primetime

Some frogs are just not born to walk well even if you are using an easy one like say a spro, sometimes they just want to pull to one side more than the other. One thing that helps me when I cant get that side to side barely moving walk going where the frog glides side to side naturally is making sure I have extra slack in the line, then just gently snap the rod and not pull at all. Practice with spooks and also a pencil popper like a chug bug first, once you can walk a walker and a pencil/Popper it will help you get the frogs right but it is not always easy unless you have a good frog and sometimes some are just not made right and need tuning. The Spro Bronzeye shad is probably the easiest to walk, so are the popping frogs, some hollow bodies like a few from scum frog are not meant to walk, so if the nose is high, maybe that frog is more a chugging style. Bigger frogs are also easier to walk at least for me. Keep at it, Walking a frog and getting it right each cast is not easy, I dont care what anyone says, it takes the right rod, feel, and frogs will never perform like a walking bait, I find the goal is to get the frog to just walk/glide slowly while barely moving forward. Focus on not pulling and always snapping the rod with extra slack in line. Slack is key. I used to think walking a frog was over rated, but once I started to get a steady cadence, I have noticed I tend to catch more fish. Also hollow bodies are meant to be fished slow, you can be erratic, change cadence, but I do much better going really slow, You can move a spook fast and catch fish but Frogs are an adjustment for sure. You will get it. all major brands are good from Booyah, KVD,Scum Frog etc. Really cheap frogs fill up with water if you dont perform surgery with glue, once out of balance they wont walk well. some expensive frogs fill up as well but you can seal any frog and fix them.

Gambler EZ series is probably the most durable paddle tail I have fished with especially around grass since they rarely get twisted or torn up easy. I would make sure that you put the screw lock in the center and don't screw it all the way to the top, I like to leave a twist and then make sure I get the point right in the middle, I screw up swimbaits if I try to use certain hooks. Mustad has that pin which tears up everything with only a few fish, any keeper you have to push seems to never stay locked, or fixed pins on hooks like zman trigger hooks etc. The 2 best swimbait hooks I have found for EZ's,Charlies Dippers, Grass Pigs, any paddle tail is the Owner twist lock beast hooks, also VMC has a good swimbait hook, You may not be going big enough on the hook, too small can be a problem. I never go smaller than 5/0 even on the smaller EZ or 4" Keitech style etc. One option is adding a pinch weight to the DOA Long shank Hooks, you can completely change the action by adding or moving weights. I usually put a tiny weight on the nose to make it more weedless then pinch of a few pieces of lead for the shank. Hard to find a better swimbait than the Gambler series, or if you find the Charlies version or Bitters it is essentially a RI dipper in different packaging. If durability is a concern, Keitechs are soft and so are most ringed swimbaits with exception of the Kalin's Sizmic shad which are kind of hard plastic for some reason, work the same as all others like BPS speed shad etc..But tails get bit off easy for some reason. Keitech USA and most soft swimbaits are from same molds, just different scents and bags, colors, texture...Thinking about it, I don't think brand matters for swimbaits since they are all clones these days, EZ swimmers are different, so is the Culprit Version which has become a new favorite & comes with hook and Jig head, never bent, and they last really good. Hope that helps, I think when fishing grass, try to find a video of the swimbait you are using and see what the company suggests as hook size, Havoc Grass Pigs catch fish for me as good as any & $3.00 hard to beat. To save money, plus you are in FLorida, spend $50 At Bitters baits online or in orlando and free shipping, 2 bags for 5 bucks, all his baits are made in same factory and molds as other brands, they have a skinny dipper, also a few kind of original baits but he has florida colors and just crazy good deals where $50 can get you 20 packs of baits to last all year. Florida shiner a killer color in stained water.

I sometimes have the same problem of my weight sliding but it only happens when I am using really heavy weights and I don't think it matters all that much if your using over 1-1.5 oz since the bait often moves along with the weight while going through, plus its a reaction strike like if someone throws a baseball at you without a warning, its your instinct to try to catch it. I never liked straight shank hooks and I use the owners for weightless presentations, but I also like to tie an improved clinch knot or Palomar to save time cause I re-tie anytime I feel like I have taken too many abrasions to prevent break offs, and I would also suggest the bead for 2 reasons. It protects your Knot, If you put your bait too high up the line to cover or compensate for the knot, then the bait gets bent and that is when I think it can change the action even though most plastics are expensive weed guards or just a place to hide your hook. Some baits do glide especially on lighter weights or deeper water, so if I am fishing a bait I want to glide like the Gamber Why not, I like it to be straight so it does not spiral like a Tube or crooked bait, I peg the weight really good, but I leave space with a bead and the more space between the eye of the hook and the big weight, the better the hookset from my experiences. If you only have a tiny space from a clinch knot to a heavy weight, I find I miss more hook sets and the hook doesnt kick out right. I usually will use 2 bobber stops and lock it down if I don't want it to move, the bead adds sound unless it is completely tight, but also allows you some extra space and as long as the bait is going through good on the hook without moving, the weight should be ok even if it gets loose. Its quicker to simply put some living rubber or skirting material in your weight to fix it than it is to tie a snell knot. I hate tying that knot and never noticed it helping, but I know lots of guys who are better than me who always tie a snell knot, but I think they catch more fish than me because they are more accurate & simply more experienced or concentrate better. Hope that makes sense, I just rambled off a conversation I have all the time. I use thick guage EWG hooks for big creatures like the BPS Flipping Craws or big salt craws etc. Some guys throw that Jig rig into heavy cover and that is not going down straight, so as long as your line is not getting frayed, you should be good if you reinforce the weight and just put a bead or some type of spacer. I am a believer that profile, fall rate, accuracy, sound, right color matter more than if the weight is a bit crooked but I get frustrated as well, it just happens at times, but that is why it helps to use baits that do not slide down the hook easy or are too soft/Thin etc. I trust my clinch knots, Palamar knots the most, especially if using fluoro or mono, Snell knots take alot of time and I don't trust them on Fluoro, only trust an improved clinch knot carefully cinched. I would also make sure you are using the right sized hook, 4/0 vs. 5/0 can be a big difference, same with guage, that will cause movement as well. I guess it can't hurt to learn the snell knot, for some reason I have always felt it is too easy to mess up and time consuming.

I discovered a new worm in the spring on clearance and so glad I did. GYB Curly Tail worms, packs were probably 20 years old, thick plastic, motor oil color and other packs were clear silver flake. Way more fragile than a Senko, but the thin tail, taper, salt was done well with this worm. I am not a brand name guy, but the GYB Curly Tail worms in all sizes 8" plus are my go to worm for almost every technique, I used to use the BPS squirmin worms in similar sizes but The GYB worm is flat out good. I purchased a large order from Overstock because I thought GYB was not making the curly tail worms anymore, not sure how I missed this worm over the years, I guess Pre-Senko GYB baits took a back seat but these worms are like a swimming Pro Senko with the perfect taper etc.. The newer Packs were not as fragile, but they still tear ssier than a Senko and bluegills love to pull the tails off, but they are still worth it. Other than plastic worms, I had some good days on the Gambler Big EZ swimbaits/Charlies Zipper Dippers, and rigged on open jig heads instead of weighted hooks and kind of like em better that way. Only straight tailed worm i really used this year was the Lunker City Sluggo which is still a favorite of mine and they have 25% off right now on their site, Lunker City makes alot of really good baits, besides the sluggo they have a swimbait that is similar to a big hammer if you like alot of thump on a shad body. Also the Keitech looking finesse worm is really good..Big sluggos are still one of my favorite bigger fish baits. Great in Saltwater also.

I know Bill Dance often gets a bad rap, however, I remember watching him do a show in a Florida lake, and he was using a Popper (Probably Rebel/Xcal) and he preached the 3 pops/pause while experimenting with how long to let it sit, cadence etc. When Bass are attacking a popper, it is one of the most exciting ways to fish & they catch big fish as well. I am sure you can go on You Tube and find video of Bill Dance showing that technique. I Have seen guys catch fish using what I would think are "Over The Top Pulls" but I have been noticing that lots of people are working bigger poppers these days and working them harder than I am used to. Patrick Sebile used to have a series of videos where he would show underwater footage with his topwater lures, camera was in a pool & He did a great job of showing creative techniques. I personally like more subtle pops, but the best thing about Topwater fishing is the fish will tell you what they want, sometimes they want it walked etc. so it is impossible to fish it wrong. I guess that Slit in the mouth really works, I hear a decent amount of people talk about the Pop-X, and other brands and not sure I have heard anyone ever say a bad word about the Pop-X so throw it with confidence. I am pretty sure that Zell Rowland is the best guy with a Popper. He is endorsed by Pradco and made his name as a guide fishing the Rebel and then modifying the lip with sand paper to create different actions. He created the Rebel Zell Pop which has been a classic for ages now, I would guess he probably has some great tips on working a popper and slight modifications you can make. I think Booyah has the Zell Pop Now, Lots of good poppers out there. Its worth spending extra money on topwater lures since you rarely lose them, Plus confidence is a huge help, so knowing you have a proven lure is important. Good Luck, Nothing beats a good topwater day.

It certainly looks like a good combo. I guess if you have the right blade size etc. it would be good in some situations. I tend to add my blades to the back of swimbaits that lose tails, I started with the Senko, now I love adding blades to the fat impact style swimbaits without a tail and a jighead.

Zoom Critter craws are never a bad choice. They don't look like much, but they flat out catch fish all year round, make awesome trailers as well and not sure why. I use them in middle of summer and in winter and catch fish on those things. You can't fish em wrong either, kind of like throwing a worm. The small one on the back of a little jig like the bitsy bug is a killer

I actually color the tops of several of my floating jerkbaits with a strip of bright pink nail polish. I learned this from another angler, and will still throw the bright top lure if windy, long casts etc. I like to see exactly what my lure is doing at all times, and it will vanish like a bobber every once in a while. I have never noticed the top color having a negative effect but I usually keep my floaters on the surface most of the time. It is amazing how a Bass can strike a Jerkbait with all those Treble hooks and not get any. But it happens. Often times if I am missing too many strikes I will either switch the color, or the size, if they are truly Bass swiping at it, I have done well at times keeping the cadence predictable or without too much action. A dressed rear treble hook also can make a big difference especially when long pauses seem to draw strikes, but sometimes too much dressing can mess up the action, but worth experimenting. Suspending Jerkbaits are a different story and something I am not confident with. You can watch video online of bass inhaling and spitting out jerkbaits with treble hooks and it is kind of amazing. Not sure you feel that if slack is in the line and not looking to see your line move. I still say Floating Minnow lures are the most under fished lures, and even though everyone knows how well a Rapala or Bomber Long A can work, I think weeds discourage people, or they are just not "Popular" in the magazines and too many other techniques to use. I try my best to always give a floater a try at least a few times a day, when they work they really work, you can strike out with a fluke but kill em with a floater many days. I only set the hook with a sweep after seeing the lure go under like a frog, or will just tighten up if I hook up solid, I also try not to use braid on a fast rod unless necessary, I like Mono for jerkbaits due to the stretch, Fluoro for same reason.

Thanks for all the replies, I understand that Line pick up on many reels makes up for gear ratio's etc. I was not aware about the spinning reel differences, I just assumed that spinning reels picked up less line with slower ratios unless they had a bigger spool, bigger handle etc..I appreciate the knowledge dropped about spinning reels. Obviously I still use high speed reels, I see the benefits of having a mix of all of them, I just realized that I tend to fish faster than i normally should at times, especially in new places when I am eye balling all the awesome looking spots to cast, so even if a reel helps me slow down just a tad, I think it helps me out. Fishing Slower usually works better for me, at least most of the time. I will still use all my 7/1 and new 8/1 reels, I like having stuff, but I realized I picked up a bad habit of fishing too fast, and even if it is all in my head, I definitely have noticed that I am doing better these days because I am focused on going slow, and it is easier to fish slow on slower reels. You can feel the power on certain reels, and most of those reels have bigger spools and handles so in reality I realize you are picking up more line, so gear ratio can be deceiving, but 4/9 vs. 8/1 on a similar sized reel, spool, handle, is almost double. Speed of retrieve is kind of important, it is much easier to fish too fast than too slow. Not sure you can ever fish lures to slow, especially if you add in some cadence. I have always noticed I catch bigger fish when I concentrate on fishing slow & quiet. I think we would all agree it is hard to concentrate on every cast for 8 hours, and when fishing is tough, run and gun is easy to start doing.

I am currently on a Calcutta buying spree bidding on everything I see on Ebay. I can't get over how light they are compared to every other round casting reel(Even low profile reels) and pound for pound I am starting to think it is the best casting reel you can buy & fish it anywhere. Shimano hit a Home run with that reel. Its amazing how well Shimano reels like the Calcutta and Curado hold their value even the really old ones. People pay good money for the used models, they are actually a good investment.

Unfortunately, there is no "Right lure" or "Right Color" to throw when bass fishing without experimenting and figuring out what works best for you. You can read articles about using black at night, and then read an article about a guide who only fishes With White lures at night. As a general rule, Green Pumpkin and natural colored baits will work anywhere most of the time, if you are in stained water, black and blue, Junebug, Purple, chartruese tinted baits often work well. When Bass want a topwater, you will know it. It can be any time of the season for most part, and usually color is a personal preference. If you stick with the basic categories of lures that have been around forever, or simply look at the Tackle Warehouse Best Selling section, you can get a good idea of what everyone is using cause the baits work. If a lake has shad, then you can never go wrong fishing shad colors, sexy shad, and in spring and fall, Crawfish colors often work best, but in reality, I only fish with a small percentage of all the stuff I bring with me. You will gain confidence in certain baits and tend to throw them all the time. Plastic worms, Jigs, Spinnerbaits, Popper, Minnow baits like a floating rapala will usually get the job done anywhere anytime. I would say soft baits like worms, Flukes, Swimbaits, toads are often good enough. One dark color, one lighter shade, 2 sizes, and you will start to find that you prefer certain styles over others. Some people love to throw a Senko, some like a Finesse worm, I prefer a Ribbon tail worm most of the time, but I would suggest reading some articles on this site, and if you read enough posts, you start to notice everyone pretty much uses the same lures, just different brands. Trying new lures is the fun part of bass fishing, especially when you find a lure that other people do not use and when that happens you will start to develop a "Style" or "Method" you find is best for you. If you do research and figure out what the forage base is in a lake or pond, that should tell you alot about how to get started. If a pond or lake has shiners, you may want to try to catch a few shiners to see their coloring and size, then try and match your presentation. Hope that helps. Good Luck. You will catch fish if you put in the time, Many people fish with one bait 90% of the time. I have a buddy who will only fish with a Zoom Trick Worm, if he needs weight he puts on a split shot. He carries his tackle in his pocket. He catches plenty of fish because he is really good at fishing that worm in ways I would never do.

I recently purchased a 4:9 Gear Ratio Round casting reel & about 2 weeks ago I stopped at a River and it was the only Baitcaster I had with me. I usually catch a few bass in this spot each time & rarely catch any Bass over 2-3lb since its a small creek. I started fishing a Swimbait & had the best day I ever had in this spot. I also hooked into 2 fish that were 17-18". I have gone back during lunch each day since, and I loaded up my truck with 7/1-8/1 baitcasters for pitching,frogs etc. On the 3rd/4th trip I was catching some bass & after having line issues from snagging branches, I had to grab my 4/9. I tied on the same Swimbait, same line, I started catching fish in the exact water I had fished 2x & better quality. I finally made the connection with the slower reel & realized the slower presentation was more productive & I have replicated the success on other water. I always thought I was Fishing slow, but apparently not slow enough. I started pitching with an old Calcutta round reel which I purchased years ago specifically for pitching/Flipping since Torque was once the way to go in heavy cover. I understand the theory behind faster gear ratio's, However, I have had Fish swim directly at me & Hook sets are not a problem. I have never had a problem with 5/1 spinning reels regarding slack or not getting enough casts in a day. I know companies have 9/1 & faster, but isn't this overkill? Fishing slowly with fast reels is something you have to focus on, and it is easy to think you are fishing slow with a Jig,Fluke, Swimbait etc. but in reality you are going pretty fast. I get that Bass react to fast presentations at times, but I think it is easier to manually reel faster vs slow. You can burn any lure with any gear ratio. Maybe 20 extra casts per day is not worth it? The Finesse trend is using spinning reels for smaller lures, but many people fish weightless plastics and lighter lures on both spinning/Casting rods. I am starting to think one reason fishing a spinning reel is often better for tough bites etc. is the slower speed. I would agree lighter line makes a difference, but I have been noticing when I fish a weightless fluke/Worm or 1/16-1/8 bullet weight on a spinning reel, it seems to get more strikes. Picking up line with a 2500 size reel has never been an issue since you miss fish on any speed reel with hook sets for many reasons. Does anyone still Pitch with low speed reels, or fish a swim jig/Spinnerbait on slower reels instead of the new trend? Looking back, I feel as if it was only 10 years ago when 5/1 was considered "High Speed". Curious to hear any thoughts on gear ratio for techniques/Presentations? Going slow on an 8/1-9/1 reel is Painful. Hard to do that for long periods of time without reeling faster as you anticipate your next cast. I also find it odd that in Saltwater, Low Gear Ratios are still considered the way to go. Big Snook swim plenty fast when they pick up a bait, head for cover just like a bass. When I was looking at new saltwater reels I noticed the NEW 7/1 versions were selling cheaper than slower models. I know drag power is often a marketing technique, but is 22lbs of drag on a 2000 spinning reel/200 casting reel necessary? You can only spool so much line, good luck landing a Big Fish without getting spooled or broken off. Why is it low gear ratio is only for "Cranking"?

One nice thing about a creature bait like a Zoom Speed craw or rage bug, Mighty bug etc. is you can use them to cover water faster than a big worm to find fish. A creature bait can be buzzed like a frog, swam on bottom, and often will help you find fish. I like a big worm but I find fishing them really slow is how they usually work best, but you can also fish a big 10" worm on the surface as well, so never limit your self to thinking a certain bait is only for Flipping etc.... A 10-12" worm does seem to get better bites overall. I just find I do better if fishing slow, I never catch fish if I work them quickly like I can a Creature bait which can be a topwater, swimbait etc.

I think Bass get conditioned to Noise more than a lure. After being caught a few times, I think they realize that human noise is a threat so they retreat which is why approaching quietly is often a big deal when approaching a good spot. In smaller ponds I notice that fish over 4lbs get tougher to catch on any lure. You can catch small fish all day long, but the larger fish are never as easy as the first year you fish it. If you ever want to see how many Bass are in the area you are fishing and not catching much, live line a shiner or bluegill and you will be amazed how many big fish are right at your feet.

If using the Ned rig heads, they make any lighter soft bait stand up , but I am not sure straight up is always better. I have been using 4" Slider worms for years and they work as good today as always, I also like the Ned rig and I use Zman stuff which is great cause it lasts forever, but some days I feel like a small 2-3" ringed soft bait/Creature can work just as good. Not sure if Elaztech is actually better than half a Dinger etc..But one pack will last forever and hold scent well, so for $4, I usually like using the Z-Man stuff. They have only melted on me if I mix them with other plastics or leave them in the sun for too long. Any ringed plastic will also float for most part. So will floating worms cut in half.

Lighting rods pound for pound are hard to beat....There was an article a website did that tested the 4 best Punching rods for under $50 and I believe they ended up being 1-Cabelas IM7 or IM8, Lighting Stick Shock, BPS Tournament IM6, Sellus. Cabela's makes a really nice rod with a lifetime warranty. I have become a huge fan of even their cheap Whoopin sticks which make nice rods for $20. Kind of like the BPS Graphite rods for $20..Just read the reviews...They are good rods especially to have as extra's, or to fish on a budget. $20 rods can catch more fish than expensive rods if used in the right water. If punching is a new technique for you, You may not like it, It can be extremely boring at times, so I think getting a versatile rod like a Shock is a good idea cause it can do the job for the most part.

The Skitter Pop is a great Popper since it has a unique popping sound which sounds almost identical to a bluegill. The Only thing about the skitter Pop is it is made of balsa wood and is lighter than most lures of similar size. I love the skitter pop cause it flat out works, but I mainly only throw it on lighter line/Rods unless using the biggest size which is probably 6" long, but it is a classic for a reason. I use the Rebel Pop'r more than any other, but I also have a bunch of less expensive poppers I have picked up over the years that are Bass Pro, Strike king, and plenty of others which I throw to cover and if I lose one I don't care. Some days I think they all work the same. I think if a topwater bite if on, almost any popper will catch fish. Those BPS poppers above were Made by Strike Pro, I believe it was the Goby Popper and owner also had a similar one in the cultiva line, but the Skitter Pop is the only popper I know of that is balsa, has that shape, and is as buoyant & light. BPS has had alot of good topwater lures over the years, many are discontinued versions from other companies, many end up becoming part of other companies lines. If you like the River 2 sea poppers which came out before the Megabass versions, check out the Strike Pro website and ebay for the Strike Pro $5 poppers. The quality and "Mouth Designs" will surprise you.

Cover water with a Lipless crankbait and you will find them. Vary the depth, if weeds are an issue, throw a swimbait to cover water or something that always catches fish like a Swim Senko. Throwing an Original Rapala on 6-8lb test and fishing it like a jerkbait or crankbait or topwater is another option that will always catch fish and it draws them in........Hard to beat a Rapala or a shad rap either shallow or #7. A shad rap almost always comes through but I find if I go with light line I get more fish when I can't catch anything. Once you find active fish, they will probably be more than a few, so then you can slow down and fish the way you have most confidence in. Jigs and Plastic worms will always get bites but hard to fish them fast to find them. Good Luck. If Lake has shad, silver and blue trap is hard to beat. shallow shad rap in shad pattern, or the deeper models if lake is deep. #7 seems to be the best size for some reason.

save all my Keitech style swimbaits after they lose their tail, i have been throwing the MJ rig ever since I saw Timmy Horton doing it on TV through Hydrilla with a Senko. Hitchikers are cheap, and you can get blades cheap cause you lose a few, but I love taking a Speed shad missing the tail & adding a Willow blade or Smaller blade the size that comes on a beetle spin or a smaller hammered willow. I often will put a blade on the back of a senko and fish it the same way I would weightless..Slow and lift and fall, they kill it some days when they are not hitting the worm..Not sure if it is the flash in stained water, or extra vibration, much more weedless than Underspins etc. I also like to put dressed treble hooks on the rear of alot of hardbaits, A good breathable white/touch of red dressed treble on the back of a Jointed Rapala or Long A sometimes makes a huge difference especially on the pause. I love to modify stuff, Most of the time even if it works I will forget to do it again, but i also put dressed trebles on my suspending jerkbaits like how the X Rap has em, key is getting someone who is into tying flies and streamers to make them for you. Maribou type dressing with a strand of Flash seems to be best but I think alot of mine have some kind of Deer or rabbit hair, and weird feathers. Another good mod is taking a Finesse style skirting and making a short and thin punch skirt and putting it in front of a swimbait. It seems to catch bigger fish and clear skirt with red flake must look like gills cause some days it makes all the difference, I just like the skirt to be maybe 20 strands and really short.

I find most swim Jigs all fish well, I like the Jewel Swim Jig for lighter line more of a true swim jig without a thick hook and has a thinner guard, you can still fish it in heavy cover and be alright. The shape of the head gives it a different action than most bullet 90 degree line ties. Many Swim Jigs are simply casting jigs with eyes. I swim alot of casting jigs and just cut a few fibers out to hook more fish. One swim Jig that is really good is that Strikezone jig which has a flat head like the Booyah but has a 6/0 hook, comes in 1/4-1/2, and falls differently than other jigs cause of the flat head. The AT swim Jig is a great alternative when you don't need a super stout hook. Flat head, Thin guard that touches the hook, but You can take a VMC Casting JIg and cut a few fibers off and it works plenty good. Nichols has the Saber swim Jig which is cheap and I love that Toothpick hook holder they have. I think it is Nichols, I ordered the heads in a bulk lot. With all that said, You can get them inexpensive & how you want them from Siebert and choose eyes, Hook, colors etc. and he wire ties the skirt which helps. For some reason the Booyah versions have the flat head and ride high easily, but they all fall apart on me. Dirty Jigs are pretty, but all but one of their jigs are basically Flipping jigs with an eye, Even in heavy cover you don't need it to be that heavy guage imo. Too much weed guard and Thick hook = too many lost fish. A swim Jig should hook most strikes, I would rather swim a Hack attack Jig than a Dirty jigs....

The main reason I like the EZ series is the hook slots so you can easily get the hook in the middle and if you screw it up it is an easy fix to get it straight. If you rig em on a Weighted hook, I find if I don't screw the head all the way, I leave 2 turns from the eye and you can get the bait perfect and the hook point rides just below the top of the bait. You can throw it in grass all day and rarely adjust, and Hook sets seem much easier especially for a bait that has dense plastic and alot of it giving it tons of action. You can still skin hook the bait if you want, you just put the hook back a bit further down, then burry the point and it is impossible to snag. I don't like hook slots on some baits because they move around too much. Hook slots on bottom help get the point on straight which I think really matters. If you have a fluke rigged off center it never seems to work nearly as good, can't get a cadence, it will pull to one side, same with swimbait or any soft bait really. If a bait is too soft, screw locks and making an error on first attempt can ruin the bait for good unless you melt it or glue it which is time consuming. The Castaic Jerky J baits were the first baits I ever really noticed how awesome a hook slot could be, same with the Bass Assassin Sluggos. Good thing about a sluggo is you can fish it upside down and doesn't make a difference. Once you get a bait on right, Crazy glue can help especially around pads no matter what you are fishing. For punching, the only reason I use the BB Cricket is because it never moves on the Hook, same with the Havoc Punch craw, I am not sure the bait really matters most of the time, but I hate alot of popular baits cause you have to adjust them and Barbed FLipping Hooks tear up plastics, Hook Slots are good but for craw style baits I doubt I would like them cause you always get snagged and have to adjust your baits, a slot makes the point come out for better hook sets.

BPS Extreme when on sale or not. Any of the cabela's rods have lifetime warranty, they have a Bass Tourney rod that is $49 and feels nicer than many of my more expensive rods. The Fenwick HMG for $99 also has a lifetime warranty and a local shop in my area that sells them will replace them on the spot, The grips on the rod can handle a beating and it is just a great rod. The Medium Action is my favorite of them all, think it is 1/4-5/8 so handles most applications plus it is up to 16lbs I believe. I used to buy mostly MH for casting rods, but once I picked up a quality Medium action, I now find I use that most since you can cast a weightless worm, most common sized lures much further. Some companies MH is really a Medium, but for one rod if not fishing heavy lures, A medium action 7' is a fantastic all around rod. You can also pick up the Daiwa Aird one piece rods for $40 and i have not picked one up yet, but it looks & feels like a $100 Rod, think it is the Air series. Shimano has a new rod out for under $100 that is just as nice as the Compre in my opinion. TW has the Daiwa casting rods, S series for $70, but look for sales, I always look for a model from last year that is half price. Or I will buy a combo when on sale, You can pick up a Carbonlite rod with a Pro Qualifer for $100 certain times of year, or get lucky and find a Revo on a BPS Extreme for $129, Sell the Revo on Ebay for $90 and now you have a $30 Rod. Dicks has the Lews Combo's on sale for $119, That rod is nice, especially for $15.

Cabelas has the STX for $119, sx for 100, S for 80, so do auction sites and abu had them direct as well. All the Gen 3 stuff is being cleared out, same with the Orra Series. If you want to buy a reel, now is when you can get really good deals and pay much less than any other time. $89 for a Tatula is a crazy good deal right now, For 100-$120 you can get up into the higher Daiwa's if you have good timing and don't need 8:1. Hope that helps. You can never go wrong with a Shimano or Daiwa in the $100 range, The Caenan for $75 is a quality reel as well. ie Abu reels are going super cheap right now, if you like them, may want to grab a few. Also look for brands that are not "Popular" but really good like Ardent, Pinnacle, the Quantum EXO series, Okuma Komodo etc. I tend to like almost every reel I buy, maybe I can cast a few a bit easier, like the size, but most reels are so similar these days when you look at them from a size and shape standpoint. I just think the Daiwa reels are the way to go right now since they are sub $100 and fish so much better than a $100 reel. The TWS feature will grow on you, but it is all preference, every company makes quality reels, House brands are often on sale now as well.

You can get the Revo SX for under $100 now, Revo S for $80, Curado's are around $120, a sleeper would be on the 6/3 you can find reels like the Okuma Komodo for $100, Quantum EXO for $120, Lots of reels that are last years versions but new are on sale on auction site and regular sites. BPS has the PQ for $79? Reliable good reel. There are too many options, but for $100, even $70 you can find a Pflueger President XT, or a Lews BB1 for $100 or so. If you fish saltwater at all, or just want a really good reel for bigger baits, more line etc..Daiwa Coastal blue reel with T-Wing is down to $150. Hard to beat the Daiwa reels and the pricing for all models right now. Same with the Abu Garcia reels, The Gen 3 I guess were not "As good as earlier versions according to some, but for $119 the STX at Cabela's is a really nice reel. Check out the Duckett 360 reels, They are going on auction in both white and black every day for $100 to $120. They sell for $200 Plus and feel like a $200+ reel, reviews are great, plus they look awesome. People don't search for certain brands like Ardent, Browning, Duckett, and often Okuma reels get overlooked. The Komodo is my favorite baitcaster and I paid $200 for it 3 years ago, The new ones with the Power Handle, Stainless Steel Frame, super light with power is what I want next, Held one a few weeks ago, they are tough to find for under $179 though. I use alot of Okuma stuff and I prefer the Komodo over the Helios etc..For $100 that is a steal. They are still making the "Older version".

Its XV series and description from Reaction strike is Identical to the Viscious description word for word on TW. Same lure for sure. The XV series of baits are without a doubt the best vibration baits ever produced. The sleek design cuts the water creating a loud vibration that you will feel the moment the bait hits the water. Rattle baits have been around since the begining of time, but the moment you tie on an XV series, you will immediately see what the buzz is all about! The XV series imitate a panicked baitfish. The low frequency vibration chambers imitate the vibration of a fleeing school of baitfish. To a bass, or other predator, it simply means dinner time. XV-55 - 2”, XV-65 - 2.5”, XV-75 - 3”