gulfcaptain

Been using it since 2021, it's shown me structure, fish activities, behavior, edges. It's shown what you thought you new you new nothing. Have 2 dd, neither with ffs, I can count on 1 hand how many fish over 5lbs I've put in the boat using it. But it's a great tool when you want to fish a bait in 20ft of water over flooded trees, when you can fish a tree you didn't know about, a weed edge to follow or find that is 4ft under the water. Those that hate it don't understand it. I got bashed for it to be the 1st in our club to have it, but yet most had spot locking trolling motors. I choose to upgrade my electronics, never crying about them not having to fight wind like I did. So should we make "exceptions" before spotlock and after? I mean before you had to keep yourself in place not just hit the button...... it's fishing, it's a tool, you still have to use your instincts. Lure selection, presentation, and location to catch fish. The debate over pre and post ffs is nonsense.

So I've gone to P-Line TCB 8 braid. The others are good but since 2016 I've used this stuff and never looked back.

The Gman once said "fishing is the loosingest sport you will ever play". That's why we call it fishing and not catching. Some days you can't do anything wrong, other days you can't do it right. But those days we don't catch, we'll those are learning days. What was different? What changed? And you figure it out, put it in your back pocket and use that info when that situation comes up again. What makes us better fisherman is learning from our failures.

Almost thought it was the original bullywa from R2S. Then again looks like a Kyiara (don't think I spelled it right). I'd look on TW but the site is down

I use the cheap ones, but also learned to hit the epoxy with a torch to smooth and remove bubbles too

Id do it myself. Did my boat plus a friend's. Not hard, make sure you have a dedicated power supply for the 12" and the black box. I moved all mine to a fuse panel with 6gauge wire then split off from there with 10 and 14g depending on the needs as well as a dedicated battery switch. But honestly it's not that hard to run. If you do have it installed, ask them to put a toggle on/off switch to the black box. I did this ok my garmin. Don't have to worry about putting the unit on stby every time I wanna move and I know the power is off to the transducer in the summer so it doesn't overheat.

Id use a 7'3 h in the Falcon line up. Believe it's the Amistad special. Have it in a few different lines. Soft enough but plenty of backbone as well.

I like pyramid better. But I get it.

Sounds like you need another one then....problem solved. Now please make your way to the bait monkey/tackle addiction forum for support in your new rod purchase.

So depending on the bait you throw and where you're fishing, species, and of course bait. Let's say spots, bigger spots gator role. Had a great bite on a lake with a 168, over 3 days, had one come off each day, several fish missed the hooks as they swatted at the bait. Most found their way into the boat but not all. It was a probably higher then 60/40, call it 75%. Have had days where you have more come off and days you have less. Gone 1 for 10, then gone 7 for 8 the next weekend. Bigger fish normally don't come unpinned or if they are killing the bait, but if they swat at it you're success rate is lower. Some places they eat it better then others, but as an overall avg I'd still stick with a 60/40. Most think throwing these baits will result in rod jarring strikes, which aren't the case. A lot of baits are subtle and go undetected. I can't tell you any techniques I fish with a 90/10 success rate.

What lake is he fishing?

The only 7 count senkos I've seen at Walmart are the ones someone took 3 out of to make a bag of 13 at the checkout. Kinda like buying powerpro(now in plastic contaniers) in a mono box for 6.99. Add baits here, put this in that box, but they are 10ct for $6.99 in Long Beach. Of course that's when they all haven't been taken and out and put in the discount creature packages.

Motorguide is pretty good....just had to throw it out there and definitely agree with you about Garmin.

Catch 2 doing something go look for something that looks the same. Start looking deeper into it. Also what worked before just because it's the same time of year things may be different. What was your water temp, water level up or down? Little things make huge differences on where fish position.

Bluegill body style baits can be great fish catchers, but due to their shape tend to have a higher loss rate. Had a buddy hook a nice one on a bluegill glide, came unpinned and found its way right in the back of both my legs. Points of the hook on one leg and buried in the other. Hard to run a trolling motor when you can't move and decoy quad hooks though the back. Glide baits in general have a 60/40 hook up to catch ratio overall. Sometimes the stiffer rod isn't the answer, you still are fishing a treble hook bait and one that weighs sometimes over 2 to 6oz. Lots of weight to use to throw it.

There isn't a lake in S. Cal that produces like the delta or Clear Lake. So many much better fisheries. Yes we have big fish, but the lack of significant trout plants of the past the larger sized fish have fallen off.

The savage gear 5.25 is your best option. It gets bit, you can throw it on that rod. Work it with quick turns and pause or jerks. If you want to try something a little more then go with the Swaver 168.think it comes in at just over an ounce and a half but isn't overly heavy and is a slower sinking bait you can work slower. Both will catch big fish as well as 12'ers. The 168 would probably need a 7'1 to 7'3h, throw mine on a 7'7mh. The 120 are too small, have them and have to work too fast. The savage gear are on sale right now and can pick up for under $10 on tackle warehouse.

This. Why chance getting something to get by. What happens when you're in the middle of nowhere, have a flat, and it's 100+ mi to the nearest place. And make sure your tires are inflated correct and they are trailer tires. Especially on a single axle trailer.

So you can search with a drop shot, you can also fish a powershot fishing around cover just a stepped up version 15 to 20lb line instead of the lighter 6 or 8lb and bigger hook and bait. As for searching, longer hook to weight as so your bait stays up off the bottom. You can fish it fairly quickly to cover water and if you wanna pitch one into cover then 6' to the sinker and let it fly. 6"fat roboworm or a 7' works great around timber and reeds.

So there are giants at both. Biggest limit with a 9.7 kicker at Clear lake. Had 50+lbs for 2 days with 2 days of practice. The delta, well it's huge, tides, everything looks good but isn't. Had zero fish days there or all small. Took me 3yrs fishing 3 times a year 3-5 days each time and then it finally started clicking. Yes pb is from the delta, 11lb and some change, but it's a tough fishery that will humble you. If I was going for a pb trip, I'd go to Clear Lake. But love fishing both. It's a great break from S. Cal fisheries.

I don't fish Shimano, but the Quantum Vapor is nice. Find them on that bidding site for about a third of your budget.

FFS is the Devil!!! It shows you fish, what they are doing...it's horrible to understand what's going on under the water. Now I can't bs everyone with tactics and then they go use them and the fish don't respond!! It's ruining the sport, the nostalgia, the wondering. And it's also pretty dam amazing. I've had mine since 2021, now everyone thinks I catch them with it only and it's just a tool. Putting a second one on a turret mount in the next few months so I have one for spotlock. And all those that don't like it. Well winner's never hate winner's, understand how it feels to loose, but loosers always hate winner's. FFS for life.....lol

Not sure about the rattle. I'd probably go with a tube rattle that has a hole in it and attach it to the split ring and see how it ran. Most baits make a lot of noise even if it doesn't have rattles. As for you jerkbaits, lead wire wrapped around the shank of the hooks will cause them to sink and suspend. You'll have to fine tune it but that would be a start.

I've fished Quantum reels for over the last 10yrs. Had 1 with an issue. 1 out of 20 reels or more, lost count and have been solid reels. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Id say I can tie a SD jam with my eyes closed and use it for everything with little failure rate. Comes down to what is the best knot you can tie in a stressful situation or in the dark. To tie the trilene, it takes a bit of time but great knot, uni, also a great knot, as is a Palomar. Buy I can't tie them as fast as I can a SD. So I go with the one that I can tie quickly without fail.