iabass8

The rod that feels the best in my hands. So far that's dobyns.

DX 744 is my football jig rod in the weights you describe.

Open water and 40 degree water temps. Still frozen here with 32 degree water temps directly below the locks. Hopefully no more than 2 weeks away until I can fish.

I've done the same thing with an older rod. It works perfectly. I balanced it where it felt "weightless" as or light as it could without throwing the tip down where I hold the rod.

dobyns DX series and the NRX are the best I've ever used followed closely by the legend xtreme.

I use them all year. On the Mississippi, craw patten squarebills/lipless cranks with bright red and/or orange seem to shine during the spring after winter run off in muddy water.

That combo will work just fine. you may have to trim one section off the baby rage craw depending on how long you like your skirt.

For an inexpensive rod, the St. Croix Eyecon's grip is extremely comfortable.

I hold my spinning rod on the foregrip above the reels stem with one finger on the blank. The legend xtreme i use has the best grip for my personal use. Ive held the new 2013 at an expo and even without a foregrip it didnt bother me. The nrx/new glx still use a very comfortable foregrip of cork as well. Theres a few reasons companies dont utilize them. Cost/asthetics/the whole weight savings fad to make an inexpensive lightweight rod. I do agree though that rods built w/o a foregrip with an abundence of reel seat threads exposed are extremely uncomfortable.

Most if not all jig and plastic applications, spinnerbaits, top waters

very light oil if any at all. a hair too much will cause the AR to slip.

As said above, only if the water is really muddy do I use them.

I love his energy. Its a breath of fresh air from the constant mundane information most shows give.

I know what you mean. Mine was really bare and then within a week it was fully stocked. Hope yours gets some stuff soon.

The Dick's in my area has just restocked their what was empty fishing dept. to full shelves of new inventory. They have the new KVD jerkbaits and just about everything else KVD/Rage(even the new green pumpkin/gold and purple flake which was shocking and amazing) at 20% off as well. GM has select 4-5" senkos in popular demand colors at 4.97 with an additional 20% off as well.

5/1 pp works great. i've used nanofil for ul trout stream fishing and was 50/50 with it but eventually went back to 4# magnathin but that's just a preference. nanofil would work great for ul fishing.

if it's brand new out of the box, give it time. sometimes reels require a "break in" period. If the reel just feels a little tight or a small amount of resistance just give it an outing or two. if it just feels awful then either take it back or have it professionally cleaned.

72 MHM /w 12lb fluoro 744 /w 15lb fluoro 765 /w 65lb braid

trick worm finesse worm rage craw rage baby craw beaver/rodent grubs for swim jigs 7" worm brush hog lizard

704cb would be ideal for you.

I fish 1/4 and 5/16 bottom contact jigs during the dog days of summer when the bite is tough. i throw 1/4 swim jigs more than any other size swim jig on the river.

that yum crawbug is a FANTASTIC small mouth lure.

12/15# red label is great for cranks but the abrasion resistance isn't the best.

x2

Nice rod choice. Really flip a coin, both are sold reels.