War Eagle 44

Another vote for the Owner Zo Wire TwistLOCK flipping hooks. I've tried a lot of different hooks for this purpose and found, for me, there isn't anything close.

I agree that it isn't a great "heavy cover" frog due to the above mentioned lip. As also stated by Mark it is a fantastic open water type frog, it's easy to walk and the extra "spitting action" really is different. I don't have very many pads on the lake I typically fish but there is a ton of grass and this thing is great around the outside edges or in holes or lanes. I've found it to be very effective around wood and worked over points very much like you would a spook. I've got most of the colors but I can say, with a whole summer using them, Dirty White, Poison, and I Know It are the colors I got the most bites on. Also IMHO the 55 size isn't nearly as well thought out or designed as the 70. It is very tough for me to get them (55) to walk correctly for any amount of distance, I think this is due to them not being weighted exactly right, though this may just be me as I've not heard anyone else say they're having trouble with the 55.

x2, these are my three favorites as well. I'm liking the D-Bomb best currently.

My most used flipping stick is a Powell Max 7105 with a Citica 201E spooled with 65# braid. I love this combo for fishing heavy grass and mats. I know Powell isn't the "in" rod company these days but the Max series offers a lot of rod for their price. I also use a GLoomis BCFR954 sometimes, it's sensitivity is fantastic and it has tons of power for even the very thickest of cover. I've upgraded the drag (along with several other things) in my reel to Carbontex washers (dry) but never had a problem with the reels stock drag. I'll also pass this along, I had trouble hooking fish using the straight shank flipping hooks most guys prefer, I tried 4 or 5 different brands but they all suffered about the same low hookup %. Now I'm not saying it's the hooks, it can't be because to many other guys catch way to many bass with them, it has to be something I'm doing wrong. I tried both the snell knot and a regular old palamar with no luck. The hooks I eventually landed on are the Owner Hyper Wire flipping hooks with twistlock. These are great hooks IMHO and I hook 95% of the fish that bite. May or may not help just wanted to pass it along because this was a big help to my flipping success.

Frogs are my absolute favorite way to fish so I have a ton. I don't really have a "favorite" as all have their place and time but my main choices are; (in no particular order) Spro Bronzeye and Bronzeye Jr's in Killer Gill and Outback Spro Bronzeye Shad in either Sexy Shad or Spooky Shad R2S Bully Wa 65 in Armed Forces and Dirty White R2S Spittin' Wa 70 Poison has been most effective with this bait

Zoom Ultra Vibe Speed Craw, Baby Paca Craw, and D-Bombs.

I've used a couple of different rods for swimming a jig and I found that, for me, I need a little "give" in the tip. What I'm getting at here is I started off using my Powell Max 735C frog rod with an extra fast tip and I was missing some fish. I was "taking it away from them" before they had a chance to eat it fully. Now the rod works great for swim jigs for some guys, it has all the power you'll need to get them out of the thickest grass while still having enough tip to cast them very well. I could have either kept at it and taught myself to give them a second before setting the hook or switch rods, I switched rods. Since swimming a jig is super popular where I fish I simply started asking some of the more well respected fishermen in the area what type rods they were using. I know usually when you ask a question like that you get a wide range of answers but oddly enough this one was pretty close. Most use a 7' MH Fast action, of which several of the guys recommended the same rod. The older discontinued (cork handle) Shimano Clarus 7' MH Fast 12-20# 1/4-1 oz lures. I asked why this rod specifically because a few guys were adamant that it had to be this exact model, a Crucial or Compre wouldn't do it. They said it was "a little different and just right" in tip action to all the other Shimano rod lines even if the Crucial or Compre had the exact same length, action, power, lure, and line ratings. So I went on my search for this rod, I couldn't really believe it but my own small town tackle shop had 2 still in stock. I happily grabbed one as I didn't really expect to find a brand new one especially 5 miles from my house. I wish now I would've gotten them both because after a year and a half fishing this rod it really is a fabulous swim jig stick. I know some guys will look down on this rod because it's a sub $100 rod but I'm serious when I say it really is a great rod. I recently received (Christmas) a new Crucial CRC-77MHA 7'7" MH Fast action 12-20# 1/4-1oz. flipping rod that I'm very excited to try out for swimming a jig. The tip doesn't seem quite as soft as the older Clarus but I'm thinking it may do fairly well anyway. Sorry to have gone on for such a long post here, I just wanted to pass along a little bit of honest info on a great swim jig rod and I thought it needed a little explanation instead of just recommending the rod itself, especially since it's a hard to find rod. Oh and one last thing, I was told to ALWAYS use braid. 50# minimum 65# even better and a few guys suggested 80#. I've used 50# the entire time and I've not encountered any issues.

I prefer the Dirty Jigs No Jack Swim Jigs in 3/8 and 1/2 oz. I use several different colors as well as trailers. One of the more effective trailers for my area is the NetBait Kickin' B and Kickin' B chunk. This time of year we get lots of rain so the lake is pretty stained so I usually go black and blue with a whole Kickin' B as a trailer. I don't trim it any because I want the biggest profile I can get so it moves more water and helps the fish locate it in the very stained water. In the warmer months when the water's more clear I usually use a shad colored bait with a Swing Impact Fat trailer. Bream and Bluegill colors work then as well. 1/2oz Threadfin Shad no jack

In my opinion the new Calcutta D is a big step up from even a "tuned" Cardiff. I plan on picking one up myself fairly soon to use for the same type techniques you're asking about. I currently use a Curado 301E for all my umbrella rig and swimbait fishing and couldn't be happier with it's performance. I just really like the new D series Calcutta's and can't resist picking one up. I've only played around with them in a shop but they feel great. I'm going with the 300 size, just not sure which rod to go with it yet.

I use straight braid 100% of the time flipping now days. Granted the majority of my flipping is done in grass so... I've never had a problem feeling the strike while using braid, I know guys complain about the "slack line" issue but it hasn't been a problem for me. Before going to braid I was using 20# fluoro and I can't tell a difference in the number of, or quality, of my fish. Not saying there isn't truth in their argument I'm simply saying I much prefer braid and it's easier handling compared to heavy fluoro. Even when I flip/pitch to wood or docks I still go straight braid. I'm not sure this is the best strategy here, I'm simply to lazy to tie on a leader just for the few docks or brush I might flip in a days time. If I were fishing for money and knew the wood/dock bite was going to be a factor I'd definitely rig up a leader.

Nice upgrades to your 50E! If I do anything else to mine down the road it'll look a lot like yours, I've already added Orange Seal bearings and the lighter smoke brake blocks. I still need a Carbontex drag for it and I was giving some serious thought to a carbon fiber handle. Never got around to those last two mods as I've gotten sidetracked tuning Ambassadeurs lately.

There are a TON of places to source different aftermarket parts from. Just do a simple Google search and you'll get plenty of info. I have to warn you though, it gets addictive really fast.

I'm not exactly sure which rod yet but it's going to be either a Shimano or Loomis for the Metanium XG I picked up a few weeks back. Also I'm going to need a rod for a "tuned" Abu 5601 C4 I'm currently building. Still waiting on the last few parts to arrive, hopefully early next week, then all I have to do is assemble it (which is the fun part to me) and it'll be ready to go. It's navy blue so I'm almost positive I'm gonna go with an Abu Volatile to match, just have to decide between the two I have narrowed it down to. Also I'll either pick up a new Curado after the Classic (if the rumors are true) or a Calcutta D. Love the way the D series Calcutta's look.

I stand corrected and I apologize to you sir.

Well I have to disagree 100%, Lake Mitchell gets very clear at times and stays that way more time than it's stained, and even more so than the times it's down right muddy. Lay Lake can also be clear, especially Paint Creek. I was fishing there this past summer and could easily see down 4 to 5 feet. To your other point, I too was excited about this new style of fishing until I learned that for it to be fished effectively and as designed you need to use 5 pound test or lower line. I'm really not that sure I want to go through all the hassle that seems like it would be, I mean I already have an ultra light set up with white 5# Power Pro so I might pick one up at some point and give it a shot but needing to use such light line really killed my interest.

Shimano's brake weights are as follows; clear - lightest smoke - light red/pink - medium green - heaviest You can tell the difference by looking at the thickness of the tops of the brakes, (by top I mean the part that actually touches the brake race) the greens for example are the thickest and therefore heaviest which results in their providing more braking force due to their heavier weight "pushing" against the brake race harder on a cast. Also due to their thickness they have more surface area touching the brake race also contributing to more braking force. The new Metanium comes with the red brakes installed but in this reels case the extra white ones that come with it are lighter. I'm not sure if the Chronarch CI4+ is the same or not as I don't own one of those as of yet.

No, the weather has been bad here the last couple of weeks. Yesterday would have been a good day but as life usually goes other "more important" things prevented me from going. I'm excited about trying it though just because the feel of the retrieve is so different from any other reel I've owned. The MM gearing might not make that much of an actual difference with a fish on or a high resistance lure but it sure feels good when playing around with it. You can check all you want, side plates are still going to be CI4+.

I knew I was, that's why I didn't understand his post about "checking" on it. Some guys just refuse to believe something unless they prove it to themselves.

The CI4+ only has one type of brake, centrifugal. The dial on the outside of the reel only moves the brake drum closer or further away from the brake blocks therefore creating more or less friction. The new Metanium has CI4+ sideplates, only the frame is magnesium. I just received my Metanium XG last Monday.

Any type, and I mean ANY, of grease on the brake race is going to slow the spool significantly and decrease casting distance.

No, the Ultra Point isn't opti-angle, it's completely round.

Looks that way. As I said before I just don't understand making changes to a proven product that no one is actually calling for. I've got a package somewhere that has the "Ultra Point" printing on it, I'll try and get a pic if I can find them.

I'm glad you were able to get everything figured out. I hope you like the hooks as I've had very good luck using them. I'll also add though that if indeed Mustad is going away from the "Ultra Point" on these then I'll stop using them altogether. I HATE when companies cheapen a good product just so they can make a bigger profit but try to convince consumers that the new version is just as good or better. I'm perfectly capable of deciding for myself. Another good example of this is the Shimano Curado G.

In my opinion the # 2's are real Mustad hooks, the other two I'm not so sure about. Mustad KVD trebles have what Mustad refers to as "Ultra Point" technology hook points which look nothing like the points on the 4's and 6's. Try doing a search for Mustad KVD trebles and have a look at their points, I've never seen any with the points like your hooks. Good luck getting this sorted out.