Jay Ell Gee

Saw a local store with the Abu Villain rods on clearance around here for 99.99 and for some reason I can't help but wanting to go pick one up. They had a 7'1 MH that caught my eye. Thinking of tossing my second Chronarch 50e on it and spooling it with 30/40 lb braid for light pitching/flipping duties as well as frogs when I need better casting distance than the 65lb braid offers. Anyone have any experience with these rods? Never owned a new gen Abu rod and while I couldn't see paying 179.99 for it, 99.99 seems like a decent buy.

True floating worms are amazing topwaters in the creeks around my house. Those mean little spotted bass just LOVE them. I have been known to buzz an UV speed craw across the surface before as well.

I am going to have to echo the responses thus far. Another important question is this: what depth do you typically fish? DSI really doesn't shine until 10+ feet of water. It also won't give you any real return while sitting still. Personally, I wouldn't even run a DSI setup unless I had the GPS capability to mark my findings. This keeps you from having to find structure every time you go out. DSI is a supplement to sonar, certainly not a replacement. If I were to only have one, I would prefer the sonar. Hopefully the new HDI series lowrances will soon replace the Elite 5 and 4 units. That technology would really make their elite/mark series competitive again in the down imaging market. Absolutely nothing wrong with them either way. The non DSI versions are great standalone units.

Ummm... Wow. Anyway... Great fish. Or three. I can't really tell. All the same fish or three different ones?

Can't go wrong there. I personally prefer the small magic shads by lake fork tackle (on the 3/0 1/16) and the Keitech seinfeld impact fat.

I appreciate the insight. I live in Louisiana, so our creeks and rivers are more sandy and filled with laydowns, bushes, sticks and stumps. The lighter weight will more than likely help a lot!

So you would basically t-rig as you normally would and simply run the tube up to the back of the weight? I appreciate that... simple and I am going to check them out. Hanover, why did you send me a link to that site!?! Those little tubes are great, and the dragging head looks amazing! I really like those hooks. Looks like I may have to grab some when my little tube kit is depleted! Wish I knew they fit before ordering a few packs. May call them in the morning. Good idea there too! I'm new to the whole tube thing, so I wonder if the spiraling presentation does well? That sounds right up my alley bud! I'll have to see if dad has some tiny EWG's lying around. Tried those exact ones, as well as the XPS versions. All were lost.

Problem is t-rigging would require a TINY hook. Even my 1/0's are way too long.

Hey everyone. With spring almost here, I will be up to my knees in water for my strolls through the clear streams and creeks around here rather shortly. After doing a bit of experimenting and learning last year, I am starting to kind of get keyed on to the lures I need to use. A while back, I found a kit of 52 finesse tubes (2 and 3/4 inch) for less than five big ones and got all excited. This would be a perfect bait for the spotted bass around these little creeks. However, on a normal, tube weighted jighead (exposed hook) I would literally lose one almost EVERY cast. So now I have a box of tubes that I can't use effectively and am now a bit stuck. I am hoping to get some good use out of them in the next few months, just hoping that you clever guys have come into the same problem or perhaps know of a solution. I wouldn't mind t-rigging them with a pegged weight, but I can't find a hook small enough. I thought that perhaps a small Gammy Skip Gap hook could work, but I'm not sure. While I am at it, do any of you guys have any hooks to rig rage tail grubs weedless as well? Maybe small keel weighted swimbait hooks? Thanks everyone! Joshua

x2. Rage Tail Craw, UV Speed Craw, Etc on my home made Jika Rigs.

Make sure to get some casting practice with it before you head out with it. After learning on Citicas for the first few years, I was throwing rainbows with overhand casts on my first spinning setup for the first few minutes. It took a bit of getting used to. I'm still not as accurate with it as I am a baitcaster.

x2. They are a simple bait. Don't overthink them. Find baitfish. Throw Super Fluke/Sluggo/Caffeine Shad/etc and slam them.

Hootie! What store and department do you work in? Shoot me a PM buddy.

Agreed on chatterbaits and spinnerbaits. You want to move a LOT of water. Crankbaits and lipless cranks with rattles are also good. Big bulky jigs with noisy trailers, aka rage claws. Fish will hold tight to structure in muddy water. Hit them on the head with a mop jig. Either they eat it or you knock it out and grab it when it floats up. Win/win.

I have personally never seen someone "brake" a rod before. Neither have I witnessed a fellow fisherman "break" a rod before. However, working for a fishing retailer, I see them come back all the time, usually trying to free snags or setting the hook on logs. The rod breaking at the boat while reaching to lip your fish could have easily been caused by damage to the blank prior to the accident. Even the smallest dent or chip in the blank creates a weak point. I always check rods under a light before I buy them. It's just a guess, though. More on point, I boat small fish with the rod but lip the (rare for me) larger fish. I would be sick if I snapped a blank.

I don't know about Gary Klein, but I can say that I have used this method since day one with a spinning reel. It's a habit from learning on a baitcaster.

x3. Wait... Can I do that?

Absolutely. Get yourself some bouyant worms and cast away. The work nose/t rigged has lots of action though.

Tiny Brush Hogs! ... and swimbaits. Also wakebaits. Big ones.

Green pumpkin, watermelon red, green pumpkin ORANGE flake, and don't forget black and blue! I know it's 4. Sue me.

The St. Croix Legend Xtreme is in the bargain cave on St. Croix's website for 185, though it is a 6'10 M/XF. Croix under rates their rods a bit (power wise) and in my opinion couldn't be beaten for the price... Avid and GL2 are also good choices. No experience with the new revo short of borrowing but I can't say anything bad about them at all.

I really have no idea where the thin material complaint comes from. I personally know 4 guys at our store that use the FS12T and have never had an issue. Perhaps earlier models? No idea on the material in regards to weight.

Mind elaborating on what you mean here?Edit: Never mind, I use that technique while fly fishing. Interesting to see it applied to bass fishing.

I actually work at BPS and am really considering picking up one of the D10T's. The tunnel hull design seems to be very stable and my discount will definitely apply. It would be an absolute steal and a great way for a bit of a larger guy to get out on the water comfortably in his first small craft.

Nice bass man!