Teal

A. Typical 7' M has a little flex to it and should load pretty good, which is what yyou want. I prefer a bit shorter rod if im skipping on a low roll cast. For those casts i like 66 or a 68 . But i can skip with a pitching motion with just about any length. 7'M is a good selection.

I like them. I get them because they cost a little less and they work well. No probs with them.

Look into the Powell Rods. They run 150-170. They are very sensitive for the money and have good components. I have several of them and im hooked! But so im not impartial, look at the St. Croix Avids or Shimano Crucials, Dobyns Champion series. alot of guys on here rave about those rods. The new cumaras from shimano are supposed to be beasts too!

I agree with WW2farmer, i pitch with everything its just a cast. But to answer what the OP was getting at, for skipping under really low docks and getting all the way back, ill use a 6'6. But for my "flippin and pitchin rods' i like at least 7'6. I like the 7'10"s and 8s too!

Take some time to read some articles on bass habits. You need to learn why they do what they do and where they do those things. I challange you to go out on your boat, dont take a rod, just a notebook. Drive to different places and take notes of the bottom depths, what the bottom composition is (rocks, chunk rock, gravel, sand, clay). Make notes on your map where the depth changes are and how drastic they are. Make notes of any deep stumps,rocks, trees or any thing that you can see with your eyes or depth finder. After youve done that go back home and read more seasonal bass articles. After seeing the things that you saw on the lake, the things that you read will really start coming together. Once your start finding where the fish are, and where they go once they leave the shallow banks. Then you can find a way to catch them. This website has tons of articles, read read read

Duck what is your max price that you want to spend on the rod?

Yup thats what i meant.

What rod,line, and lure were you using? Do you know what your partner was using? I have good success on carolina rigs, not my favorite technique but i do it. I use a flipping stick 7'6H that has a mod fast taper for my carolina riggin. I use 50lb braid with either fc or mono leader depending on the speciific area and if mono if im really trying to keep the bait up. I also use a tungsten weight normally 3/4 oz. Ill use a 1/2 if it is not windy and the water is slick. The thing that i changed that really really helped me put those missed fish in the boat was changing my hook set. I used to try and cross their eyes and boy was i wrong. A hard SIDE SWEEPING HOOKSET is what i do now and i dont miss nearly as many.

I have seen some make shift camera mounts that work and save alot of money, maybe you can figure something out that will work for you.

I did not like it. I would get some quality braid.

Sweet dude!! Thanks for sharing. Is a camera mount coming soon?

Whatever you do, make sure you keep if simple. I just relined ALL of my rods, heres what i did on my casting gear. Will reline spinning gear later. Note this is my first year using floro on cranks. I have always used mono on them. Topwater and Jerkbait rod - 10lb Sunline Mono Dock skipping rod - 12lb Sunline Sniper FC Squarebill/traps rod -17lb Sunline Sniper FC Frog/heavy topwater rod -50lb Spiderwire Ultra cast Worm/Senko/finesse jigs rod -30lb Spiderwire Ultra cast Jig rod - 30lb Spiderwire Ultra Cast Spinnerbait/swimjig/hollowbody rod -30lb Spiderwire Ultra cast 2flippin sticks - 50lb Spiderwire, flippin/swimbait rod -undecided... 2Crank rods -12lb Sunline Sniper I use leaders on my braid when needed. I used big game and XPS that i had laying around for backing other wise it gets really expensive.

I have done all three straight braid, fluoro leader, and straight fluoro. With Hydrilla,milfoil, spatterdock and water Lotus, I really like braid. If I roll up on clear water and sparse weeds and rocks ill use a leader. I also use a leader under boat docks if im useing a rod with braid (I also keep a shorter rod for skipping docks with straight fluoro.)

Powell Diesel, Daiwa T Rod, St. Croix Premier. All good rods for less than 80 bucks. I have fished with all three of those and i was more than satisfied for the price. I havent fished with shimanos Clarus, Sellus or Convergence but havent heard any thing horrible. If you really want some bang for your buck, go with the Berkley Lightning Shock. Can be had for less than 50 and is terrific rod.

Totally agree with hiis school of thought. However I LIKE to through the 2.5 and 3 inch squarebills whenever i can. I i like the better casting distance and the bigger target. I like the action of the spro square bills better, but the KVD 2.5 in the perch pattern is awesome anytime . I normally drop back and put oj the smaller size if the 2.5 isnt what they want.

Casting crowns at the Greensboro Colliseum a few years ago.

I use it often. Good set up, the key is to keyy in on baitfish and bait that setting up on them or chasing them. Ive onlyy doubled up one time. Its a good summer time andand fall technique on Gaston!

In no way am I ripping cashion rods, but if you want the most sensitive rod that you can get why dont you go with a St. Croix or a G.Loomis. Those rods have a reputation for sensitivity and quality. Alot of guys down here in NC use Cashion rods, i have fished one on a friends boat, and i liked it, but i liked my buddy's GLX alot more. St. Croix Legend Elite and Extremes are super sensitive too! For 70 or 80 bucks more you can get last years Legend extreme on the Bargain Room on st croixs website.

Low gear ratios are good for deep cranking. 4.7 to 5.4 is good. Lews is a good choice. Im not big on Kistlers. But Powell makes good rods. They actually have a 711MH deep cranking model available through TW. They have a 7'5MH in the endurance line. St. Croix big cranker is a very good option too. I just like a long MH rod for deep cranking.

Last week, my local Walmart was moving the fishing section and reorganizing. They had a little wall with clearence stuff. I got some Mustad KVD grip pin EWG hooks for 1.99 each. Not my normal hook brand, but it has a welded metal bait keeper and they are 2 bucks!! I also grabbed a handful of the Yum dingers for 1.00ea. They only had the sale hooks in 3/0, 4/0, so i got 3 packs each!!

On my phone the thread page is a little retarded when there is a video posted. But you can scroll to the bottom right of the video (if it is showing) and click on the youtube button and it will let you watch the video through the youtube app, instead of trying to watch it on the thread page.

Most of your nicer rods have good warranties or lifetime warranties.

I bought some light wire daichii offset worm hooks last year from walmat and they are TTERRIFIC hooks. They are sticky sharp and are great with smaller soft plastics. I like them for finesse worms on lightline/tackle.

I like your ride Darren!! I have a bass boat, and i really want a kayak/canoe too. that will really let me do some fishing on the river here as well as my lakes without using so much fuel and will give me a little excercise. I will still keep my Javelin but the Kayak is the next project... i think it will be fun.

The weight of the rod, better blanks, better guides.