Choporoz

I use them like a crankbait, usually targeting 11-14' LMB. I Pretty much only think about throwing them on sunny days. The hunt is good and the bill flash is a bonus, even at depth.

My suggestion is to include model when posting about equipment. Every brand has a range of models and user experience can vary widely even within same brand. I have 4 Fenwicks that I love; two Aetos and two ETSM's. Fenwick may not be entirely responsible for shipping damage. How was it packaged?

What? Doesn't sound very technical from a technician. 'Avoid our E10...or don't....buy our gas and use it quickly....we don't really know much about how our gas will affect outboards'

I'll mention first that I've always disliked drop shotting....I always felt the technique is boring to me and the fish seemed to run small. I have little patience for do-nothing presentations. But, I put a fair amount of work into it this year and there's certainly a time and place for it. If the bite is slow, but I'm marking fish in trees and brush piles, then I'm probably going to try a drop shot. I still like jigs, cranks and shaky heads in brush, but admit that I have had some really slow days turn around by parking on top of brush with a drop shot. It might be my imagination, but it seems that pulling fish off a pile with a drop shot is less disruptive to the community there. If I'm banging jigs and cranks, I find that time between bites is a lot longer than with a drop shot which can get bit every time you put it in a pile for 5 or more fish.

Great questions, @clemsondds. Like those above, I haven't had enough desire to really understand the technical side. I know what I like when I fish it. We have some extremely talented rod builders on here and I look forward to their replies. Also, you can learn a lot from @Batson, a sponsor and quality blank source. Their web pages are somewhat instructive, and a lot of their older posts here are also educational. Lots of other good info on the web, but admittedly, I got tired of trying to weed out the useless noise when trying to learn.

I don't generally label, but I probably should. My line drawer has 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 15 in non-braid...and braid sizes from 15 to 65. Even if I'm not anal about how to use a combo based on spooled line, it would still be nice to know; -When I take a reel off for any reason, the rod no longer helps indicate what line is on it -I use flouro, mono and YZH -- not always apparent what's on a spool just by looking at it -I bought same test of Invisx, Sniper and Abrasx to compare -- no way I can tell the difference without some sort of label So...while I won't be buying special Line Labels, I will try to do a better job of marking my reels myself When I had a half dozen reels on a half dozen rods with only YZH or braid, I didn't really think much about it-- Now, with reels in storage on rods, off rods, sent out for maintenance, etc. I would be better off with good labeling system.

It’s such a fine line between stupid and clever

Yep. For good. Can't figure out why friends and family still spend winter in Wisconsin. There's a few that even say they like it. Pretty sure they are lying.

I fish the same. With two big exceptions. I check my lights before I go: hat light, and kayak light, especially. Make sure you can see, and more importantly, that you can be seen. And, I put treble hook lures away when lights come on....even the jitterbugs get stowed after it gets really dark.

You will get wide range of opinions, but not likely anything related to scientific experimentation. And even if you find some factual answer to your question about 'detection'....you still may not be any closer to knowing if that limits your likelihood of getting bit. It seems to be fairly commonly accepted that less line visibility is better. But that might be a flawed assumption to start the discussion.

Every time in depth discussion of color comes up here, I find this to be the most significant point. Even if we can scientifically determine what colors bass eyes can differentiate, it will be interpreted as relates to human color perception. Once a bass' rods and cones and cornea (do bass have corneas?) have done their work, we still don't know what colors are interpreted in what ways. So, it may be that the kind of experience that @WRBand others who have really made study of color experimentation while fishing....would be far more important than science of a fish's eyeball.

No weight...didn't really want him in the kayak with me. For scale, you can see the blade bait in the dorsal. #mikelongstyle

What factors are important to you for this application? For me, I recommend Tatula. Doesn't matter which. I walk spooks with the rod.

One fundamental difference is that my blade baits cost me, on average, less than half what my lipless baits were. That's huge on a lure with a snag per cast rate that can be astronomical

Never used a Vapor. My 6 Smoke reels are quite a bit better than my 5 Tatulas.

Turns out there's no real rules. You're going to be in a great spot, having a range of the same rod(s.) You'll be able to do some good comparing. On first glance, without knowing sizes, weights, etc., the only two up there that might make me ask you to keep an open mind about moving them are: Depending on what a 'small swimbait is', you might want a lighter power; and I even though I like braid for most everything, I didn't like it on c-rigs -- I got better detection/hook setting from fluoro I only through lipless on med (or cranking) rods with flouro or copoly --- I lose too many fish throwing lipless on braid; best to have some 'give' built into your rod/line setup

I use it quite a bit and wouldn't recommend getting a Hobie without it. Most useful on windy days and when a fish (or a snag) pulls you into trouble.

I have a Compass with a 180. I think the optional upgrade was less than $300. I haul on top of a Durango. If trailering were an option, I might have gone with the Outback.

I lose way too many blade baits to ever consider paying that much. Alternatively, I was throwing some from here for the first time on Sunday: http://www.cincyfisher.com/ Great components, great vibration even on gentle lift; extremely affordable and caught lots of fish. They have a thinner profile than i normally use, but after one outing, I'm ready to recommend highly.

Not sure about over there across the border, but the bite switched from spinnerbait to blade bait rather dramatically over here a couple weeks ago. Two and a half weeks ago, spinnerbait KILLED it. Last week couldn't get a strike on one. Might still be some spinnerbait windows, but I'd pack some Silver Buddy's, too. Haven't seen a day where both get it done.

I hear you. But when 873 out of 873 retailers sell an item for the exact same price (online and B&M), it doesn't smell like competition. And coordinated, cooperated stifled competition doesn't smell like capitalism. But thank you for sticking your neck out there for the good of the overall economy.

Haven't heard .....what is 'soon'? Perhaps within the next seven years?

Minimum Advertised Price contracts/agreements have been frustrating and confusing for consumers for too long now. Manufacturers blame Amazon and Walmart....but now most all of them are in on the price fixing. I gotta think that they're close to overstepping the boundaries of antitrust laws, if they haven't already.

Those can be very deadly. I have a few similar from BPS. But, I don't think of them as jerk baits. They are fished with a slow, steady retrieve. Pause, if you want, but they will float up quickly and that's ok. The ones I have don't dive more than a couple feet, but display a pretty dramatic wobble. I don't fish them over deep water unless bass are routinely busting on baitfish. I find they're best over submergent weeds anytime, and across shallow coves in spring and fall. You can play with suspend-strips, but they might kill the action. Try it as a swimming, floating minnow and buy yourself a suspending jerk bait. You may just find it to be deadly in your waters. If so, plan on changing out the hooks with better ones of the same size.