primetime

I only was able to see and hold the lighter versions, ML & M which all seemed to be on the lighter side of power ratings. I would simply check the lb test rating for a MH, and the lure weight. I think the Medium action with Fast tip was 1/8-5/8 & 6-14lb test. I would think the MH would be similar to other Daiwa rods. I have a team Daiwa Rod in MH which I purchased for $80 on TW a few years ago, that rod & other Daiwa rods do feel like more of a Medium but I would think they would be fine. Most MH rods I have that are quality like a Fenwick HMG for example $100 is MH & Rated up to 17lbs & I think 1 oz? I live in Florida and I use a Medium action spinning and casting more than anything else by far. Heavy for Flipping pitching heavy line, You can fish almost everything you would use with a 17-20lb rod, Many MH only are 1/4-3/4. You could always get a Lighting Rod in MH if you want a stouter rod to go with it and save money. Check out the Cabela's rods when they go on sale. They have great rods, lifetime warranty they honor from $30 IM6 to $50 IM8 which is a rod I have seen rated above rods 4x the price. The Aird MH will be a perfect rod unless you typically throw heavy lures in really heavy cover. Sorry for the ramble, Power and action is different for every rod but Daiwa makes good rods. Maybe someone here has one or google info on the MH version. Tackle tour probably has a breakdown or simply contact or call Daiwa for the exact specs. Its a steal for the price. "Some People will find a reason to complain about any rod or reel they buy for 1/3 the price of their best rod, Most high end rods usually do feel light, that is often why they are expensive, but if you can get 8/10 people to agree on reviews that's a good sign. IF people are leaving reviews which most do not, that is another good sign. Don't trust Amazon-They pay you to leave positive reviews, you see 600 reviews for all the reels or new Chinese branded reels since they have affiliate programs that pay you, make sure the review on Google is not an add. Check out the Piscifun website for reels and rods and read how their affiliate program works. Kast king has same program. If you have a social media platform you get rewarded for clicks etc. Legit reviews are hard to find on line. Wanted to add that if you don't get a chance to see alot of the different rods in your area.

I just held them the other day at a local shop during my lunch break. I was amazed at how nice they felt, looked, and people buy them as fast as they come in. I plan on buying a ML, Medium since that seems to be all they sell, I thought it was a tatula rod at first then had no idea a Daiwa Aird rod was even out on the market. Reviews are fantastic as well. Much better than say a No 8 *** which all seem to break, maybe Tampa got a bad batch or the blemishes. You will like the rod especially for the price. Daiwa is making some great rods and reels and prices are simply going lower, seems like that for every company lately. Hope that helps. Most guys buying them at this shop are using them for inshore fishing, so they will be plenty good for freshwater Bassin.

The New President with the *** style grips is highly rated and is rated as the best buy and only $80. You can find them for less already on ebay, then again, you can buy a Revo S or SX on ebay for under $90, Daiwa Fuego 69, Tatula 88, I would buy a Pro Max for $39 on ebay. that is a great reel, the Orra Sx is awesome for $65, I would only be worried about it being discontinued for parts, but then again I believe it is ultimately the same as a few other reels which look the same, just different name. Shimano Caenan for $69 is a great deal, Casistas is a bit more and only difference is the braking system which I don't think makes much difference, If you want a lews, a guy has the Tournament MG for $89, LFS are 75ish. Lastly, Ducket 320 for 65 and it was top rated casting reel overall 3 years ago by the most reputable imo review by outdoor life at a price of $279, maybe it was the larger 360 but a new ducket 320 is over 200, I just grabbed one at 65 and It is as nice as any reel I own if not smoother with 13 quality bearings, it feels way better than my Tatula's, and every other 200 range reel, curado included, just my take. Have only had it for a few weeks but reviews are awesome. The companies on Ebay are the same as buying from any online site. They guys auctioning reels every minute, great feedback, legacy fishing and many others are also websites and have storefronts in different state. Local shops by me who are Okuma dealers have Ebay shops to help move inventory. Small business tackle shops are dying, Ebay is a great tool to move last years stock especially reels since they drop in price every year. Bass Pro has an Ebay and Amazone site as well. I have purchased rods and reels new you can even buy insurance if you want, Ebay holds buyers responsible and you would get money back if you had a problem. I have only had one issue ever and was refunded within a few hours once I put it back in the mail. Was a factory defect, Ebay sellers often add in free stuff so you come back. $80 cover, and braid for a tatula last week not a bad deal, gone in a few hours, but look at auctions, brands like Browning, Ardent, Cabela;s-Daiwa, Pflueger baitcasters often go really cheap since not searched for, same for quantum reels.

I live in Pinellas county and work in the Largo Area about 5 minutes from Lake Seminole, which is actually bigger than Lake Tarpon which is always a top 10 Florida Lake. I know it was an awesome bass lake back in the 80's, but everyday when I drive past this lake, over the bridge, I have to imagine that the lake still holds a decent Population of Big Bass or Bass at all. I know it is full of Gar, Tilapia, Gizzard shad etc..But those Mats, bull rushes, even the water clarity looks good when doing a drive by. I have been seeing bass boats fishing the lake maybe 2-3x a week, and I would have to imagine if you put some time in to learn the water, some stretches have to be good right? I just downloaded a map of all the depths etc. and I have been fishing the Bypass Canal after it rains for Snook, but I think I want to start fishing this lake. I have caught some decent Bass in the ponds surrounding the park, and Walsingham Lake which is not far away is actually pretty good once you get used to fishing that type of depth, clarity etc. Anyone with any info on Lake Seminole (Not the famous one in Florida) but in Pinellas County, I would love to get some feedback. I fish Lake Tarpon, Medard Park, several lakes in Tampa, Pasco etc. Driving to Orlando or into Polk county is a full day event from where I live, and fishing ponds and streams gets boring. Long Story short, On You Tube, I did see a video of a guy on Lake Seminole recently catching Bass on a trap offshore, He knew what he was doing, so if the lake did not have potential, I would imagine he would have simply driven an extra 15 minutes to hit Tarpon, or even head into Sarasota etc. Hard to find any good info on this lake, everyone talks about how it used to be, but I wouldn't be telling anyone if it was rebounding and they have been stocking it for years. I think I may start putting my boat in that lake after work a few times this month to change it up and would love any tips on where to start since it is huge and not much info to go on. Thanks if anyone catches Bass in this lake or knows of anyone who does. It just looks too good to be a complete waste of time.

7,5" is a standard worm, 10" is a good size for most places, 12" is just a big worm that works great in summer. Gambler makes a 13" Ribbon Tail that works really well, also have a 16" straight worm which looks gigantic, but guys actually catch decent quantity and smaller bass than you would expect since worms are thinner than say a big swimbait. Mr. Twister has always had good soft baits, I am sure the worm will work really good. they make that Hang 10 I think its called and it is a good ribbon tail worm. Mr. Twister has some new designs in past few years that are pretty good but never seem to sell. Kind of like how Culprit is really improving again as well. Mr Twister direct usually has really good deals on closeouts and even the new stuff in kits etc. Really easy company to deal with, I still buy phenom worms and keeper hooks from them every year, and some grubs, sassy shads etc. The Exude line has some good baits for bass fishing as well.

Bill Lewis has about a dozen versions of the rattle trap, one knockers, colors, different hi pitch sounds, nose weighted etc. When I think Rattle trap, I think cordell spots and the original model since they were the first I got into and caught fish. The cordell Spot is one of the better lures for fishing grass since it is buoyant compared to others, plus they make a suspending model, for a high pitch lure for ripping grass its really good. There are actually alot of differences between brands and styles etc. In Fisherman once did a huge breakdown of which models fall like a spoon, flutter, good for jigging, grass, sounds, cycling..It was a good read, I am sure you can find it. I find you can usually get extra fish if you throw a one knocker or a lower or higher pitched sound after fishing a trap, the bill lewis traps are good for burning imo, Red Eye shad has that nice natural shimmy on the fall, The Spro Aruku Shad is nose weighted helping the trebles avoid weeds, plus it rests on bottom nose down which works in winter. Reaction Strike XV series is also tungsten weighted in front for same action, 2 line ties for fishing different depths.. You only need a few but certain models like the Lucky Craft Version which corrects itself in grass is considered a premium version, the Jackall TN seems to always be popular, but I throw the ones I mentioned, the Sebile Flatt Shadds silent, Suspending & sinking, but one of my favorites is the Live Target Shiner, I consider most live target lures to be gimmicky with exception of the Frog & Mouse, but that shiner is awesome here in florida. Has a similar sound as the Yo-zuri/Excalibur lures and is actually one of the best for shallow water imo. I started using the Red Eye Shad Two Tap after seeing a picture I think Bluebasser posted where the lure was destroyed, and so far I have to say, it is just a good lure that must sound different because it seems to be an improvement on the red eye shad and that is pound for pound maybe the best overall?

Siebert Jigs has every type of jig you will need. If not sure what to get, You can send the owner an email with type of line, rod, cover you are fishing and He can put together a package of jigs that will catch you fish. That is the benefit of having custom jigs made. Get them to match your style, gear, etc. Colors are all preference but browns, blacks, whites are a solid start, let the trailer add a different look, but his color chart is plenty tempting. $50+ in jigs is an investment you will never regret. Jigs catch fish all year long, the more you fish them, the better you get, and a good quality jig is super important. You can buy good jigs from certain brands, but I like how Siebert sends extra long weed guards for you to trim, uses quality hooks, tons of weights etc...Having a balanced jig for your set up makes life much easier, Siebert's prices are much lower than regular Jigs of similar quality imo. I just noticed you purchased the Siebert Packs...Good move...Rage Menace, Curly tail single or twin tail grubs, and like other's said, get a craw that has action like a Chigger Craw style, then something that lacks all the flapping, I prefer a Zoom Critter craw or Larew Salt craw. Everyone prefers different trailers, Lately I have heard of guys catching big bags with Football Jigs and a Wacky Worm as trailer....Experiment, you will be surprised what works some days.

I have been trying to gain confidence with a scrounger jig, and I have had on and off again success, the one soft bait I have had by far the most success with is the Strike King Caffiene shad on I believe 1/4-3/8. Not sure if that helps, The Caffiene shad is kind of one of those baits like a Senko that just always seems to catch fish no matter how you rig it, but I would pick the Caffiene shad over a zoom fluke personally. Something about all that salt and how it sinks that seems to make it work so good. They are fragile like a GYB worm, but hard to not catch fish on that bait. It looks awesome on a scrounger, so does the sluggo.

I will say, for some reason, The Spro Poppin frogs seem to cast much further than you would expect. Same with the bronzeye shad, I think it is the shape and how they cut through the wind. With that said, The booyah frog is as good as any for the most part, but if you want casting distance, the Spro Poppin frog and bronzeye shad seem to cast a good 20% further than all my other frogs. Hook sets kind of suck on really long casts however.

I use a Medium to MH Spinning rod for 1/4 oz swim Jigs all the time. Same thing with Swimbaits on a Jighead. I throw lures up to 1/2 oz on my MH rods all the time, You just have to be aware of the lb test you are fishing, how thick or stiff the weedguard/Hook are since the right action of rod can make a big difference. The "Finesse" Style swim Jigs are often good enough around most cover and I find I get much better hook ups when swimming a jig on any gear. I find many "Swim Jigs" are really Grass jigs with eyes, at least the heavy cover jigs, you can flip with most of them. Medium Action spinning rods with a 2500-3000 Spinning reel can handle big fish. Most saltwater guys (Myself Included) fish Medium action rods, 15-20lb braid, nothing bigger than a 3000 spinning reel for balance, and plenty of better fighting and bigger fish are landed consistently as long as you have plenty of water to avoid structure. Line breaks before most gear will fail. If you are Pitching a Jig into heavy weeds, then you need to have gear that can over power the fish, but I find I now use lighter rods and line than I used to all the time except when Frogging or pitching. Med Spinning or Med Casting get used the most for me especially for lighter jigs and weightless plastics. Seeing what many Inshore Saltwater guys use really has changed my outlook on "Heavy gear" for bass fishing. Obviously there is a time and place for heavy gear, but I enjoy using the lightest tackle I can get away with.

Yes. Shad Rap #7 on 6-8lb test is one of the best lures ever made in my opinion. Light line is the key since it is super light and the action is dependent on lighter line but you can another site on 6lb test. The Shallow shad rap is another killer lure that noboby seems to talk about. I find if I throw the shallow shad rap on lighter line I catch more fish than on any other shallow crank. If its windy and you can't throw the balsa shad rap, they make a heavier suspending version in the glass shad rap which is almost as good but Still not the same imo. Sold on the Duo Shad...I love the way that lure looks. Adding to my cart for next order. Thanks

Must have's for me.... Swim Senko's Ribbit's Dingers Gambler EZ's and Skinny Dippers GYB Grubs single and twin Jigs, Big Jigs, Small Jigs, Brown Jigs, Black Jigs, Finesse Jigs, Culprit worms, Strike King Caffiene Shads, Zoom Swamp Crawlers, Pit Boss, Gambler Craws and flipping baits. Rapala Original, Shad Rap, Shallow shad rap, Bomber Long A, Zara Spook, One Knocker Spook, Rebel Pop'r, Torpedo, Xrap Prop Suspending Jerkbait- Timmy Horton Long A & Lucky Craft Pointer.. Plus a bunch of other stuff but I use these baits the most. Also love the GYB curly tail worms and cut Tails. Spider Grubs, and lastly, Zoom Tubes.

I also picked up the Berkley hooks at DIcks and I like them because they are a thicker guage and add extra weight. I usually use Owner beast locks, but I also like the VMC swimbait hooks with the black v shaped weight. Another option that works really good is the DOA Extra wide gap hook with a long neck, I think they are just Lazer sharps with a longer Neck so you can add the belly weights they make. You can use any EWG hook and then use any amount of weight you want by crimping on the pinch weights. You can also just crimp a split shot on the shank if you want extra weight and don't have any screw lock hooks.

Pound for pound, dollar for dollar, I think it is hard to beat. I like both sizes and also like the thinner body.

I like To use Swimbaits & Soft Jerkbaits. I also like to use lighter line in the fall since usually I am around lighter cover, I also start to rely on lipless crankbaits more. Kind of same lures that work all year, I like to rig a grub in the fall and swim it on a darter head, or rig a sluggo on a darter head and let it sink on slack line. Once I find fish,I then just slow down and fish the same stuff I normally use, Mainly a Jig of some kind, or shad style bait like the Keitech Shiner style which I really like lately.

Single Prop-Tiny Torpedo on light tackle-6-8lb test is a killer in any color. I usually throw a white/Redish color. For a wake bait I love the Bagley's Bang O lure with single prop in back-Silver/Black stripe & Gold black stripe on dark days/water (Similar to the Bomber Long A with a prop on the back, only a lighter more buoyant balsa version. You can add a prop to any jerkbait. I used to be a big fan of the Devil's horse, but I switched to the Rapala X-Rap Prop which seems to work better for me and casts better. Different action as well. The cordell crazy shad is the only double prop lure I have every had success on, I feel many of the others are too loud and aggressive, They only have a few colors, smokey Joe or silver black is all I have used. I fish this lure fast most of the time, Kind of like a buzzbait when fish are aggressive. Growing up the first plastic worm I ever caught a bass on was a Creme Midget Crawler which is the Creme finesse worm, 2 rigged hooks, and a prop in the front. I fished that worm every trip I made and if I needed weight I added a split shot. I caught hundreds of bass on that rig growing up in NY, I forgot about it after getting my first job and placing my first bass pro order as a kid, but picked up a bunch from a local shop for .99 each a few years ago.....I now keep it in my main box, sometimes adding a prop just works, I don't think fish see it often. You can order props cheap, you can put one behind a popper and have a good bait, I find light line is key for prop baits, as light as possible.

Thanks for all the replies. I put in an order and naturally spent more money than I should have because obviously I needed to get some stuff for myself. I took Tom's advice and picked up different colors & those Butch Brown big swimbaits/ and a few similar looking Hudds that were only $10. All were priced better than I expected. Also grabbed some Big Hammer 7" & 9" Sledge Hammers since we all fish Sluggo's for fresh and salt, and that Tail on the bigger Hammers looks awesome. I used to use the 3-5" but figure the bigger ones have to work good, I didn't realize they made a big version for a weedless hook as well. I also splurged for a pack of the Trash Fish which I have always wanted to do, I hope he doesn't mind that the pack of 2 only comes with 1 bait. I also ordered the 7" Optimum swimbaits which were only $4.99. That swimbait has always been on my list of baits I wanted to try so I figured now was a good time. I wanted to buy swimbaits you don't see in the store. I know the big Keitechs will work great, and luckily all the stores are now carrying them. I also figured grabbing a pack of Megabass Baits would be a good buy since Megabass has that special name & I was surprised to see they were not really high priced. The Spark shad in 5" is not a small bait & matched with the recommended Jigheads I am sure they will catch fish.

I live in an area where all the ponds are full of Golden shiners. I was fishing with my ultralight and i ended up catching a really big wild Shiner on a small grub, and I was surprised at how much Red/Orange was on the shiner. The body was a gold/Silver/Green flashy color, some black on the top, but all the fins were a Orange/Red color which surprised me as I never really associated red or orange with shiners. All the fins were Orange especially on the belly, The color was actually identical to that Chestnut Red skirt color they sell, but long story short, I tied up a jig in a shiner patterns with some red and orange mixed in and the bass hammered it. I have an all Orange Mirro lure Top Dog walking bait that I sometimes throw when the water is stained and it has a loud one knocking sound, when it works, it seems to work as good or better than the chart colored topwater walking baits that are popular in Florida Summer's. The orange/Red lipless cranks work for me all year long not just in the early spring. Sometimes bright baits must look different or are just easy for them to see, they are worth trying when everyone else is using the standard colors. Every lake has forrage with orange on them.

My Nephew is 17 & has been sending me pics of big bass he is catching in Northern CT lakes with big Hudds hanging out of their mouths. My brother says he spends all his free time throwing 6-10" swimbaits & is getting really good at fishing them. I don't know much if anything about big swimbaits like the Hudds etc. He was telling me that I need a Hudd 68 2 years ago (Good beginner bait) but I know I don't have the patience. I want to send him a couple of baits that are considered a step up from the Hudds, or maybe just a good alternative in action etc. He has plenty of the hard glide baits (I gave him most of mine) but prefers fishing the super realistic expensive models I never look at & likes soft bodies. I want to send him a few new swimbaits that he will be super excited to have. He reads about this stuff and spits out names of baits I have never heard of, so I want to buy him a few baits that are recognized as quality by all the big swimbait guys. He throws Trout colors and he fishes NY, CT lakes which are usually clear and plans on doing tournaments on this year. He has the patience to throw a huge swimbait all day long, so what are the "Must Have" Big Swimbaits that he is probably saving money to buy? I believe he is now into the bigger 8-10" but I just want to get him what is proven and will catch him fish. Thanks in advance.

I have tried changing bills on lures to make them into wake baits or have a different action. Tried shaving, Melting with a lighter, and I ruined every one I tried. I decided to just buy the lures that had the action I wanted, I think you have to be good with Moderation & patience, 2 traits I struggle with. I always found that once I changed the bill shape, then I would have to change hooks, rings, and it would never be right again and end up in the junk. For changing depth, I just change line diameter, or maybe add a suspend strip or belly weight. Some of the better quality lines have smaller diameters, so If I want to get a crankbait deeper, I try to get a thinner line and you can usually do it without having to go with a line that is weaker.

I am not too picky with shaky head worms, I use alot of trick worms but one worm that always seems to work well for me is the Big Bite Squirrel tail worm. I purchased these years ago when they were on sale at TW just to get to $50 & for some reason it seems to work better than most worms I have tried, and I rarely buy any big bite baits cause I never see them. Obviously I am not the only one too notice this since BPS added that worm to their line up and Big bite then created the double tail version. Usually worms that do not get much press in magazines get discontinued after a few years, its a really good worm with a different profile and look then anything else. Lately I am into the ringed baits since they float and move differently, I like the Powerbait Rib Snake, Lunker City ringed worm, and if I am going with a big shaky rig, I love the Yamamoto Curly tail worms and Cut tail worms in 10-12". I also love to use a Swim Senko on a shaky rig, this way I can swim it back, The Swim Senko catches fish on any rig, plus you can't fish it wrong, as long as you can cast it out, you get all the benefits of the Senko so you can just lift and drop or drag and do well.

I can't seem to do it, but I just ordered some of the plano soft bait binders so I can hopefully keep them more condensed. One thing I do that helps save space because I have a habit of bringing too much stuff is mixing colors that are similar for worms and other soft baits.' I fish alot of black and blue and green pumpkin baits, so I will put all black and blue in a heavy duty zip lock bag with a grommet through it which attaches to my belt, I do the same with a few other colors so I can grap what i use most of the time, and bleeding is never a problem. I don't care if Junebug mixes with other purples or even black and blue, I just need to find a way to carry leader and terminal tackle that is more condensed and organized by size since I usually destroy my terminal box during a trip, and I never seem to have time to put stuff back in it's spot. I started using small bags like people use for pills, I buy them at the pharmacy and label them 1/0,2/0 etc. This way if they get scattered, I don't have to guess. I can also fit more in a bigger box without dividers.

I tie the loop knot on the Rapala Minnows and never put a split ring. I truly believe the Rapala knot is best when fishing finesse lures like the Balsa Minnows. If you are just planning on twitching it on the surface it probably would not matter much, but I like to mix in slow sweeps & with a direct knot the lure always tends to pull to one side and does not look as natural. I try not to leave the loop too big cause it seems to cause twisting and gets tangled. If I have to go with heavy line I usually just switch over to a Plastic Minnow bait like the Bomber Long A & the split ring does not change the action. If I need to keep my bait over weeds & only have a few inches and need maximum buoyancy, I will pull off the split ring on plastic floaters like the Red Fin, Long A etc. Usually I am fishing over heavy weeds so I have heavy line and not sure the fish really get a good look at it, so then I just tie direct figuring the CLinch Knot is the knot I trust most, or Double clinch on Braid...Just what I do, I fish Floating Minnow baits every trip, but I would argue a loop knot is best if you plan on letting it dive a little bit. It's funny, In Saltwater I know lots of guys who tie loop knots to every bait or lure they tie on, one of the best guys in our area will use a loop knot even for stroking a Grub/Swim Shad on a jig head. A swinging Jig head is becoming popular now, essentially the exact same thing. Tie a loop knot and you have a swing jig. In reality, if your knot moves on the eye of a lure, it changes the action, can't happen with a loop knot.

This one is easy for me....Original Floating Rapala minnow in sizes F-9,F-11, or F-13 on the lightest line you can get away with. 6lb to 10lb mono seems to work the best or use 10lb braid with a leader but I still think I do better with straight mono. The Flat Rap would be a close second because it is still balsa, but seems to cast easier due to its shape and I can sometimes get away with heavier line over weeds in the 14lb range. At Night My main lure is the Jointed Original Rapala crawled on the surface. I learned that technique fishing with my brother on a golf course when I was maybe 10 years old, For some reason the J-9 is most productive but the J-11 gets bigger bites. The only other Rapala lures I use during certain times of year are the shad rap #7, not having one in your box is criminal, then the shallow shad rap on lighter line will usually outfish any of my square bills but for some reason I don't use it as much as I used to. you can wake the shallow shad rap or fish it like a jerkbait, burn it, some days it just has something special the fish want. I have yet to have a good day with any of the newer versions like BX series, Shadow Raps, I used to use countdowns as a young kid, same with husky jerks but I kind of retired them for most part. For the floating Rapala, Silver/BLue back or silver black back, I guess its white and I dull the paint before fishing them to keep them subtle plus they get destoryed anyway. In Evening or stained water I use the Gold and black. If you want to catch the biggest bass in your local pond, find a Original F-18 which is a big plug, but in places with shiners, I have caught some good fish on the gold and black back, you can throw that one on normal bass lb tests. You can add suspend strips to them to get more distance on casts if needed, but I don't like messing with the Rapala, it is the best selling fish lure in the world of all time and still going for a reason. They catch fish in every country and every lake or ocean, Rapala doesn't market many lures for salt or fresh, or never used to...