgery on my distal biceps tendon, for one. It rests on the inside of my arm where a rod typically hits, and can be rather irritating, if not painful, on a full grip rod.

There are a bunch of rods out there in the 6-8 60 6-10 range marketed as pitching rods. Rods from Loomis, Shimano, Cabela's BPS, a bunch of other manufacturers. If I'm in tight cover and pitching jigs and spinnerbaits, most often I reach for a 6-10 Pitching rod. A pitch is a type of cast, it's moving line off the reel, is it not?

One of the best ways we catch eyes and sauger in tailwaters around here is just a jig and minnow, or Gulp Alive minnow Grub. 1/4-3/8 oz ball head with or without keeper, depending on water depth and current. Every so often, we'll go up to 5/8 oz on jigheads in order to get down in the current.

Rattle Craw, It was a variant of the bubble craw. Can't remember who made it. The spoon is an old Red Eye, as previously mentioned. I wish they still made them in that profile.

Frabill conservation series. It isn't as likely to damage slime coat as other net bags, it isn't as heavy as rubber, and it won't rot like rubber. They're spendy, but very nice nets.

I'm a fan of the Smith line, a recent convert from Costa. Smith has a photochromic copper that's one of the best lenses I've fished for most light conditions. It does well in low light, all the way to bluebird days and clear water.

In regards to the Cumara, I've found that the only real drawback is that the dropshot rod, really is just that. It's a one trick pony, not the greatest rod for working any other rigs or baits. It's "OK" for running light split shot rig, but it isn't good for much else. If you're after the 7'2" for a Senko rod, the CUS72M is an alright rod for it, but I prefer the CUS68m. It just has a better feel, and seems to have a touch more power. The Avid 6'8" Med X-fast is more comfortable for me throwing Senkos and other light Trigs. It has enough in the blank from start to finish to manage slightly larger baits without an issue. A 5" Senko doesn't feel like you're overpowering the rod. I have several Cumaras and they rank high on my list for quality and sensitivity; it's my favorite rod series outside of my GLX. The Avid, however, ranks higher for the purpose indicated here in my opinion.

It's got a bit of a gold hue to it naturally, it doesn't necessarily mean that it's old. I fished the line last year quite a bit, and it was OK. For the cost, it isn't worth it to me. There are comparable lines for a lot less. Then again, I'd rather fish Tatsu anyhow.