Kevin22

I didn't have very good luck with vanish either, same with trilene 100%. But that's for another thread. There is a spool of 832 30# on ebay right now for $16.99. That's a pretty good deal considering what time of year it is. If you want cheap line, stock up in the late fall when small stores are doing closeouts on ebay, and the middle of winter as demand drops. I had two bad spools of original PP in a row early this spring which pretty much put me off PP for good. I tried 832 and will never go back. Its worth the extra couple dollars a spool to get the good stuff IMO.

That is a very good point. If you are fishing muddy water, forget it. Go to a swimming fluke or something like that, with some vibration and sound. Flukes are visual baits, best for clear to stained water.

Its an old quantum tour. Has the perfect action while fishing but just not enough give to keep them hooked up, especially when fishing in current.

They have been working great lately! I've been throwing the strike king series 1 (similar to the KVD 1.5) in sexy sunfish. The key is to bang it off any sort of structure or rip/rap so it deflects hard, and they will smash it. Currently using a 7'MF but losing a lot of fish 3/4 way in, so I'm going to switch to a 7' MM as soon as money allows. Using a 7:1:1 lews spooled with 14# sufix seige, but going to switch the line as it is getting chewed up pretty bad. Most people will say to throw it to cover and when you feel it hit something to stop and let it float up, I've been doing the opposite. When fishing rip/rap, the second I feel it hit something I crank as fast as I can for 2 turns so the crank darts off to the side real quick. That is when most of my hits happen.

I'd probably use it for senkos or flukes when I need to make a long cast. Unless its on the stiffer side, then you could use about anything.

Topwater walking bait.

Square bills here. I'd use it for some new cranks and try some new brands.

We've been doing it forever around here. Of course we are just catching eater sized channels and not chasing big flats or anything.

Downsize to the fluke jr. Put it on a 2/0 offset worm hook (not ewg). Use a spinning rod and throw it to a laydown, grass line, pads, or anything that you think a fish will be holding on. You'll get some 10-12" fish which will boost your confidence. After you figure them out, go back to the super fluke and upsize to a baitcaster to target some bigger fish.

Tie a square knot, then tie a small square knot in the tag end. Pull tight. Keep holding it tight with your off hand and start reeling with the other. Once you get 3-4 turns it will hold tight. I do it with the spool installed.

KVD 2.5's will get close to 8' with 8# flourocarbon and a long cast. I distinctly remember KVD saying "I can hang it up in 7' of water with 8# fluorocarbon".

For those you will likely want a 7'0 MM with a 6:x:1 ratio. Fast enough to burn a lipless or square bill but slow enough to get a medium down without over doing it. I'd use 12 or 14# whatever you want. You aren't trying to break a diving record with those baits. You'll likely want a graphite for throwing lipless and square bills around cover.

Find the hole and put a tiny bit of silicone sealer on it.... I've closed up many scum frogs that way.

If you buy the legend you will never look at the avid the same way again. If you can afford to buy legends from now on, then go ahead and get one.. because once you have one you will never want to use an avid again.

Rapala DT14. Try different colors until they react.

Well, there's your problem right there. You set the hook too hard and tore a hole in the lip, then when he jumped it twisted the hook and came free. If you set the hook like the hulk you have to horse them to the boat not allowing them to jump or turn their head. If you are going to play them to the boat then you cannot be doing the hulk hookset.

I fish barbless hooks exclusively for white bass, and when doing so I hook a lot of largemouth as well. Very rarely does one spit it. I get a lot more fish that spit it with barbed hooks than with barbless. The reason being is that it takes more effort to penetrate past the barb. With barbless it only takes a small flick of the wrist and the hook has penetrated to the bend. I doubt you had them hooked past the barb, or just had the very edge of the lip and ripped it loose when they jumped. It wasn't a barb problem, it was probably a hook-up problem.

That sounds about like my Medium action veritas. Sounds absolutely nothing like my 7'MHF. There is no way you are casting a weightless anything with mine unless you lob cast it, because that tip is not flexing! I tested it this afternoon, a bare 3/8 hack attack jig does not bend the tip. With a creature trailer (up to around 1/2oz total weight) it loads it a little bit.

Must be something mechanically wrong then. Mine adjust better than any other reel I have owned.

The last couple of days the fish have been reacting very well to square bills for me. Water temp is 77 and yesterday it was post-storm and cloudy. I was burning a SK series 1 (similar to a 1.5) as fast as the 7.1 would go, making it jump and deflect off any rock I could find. They were trying to take the rod out of my hand they were hitting it so hard. I caught a couple throwing to deeper water (probably 8-10) and getting it down as deep as I could then burning it with lots of rod jerks and erratic movements. They make great search baits, don't think you have to just throw them up to logs and reel back nice and slow... That works, but not all of the time.

Buffalo are okay when smoked, but only out of cold water.

Has anyone tried the trilene XL armor coated? Seems yo-zuri is mentioned a lot. I use it for UL fishing but haven't tried it on a baitcaster yet. Looking forward to trying it when I can find it somewhat cheap.

The back end of the braid is going to float, ruining your action. But, it will probably work. The fish up in your neck of the woods are probably post spawn and on fire as the water warms. I'd imagine they would be hitting about anything that moves and looks like food.

Looks like a mini butane torch.

To be honest, I'd just tie on a square bill and have at it. Crank any structure, weeds, and just fan cast. If you run 12# line you can fish from 0-6'. Up it to 14 and you can get most down to a good 5'. I doubt they are going to be out in the middle of the lake, probably going to be tucked in weeds, being that it is a shallow lake which will have no noticeable thermocline.