rangerjockey

Sometimes over-braking a reel to try and control a backlash works against you regardless of what line you're using. I'm unsure what diameter Tatsu you were trying but you mentioned 8lb. Trilene, I wouldn't use that on a baitcaster personally. Sounds like you have experience but, is it possible you're overfilling the spool? I'm on my second year with it on one of my jig rods and I've gotten 3 years out of it in the past. Sometime this year I'll cut the bait off hand the line to my wife and have her go for a stroll until I can see the backing knot off the rod tip cut it off and walk to her and tie that end onto the backing and wind it on and use the other end for another year or so.

I wouldn't expect much support for your opinion on Tatsu. Its great stuff, but some struggle with Flouro on a spinning reel and a lot of folks just do the braid to leader deal. How exactly are you spooling it onto the reel and how are you measuring knot strength ? I'm sure you will know.. But you have to wet the knot on Flouro before you cinch it.

Virtus offers a choice of Winn or cork in the Red Diamond series.

Virtus also.

I like it in stained water. Good ol' James river arm of Table Rock color. One of our local painters Tim Hughes invented that color along with Norman flake many years ago. He told me it's won over a Million bucks over the years and I wouldn't doubt it. I still have some of the old Rouges he painted years ago, but like Blue said the 110 in Pro Table Rock and SP are good and cast a lot easier.

I have several between the Vixen and the Repo man. I've never tried the Teckel but the difference is probably around 75 bucks in todays market. The Vixen and the Repo man are great baits . If I was looking for a copy I'd get a Rover.I throw it a lot in that goofy R2S bone color and it works .

A 1/4 oz head and a 3.8 fat would weigh at least a 1/2. Shouldn't be an issue. But of course, whatever your comfortable with.

Although it's 3 inches longer the Amistad is the one you want. Just a great 3/8 -1/2 oz jig rod and I use it for the magnum shaky head and t rig as well It will handle the 5 inch paddle tail also.

The Powell Diesel is a great rod in that price range. Last time I looked they were 90 bucks. Can't beat it.

That jig has been around forever. I guess since Pradco bought War Eagle he has started using them. Another company in Arkansas used to make one that looked just like it. Pig Sooie baits or something like that.

I fished it for years in the green tint and liked it. Really can't say anything bad about it and with a deal like that I'll buy some more too.

I'm not sure where that belief comes from. Level or a slow sink is fine by me. Nose up or down isn't going to matter.

2 on top,long wire in the middle, 2 on bottom. In Missouri we can only have 3 hooks. I usually use 1/8 oz heads on all 5 and cut the hooks off the top 2. Seems to balance the rig better . The majority of the time they are going to get the center wire anyway.

12 or 14 lb. Shooter.

They are made at the old Ark Rod shop where the Falcon Cara's were made. By the same family I'm told. The models pretty much mimic the Cara's. Stunner is the old Head Turner. Ranger is the Amistad ect. I just got the Finesse jig rod and it's really good. Feels a touch lighter and maybe a bit quicker than the Falcon Cara . Always one of my favorite models going back to when it was called the Eakins jig rod in the lowrider series. The blanks are made by Ark rod.. They have been in the works for at least 2 years that I'm aware of. I will say the build on mine is perfect. I have the Red Diamond/Cork. Many of the tackle shops in the Table Rock/Bull Shoals area are bringing them in or you can order directly from Jewel Baits.

At the moment there's 5 in the rod locker. NRX 893 AND 894 . Falcon Amistad and Lizard Dragger and a Virtus/Jewell Finesse jig rod. But, They also are used for Worm rods, Brush hogs , C-rigs ect.

100%. Unless it's some kind of move to market a combo like BPS or move into Wal Mart like Lew's, I don't get it. I was surprised when Fitzgerald did it and even more so when Kistler did it. To me it just cheapens the brand.

I like Sniper or Invisx. The K9 isn't bad either and cheaper . I never understood the flouro won't work on topwater deal. On a popper yeah I get it but for the Plopper/Choppo or a buzzbait or any bait you've got pulled tight it makes no difference.

I don't own any mono anymore. Anything other than top water gets Flouro. I've never had any issues with knots and never have used any kind of spray or conditioner. I grew up on Table Rock using the old Salt water Trilene ,Stren and Maxima mono's. That stuff is far from the best handling line either. Certainly no better than Sniper, Invisx or ever Shooter. I use 20 lb. Assassin on the A-Rig

I'd get the spinnerbait rod . Makes a great jerkbait and topwater rod.. If you don't need to cover those techniques, the Kovert 7ft2 MH is probably the best all around rod . I throw Chatterbaits , buzzbaits and spinnerbaits on it for the most part. It's also a good 110 plopper rod.

The only 2 rods you have listed that I'm familiar with are the kovert and Lithium. If the Kovert is the model labeled spinnerbait rod a lot of guys use it for a topwater/jerkbait rod also. If its the 6'10 crank bait rod it would work for warts , RK Crawlers and 1.5's That Lithium is way too much rod for cranking. Maybe a 10 XD but how often is that bite going to happen on Bull or Table Rock. Possibly in late June/early July and then it would be up one of the rivers. It would be a good flippin' stick and A-Rig rod though.

I liked the older Halo's when Louie Zhang owned the company. He sold to American Baitworks and started Ark. I see the new ones at a few of our local dealers who sell the other AB products like Net Bait and Scum frog ect. They seem ok on the rack but I have no idea how they fish. Lee Livesay has been known to catch a few on them but it's probably the Indian not the arrow. I would be shocked if you liked them better than a Cara.

Andy's

For me the shad rap is a last ditch effort when they won't chase a wart or rock crawler. More of a light line finesse deal. If they won't bite that it's probably time to move out and start dragging something.

The Provoke is a good bait. The 110 and it's variants will always be the one I try first. That said, I like the McStick better than the 110 at times and if you have one in blue bandit and one in ghost Norman flake you would about have it covered.