bigfishbk86

Switched from Oakley shallow blues to Costa Green 580g's last year and the difference is night and day, glass is far superior.

I sold all my tats because they didn't fit my hand well.

I'm on board with RoLo, I've never used a floating braid, even some that was years old and used constantly that began to sink over time.

I've used 832 in 6, 10, 40, 50 and 65lb tests and all have sunk. Night and day between it and suffix performance braid, which floats nicely.

I've got multiple rods in both models, and I think the 7'2 H is what you're looking for. It is definitely not a broom sick and has a very responsive almost perfect tip. The mhrb is most definitely not a moderate action, and I'd say it's closer fast than moderate, but the mod-fast designation is perfect.

I had 2 smoke baitcasters (150's) and both, while reeling in fish, took a complete dump on me. All i know is i heard a loud SNAP and the reel was a coffee grinder and the anti reverse was gone. Sent both back to quantum and got new reels, sold them both immediately. I would consider myself a quantum fan and have never had an issue with any quantum reel except for the smoke baitcasters.

THKO wakebait is by far my favorite, with the smaller size jointed LC a distant second.

I too would recommend the owner hyper weld snaps, but I only use the 46lb and I think it's perfect.

I would say a 7' mh avid is much much closer to a 734 than a 735. I'd go with a 733 and 734 to replace the Abu and st croix. Can't speak on the 766 savvy.

For the rod, i would go with a Dobyns 6 Power, 746 or 766. For the reel i would get a TWS Zilllion 9.1 ratio. 65lb 832 and you'll be all set!

Stick with the braid...everyone on here is going to tell you fish can see the line and all that jazz....don't believe it. Stick with what you got, you're doing it right.

10-15 CXX. Personally, I don't ever see the need to use braid, and I crank weeds 95% of the time.

Another wisconsinite and by far my best color i would say is white, even in the clear water.

Save yourself a ton of money and buy boss punch hubs and wire/zip tie your favorite skirt on to keep it from sliding off.

x2, major issue.

17 or 20lb P-line CXX is the only line you should be considering.

If you truly believe it's the bait, then you are already defeated.

Exactly what he said. I use the 7'8" MH moderate LTB cranking rod and it works wonderfully.

Tatula

X2 Get a clue.... To me, the easy answer to this question is the "old" zillion in 7.1 gearing, end of story.

For your new rod i'd buy a 7'2"H tatula.

From what i've found, either they are THE bait to be using, or there are better topwater options. If you have clear water, fairly calm conditions, and spawing bluegill, then you have the right conditions for a propbait. Spawning bluegill being the biggest component. My best bait/color has been a lucky craft KJ in yellow.

Pretty sure one is gps and the other is a sonar unit.

What size of the mouse are you guys using?

Mono leader on a frog? Jeez, i really have heard it all now. My point about catching them in packs of boats in water with visibility to 20ft was not to toot my own horn but to prove a point about water clarity and highly pressured fish. Did not mean for that to come off as snobby. I'm not going to change you're mind and you won't change mine which is fine, but for the sake of argument, i just have a hard time understanding the train of thought here. You're bait (no matter what you're using) does not look natural. It also has at least one hook that's at least 10x the diameter of your line hanging off of it, and said hook(s) are probably shiny. Either way, our un-natural looking baits have very visible hooks on them, so i don't see the line argument. In my mind, if fish didn't like .01" diameter dark green braided line, they would be absolutely petrified of any weed bed, scared s%#less of lily pad fields, and wouldn't hide under a dock if their life depended on it. Before you let me have it i understand all my examples are ambush points for bass. In any event, in 16 years of fishing crystal clear great lakes waters, never did using flouro get fish to bite that would hit not hit the same bait on braid. Do i use flouro and copoly on some rods because the line doesn't float and the presentation calls for it? Of course i do! But to say a fish wouldn't hit because it could see your line....must be hard for some to believe people even caught fish in clear water before flouro I would love to hear anyone's opinion on this, as i seem to be in the vast minority on this board of those who will speak up on behalf of not believing in line visibility. Hopefully i didn't ruffle too many feathers!