Big Swimbait

For me they are predominantly pre-spawn and Springtime baits until the water gets into the 70's. But I never put them totally away. There have been days when I couldn't get bit and tied on a red craw crankbait and saved my day, especially post frontal.

Lew's has one https://www.lews.com/rods/tp1

Closest I've seen... https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Black_Label_Cliff_Pace_Wreck_Squarebill_Balsa_Crankbait/descpage-BLWR.html

After watching J Lee fight that 100 lb Sturgeon on Zona's show for a couple of hours, I see no reason to not use what he was using - 8lb AbrazX.

Emailed Mike about this earlier. Order placed plus some swim jigs in the same pattern!

Hog Farmer Spunk Shad for me. https://hogfarmerbaits.com/products/spunk-shad-swimbait?variant=12780186959923

Been using Hayabusa for the 2nd year now. Not a single issue. As soon as they make the bigger weighted screw-lock swimbait hooks, I will be all in.

Megabass Vatalion...

Costas, but nowhere but from here: (Most of the ones mentioned here also) https://www.steepandcheap.com/sunglasses?p=gender%3Amale&fl=true

Thanks! Thank you!

Agree that some of it is easy to source, like carbon fiber grips & the reel seat. But I have never seen a carbon fiber reel seat lock/foregrip. I am sure they are available somewhere. I am also intrigued by the carbon fiber over the hook keeper. I would like to learn how to do that as well. Blanks are always a matter of personal choice but based on what I see, I am sure the rest was top shelf components as well.

If I could find the specs on these built by Lake Fork guide Mark Pack, I would duplicate in a heartbeat!

This is important to me because I run braid to leader almost exclusively now. So I match up the diameter of the leader to the same diameter braid (or as close as I can get). Makes the leader knots easier to tie for me. This has really worked well on my wacky rigs that I run 10# fluro & 30# Braid. I can cross their eyes on the hook set if I have to.

I have a couple of Daiwa Lexa 300 with the Winn Grips that I really like. But I just recently scored a Tranx 300 off of a Facebook swimbait page. I only thought the Lexa was heavy duty - the Tranx is a beast!

Get the 7' MH - since it's designed for braid, it has a nice bend that will help keep those hooks pinned. I used the previous model for years until I thought I needed a dedicated rod. I didn't. Sold it & went right back to the Shock. https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Berkley_Shock_Casting_Rods/descpage-BSCR.html

One extreme to the other - an 8-13 on a 6" Bull Shad and an 8-7 on a Ned (1/2 of a Bumblebee Yum Dinger)

4" MM II Roboworm

I use a 4 oz saltwater weight with a big strong snap swivel. I tie the weight to an old marker buoy so I can wrap it up for storage. 95% of the time the heavy weight knocks it loose on the first drop. If not, I just pull it up a foot or so & drop it again until the bait is free.

Check out the 5 1/2" Boss Hogg at KC Injection Baits. You pick the color, glitters, sent, salt or no salt. Quick turnaround. https://kcinjectionbaits.com/store/page5.html

Shimano Tranx 300AHG!

S-Waver 168 ST-56 Hooks Size 2, Hyper Wire Split Rings size 4 S-Waver 200 ST-56 Hooks Size 1/0, Hyper Wire Split Rings size 5 And totally agree with the double split-rings!

Use them all of the time. Go for it!

Yes it is. Got a Shimano Ultegra 2500 on it. I'm nomally a big swimbait guy but this combo caught more fish this year 2 to 1 over anything else.

When a good friend of mine started repping Major Craft, he let me "demo" several rods and wanted feedback - positive or negative. One of the ones I took was the Iovino rod you mentioned. I wanted to try it for the Ned Rig since at the time, it was just starting to get traction. I though the rod performed well above it's price point. I have it and the finesse casting in my arsenal.

Thanks for the info!