smalljaw67

You are an angler that I can appreciate, LOL!!!! I use hard jerkbaits all season, suspending in cold water and now floating in warm water. You like the short rod that has the tip to work the bait but the flex to land the barely hooked fish. Fenwick Elite Tech Smallmouth 6'3" M-MF casting rod, it is barely 3oz but is deceivingly powerful. The rod is rated for 1/4oz to 5/8 but I have used 1/2oz baits and the rod handles them with no problem, in fact you might think it is rated to a higher weight based on how well it does with 1/2oz and 5/8 is just as good. The rod is a moderate fast action and I really like the way Fenwick does it, the rod doesn't have a parabolic action like others rated moderate fast, instead it acts like a fat action rod but it loads really well so you can sling a 1/4 or 3/8oz bait a long way for a shot rod. Once you make the cast you can work the bait without it bending really far, I hated that when I tried using a cranking rod for jerkbaits, I don't know how some do it, anyway, you can really work the bait and when you hook up the rod has a deeper flex than just a medium power with a fast action. I think this is what will work for you, I was a big fan of my G.Loomis JBR 752C which is a medium power fast action but it struggled with the heavier baits so I wanted a rod that could handle the bigger baits and I got it in a MH Fenwick ET Smallmouth which is a 6'10" with a moderate fast but it is more stout than the 6'3" but the 6'3" handles the small 1/4oz and 3/8oz baits much easier and the length is super nice for control. If you like the short rod I think you'll really like this one.

I agree with primetime about the jelly worms from Manns and the Lunker City Slug-o made by Herb Reed, that bait was responsible for soft jerkbaits in general but I believe the Senko is original and is not in the same category. I'll add to this list too, Bobby Garland's Gitzit is the original tube bait, Gene Larew made salt in plastic baits the norm with their salt craws. I've seen a ton of stuff come and go but there are some that are timeless, like the Rapala original floater, the Smithwick Devils Horse and even the Rogue is iconic and don't forget the Rapala Shad Rap, designed as a walleye bait it quickly proved itself to be a cold water killer and one of the best cranks to throw in the early spring. The Zara Spook is another timeless bait that has spawned other walking baits and it also has a few new upgraded versions as well as an original with the old hook hangers on it and believe it or not, there are a lot of anglers that like the original so much that Heddon keeps making it along with the super spook.

For myself, a 1/4oz and heavier is casting gear but I do use a 6'6" medium power, fast action spinning rod with 8lb copolymer line to make short side arm casts to docks with small 1/8-3/16 finesse jigs, I think 30lb braid is too much for a medium spinning rod even though it is thin, go with a medium heavy if you use line that strong. You can do a lot of different things with a 6'6" rod and at one time it was considered a long rod, pitching and flipping is better with a longer rod because you have more reach but if you are good at feathering the line or know how to make short side arm cast with the 6'6" spinning rod you can get the baits where they need to be and do it softly and be effective.

Red shad color isn't a big secret, it is a proven color , just mention the name Culprit and usually the first thing you hear in response is red shad. I'm not sure why, it may be just a mind trick but Culprit's red shad original worm is just plain deadly, it is the only worm other than a Senko that I can say without a doubt that it will get bit even in super tough conditions. I'm not sure if it is the worm or the color but I know guys that use several different brands and styles of worms and red shad is a color almost everyone I know has.

You can't get them, they are exclusive to Terminator, occasionally they will let size #5 and #6 Oklahoma style over runs be sold by Janns Netcraft. I contacted Rapala 2 years ago about this very thing and the blades are stamped special for them and them alone, in fact they own the die so if they ever stop making spinnerbaits, the die goes back to them. I don't like them because I think they actually cut down on flash so I prefer to have a fully smooth blade surface. The same deal with the Oklahoma, aka turtleback, aka mag willow, the difference is the bevel edge but it cuts down on flash. The gold blades though, that is something different but I'll tell you not to even worry about it, a few thousand tackle makers, including myself, have tried to get those blades for years and they aren't going to sell them now or ever.

They are composite, not all glass but a combination glass/graphite. I have an old Tour Edition USA model that was made in America, it has a full E-Glass blank made by Lamiglas and I really like it but it is considerably heavier than the new KVD Tour cranking rods which are also on the heavy side but not like a full E-Glass blank.

The bottom one is what I use, my bluegill imitations have blue, orange, green pumpkin, and a tiny bit of chartreuse. I also go with a green gill which is a medium green pumpkin with a light sky blue which would be a green sunfish that inhabits the same areas that bluegill do and you have that covered with the top one. I like all of those and I give you a lot of credit for having some different versions, bluegill have a lot of different colors to them and there are also other kinds that hang together like green sunfish as I mentioned before, and pumpkin seeds and just different variations. Very nice work indeed!!

That is a good rod for 1/4oz to 3/8oz spinnerbaits and chatterbaits because 1/2oz is going to strain it to the point of the bait over powering the rod. This also depends on the rod manufacturer, I know Falcon rods are spot on with the ratings meaning if the rod is rated to 1/2oz, you will find it tough to use on 5/8oz anything. You are correct, jerkbaits and topwater would be where this rod shines, but in addition to what was already mentioned, it would be a good fluke or senko rod, and it would be good for square bills and lipless that are in the weight range. I like the 6'6" length, but in casting rods the MH is more versatile but the medium does have its place so use it on all those things, just keep the size of the baits down and you'll be good to go.

I think you should go with another RX7 crank specific blank, there is a 7' MH with a mod-fast action rated 3/8oz to 1oz and is just a tad softer than my Fenwick ET smallmouth MF rod. I know this well as I have fished with it for 3 full days as a local builder recommended it to me as I wanted a cranking rod in graphite that is a little more stout than the Loomis CBR series but more moderate than my ET smallmouth rod. He told me it is the most popular crank specific blank he builds on because it comes in a 7' and a 7'6", I was so impressed with the rod he made that I'm doing something I never thought I'd do again, and that is getting another custom but it will be ordered in the fall for the start of next year.

There could be a multitude of reasons but before you dismiss the guide insert have a crack, give it a quick check with a Q-Tip. As already mentioned, 15lb braid is thin so a slight crack will cause the line to fray and break. Run the cotton end of the Q-Tip around the entire guide, if there is a crack you'll notice it really quick as the cotton will grab, you'd be surprised on how small the cracks can be, you may not even see them until you know right where they are.

Being that you are using 50lb braid, or even braid in general means a fast is better. I have a pitching rod which is what I use for 99% of my jig and worms anymore and it is a 7'2" MH-XF but I use copoly, not braid. The extra fast is nice, a little better sensitivity and it does load differently which is why I pitch with mine, but with braid you need a little more flex to compensate for the no stretch line. A fast will work and sometimes that is too much and you are now seeing a lot of rod makers use mod. fast for flipping rods based on braid use. I think the 7'3" MH-F *** Black will work fine for you, if you were using fluorocarbon or mono then I would go extra fast.

I always like a split grip, my one custom spinnerbait rod I had made was built in the late 90s with a split grip, it just feels better to me especially when I make roll casts.

Oh yes, they are my number one pad lure and the only colors I use are black scale and bullfrog. Toads are a different deal as they are a fast moving bait while the soft hollow frogs are a slow moving bait, the moss boss is right in the middle. I like the hollow frogs for matts and spadderdock (looks like tiny lilly pads), the toads are what I like over grass beds that aren't on the surface but just below, and for pads nothing beats the moss boss. I have a great hook up percentage with it and like you, I find it to be a big fish bait, rarely do you have a bass under 14" hit it, and I'm amazed at how nobody seems to use these anymore.

This is a true statement, the river I fish most of the time is the Susquehanna, it is very wide but shallow and the determing factors of which lures to use is based not only on season and water temp but water clarity and whether the water is rising, falling or stable. If you have clear water and you are looking at smallmouth, then one of the best things to have at this time of year is a floating jerkbait, Rattlin' Rogue is my go to but I do like both sizes of the Bagley Bang-O-Lure and the size 8 and 10 in the Rapala Flat Rap. Spinnerbaits are always a good thing to have and at this time may be the best bait to have. You also have to look at tubes and make sure you have enough jig heads, hooks and weights.

If you go back and re-read my post, you will notice I said that it depends on the kind of trout he is after, in my state most of the trout you fish for are small stockers with the occasional 20" fish but most fall around 10" or so. If that is the case for the OP then the set up will end up being a little heavy for trout as a light or extra light would be more appropriate.

There is a difference but it requires you to work the bait differently. The pros are using this on slick, calm water with hard bottom, they actually use it like a crankbait by reeling steady while it is on the bottom. The faster you reel the heavier the head you need but it does work, the Jika rig is basically presenting a Texas rigged bait in the horizontal position.

I'm not going to recommend any brands but instead give you an idea of power and action. A lot depends on the trout you are chasing, in my neck of the woods in means 10" to 14" stockers that you end up using ultra light set ups for. If that is the kind of trout you are after then I can't do much in helping as the only thing that will be good enogh for bass and trout is a medium light and it still is going to over power the trout. Get yourself a medium to medium light spinning rod, 6' to 7' in length and a 1000 or 2000 size spinning reel with 6lb test, it will be light for bass but heavy for trout.

A 1/16oz hair jig is the smallest and the largest is a custom made spook that is 7" long and weighs 2 oz.

The spinnerbait is my favorite bait and I've tried thousands of different combos and actually make my own since '98 because I got very specific about the application. Anyway, I have used them with and without and all I found a trailer to do is keep it higher in the water column and the major cause of short strikes, but that is in my water which isn't too dirty. I'd try to use it both ways and see what works, there are times when a trailer can enhance the bait but I feel more confident without a trailer and if it makes you more confident to use one then by all means, use one.

I make my own but before I did I tried at least 9 different brands and I would suggest you try a few different styles to see what works better for you.

I-KAM sunglasses, they were the first to come out with them but now there are even high-definition models that range in price from $70 up to $200 and the video quality is pretty good.

The Costas are too rich for my taste, great glasses but I can't pay that much. If you are looking for something easier on the wallet, try the Eye Surrender sunglasses, $60.00 with a lifetime $20 replacement and they are great, super light weight and I was surprised at the optical quality of the lenses. I use the green lens and the copper lens colors, the green makes dark objects pop in the water like stumps, logs, limbs and the black lateral line of the bass but the copper is great in all conditions even low light.

With the line you are using you will like ther extra fast action for jigs and worms, you will have more sensitivity and the added backbone will compensate for line stretch.

That rod is a medium heavy with an extra fast action, if I was going to use it for any kind of crank it would be a heavy 3/4oz lipless bait or a big zara spook for a topwater. I would not even think of throwing a square bill or any other crank on that rod with braid, the reason being is the rod isn't a cranking rod, it is a rod that will be better suited to fish jigs and worms. The fact that it says it is versatile is due to the weight rating, it is in that sweet spot MH which is 1/4oz to 3/4oz so it is heavy powered enough to drive large hooks home on spinnerbaits and jigs but it is still light enough that you can throw some bigger treble hook baits. The thing is braid on a cranking rod is ok as the rod will have a parabolic action to absorb the shock, the rod you are getting won't have a parabolic action so what will happen is you will end up missing or losing a lot of fish because you will pull the small trebles free as the rod action with a no stretch line will over power any type of crank you are using with that rod. My suggestion would be to have a reel spooled with a good copolymer or fluorocarbon to put on the rod for cranks.

If you are a braid user then I would suggest you look at something else. The ghost has guides with chrome inserts, they used to be used on a lot of rods until braid came popular, that is when they went away because they will groove, it all depends on how much you fish.