gallowaypt

What's your favorite color for soft plastics in the hot, stinking summer (it's been >100 degrees for what seems like a month now). I'm finding tequila colored ribbon tails to be the most productive thus far.

You can get big H2O square bills for 2.99 all the time at academy. Just change out the hooks

Thanks!

Hookset on 3, does this hook generally prolong the life of each Ika?

Very convenient, and has led to me catching hundreds of bass in my 1st season!! I just wish all my i phone pics weren't too large to upload.

Smart thinking..I see water moccasins in my creek all the time.

I can't thank everyone enough for the advice! I'm definitely ahead of the game and I haven't even used them yet. The rattle seems like a great idea, especially since there's no clear Water within 100 miles of me!

And try to find a topo map of the body of water you're fishing. It will give you a good idea of the points and such that you can reach from shore.

I'm definitely going weightless 95% of the time

KVD or H20 square bills in sexy shad or bluegill

Never done that, but I'm constantly biting the bullet and getting in the creek to retrieve my cranks.

I never thought of adding a rattle Chicity basser. Do you use this in murky water, or for all presentations. I just got my first pack today and tested them in the pool. Ridiculous action!!

Nice thanks for the pic quakenshake. Is that a 5 EWG? I've never even seen a smallmouth around here!

That's a hog roadwarrior! The hydras and palm trees look great as well guys. Thanks for the suggestions. Based on your report, quakenshake, these things really do catch numbers!

Thanks TNbassfisher. I actually just read that great article earlier today, but was just unsure if Ikas are mainly effective on smallmouth.

Sorry if this subject has already been covered, but how well do Fat Ikas work for largemouth? I enjoy, and have success, fishing stick bait style baits. Would the Ikas be a good addition to my arsenal?

Wow that's no good. Hopefully you just got a defect. At least you know academy will replace it. They've done it a lot of times for me w/no receipt.

Thanks for the input Mathew. This is just my first combo that Isn't complete junk under $50. I think I'll leave 3 pins engaged like bass_fanatic suggested, and just cast weightless/light tackle with spinning gear.

Bass_Fanatic, is it best to leave three of the centrifugal pins engaged like it came?

I just reeled in my first bass with the combo last night..3lbs! The rod is really light and pretty sensitive. The reel is smooth and casts good, but I'm backlashing some when throwing light Texas rigs. Great video Diggy. It makes me feel better about the purchase haha!

Thanks Jeffo21! I was Hoping they'd be semi-durable.ninhad no idea they had lifetime warranty!

Hey guys i'm new on here and relatively new to fishing. That being said, is a H2O mettle and H2O ethos an ok first set-up for someone on a tight budget? Anybody have any experience with either the rod or reel?