Chance_Taker4

I wouldn't say they died. Putting a fish on a metal stringer is just like hooking a cull tag in them. My guess is they are more cautious and are smarter from what happened. They will be back to that spot just give them some time. There are good underwater videos on YouTube that shows how long it takes for bass to return to a spot after being caught. 1rod1reel has a great video showing the effects for catching bedding bass.

My vote goes to 6'9" to 7' Med Mod Fast rod and a 7:1 gear ratio reel. My personal combo is a Carrot Stix Wild wild Orange rod with an Ardent Apex Elite reel. You could fine this combo for your $300 budget.

I use both bright pink and bright yellow Gliss line on my spinning reels. Started using it after I seen Jordan Lee use the bright colors. I put a clear leader on it that way I can see my line but the fish can't.

I use a 6'9" Medium Mod Fast Carrot Stix Wild Wild Orange for both presentations. I have it paired with a 7:1 Ardent Apex Elite and 12# Vicious X-ACT CoPoly. This my my favorite setup mostly because Jerkbait fishing is my favorite way to fish.

Ardent Brand cleaning products. This is the kit I use https://ardentoutdoors.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&view=productdetails&virtuemart_product_id=439&virtuemart_category_id=13&Itemid=205 Also Ardent has videos showing how Denny Brauer cleans his casting and spinning reels.

Do you know water clarity and temp on Detroit River? Fishing an even on the River on Aug 6.

my apologies I misread it. However I still throw swing head jigs on a MH rod. I throw all jigs 5/8 or under on a MH rod. Frogs and Flipping heavy cover is the only time I use a HVY rod.

What is everyone's favorite Whopper Plopper color. For me it is Powder or Albino Shad.

I always throw Flourocarbon, Vicious Elite Pro Flourocarbon to be exact on this setup. With Flouro sinking I can get my baits lower in the water column easier and it will provide the stretch you are looking for.

That smallmouth is longer than shown as well the mouth sticks out past the tape measure. But it doesn't look in too bad of shape.

I use a 6'10" MHF when I throw a swim jig. I use the same rod I throw spinnerbaits and chatter baits on.

My BPS told me they "replaced" Daiwa with Lews. This was about a year ago i believe. I know there was some bitterness from BPS when Daiwa started making exclusive equipment for TW. My BPS has Curado, Citica, Casitas, and Caenen for Shimano, the full Abu line, BPS house brand and Lews. A friend of mine is the head for the fishing department at my local BPS and he tells us all the time that his ordering options become more and more limited with outside brands and soon you'll only be able to get house brand gear and the brands that make the house brands.

What Croakhunter said. I only use white and black frogs to really simplify things. I attended a class a couple years ago with Ike and G-Man. Swindle was describing his jig selection. He said he uses a black jig or a brown jig with maybe so red, blue or green mixed in but all his jigs are Black or Brown. That is mostly how I select frogs, jigs or much anything else. Will a multi colored frog out produce a black from in some situations? Sure but the bites I get from the black is sufficient enough for me not to spend unnecessary money on different baits that may or may not produce 1 or 2 more bass than what I'm already catching.

Over the weekend I got some more information sent from my regional sales advisor. The short version is they want to leave the USDM all together but contractual obligations are not allowing them to anytime soon. They are just cutting everything to the United States and considering any US sales as "Extra sales" in their 2018 budget until they can completely leave the market.

I'm looking for a decent swim jig mold that will have a 3/8 and 1/2oz cavity together.

When I was learning to use a frog my boater, as I fish as a co angler, told me that when a bass looks up at your bait majority of the time it looks black regardless of the color because of the shadow it makes blocking out the sun. All black is usually my most productive color.

My only complaint with the Poison Tail mold is I use 3/8 and 1/2 exclusively and do not want to buy two molds to pour two jigs. I would like to find a poison tail mold that had both sizes in one.

Is Do-It the only company that produces jig molds? I do not like the Poison Tail or Trokar swim jig mold.

Welcome. I to am from Ohio, NW corner. I fish the Cridersville Bass Buster club now so I am down in your neck of the woods quite often as we fish Lake Loramie (Plus I go to Country Concert every year), Grand Lake and Indian Lake. I don't get up there often but I also fish Austin lake and Long Lake in MI.

I agree with this. They are my favorite sub $10 jerkbait. But I also like the Rapala X-Rap and Shadow Rap to (P.S. @A-Jay I'm pretty sure I just followed you on twitter based off your profile pic)

All Black or Alll white frog for me but I use River2Sea Bully Wa 2 and for a popper style their Spittin Wa. Both walk super easy.

Looking at a map I don't know what river system they follow to make it that far. But again the big mystery here in Ohio this summer was a Walleye that was tagged and released in Lake Erie in 2011 was caught in Green Bay this spring and researchers are trying to figure that one out to.

I've heard of them occasionally in the Mississippi River and someone 2 weeks ago reported catching one in the Ohio River (Find that hard to believe). Jeremy Wade did a show on it to in the first season of River Monsters. As @wdp pointed out as well Wade catches a lot of Bull Sharks in the African river systems when filming most sometime it is edited out sometimes they show it. Bull Sharks are alos reported to be found in Lake Michigna, very rare that it happens last report was 2014, but it happens.

Bringing up this thread again. Looks like they did announce the new Veritas 3.0 17 spinning rods, 6 casting and 3 light jigging options. looks like an EVA/Cork combo on the handle. Only thing that is a little deceptive is that they are advertised at $125-$175usd but that's on a British site. No date for U.S release but Europe and Australia already have them

I couldn't tell you the brand but I would you such rod for jerkbaits, topwater if I had to. That length is still too short for me. My wife on the other hand who is 4' 10" can't use a rod longer than 6'6" so a 5'6" would be her ideal jerkbait rod. I would pair it with a 7:1 reel.