lmbfisherman

You're lucky you can find 5's, we're lucky if we can find them in the 4.5s. Of course 6s maybe overkill for the Northern Strain.

There is nothing wrong with strictly using just a "spinning or baitcasting" setup. But I think using both in your arsenal makes things easier and cheaper (to get a BC to do some of the things spinning reels can do, will cost you!) I seem to always have two spinning combos with me with 3-4 baitcasting combos. I like using spinning combos for light presentations weightless worms, flukes, drop shot (1/4 oz and under), shaky head 1/8.. For all else I use baitcasting...I use to favor baitcasting more than spinning, but after buying my first Stradic 1000 FJ. It has changed my mind, as I always bought better quality BCs before and probably why I liked fishing with them more than my cheapo spinning reels.

WOW I'd be all over that price. Sadly most of my local shops have already sold them out at 160.

x2 probably should rest your wrist. That would drive me nuts..sorry to hear, but at least it will be good to use and well rested in 6 weeks!

What would make me wary of buying a BC at this price and where it was "coming from" would be longevity and quality. It sounds like it would be like a "disposable" reel after a few outings not to mention the difficulty of replacing parts. But hey, I'd be curious to see your review on it still.

FYI - why the other few posters who think you were looking down on the bagger and fries guy. Your post maybe interpreted that way is all. Better way of putting it would've been not saying anything at all. Your other posts kind of makes you come off that way too. But it really doesn't matter imo, we are talking about fishing. I don't want to talk about my 'job'..

I'm starting to use my MH rods in all but matted vegetation or very scary looking cover. I use my H/F rods more for Carolina Rigs, but I am finding that I'm not doing that too much either.

I haven't done a slow retrieve, but I have fished it like a fluke. Jerk, jerk, pause..jerk jerk pause.. Also a follow up to your other post, try using a smaller senko, like a 4-5" one.

Hey man, keep at it..you'll break the skunk. I see your location is in Michigan, I'm assuming you are cooling off like Ontario has been sooner than normal. I have been skunked by bass for a week in the last month too. What I did was change the body of water I was fishing at. Here are a few other things that have been working for me: 1. Topwater - specifically Jitterbugs and Buzzbaits, last week I was cottaging up north where it was 5 degrees cooler than where I live in Southern Ontario. I struggled the first two days trying to locate the smallies. I found them staying shallow eventually, I was throwing jitterbugs and buzzbaits parallel to shore, especially when I found points and boulders or rocky shores with overhanging trees. They were found in bays and coves sticking close to shore and creek/river mouths. Biggest I caught was 4lbs, 2 3lbers and the rest were 1-2 lbs. They were smashing the jitterbug. What I also found they didn't want big baits either. They wanted smaller. For instance I used a bigger buzzbait, but when I downsized I had more strikes. 2. Spinnerbaits - I was using a SK 3/8 oz Bleeding Shad - White/CHT, when they weren't hitting the topwater (which wasn't a lot of the times, some reason they wanted topwater all day). Still, I was doing the same thing with the spinnerbaits, parallel to the shore. I was doing a steady retrieve, not burning or slow rolling..waited 2-3 seconds before I started the retrieve. I even threw the spinnerbait towards shore especially if there was a downed tree and or some type of cover running parallel. It has been an odd season for us and I'm assuming all of us around this corridor. From speaking with other guys locally, we are all thinking they might be starting the fall transition. I'm also hearing the salmon are starting their run early too. So it maybe possible the bass in your area is reacting to the fall like weather and they are transitioning, if that is the case it should start heating up soon. Maybe take a break for a week or just go out and have fun catching panfish. Sometimes I do that when my frustration level goes through the roof.

I've had a lot of success from the bank, as long as you know where the fish are holding it would be effective. I usually cast it towards cover..etc, just last Sunday I caught 6 largies using the dropshot from the bank (local quarry).

Congrats man!

What area of Ontario you at?

Now wouldn't that be epic.

I definitely agree I can tell the difference between the Chronarch E and Curado G. I'll also agree that I can tell the difference between my Chronarch and Curado E, but it still doesn't rule out the G and E feeling that much different. Just trying to figure out what point you were trying to make? I am in agreement overall the Chronarch is built almost the same, but the minor improvements when I fish them with the Curado E, I find the Chronarch smoother in performance.

Yeah at least for us guys up in the North Eastern area, temperature has been stable around low 70's and high 60's the past month.

Not sure why jig fishing from shore is a bad idea. Only thing I can think of is hang ups? I learned to fish jigs from shore first and caught fish. I'm no expert though, still learning the tricks of the trade. I kind of set aside the jigs this year as one of my goal was to learn to drop shot and fish crankbaits more. I have done number 1 with lots of success, still haven't built the confidence on crankbaits. This thread is making me want to jig fish all day this coming Saturday. I miss jig fishing! I will not say I'm an "expert jig" fisherman, but I will say I'm no beginner jig fisherman.

Yeah experiencing the same here. I went on a cottage trip up north with the family last week. I had trouble the first two days to find the smallmouth bass (usually find them in 20+ ft of water). I kept nabbing a lot of good sized pike though. Anyway, on the the 3rd day decided to go to the creek/river mouths, hidden shallow coves and bays. I started nailing them after that. They also aren't hitting finesse or plastics. They wanted reaction type of baits - spinnerbaits, jitterbugs, squarebill crankbaits, buzzbaits..They were staying shallow, which isn't normal obviously and because of the above normal rain fall, the water is deep and the shoreline is further up the bank than normal. Everyone I speak to here are scratching their heads. A few of the local tournaments have had a lot of guys going in with 1 or no fish. They just can't find them in the normal pattern. The one guy who won on my local lake with 3 fish at 15lbs said they were far back in cover where you can't reach them with the new shoreline. He lost two fish because he had to pitch so far back into cover and had to cut the line because the boat couldn't get close and he could see the fish. It looks like they are starting to go into fall mode early...hopefully you are wrong and there won't be early snow though!

I say don't get the cheapest crappiest mono line...when I tried to learn baitcasting I used that philosophy and boy was that a bad idea. I would recommend the cheapest is to go for 10 dollar spool of Trilene Big Game 12lb should be a good all around line or Sufix Siege.

The G series is just fine and work as well as my E series, it seems this post comes up a lot. Sure the G series was downgraded, but please compare the price. They wanted to market a reel within the price range. Even with the downgrade the performance is on par and have stated this before actually can outcast my Es. I like the profile better than my E series too and I find I don't go OMGZ THE G IS GARBAGE! When I fish them side by side. I also own the Citica Gs, 1 Curado B, Chronarch 50MG, Chronarch Es all great performers and my newest addition Chronarch CI4+.. All of these reels you couldn't go wrong with. My recommendation if you can afford it, get the Chronarch E. Since I believe in buy the best you can afford. OR if you really want to save it, get the CI4+. For 270 retail. Also, I find most people just regurgitate what is stated online...instead of actually fishing one.

I own 23 combos, I have rotations depending on weather, body of water and time of year. Usually I take the following: Shore - 2 minimum, 3-4 normally. (Topwater, Jigs and Plastics and spinnerbaits/swim jigs) Co-Angler - 5-6 depending on what I'm limited too. Kayak - 6 I have 4 holders on the Kayak and added 2 more holders with PVC on my milk crate. These are the combos I use the most, but usually every combo sees some time on the water (especially when I want a duplicate of one type of technique with different colors): Fenwick Aetos - 7'6" H/F paired with Bantam Curado CU200B or Curado 200E7 - Flipping/pitching and heavy jigs GLX 853C paired with CH50E Light to Medium Jig and Worm GL2 893C paired with CH200E6 Swim Jigs and Spinnerbait Veritas MH/F 7'3 with Citica G7 - Multipurpose Fenwick ETS - 6'8" M/XF Shimano Symetre FI2500 - Weightless Flukes Fenwick Aetos - 7' M/F paired with Shimano Stradic 2500 FJ - Dropshot/Shakyhead/Weightless Trick Worms It's funny I can't seem to find a better "ALL PURPOSE" rod than my Veritas from all of the other combos I own. (Not saying another rod can't, just saying that Veritas is the most versatile I have in my arsenal...Jig and Worm, Spinnerbaits, frogs, flipping and pitching...) Just can do it all with the exception of light baits. These guys see the most work in my rotations, but not always..for instance just yesterday I had my Fenwick Aetos and ETS spinners with me and had ETS Casting 6'10 M/F and my Avid 6'6". I had the Avid tied on with a Hula Popper and the ETS Casting with a Texas rig weightless Curly Tail worm. I'm sure I could've fished with just one, but to me it's not fun changing lures frequently.

When I first purchased my 50E last year (1st season of bass fishing, well going hardcore), I asked my local tackle guy what would be a good flipping and pitching reel. He then pulled the Curado 50E out and said, the best I ever used and it's on clearance. If I only knew what a great buy it was back then, I would've bought all 4 that day (130 each), when I went back to get another he sold out. So yeah used it for flipping and pitching with no issues, however I don't use it for flipping/pitching now..I use it as my finesse shaky head baitcaster setup, not that it lacked the power though.

What Cranken said.

It is a local shop up here in Ontario, Canada. Did you still want the info? If so, I will pm you.

I'm not sure I'm "Brand Loyal", but I own a lot of Shimano products. I'm also finding I enjoy the Fenwick lines a lot, I've decided between Shimano/G Loomis and Fenwick, between both manufacturers, I find they offer Power/Action that I like to fish with. However, I will never give up that 1 Avid - 6'6" M/F, for some reason I find this rod to be my favorite Topwater/Jerkbait rod. Don't know what it is, but to me it fishes these two techniques perfectly. Here's the breakdown of my current arsenal: Rods - 11 Shimano - 2 Crucials, 3 Compres, 2 Cumaras, 1 Cumulus, 1 Clarus, 1 V Rod, Bob Izumi Edition Rod 5 G Loomis - 3 GLX, 1 GL2 and 1 Custom 4 Fenwick - 2 Elite Tech Smallmouth 2 Aetos 1 St Croix - Avid I own 1 of each - Daiwa (T Rod), Abu Garcia (Veritas), Airrus (Ultra XL), BPS Pro Qualifier Tournament (After posting, I'm thinking it's time to sell or get rid of the odds and ends!) Reels - 15 Shimanos 2 Abu Garcia 4 BPS 2 Daiwa Lexa 1 Quantum Energy I'm definitely a Shimano guy when it comes to reels.

I found the 6'10 ML two Friday's ago, had it in hand....I almost pulled the trigger, but stopped myself as I was purchasing a CI4+ and Cumulus MH/XF 7'1 to match with it, it was on clearance too. I probably should've just nabbed it. ($219)