Drewski73

Ive got an 11 year old Quantum PTI 100 that I have absolutely beaten to death. I just replaced drag washers, and had to replace the AR clutch. Thats it. Like $20 in parts in 11 years. Its been wade fishing in the surf all over the world. Ive got 12 lb braid on it, and it just keeps on going. If it ever dies, Ill replace it with another quantum. Its just been too good not to. I use it for my drop shot rod now as I dont fish the salt nearly as much. But if theyre all as good as this one has been, you cant go wrong.

I just traded in my 7'6" for an 8' dedicated C-Rig rod. I also went from an 6.4:1 retrieve to a 7.3:1 at the same time.

If youre losing fish "mid-retrieve", somethings wrong with either your rod, (not fast enough) your line, (not braid) or your hookset (not hard enough). I lose less hooked fish on a frog than anything else I throw. Its got a massive double hook on it, how does it come out?

I fish frogs because its fun! Big bass eat frogs. Period. On a great day hookup ratio is probably 8 out of 10. On a bad day 5 out of 10. Ive had days where I go 5 for 5 and days where I go 2 for 5. The more I fish it the better I get at waiting. I also fish frogs sloooowly.

If you took the best swimming crankbait in the world, and painted it every different color known to man and fished it evfery day with a new color, 9 out of 10 days it would still catch the same amount of fish IMO. I honestly believe they eat the action. Why do tuned baits catch more fish? They have the same paint job they had before they were properly tuned.... That being said, I bought a squarebill! HA! It was just so pretty hanging there in the store!

7'4" for the win! Its really up to what feels right in your hands, and how the rod balances with the reel youll be using.

735

Curado 200DHSV. Put a Hawg Tech on that bad boy, fill it with 65lb braid and get some!

Its got the 9" folding pneumatic tires to roll it around. Very easy for one person. The pulley system in the truck will ease it down onto the ground. Getting her up into the truck will be the hard part.

She isnt much, but she's mine! Hanging from the ceiling in my garage is a brand new Tracker Topper 1236. Ive got a new 6hp Tohatsu on the way. Ill be adding a slightly raised (6") floor on the bow, and a floor in the mid section. I need to find a trolling motor, and shell be all set! The hoist is Harken Hoister, and I cant recommend it enough, really a cool way to store a boat. Ive got a bed extender for my Tundra, and the boat fits great. Ill be mounting a roller on the extender cross bar to roll the boat into the bed of the truck using a simple pulley system when Im solo. Its got 9" fold up, pneumatic tires that mount on the transom (theyre out for the pics) and it rolls around very easily. I think Ive found a way for me to fish solo, fairly easily without a trailer, and without having to keep a boat in storage.

Cores seem to be on sale as well....

7'4" and 8'

I really liked the red cumaras Ive owned. Unfortunately I found DX's and have sold all my cumaras and bought Dobyns. At that price point I think there are better rods FOR ME. But I think the cumaras are nice rods. The current cumaras are a better rod than current crucials. Ive owned both at the same time. Whether its $120 better is up to your wallet.

I just bought a used Curado DHSV for $100. Put a Hawgtech handle, bearings and carbontech drags on it. Its really nice for around $170.

I use FC because I BELIEVE it gives me an advantage. Period. Logically, I understand I may be wrong. But, if I BELIEVE it helps me then Im going to fish a little slower, and Im going to stick with that bait a little longer. Eventually it will help me. Not because bass cant see FC, simply because I think they cant. Last Sunday I caught two jig fish, they just werent up in the trees. One was caught on straight 65lb braid the other on 17lb flouro. I still belive FC gives me an advantage. Ill fish it until I dont believe that, knowing the whole time I may be wrong.

Hootie, Id say its time you changed your avatar! lol Thats awesome!

I hope its good, I just asked for a quote from Ron! EDIT: I just bought one to come with my new DX745.

This rod intrigues me. I fish enough C-Rig to warrant a dedicated "heavy" C-Rig rod. I already have a 763 that I fish up to 3/8 oz on and I love it for a finesse C-Rig application. The 804 would also give me an A-Rig rod. Are there any other 8' CRig rods to look at? I do fish longer leaders so the length is attractive to me. Anybody have one and NOT like it?

X2 It just feels right to me.

Ive bought probably 30 bags of roboworms in the last nine months. Mine have never been heat sealed. Theyre open plastics bags that get header cards stapled to them. I love em and could care less about the bags.

For heavy flippin I use 50 or 65 lb. Power pro is good, as is suffix.

Ive got 50lb braid on two curado 50e's. They function wonderfully for pitchin/flippin. Id set your drags to match rod ratings if youre worried about your rods. Not that I think you need to worry.

Recently bought a bunch of Elaztech baits to use here in South East Texas in the winter. Yesterday was the perfect day to try them out. Fish suspended 3-4 feet of the bottom in 18-22 feet of water. Relating to shad schools but not really under them or in them. After 20 minutes with one missed bite, I switched to a Z man creatures, basically a floating brush hog. First cast was a 3.5. Caught another smaller fish on that bait. Next up was a Strike King Z Too floating fluke. Same result except this first cast resulted in a 4.5. At this point my buddy went Elaztech as well. We caught 12 bass draggin a C Rig and 11 came on floating baits. He caught 4 on a strike king Elaztech trick worm. The Z man saw tails also caught fish. I dont know how many guys out there are using floating baits on a C Rig, but Ill be ordering more Elaztech baits today. I was fishing 30 lb braid to 12 lb flouro with a 1/2 oz tungsten weight and force bead above the swivel. 2/0 gamakatsu ewg hook on the bussiness end.

I currently have both in multiple reels, and cannot tell any difference. I do think the hawgtechs are a tiny bit louder.

X2 1" minnows on a 1/64 oz jig head under a bobber will catch more panfish than anything else Ive ever fished. Ive caught 4lb cats on that tiny thing, as well as many bass.