I need a new screen name 4

I second the vote for the used St. Croix Mojo rod, but yes, it might still be a little out of your price range.

I retrieve it similar to a spinnerbait, but I use it when I need something moving slightly slower in the water, but with just as much vibration. It's like the "lazy" spinnerbait.

I like the dark colors for smallies. Dark watermelon, or craw colors work well.

I think it's called clown? With the red-ish head and neon yellow body. I like that it's such an "off" color, and it's easy to see underwater (from a fisherman's perspective) in low light conditions.

Shimano Calcutta 50B baitcasting reel.

Any small sized plastics fished slow...

Just picked up a mojo bass rod myself, we'll see how it works out.

I went with a 6'6" St. Croix mojo bass rod. We'll see how it works out!

Appreciate the feedback here guys, thanks! Do you think I can get away with a smallmouth-like setup - maybe 1/16th oz jig and grub? Or is that just going too light, and dealing with bird's nests all the time?

The heaviest would probably be 1/2-3/4 ounce spinnerbaits, but I'd like to go lighter as well with crankbaits and plastic worms like you mentioned. What has your experience been, how light can you go with a reel like that?

Picked up a Shimano Calcutta 50B baitcasting reel in the offseason. Looking for a decent rod to go with it. I'm mainly a weekend fisherman, with bass being the main target. Any advice for a rod to accompany the reel?

Nicely done, great pics!

I would have to go with curly tailed grubs on a jig head fished in water with current. If you can bounce them off rocks on the bottom, all the better.