deadadrift89

I lost a small fortune in swimbaits over last Summer to pike in Minnesota, had to place 2 Tackle Warehouse orders and a Amazon one. No way I'm throwing a Hudd or any other high dollar bait up there. Lucky Craft Sammy's are my $$$ threshold up North ?

If you decide to up your budget a little ($99)these are on sell right now and make a great shallow/medium crank rod. Also the tip is perfect working 1/2oz topwater walking baits like Spook jrs. Daiwa Tatula DTTU701MRB https://www.sportsmansoutfitters.com/products/daiwa-tatula-bass-rods

What size TAC clips do you like on say 1.5 size squarebill's ? Thanks

I believe it was your recommendation? a couple of years ago that turned me on to them. Past two Summer's spent in Minnesota and the smallies love them

I've used these several times with no issues. https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Gamakatsu_Superline_EWG_Weighted_Hook_5pk/descpage-GSEGW.html?from=gshop&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIv5r_1a-75wIVRr7ACh0D0gTREAQYAiABEgJENvD_BwE

Provider Tackle "Performance Series" are my favorite. Loaded with salt/scent and hold up well

Had a neighbor like that, 99% a junebug colored Zoom U-tail worm texas rigged. It worked for him with his old Ugly Stick ,Shakespeare spinning reel and Big game mono. Saw him catch a lot of bass. Me on the other hand got have it all I'm a tackle junkie ?

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Megastrike_Shake2_Pro_Model_Shakey_Head/descpage-MSPROMD.html These have great standup like @Russ E said. I prefer the screw lock type keeper on mine.

I highly recommend regardless of on water test or not do compression test. You can get a gauge cheap at auto parts store and easily do yourself. Also ask him last time wheel bearings in hub were replaced or visually inspected. If not recent and you do buy make sure and take care of(can save you sitting on side of road in future). Best of luck on boat !!

I fish multiple days a week year round and never back anything off. When I didn't fish as much I use to back drags off but after the second time I forgot to set back that cost me a fish I said no more?

Slow and steady mostly with a few twitches and/or pauses on retrieve

Chatterbait for me mostly because water clarity is usually bad during pre-spawn where I fish

I primarily use Junebug and Junebug red when water clarity is 3' or less. You'll see Junebug on just about everyone's boat deck down South ?

Hammer Rods https://hammerrods.com/pages/about-us

Grateful we've got Academy Sports a few blocks down street from them that actually respects the second Amendment ?

11mi

Personally I fish a 7'1" Heavy. Never cared for anything longer. If I was younger that would probably be different ?

I'm sure you'll enjoy that Mann 8". I throw Netbait 11" C-Mac during Summer and it has caught me many small bass I never thought would eat it. Still throw Zoom Ol' Monster 10.5" as backup. Junebug has always done well in stained water for me.

I'm not color blind but best friend is. Soft plastics in original bags and if you tip them with markers or dye put in gallon freezer Ziploc and write what you added. Hard baits in plano boxes, write on lid above crank color/depth. For me if pushed I could get by with junebug or green pumpkin for creature/craw/worm plastics. Dropshot - shad color. Hard baits shad, white, bluegill or chartreuse/black back or blue back/chartreuse. All depending on water clarity. This doesn't mean I still don't have every color of the rainbow and pounds of plastics weighing boat down??

For me seeing a PB and then losing it can haunt you for a long time and I mean a looooong time??

You may want to try using a Gamakatsu Drop/Split Shot Hook #1 instead and rigging as @Bird showed. We do alot of it this way and hookups usually aren't a problem. I also just do a reel set to put hook in fish and never lower rod tip.

Largemouth - Texas rigged Zoom trickworm junebug red Smallmouth - Sammy100 ghost ayu

Open box, put on line, fish it. Gets cleaned following Winter along with all others. Only if I have an issue will it get any maintenance before that.

Big Disappointments - Abu Garcia RevoSX and OrraSX spinning reels, I've got 2 of each model and one of each model has had issues. Nice suprises - Abu IKE Finesse Series spinning rods, 6'10" med/light is a fantastic dropshot rod. I've got 3 now?. Also the 2018 Diawa Tatula 7' med/mod (graphite) cranking topwater rod, great action for 1/2oz treble baits

Great customer service when I had a rod broken during shipment. Emailed pics, damage, model as Choporoz stated. Kept me on phone while she setup shipment for replacement