Choporoz

Pics resemble Bronco Bug enough, that I would t-rig and flip/hop it if I had one. Looked it up since I haven't tried it. Only interrupting the thread not to add value but to comment that I LOVE that they offer a SEVEN INCH version. I'd never buy one...just amused that it is out there.

I get that trolling can be quite involved. But it's not for me. I have trolled for many other species. But for me, it is way too 'passive'. I fish for bass almost exclusively now largely because for me, bass fishing is far more active than passive. Casting and directly imparting action are a big part of the appeal for me. A 4# catch while (randomly?) trolling to another spot is not anywhere near as satisfying as a 13 incher bagged by a perfect cast to a laydown.

Plumbers tape and strap wrench? https://youtu.be/LacB0IxppuY?si=bAF4driYmlssN0YG Not sure if it works, because I never felt need to get past spool removal. You've likely already come across that video. But, I really commented just to profess my huge appreciation for that reel. Best bang for buck spinning reel 10 years ago... if you don't back-reel.

Ignore if you hate replies with the phrase..."not what you are asking, but..." I suddenly needed reading glasses within days of my 40th birthday. For 10 or 12 years, I searched for ideal readers. The ones that came closest IMO were 'too expensive' and/or too fragile. I can lose or break a pair of readers like nobody. I have settled on and been very happy with 'disposables' for past decade. If you decide to go that route, I highly recommend Eyecedars on Amazon. https://a.co/d/010EyyOR (Not sure if link works for anyone else.) $22 for 5 pair. Pretty scratch resistant and durable. I appreciate the longer field of focus than most cheapies. I do acknowledge that I am more tolerant than most of less than crystal clear lenses. So while these are a bit prone to 'smudgieness', they clean ok on a t-shirt or 'jack-slime' rag.

Bet I'm not the only one with cleanest cache I've ever had.

We had a fairly significant cold front come through the other day. Not a lot of rain, but significant wind and temperature drop. North-central NC; fairly grassy LMB reservoir; surface temps before the front had risen quickly to 70, but few bass on beds yet. However, most were quite shallow the previous week. For next couple days, with surface temps down 5 degrees, nothing was shallow. Two and a half days, nearly every single bass I caught over 2 1/2# was between 9 and 12' on secondary/tertiary points. Bite wasn't great, but I don't recall ever finding such a well-defined pattern - everywhere in the lake. The only exception was a few big pockets with big schools of 4" gizzard shad. If the surface got 'nervous', I could make big hops with a light t-rig Rage Bug under them and catch good fish. Not sure why, but those bass herding shad wouldn't touch spinnerbait, crankbait, bladed jig, swimbait, etc. Might be fairly specific situation, but if I'm faced with a cold front around the spawn again, I know where I will start looking.

I was just thinking about that yesterday. How it is silly to go through a pack of Rage Bugs every day when I have hundred pounds of plastics I may never use. So today I broke out some hideous pink and purple D-Bombs that I was going to get rid of. Someone in Guntersville told me they were killer there and I bought a couple packs - never had a bite on one; there, or anywhere else. Today, the bass couldn't care less what fell in front of them. Ate those D-Bombs like they were starving. I need to clear out some other stuff while the bite is hot.

Palomar for braid. San Diego Jam for everything else

I like it. 9/10. Feels sort of like what a mash-up of Black Keys and Foghat might sound like.

I haven't watched that one, but the Zaldains had a former MLF tester on a couple years ago. Maybe same guy. It was a very interesting show. Improved my faith in the concept, but highlighted the inherent faults introduced by average test administrators.

After a thousands of casts and hundred plus fish, I can say that I am very happy with this rod. It is pretty close to a one for one replacement for the H3 LMH. One aspect better, one maybe not quite as good. First, this rod is about the same as the H3 for sensitivity on tight and semi-slack fluoro; however, it this the first rod I've used where I feel bites on totally slack line (12# Abrasx). I know that probably will be dismissed by most - I would have rolled my eyes at a that a month ago. But on several occasions, I was dead sticking a Rage Bug with 1/8 tungsten bullet, very slack line, and said to myself "what the...?". Very different than other bites... just a sort of sensation I cannot quite describe. Never experienced that before. On the other hand, I feel like I'm at a disadvantage once I hook a big fish. I have landed 3 over 5 and they were good, fun fights. I have twice hooked bigger and I was over-matched. Both times, I felt I got good hook set, long fight and got them near the boat. Both times, I couldn't prevent late run back past me and lost them. Not to say I would have landed them with the H3, but I rarely recall feeling as if I really needed more 'power'. Not blaming the rod. I need to adjust and improve.

Agreed. For a while, I continued to use a net only as a backstop on the board. Land it by hand, put it on grips/leash, and then set up board with net.

I never managed to net well in a kayak. I stopped using one years ago. Never once regretted it.

I throw clear Super Spook more than any other topwater.

Neither. Owner Twistlock for most everything plastic. My hookup ratio seems better than EWG and straight shank. And most plastics last as well or better.

Nichols, Stanley, War Eagle and Dave's Tournament Tackle are all reasonably priced and very solid producers.

OP, you have more than enough good info above to go out and be successful with t-rig today. Practice. Time on the water, etc. And then, going forward, keep following good info in mind. I react differently to bites in different conditions. A 5/8 oz weight on braid on a windy day may find me setting the hook very different than 1/8 oz fished on fluorocarbon on a calm day. Fish attitude that day may also affect my hookset. If I miss a couple in a row with a one-tap and immediate swing, I may slow way down to see if giving them an extra second or two to get the whole bait in their mouth works better that day. Cover matters, too. There will be times in heavy wood that giving a fish any time means I may have less chance of getting it moving to me before she's hopelessly wrapped up.

@Sam , hope you are well. Miss you around here. Wanted to let you know the dogwoods here (just 7 miles south of VA border) just bloomed this morning. Bass not on beds, that I can tell, but they eating pretty well.

Side by side comparisons of new reels are valuable. Side by side comparisons of five year old, heavily used reels would also be of value to me. I know that is silly for new models, but thankfully I've never been an early adopter of anything. I'd not bash anything I haven't personally used, but I think (perceived?) longevity can have value. Unfortunately, brands can be weakened by single, inferior models, even at the lowest end. I completely wrote off two mid-major brands because my first ones were the cheapest models and both failed me very early. Years later, both brands now comprise some of my favorite gear. Some new brands come out firing with low end product at appetizing price point and have trouble recovering for a while.

My lake isn't a lowland lake. But, I have been surprised this year at how many guys I've seen throwing A-rigs in 'shallow' water flats (<10'). Never noticed it before, but seen a number of times this spring.

That's a good question. I hear pros mention ditches and never certain what they are talking about. I usually imagine a fairly well defined channel that isn't more than about 3-10 feet wide. Well-defined to me means noticeable drop on one or, usually, both sides. If I'm thinking 'ditch', it is probably in less than 12 FOW, and 2 or more feet deeper than the surrounding area. It is likely a channel of a creek, but sometimes a run off or steady discharge.

No plan survives first contact with the enemy

I came off the thickest green water I've seen 10 minutes ago. Most of my fish came from the pea soup creeks. Couldn't get a whiff on bladed jig, lipless or spinnerbaits. Green pumpkin hopped very slowly killed it. Never even thought about trying another color. Probably should have as an experiment, I suppose. One key that held true (and always has for me) is bites mostly come very close to cover. If I feel slightest tick of weed or wood, I kill it immediately. Not sure if that's where they are all holding or they react to the deflection even moreso in murky water. For spinnerbaits, I never found colors matter much based on clarity. Blade shapes and sizes absolutely do.

Rage Bug. All day every day that fish are relating to any cover on any structure. Start with 3/16 unpegged. Adjust up and down from there if necessary.

I'm not convinced any LMB in my lake really 'stage' anywhere. Most are still just following bait (low to mid 50s surface temp here). Ten days ago it seemed that every feeding bass in the lake was in the very backs of the creeks. Had to go back until trolling motor hit bottom and then hope to be able to cast to the entire back. Last two days, they are back out in channels. On Saturday, probably 2/3 of the bass fishermen were in the middle of the creeks and main lake with spinning rods looking like they were all having seizures.