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Thanks, iabass8. I've caught a few with a similar setup. But I think I'm using a spinning setup tomorrow 68mxf with 20 lb braid no leader.

With spinning gear... Do you need a leader if fishing braid? If not how light of a line could you go with if you're throwing a weightless fluke on a 3/0 thin wire EWG?

Caught a few recently using a fluke, but I'd like to gain more confidence and figure out my favorite set-up. Currently I switch back and forth between spinning tackle and casting. If it's spinning, I throw a weightless zoom fluke on an owner twist lock 3/0. The line is either 8 lb FC or 20lb Braid (sometimes without a leader). 6'8-7'2 MF with 2500 reel -- Sometimes I feel the fluke has trouble staying up with this set up. I was thinking of switching to an offset wide gap thin gammy (not the superline). If it's a BAITCASTING setup, I throw 66mhf (it's is a softer MH). 12lb FC with a swivel and 1-1.5 ft mono leader (to avoid line twist - does it even matter though with a baitcaster?). Same owner twist-lock 3/0. Sometimes I'll try my best to bury a glass rattle in the fluke, but this set-up definitely sinks maybe faster than I want and the rattle can fall out easily. Any suggestions on set-up? I fish mostly clearer bodies of water in Connecticut (candlewood etc...) Also, how should I be setting the hook?

Thx for the replies.

When jigging in grass, what type of presentation are you using? You can't really drag, can you? Is it a 'hop-the-jig approach with a stroke here and there to keep it grass free?

Thx for the reply, joe. I thought I wasn't going to get one for a while there.

I know offshore / humps / grass are all relative terms, but generally speaking....what are you using ? And I know there are many different variables that would affect your decision to throw a certain bait, but in a general sense - what's a good place to start?

Haha... That's a great idea with the strips and modifying on the fly. Thanks.

There's a ton of good threads on Jerkbaits, but I had a few questions about tuning them to improve the action. I don't have the luxury of owning a pool, so all I have is a bucket of water to gauge the Jerkbaits ability to suspend the way I want it. But, it got me thinking, how exactly do I want it to suspend? Dropping it in a bucket can't be like casting it out and reeling it down to desired depth. Plus, after an hour of messing around with suspend dots extra split rings and new hooks, I still cannot get the lures to suspend perfectly in my 5 gallon bucket. Eventually, after 10-20 seconds they either hit the bottom or rise to the top. I've been tuning the Luck-E-strike STX RC 4 in model and the smithwick rattling rogue 'pro model' suspending. Is perfect suspension what I'm looking for? Where is the best place to put those suspending dots? Should I use extra split rings instead? I'm going to work on a rapala husky jerk 10 and a Lucky Craft pointer 78 sp later today as well. Will these modifications affect their darting actions when jerked?

Yeah, sorry I didn't clarify. I guess it's as simple as straight shank or offset. Because the offset would need to have the point laying flat on top in the ridge skinned. I did notice that the havoc line uses the plastic that seems to be easier to skin. Or rather, the plastic stays on the hook point longer than reaction innovation. Although, the RI must have better action than say the havoc pit boss.

Thanks. I bet with some fiddling around I can get it to work t-rigged. I guess my last question on the matter is when would the t-rig approach be more beneficial than the straight shank approach?

Thanks. Straight braid? Or did he use a FC leader?

Yeah, saw that. No need to switch with those - I got a few from cabelas -- they are the "pro" models. No gamakatsu on those. Stacey king does a jerkbait clinic that was videotaped on you tube - its pretty good. Just type in Stacey king and jerbaits and you should find it.

I get snagged when casting to wood and I get grass often when working grass. It's almost like every cast I'm reskinning the hook with the Reaction innovations beaver.

Instead of rigging with a straight shank hook where the hook point is buried in the beaver plastic, does anybody rig it Texas-rigged? For example, a big off-set hook that has the hook point tex-posed or laying flat in that middle ridge on the back of the beaver? I've tried both ways and have had success with both, but wanted to know a better way to keep the hook from being exposed to weeds when T-rigged or tex-posed. I usually pull the plastic over and skin hook the point, but it comes out all the time (at least the reaction innovation beaver does). Some beavers are made of more pliable plastics and some have a deeper ridge or even a tiny pocket on top - but I still manage to pull up weeds when using the ones with the pockets for t-rigged hook. Any advice for t-rigged beavers- style soft plastics?

What type of hook was he using ? EWG? I know it was offset. Right?

Just bought a few sus rogues. The hooks don't look so great. I'm going to put some gammy round bends on. Do you upgrade hook size or replace / or add split rings to make it suspend the way you want it?

"a lot of thought went into the new G. Loomis GLX Flipping Series Casting Rods. Flipping is an oxymoron of sorts. It’s considered to be a finesse technique, yet it requires brute strength to make it work. The finesse part comes in the presentation. You want your bait to enter the water very quietly because this is close-quarters combat fishing, and you need it to drop straight down to make sure you get into the sweet spot next to that piling, bush or rock. But you also need heavy line because you’re after big fish, and you need a rod with some guts so that when you do get bit, you can literally yank it away from the cover, quickly and with authority. Flipping Sticks used to be a lot stiffer, especially in the tip-section, to allow anglers to “swing” the bait accurately - depending on that stiff tip to help set the hook, but as techniques evolve and styles change, anglers have discovered they have more control and better accuracy with a fast-action rod with a more dynamic tip. They can use the flex in the tip to help accelerate the bait towards the target and they can “mend” the line with their free hand to control the lure’s entry into the water. G. Loomis used to make their flipping sticks with telescopic handles, but boat designs have improved and now, most have rod lockers that will accommodate an 8-foot rod, so they changed the GLX Flipping Series to a one-piece configuration. This allowed them to create a stronger, more sensitive stick that is noticeably lighter, and it also helped them increase tip speed during the hookset, and that means more positive control and more power when you need it. The G. Loomis GLX Flipping Series Casting Rods are so light for having such extreme power, there’s only one word to describe them… Astonishing!" Found that helpful in my research. Wanted to share. It's straight from TW

Thanks, guys. I guess I perfer the XF tip because I like finesse fishing so much, and Sensitivity is obviously important. Why then is shimano making flip/pitch rods with XF?

I think I'll always like a faster action tip for almost any rod that's not throwing a treble hook. But I wanted to see what people say about how they like their rod tip for flipping and pitching. I currently have a crucial 7'11" AND 7'6" ...both have an extra fast tip/action. How does shimano's extra fast tip compare to other rods ?? Should I still look for a pitching/ flipping rod with an extra fast tip or will fast do the trick?

Lighter than the new omens. Lighter than my current crc-x711h

Looking for a lighter rod

I too have narrowed my new flip n pitch down to these two. In my research so far, a lot of negative reviews for the recons on TW. Yet, I'm still interested. I really like the power/tip/feel of the crc-x711h (my current flip/pitch older crucial). Which of the recons is closest to this power/action without going shorter than 7'6"? I'm guess the poster bought one of these rods over labor day, so I'm wondering what he went with and how he likes it so far...

Awesome... Thanks for the replies. Anyone use a cumara for flip n pitch 1/2 - 1oz ?

Looking for a lighter rod for flipping and pitching. I really like my 7'11" crucial, but it's weighs too much for me ( my arm kills at the end of the day ). Any suggestions?