mod479

Another vote for dropshotting small stick baits rigged wacky.. its a bizarre way to use them, but it has salvaged more than one day for me. My advice is to experiment with fall rates, a heavy weight will make it drop pretty fast and flutter in an erratic manner. I've caught LMB this way in weeds when they'd ignore most everything else, strange but it works.

One that balances out on whatever rod you're planning to use.

Here's the stripey-est one I have a pic of, she went about 19-20", maybe 4 - 4.5 lb. Here's the same one right before release...such a nice looking fish, love the ones with red eyes too. Heres a smaller one from last year, it had nice coloration.

Jeebus....some real hogs in here already. Anyways, here's my last double of the season, they were fun to try and control at the same time.

704cb

It shows up on my Mark-5x with a bit of messing with the settings. As you can see, those fish are below the thermocline and feeding on a school of baitfish above it. The layer is about ~3-4' thick and down just above the 40 foot mark.

I'm not saying they need it, but his post made it seem like they were extremely lightweight or required a lighter line to get decent casting distane, but that is good to know, I cant wait to give them a try.

Just picked up 2 of these spinbait80s, do you think you could add some suspend-strips for extra weight and get away with using heavier line? Might kill the action on the fall though...but gonna give these a shot anyways.

Thanks guys for the quick replies. probably gonna pick up that Pinnacle and save some money to boot, will report back when it comes in.

I love my baitcasters...but I am far more skilled using spinning setups. I plan on focusing on my jig fishing this season, need to start putting bigger fish in the boat more often. Got a x-mas bonus from the employer and I'm gonna pick up a bunch of jigs and a spinning rod for using them. I dont plan on using anything over 3/4oz. Would be using 3/8 to 1/2oz ~75% of the time. Been looking at a few options, looking to keep it under $250. Not afraid to branch out to other brands. Dobyns does not offer a heavy action rod in the length I want. Here's what I'm looking at: 7' Pinnacle Perfecta MH / Hvy action 7'1" Loomis GL2 MH / Hvy action Right now, I'm leaning towards heavy action so i dont buy an under-powered rod, but I dont want a broomstick that does not transfer feeling through the blank either. Should mention that I already have a Dobyns Champion 704sf MH and a 6'6" Abu Vertias Med.(it fishes like a MH). Should I just try these out first or are they too soft for 1/2 oz jigs and setting a heavy wire hook properly? Whats everybody else using?

Sounds like where I do a lot of fishing. Adirondack lakes can be extremely clear and devoid of much structure and/or cover...this makes for roamers. Many times theyll be in groups of 2 to 5...so keep another rod rigged up with a senko or a tube jig to toss at them. The most prominent points, laydowns, channels, docks, and humps are going to attract many of the best fish in the lake on their daily travels. Don't go searching for brush piles in 20-30 FOW becuase they are rare in kettle ponds and lakes...but if you do find one...fish it thoroughly with a finesse jig or DS. One thing Adirondack lakes are known for are sporadic humps made of boulders, gravel, and chunk rock which rise out of 40+ FOW, these are some of my favorite areas to stalk brown fish. As for tuning a dropshot....it's a pretty simple rig and it's best to keep it that way in my opinion. Try 4lb fluoro out, it'll get you bit more on some days. What hook are you using? What size? I use a #4 most of the time or a #2 for thicker baits. Take a pair of pliers and bend the hooks shank upward about 10 degrees , you will see improvment in hook ups. I dont use spinshot hooks anymore, its much easier to tie a palomar and be done with it. Nothing to get tangled onto (which does happen, ruining fluoro), and less stuff for fish to look at when keying in on your bait. Dont worry so much about painting weights unless theyre so shiny that you feel theyre visible. Get some of the skinny tungsten DS weights, smaller profile, less splash on entry...which is big when casting to crusing smallies and not freaking them out with a massive lead weight. Also, dont use the same old DS baits everyone else is throwing out there, think outside the box and the smallies will come.

It does, my 704cb throws jerks more than cranks. Loads with a pointer 78 decently, throws 100s very well, and will launch a vis 110 into orbit. Its got a 51mg7 on it too, you're gonna fall in love. No comment on the CI4 Chron, havent got to handle one yet.

sammy 100 in skeets magic has been good to me. (smallies) I like the chartruese belly on it.

I love YZ hybrid 4# and 6#, it covers a number of techniques for me and it's tough as nails. I like Tatsu for dropshotting, handles very well on spinning gear after a bit of a break in period and line conditioner.

And as far as sensitivity is concerned, I think if the gear gives the guy confidence, then that's all that really matters. Never used an NRX, but I can only imagine they are as awesome as people say.

Having 5 of these reels and the new Ci4+ I have to disagree. They have outlasted any reel I have ever owned, they get more use and abuse than any cheapo reel has ever endured. Have you ever used one?

Sometimes you'll have to use a 3/4oz drop shot weight. I like the skinny weights, they dont get sucked around in the current and they get hung up the least in my experience. Round ones if you cant get the skinnies. To slow your drift, trim your motor up out of the water. It helps a bit.

Had one, it was a nice stick. The tip is light, but it has some backbone too, I used mine in the weeds on black lake and it never felt too soft to move largies in the 2 or 3lb range...never caught anything heavier on it. I got rid of mine for something longer though, just a personal preference.

Never used a Lews, but their BCs seem to get good review, so the spinner might be decent? I have had just about every other brand spinning reels in many price ranges short of a stella or steez money, most of them did not last more than a year of consistent use. Can say I've got 7 mid range shimano spinners that havent needed anything but bearing flushes and a bit of lube in 3 years though, the Sustain FGs have broken in nicely and are my favorites. FJ, CI4(4), FG(2). They all perform very well.

I've got both the m/XF cumara (7'2") and the ML 702 DX. Both great rods that will handle your drop shot needs, but the dobyns will fish shakeyheads, grubs, split shot rigs, and light tubes just as well. I find myself doing all those things with it, the cumara has had a dropshot tied on 99% of its life thus far. If you're looking for somrthing to only throw a DS, the Med/XF cumara will fit the bill. Not sure I'll ever get rid of mine. My 702DX handled this laker no problem when he whacked a 3.5" tube this spring. 31inches. 10.9lbs. It's not a total sissy stick!

I used megastrike on my hard jerks all this year. I mixed up the craw and original scent by not labeling the tubes, so for all I know, I was using craw scent on a baitfish imitation. Still caught tons of bass, sometimes they would come back and hit the bait again and again til a treble stuck. Scent makes sense.

My team trail partner swears by the yamamoto popper. He buys them anytime he sees them for sale. Have seen him catch some nice bass on a transparent green back pattern on numerous trips.

I gave the sworming hornets a shot this weekend, I thought pumping them off the bottom would work, but next time I'll try a straight retrieve and drop. I was impressed with the flash and action with a RI little dipper on it.

Much of what I was going to offer has been said. Use a heavier weight until you get the hang of not moving the rig from the spot you want to fish. You just want to take up the slack and let the natural water movements create the action. Light weights have the place, but usually when you want to be stealthy and barely disturb the water upon lure entry. I use a 3/16 to a 1/4oz most of the time unless I'm on the St.Lawrence, Great Lakes, or Champlain. I like more weight on those bigger waters (3/8 to 1oz). I also agree with trying some longer leaders. I usually start around 10-12 " and have used as long as 24" in clear water situations. I'll also say that just because a bait isnt marketed as a dropshot bait, that doesnt mean it wont work on the rig. I'll kick myself later for this, but try a.............................yuki bug 3.3", 4" zoom lizard, 4.5" monster miki, or a baby rage craw on a shorter leader. They dont see these baits as much as the usual straight tail worms and baitfish imitations.

I've always said the champ 703/733 were better light tube rods than the DX 3 power. Regardless of a minor difference in sensitivity between the 2 lines. (If you can even tell) Gary knows what he is talking about! Enjoy your new rods.