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3-4 wraps it is. Especially with the double sand diego jam knot. Thanks!

I spent an hour or two practicing the double San Diego Jam knot and sometimes I'm having difficulty seating it properly. Are there any specific 'quirks' / idiosincracies / little things that you do to help you tie this knot?

On the web page it says can be difficult with heavier line ( I think it said 10 - 15 lbs ). Anyone have this problem?

I've heard using the polamar knot for fluorocarbon above 12 or so pound test is not good. The palomar knot is so easy to tie. What knot should I use that's both efficient and easy to tie. I've tried the Eugene knot, but I've had trouble with it and don't always get that 'popping' sound (which they say you should hear when it is seated properly). Any suggestions?

Thanks. I'll try that superglue and see how it works out.

I like using a glass rattle with my soft jerkbait, but it always falls out. There's not much room to put a rattle in. Or, the glass rattle I use is too big. Either way, I'm wondering if there's a decent soft jerkbait out there where there's enough plastic to put a rattle without having to severely upsize my bait. Any other suggestions for fishing soft-jerkbaits over the top of / and through vegetation?

The weedless guards that 'hook' behind the barb can sometimes get caught and not allow the hook to go past the barb makin it easy for the fish to shake free. I haven't used the gamas like that, but I have used other brands and that was the case for me. Now the weedless version I use are fiber guards only. Has this happened to anyone else?

The rage tail kicks up a lot, but I think it is the easiest to keep running right side up. Whenever I use a larger offset without a screw lock - I have had problems. The ribbit double hook always needs some serious tuning out of the box, but works okay for me as well.

I've had difficulty with swimming a toad on top because it almost always flips upside down on the retrieve. I've tried every soft-plastic toad/frog. I think the rage toad makes the most commotion and I'll use it if I need a lot of action. I think the zoom horny toad has the least amount of commotion and use it accordingly. My favorite has to be the Stanley Ribbit regular size toad - not too much noise, not too little. I throw it on a 7ft MHF 7.1-1 with 50lb braid. I use screw-in hooks in either 5/0 or 6/0. I think the hooks with a little lead weight in front (on the nose not the shank) help me the most to keep it keel down, but I still have this problem. I've even tried the ones that have a double hook. Haven't caught any monsters, any advice?

search for it in youtube and they have a few good videos on how to rig and fish. I bought a few, but have yet to fish with them.

Suffix performance for me. Got the trokar hooks. Already have the gamas. Paycheck hooks are tough to find.

I'm at cabelas all day to get my boating license. How can you tell the difference from Trokar's first generation flipping hook and their new flipping hook. Probably different packaging?? But what does the New package look like?Reviews say the first generation suck vs their new ones. I'm a get one package of Trokar's and one gama. No paycheck here at cabelas.

Thanks - that knot seems easy enough. So A-rob, when you say "hide the point half way back into the plastic" do you push the hook all the way through the plastic making it easier for the hook to go through the plastic on a hook set? THEN pull the point back into the plastic so it is weedless?

i don't quite follow... I'm not a flipper (yet), and I don't put much thought into a hook set...

As a non boater who can't bring his whole arsenal with him, I use my 12lb mono top water setup for spinnerbaits after the morning top water bite fizzles. But I like the feel of braid better. Just needed to consult, because I don't catch the majority of my fish on spinnerbaits.

Are those Trokar hooks better for weaker hook setters because they seem easier to penetrate with the surgical sharpening ( compared to Gama's). Gama's probably have the advantage everywhere else though, except maybe hook penetration??

Thanks. That makes sense

I've always wondered how much power/energy is needed behind a hook set when flippin or punchin. I have a weak hook set mainly because when first starting out I had great difficulty telling the difference between a bite or being hung up in whatever cover. Add to that the heavy action rod im using for this technique. But I'm definitely going to try burying the hook this year with a straight shank hook as opposed to a texposing with a strong offset hook. Largest fish caught flippin is probably only 2 lbs (just started last year). I'm hoping to change that this season- thanks for the help.

Why aren't more people using straight braid for this? Higher sensitivity, stronger hooks sets, thinner line diameters, cuts vegetation easier. I feel like I'm missing something important about fluorocarbon for spinnerbaits.

Anyone use straight braid for their spinnerbaits? Is a Fluorocarbon leader neccessary if my lakes in CT are relatively clear? I can rip the Spinnerbait free from grass so much easier with braid. And I have much better feel and better control when popping / stroking. If I'm slow-rollin deep, I usually use 1/2 oz or greater which means it shouldn't have much trouble staying low even with braid, right? I'm not sure how much the buoyancy of braid affects baits. All the umbrella rigs use braid and they get fish to bite, Spinnerbait is the same reaction type bait. Anyone else use Straight braid? Should I be using fluorocarbon instead?

Those paycheck hooks look serious. I've never applied my own hook keeper. Is it as simple as heating it up with a liter? Size 3 and 4 should suffice for the largies in CT.

What hooks do you use, if you don't mind me asking? I have the gama straight shanks keeper hooks Size 3/0 and 5/0 (5 is pretty big)

On a related note, (i might have to start a new thread) whats the most efficient way to stay grass / muck free? Should I... t-rig with the hook 't-exposed' by bringing the hook all the way through the bait where the hook rests parrallel with the soft-plastic. Then skin the tip of the hook to lay flat and covered by a very thin layer of soft plastic. I usually use this method with a sweet beaver, but it does ruin the bait pretty quickly. That thin part on top of the soft plastic will eventually tear and then I can't skin the hook anymore. I've seen where people sometimes push the hook all the way through the soft plastic to make it easier for the hook to penetrate through the soft plastic on hook sets. They then back it off and leave the tip of the hook to rest in the soft plastic. With this method I inevitably end up pulling in grass or whatever when the tip of the hook tends to expose just the slightest amount (but just enough to bring in big stalks of milfoil). Or should I bury the tip In the soft plastic without bringing it through the bait. I've never caught a fish that way because I have no confidence that I'll set the hook hard enough to penetrate the soft plastic before the fish lets go.

Awesome. Thanks for the advice! I forgot to mention that I mainly flip and pitch to milfoil/hydrilla and don't punch as much. I know those two patterns are different, but straight braid in heavy milfoil or hydrilla is fine too, right? I got to learn to tie that knot! I saw Aaron martens do a demo on YouTube recently - time to practice. What's the best knot for braid without Snelling to hook?

When I use a Fluorocarbon leader, my leader knot causes some backlashes when the knot hits a guide harder than normal. Also, whenever I get hung up when I'm using braid to FC leader, I break off at the leader knot every time ( that's even when I've experimented with 20lb braid to 8lb FC on spinning setups) I use a double uni to tie 65lb to 12 or 15lb FC for my leader knot up here in Connecticut. Is there a better knot out there in terms of breaking strength AND size of knot? Should I even be messing around with braid to FC? How many tie braid straight to their flippin' / punch bait?