webertime

I'm going out on Champlain Monday...

I'm going to go in a slightly different direction. I am advocating #2. That rod you describe is a model of St. Croix rod that is super versatile. I have a ton of high end stuff, but I also have a beat up gen 1 Mojo 7ft MH Mod. This rod is great for cranks (whatever line you like), Square Bills and Traps (braid), Super Spooks, Shower Blows, Ploppers up to 130mm (12lb mono), and even jerkbaits in the 100-128 sizes (I throw Pointers, slender pointers, and flash minnows on it with lighter mono). I guess braid with different leaders would make this rod a great all purpose treble rod.

https://www.sierratradingpost.com/redington-path-rod-and-reel-combo-2-piece~p~309yx/?filterString=s~fly-rod%2F&merch=prod-rec-prod-prod309YX Look no further

10lb Super Natural 8lb Yo Zuri Hybrid

Shower Blow 105 for the win.

Fat Ika... you're welcome

Arrowhead and champlain

Traps (lighter colors) Chatterbaits (white or bk/bl) Chartreuse (all) Spinnerbaits Bone spook Chartreuse shad lucky craft pointer 100sp I drop shotted a 4.9 out of 40ft on Sunday too.

They are still shallow. Heck some of Champlain still has fish moving up from summer depths.

For a 100ish bucks the Uribe Riverside is super impressive. I've owned a lot of rods from different makers, the Riverside is the best 100 dollar rod I've used. The spiral wrap is cool (I've built spiral rods and dig them) but the blank's action and sensitivity were way more high end than I expected. For sure Shimano makes good stuff, but the Riverside is pretty sweet so far.

5.9lb green head down 35ft, below a giant school of young of year smallies in the Fall.

Blanks are nice. The 807 is an awesome blank by NFC.

https://www.mutbak.com/product-category/bunker/ Love mine

Jerkbait rods are a pretty personal thing for sure. I use a custom NFC 663 that is amazing on baits up to 1/2oz (Pointer 100's) I used in in Kissimmee and Toho during the BASS Open this past winter. Had no issues with not controlling fish. I also use (and this might be a good one for you) a Falcon Bucoo 6'6"MHf (not super fast), it has a nice short grip and great tip for Jerkbaits. The other rod I use for 4" jerkbaits is a 70MHM St, Croix. The latter 2 rods are readily available and can do other things quiet well.

Those goofy rebel hard frogs they're 3/8 oz and less than 2 inches long, just paint bone colored. I have some custom done to look like an Alewife. Smallies crushed them during and just after the Alewife spawn. I also Drop Shot little Crappie sized bass assassins. Alewifes have dramatically changed the feeding habits of the bass on Champlain and going tiny helps.

Moving single hook baits and potentially jigs

Rattles on chatter baits? Sounds like Pike food.

Not giving up source, no link.

It is exclusive... you do MLF and nothing else. KVD and Skeet are MLF. Jason Lambert is too I believe. Sponsor list is impressive.

Jighead and Dropshot. Works, but no better than any other "minnowy" plastic for those two applications.

I don't think they're available yet.

9" Slammer today on Champlain... about as Northern and Swimbaity as it gets.

Isn't Johnny the guy supplying those Nitros?

Fly rod with a small woolybugger

NEDs, Drops Shot, C-Rig. The shorter days and golden light are just starting to trigger the fall bite (on Champlain at least they have moved from Alewives to Perch for food). The depths will be all over the place. Find good weeds good rock and Perch and they'll be there. Winni is notoriously temperamental too so don't get discourage by it.