mod479

If you go to Black shoot me a PM. Incredible fishery in my backyard.

It's probably sunline super natural in mizu blue, can get it on amazon.

Give blue crawler or BISP a try

Leader length on DS depends on where and what you're fishing around. If weed growth is a foot off the bottom, try a leader that will put the bait above them. I usually start high and go lower if nothing is looking up. ~10-15" would be a good starting point. Short leaders can also be the ticket, esp if you like to toss strange baits like I do... brush hog or a craw. If I am fishing wacky rigged stick bait I will tie an extra long leader so it can get down to depth fast, but then give that tantalizing shimmy when you let it fall. As for working the DS I usually dont post about how I work it, many will say fly your rig like a flag on a tight line, no movement besides what current produces, no shaking it at all. Some go by the lift and drop method, I found this works well with creature baits or anything with a curly tail. Others will say that shaking on tight line is the only way to get bit. I've seen all these work. Fishing extremely clear water over the years I've watched many bass, both species approach a DS and just stare at it. Sometimes simply dropping the bait to the bottom and dead sticking will produce a pickup, other times a slight drop and lift will get a reaction, other times they will smack it when it just hangs motionless or while the rig falls and before the weight even touches bottom. What I'm getting at is that it wont always be the same, everybodies water is a bit different. I will always be one to say go out and experiment, the bass will let you know if they're around.

Read this if you havent: http://www.richz.com/fishing/articles/dropshot.html There is much good reading on the dropshot rig in the archives of this site. Search function: arrange threads by # replies or views. Rigging, baits, techniques....its all there for those who want to look. After that, get on youtube and watch anything about dropshotting by Aaron Martens or other pros. The gear you've got is fine. What alot of guys find out with braid/leader setups is how easy it is to straighten out a light wire dropshot hook when trying to cross the fishes eyes. Not neccesary, simple lift up firmly and keep pressure when you feel a strike. Mono is known to be stretchy, and you might need to actually give them a good snap to set the hook, you'll figure that out on the water. Suggest something in between the 2 until you know. What kind of weights does that kit include? Unless you're sight fishing leave the light weights in the box, rig up with one that gets you to the bottom quickly and allows you to work the bait without bouncing it up and down. My suggestion is 1/4oz as a starting point. You've got some finesse worms, good, I catch most my DS fish on simple 4-5" finesse worms. Rigging is up to you. They can be nose hooked, wacky rigged, and TX rigged on a specialty hook. Since you've got VMCs, stick to nose hooking and wacky for now. A pack of 3" senkos would be a good buy, natural colors or black. Wacky rig them, use a longer line between hook and weight to allow a good fall. Flukes videos are full of great advice to get you on your way, might also look at his "finding fish" video too. The dropshot rig can be very effective, but only if you're around fish!

Should get revo fixed or replaced, what good is a real with a faulty drag? Tatula R has so many good reviews, I'd look that direction after the revo failed.

Keep your drag locked down, back it off when you hook up if you want some slip.

Thank you, I thought so too. Its always cool how they can change their coloration based on where you find them. This one came out of a channel, deepest part of this particular section of river.

Went out and had to see for myself. Water is clear but stained and tea colored, tried a bubblegum D-shad on a keel weighted EWG 3/0. Lost one first cast, got this one on the followup. Hard stikes, color looks great in stained water. You guys made a believer outta me haha

The design will reduce line twist, but so does taking the time to rig your bait straight on a normal hook.

The camo brown stuff has very high abrasion resistance. It is what I fish steelhead in very rocky rivers with. I use ultragreen for my topwater rod in 6lb, no complaints and very manageable. Good mono for sure, never needed to try anything else, but might try sunline super natural one of these days.

Try a green pumpkin rage chunk on the bluegill patterns....they look move a lot of water and produce a nice kick. Trim your skirt to where the arms come off the craws body and it wont interfere with the action.

I've got packs of pink d-shads, havent thrown them, they look so odd...gonna crack open the pack this weekend and give them a whirl.

Depends on where/what I'm fishing. If I want to throw a baitfish color I like flukes in the disco colors. If I want a natural color I go D-shads in GP blue, also like the midnight color for gin clear water....not conventional wisdom, but it works for me. Topshelf makes another awesome bait with a flattened tail that works the really well on a keel weighted EWG hook. I use those in the rapids of smaller rivers and the smallies tear them up. (Holo Shad)

Remember when Bassmasters was not an infomercial and 3/4 inane zona/mercer commentary. Also miss hearing: "And now its time for the pros pointers." Fishing shows aint what they used to be. Much better content on youtube these days. Although I do like Major League fishing format, watching the reactions to some of those guys hearing KVD got another one was funny. Remember Bob Cobb? Remember when a pro would hook and land a 4lber on TV, promptly put in the livewell, and get back to fishing? Not hoot and holler, break the fishes jaw, and bouce a 1k dollar setup off the deck of the boat? Remember when a 3lb smallie from the st.lawrence river/great lakes was big, a 4lber was a trophy? These days.... 3lber? Haha....dink, wont even cull. Pepperidge farm remembers.

I've never even seen these on flea bay til now, sounds like some mighty fine qualtity control. Sticking button from factory is unacceptable at any price beyond free. Shows you bearing count means nothing. Quality components and real QA/QC is everything. Its like letting a new car roll out of the factory with the gas pedal sticking.

Caught both LMB and SMB on a 1/4oz black / gold cavitron, most of the red is wore off the hook these days but they still bite it pretty good.

SMB - 4" hand poured finesse worm on DS rig LMB - t-rig baby brushhog in green pumpkin

This is certainly a special rod, if you're crazy, so am I.

Not a bad idea. I broke a champion last weekend, my fault, not the rods. The closest dobyns dealer is about 40 minutes north in Canada, shop owner said bring it in, no receipt required, 70 dollar replacment out the door. Really is no hassle.

Only got one rod that I think is technique specific, that would be a Cumara med/x-fast dropshot rod. Could probably use it for other things, some claim it's a hell of a shakyhead rod too, but I've never tried. The rest of my rigs can and do pull other duties.

Take a lap around the pond and toss a frog / topwater / weightless fluke out in open water, see if they'll come up and show you where they're at.

Sufix pro-mix copolymer. Great handling, cheap, strong, avg abrasion resistance. Comparable to Izorline XXX.

I use a 2500, running fluoro and it balances really well on a 7'2" cumara. 3000 would be good if you want to put a bunch of line on it.

I pick up the trash at my bank spots everytime i go, yet it's never my trash. Usually the same bucket fishermen and amish tossing snelled hook packs, snack wrappers, soda bottles, hard bait packaging, etc. where I'm at. Seen them do it for years and years, they do not care how much piles up. I always toss the sticks they prop their rods up with out in the river. They're runnin' out of tree branches down there. lol.