PGA Dropout

I live with the same fear. I guess I'll have to shell out for Tatsu.

Old NRX 853 (probably 852 in NRX+) if I had to dedicate a rod. Casts lousy, doesn't love to go above like a 3/8 oz Keitech, but hoooly crap is it sensitive.

This thread has inspired me to throw more 110 Jr's. I got sick of them t-boning the Pointer and missing the hooks. They slow-float with the current water temp and the Smallmouth hate them to death. Great success.

I wish I could like A-jay's post more than once. If and when they stop eating the Zako, try the Geecrack copy. Very promising so far.

Siebert Fogy and Hag's Hurricane are good choices to start. I have a Fogy that hunts super hard. Zman makes a few compact chatterbaits that are popular. Grass Piece is my everyday. OSP Metal Blade in wood. I still feel like everyone is throwing a bladed jig or maybe an Evo in my neck of the woods. My trailers get bougie. OSP Dolive stick, spec 2 or non salt, 3.5 or 4.5. 5" Fish Roller if I run out of sticks. Sakamata Shads if I run out of Rollers. Zako is fine; still feel like a lot of folks are throwing that. Experimenting with gill style baits as trailers but not blown away yet.

If fluoro is sinking into stuff and making it difficult, you don't have to use it. You'd probably be pretty happy with something like Sufix Siege.

Strolling, as others have mentioned. FFS blew it up but you can do it without FFS from shore (great success). Neko is the new Ned. Gill style plastics reminiscent of the Bullflat. Bellows Gill and its kin are a good example. Also Neko rigged. Dice, Coike, etc. Again, blown up by FFS. Pros are now in the business of annoying fish until they bite. Maybe they always have been? Spinnerbait renaissance maybe? For years its been all-bladed jig all the time. Speaking of chatterbaits, patent ran out and there's excellent competition available now. Strongly recommend OSP Metal Blade. Grass Piece I expect to blow up now that they're being more mass-produced.

That's really weird; all of the fluoro I've used does what you're describing.

6/0 owner, wide gap plus I think it is? Fits pretty well. You need a lot of hook. I bought some after someone was singing their praises on here and I'm thoroughly unimpressed so far.

Braid will wrap trebles horrendously with walking topwaters. Stiff leader helps cut that out. Also my life is full of zebra mussels, so a leader is good. The material doesn't really matter, but I have Red Label so I use that. The only time I'm running straight braid is frog, punch, pitching pads, or like maybe a swim jig over stuff.

I mean, CXX exists if abrasion is your only concern. Shop by diameter.

Yep, for buzzbaits in more open water (and rats too), straight fluoro all the way.

I run a relatively short leader, 6 ft or less, for flipping or topwater. Long leader, 12 ft+, on spinning though. Retying a drop shot eats leader material. If I'm throwing reaction on braid for some reason, no leader.

3.5 - 4" Free Rig Texas Jika Swing head 3" Finesse jig Drop shot Do it all

I could not care less what the pros use. I throw fluoro because it feels good.

Magdrafts, Sleeper Gills, and SV3 are part of my regular rotation. 3" Spark Shads are Smallmouth candy. Replace the hooks on your Visions if you throw them on casting gear.

2 piece as in ferruled in the blank, or would a handle joint suffice?

Have a pack of the 3.5. They are quite small. Neat on a Ned head but they catch so much air that casting distance really suffers. I want to try the 4.8. The 6.5 might be too much party, but we'll see. Smell like plastic with a hint of chemical; definitely would benefit from a little scent.

Yoooo sell me your Wild Bunch if you still have it. Please and thanks. Coincidentally, the P5 Super Destroyer would be the rod I'd recommend if OP didn't want something longer and NRX-sensitive.

FG every time.

I think you could make it work on the 783, even if it's not ideal. My NRX+ seems pretty stout for a 3.

That's really cool. Thanks for the side by side comparison. SV3 is one of my go-to's but the Pike love them to death.

Used to be included minus the normal and expected MAP policies. Now it seems all rods and reels have been excluded from recent sales and that's unfortunate. I don’t blame companies from doing what they have to to stay in business but the value for the consumer has decreased.

Yeah I don't love it since competing retailers don't do that. They're also charging MI sales tax now which is a bummer. I bought a gift card on the Black Friday deal and it might be the last money they get from me.

Resistance is futile. 30% off Owner and Raid got me.