Montanaro

I'm going fishing Saturday with my dad and today I had the chance to do a little fishing after work with my buddy so I decided to work on finesse fishing with my spinning setup as it is a weak part of my game. So I take my 7'm ugly stick with 12lb mono and do some drop shotting and shakey heading... It was awful. I felt like I was fishing with a noodle (or more aptly a whip). I've been using BC setups for the last couple years and buy quality components and now I feel like I have to sell all my ugly sticks. I knew for a while they weren't great but would get me by...and now that I am by I wonder how I ever managed to use them! The point is...I ...want(need?)...a new spinning rod for finesse purposes that won't break the bank and want to know how I should upgrade (maybe I can sell my uglys for the rod).

If it was a small pond I'd block the ramp too! I'm going to be only one out there!

No evidence available saying braid makes a difference except personal anecdotes. In fact one scientific experiment found no difference and if the braid is thinner than a nickel then it would appear as a sliver if not nearly unnoticeable to a bass's eyes. If you want to use expensive memory prone fluoro that will last a season go for it. It still has excellent abrassion resistence.

30 pound braid. 40 if you know you are fishing heavier cover.

There is a short thread on these rods just one or two pages back, check it out

I spent much of my work day investigating fluoro leaders and have decided to go for it for most of my rods. One thing I read from an extensive in fisherman article was that one should buy fluoro leader line rather than actual fluorocarbon. Reason being the leader version is better suited for the job and comes in lesser yardage. If so, what brand should I look into? Seaguar premier leader, Sunline FC leader, other? Or am I okay using my 16 pound Sunline sniper and in the future picking a spool of tatsu? Also...does anyone have a crankbait setup with fluoro leader? It would give some flex and abrassion resistence to the outfit but still provide casting ability correct?

I catch multiple fish with no problem. I've also seen bass annihilate craw imitators with one claw missing. Change it out and deal with it or leave the one on.

I trim as I've seen bass grab all legs before...I take about 25% off

Bass won't always want to hit topwater though.

They have a 6 month warranty I believe.

As long as they have one eye they will be fine assuming they have the capability of their other senses

I bought the red ear g2 shellcracker a couple weeks ago and took it to one of my lakes. Bass still in prespawn and temp was 62. Tied it on in the evening and worked it in shallow flooded shorelines. I started by waking it which is like the combination of buzz bait and jitterbug (should be deadly at night). But I remembered the tip I saw on a video saying how well it deflects and that it should be rimmed into logs. The first submerged log I saw (~5 fow) I put my rod tip in water and cranked down. Banged into it and when rolling to the other side I saw a flash and bam! 2 pounder. Caught 3 just like that within half an hour. This thing swam through and over growing water shield stems and brush like it wasn't there. By end of day I was tossing it into some nasty cover. I plan on putting some mustad ewgs on it and probably buying bluegill or crappie. Anyone else have these and you have any tips or tricks?

Some use 7

My dad is putting a stake/push pole on back...hope it helps in wind.

Some of my biggest blowups come on blurps. I feel more confident when I get a series of blurps rather than spits.

I've had bass kill shellcrackers. Never thought of using them for punching

B.A.S.S. have specialized boats that release bass back to near the areas of where they were caught and they document and post pictures to show they care. Saying they have little concern is simply untrue.

If b.a.s.s. can release all those bass that go in live wells, bags, weighing, and parading with few lost bass then I'd say odds are they will survive

The point of the follow up bait is to mimic injured prey. Injured frog or shad is going to sink.

I see fan boys of both. I've bought both. I prefer the tatula. Go to a store and try out how they feel.

I have a 6'6" medium fast action for 1/4 to 5/8. Got it dirt cheap for jerk and topwater but I hardly use those techniques. You think it would be good for 1/2oz spinnerbait and bladed jigs?

I've used both. Tatula hands down

Thinner allows it to slide through veggies easier and it will fall faster. Thicker can be tougher to get through cover...but slows down the fall and offers bigger profile.

Smallest...1/4 shakey with fuse 4.4 Largest...1 1/2 oz g2 shellcracker

This exact scenario played out in Wisconsin recently. 9 pounder released...story on ***