ChrisD46

*The Z - Craw Jr. would appear to be the better trailer size vs. the full size Z-Craw ?

Good replies - the Chompers , Kalin and Big Bite grubs in 5" look like they would present a nice profile for a standard swim jig or chatterbait when that type of profile is needed . *You have to remember a grub has a curled up tail and is only 5" (if that) when stretched out . BPS is notorious for stating that their grubs are longer than they truely are - as a matter of fact they do not measure what they claim to be on the package (must be new math they used) ... Good choices out there with the three new suggestions provided - thanks .

What are your favorite grubs for Swim Jigs & Bladed Jigs that are not your typical too short 3.5" grubs ? ... I find most of the readily available Zoom , Mister Twister and the like grubs to be a little too short for using on the backs of swim jigs or bladed jigs without cutting the skirts way back ... Your favorite longer grubs that are a true 4" ~ 4.5" in length ?

A deep secondary search turned this up : Centrifugal Braking System - Fishing Rods, Reels, Line, and Knots - Bass Fishing Forums (bassresource.com) New Curado I Is Screeching On Casting - Fishing Rods, Reels, Line, and Knots - Bass Fishing Forums (bassresource.com) . *Most likely sponsor DVT would still suggest using the same approach to clean & lube the centrifugal braking system ? Looks like this new Lew's centrifugal brake lube is probably a light all - in - one : "Cleaner - Lube" to replace the two step isopropyl alcohol and reel bearing oil for the centrifugal braking system ?

*I'm not doubting your suggestion - what peaked my curiosity was this new product from Lew's (Lucas Oil) to clean & lube centrifugal bait cast reel brakes : https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Lews_Speed_Brake_Centrifugal_Brake_Cleaner_and_Lube/descpage-FGBCL.html . No directions I could find what the procedure is , how much to apply , etc. ?

I have been unable to find out how to properly clean & Lube just the bait cast reel braking system with your old school , standard 6 pin centrifugal braking system ? I believe the drum where the centrifugal white nylon brakes ride should be cleaned & lubed - but what about the nylon brakes themselves , as well as , the tiny metal shafts the individual nylon brakes ride up and down on - should they be cleaned & lubed as well ? Thanks in advance for replies with information !

The River2 Sea Bubble Walker 80 is a terrible top water lure - I am happy to dispose of them properly for you ... Especially the "You Know It" , "Loon" , "Bluegill" and "Abalone Shad" colors.

Try 3/8th oz. as well as 1/2 oz. bladed jigs and vary the trailer style .

*I notice that many fishing products which used to be readily stocked by Academy are now "on line only" status ... These are popular lures and soft plastics as well ... Not sure of the reason ?

*I'd use a VMC wacky jig head 1/16th oz. weight using a pop and pulse retrieve to imitate a craw fish.

Yum Pulse Swim Bait: Swim Bait Jig Head , Weighted EWG Hook or as a Swim Jig / Bladed Jig Trailer Yum Dinger: T-Rigged with VMC Drop Dead 3/32nd weighted 3/0 EWG Hook Yum Christie Craw: Shakey Head , Swim Jig / Bladed Jig Trailer Yum Houdini Shad: Bladed Jig Trailer *Bluebasser86 for the win ... All of the above from Yum are "money" applications which I would fish against any other soft plastics company - regardless of cost ! Lastly , I am from Georgia and grew up with Zoom soft plastics as the company is in my home state . Lately however , availability of some of my favorite Zoom baits (Z-Craw Jr. , Ultravibe Speed Craw) have been tough to find . This leaves the door open to explore other similar baits from Yum , Net Bait , Gambler , etc.

#20 lb. braid + #10 lb. FC / Co-Poly leader using a double uni - knot : For a quick , essentially secure , easy to tie connection that goes through my guides easily - it's a tough to beat ... I never use more than a 5' ~ 6' leader length and don't reel the knot up into the reel , so it works for me ... Nothing against the FG knot though - if you can tie it fast on the water with wind and waves - then have at it !

*Take a pair of needle nose pliers and gently bend the hook point out 1 or 2 degrees for better hook ups with Spot Remover jig heads . They are a great shakey head jig head used with finesse worms .

TW has reduced which credit cards they take as well ...

No worries - if true , Googan will have a version of every Zoom Soft Plastic with 50% less product in the bag charging 50% more .

+1 ... Little if any wind knot loops at the end of my rod with #20 lb. Power Pro on a spinning reel . Use mono backing and fill the reel up at least half way then connect braid with double uni knot and spool the braid TIGHT adding pressure with the fingers and a rag . I think #15 lb. braid would be a nice happy medium but #20 lb. braid + leader doesn't make me feel like I am at a disadvantage for typical casting distances for bass .

Dobyns Champion XP Full Cast Rod 7'4" Heavy 744 ... $259 at TW

I like the top water poppers , Gunfish clone and Rover clones ... I like both types of the lipless crank baits as well .

A 4" Fluke Stick Would be ideal , Zoom doesn't make one so you would have to trim about 1 inch off of the 5" Fluke Stick ... ** I like and use Yum Swimmin' Dinger and Yum Thumpin' Dinger and then cut them down to 4.25" used as chatterbait trailers .

*Yes , with a 5" Zinkerz / SK Zero you would need a thick gauge , made for braid Super Line EWG 4/0 hook to get a good sink rate . With a standard EWG 4/0 you could peg a small 1/8th oz. tungsten bullet weight or even a EWG 4/0 hook with a built in keel weight (like used on a swim bait) to get the elaztec stick worm down .

Use a 5" Yum Dinger in Green Pumpkin wacky rigged perpendicular through the middle using either a Berkley Fusion 19 Wacky Jig Head (1/16th oz. , 1/8th oz. , ) or the same weights using the VMC Wacky Jig Head . The Yum Dinger is tougher than the Stik-O and Senko but the downside is it does not have as much action on it's own than the Stik - O or Senko . However with the above mentioned wacky jig heads the Yum Dunger comes to life with short pops and pulses along the bottom . As A-Jay and Team9nine pointed out , the Z-Man or Strike King Elaztec stick worms are also great and catch many , many fish on a single stick worm as the elaztec is not only almost indestructible but also gets better with age ! Try the Strike King Zero 5" or the ZMan Zinkerz 5" (same material licensed from ZMan) in Green Pumpkin Red , Dirt , or Bama Bug colors and again rig with one of the Berkley or VMC wacky jig heads above . *Please note that the more a Elaztec stick worm is in the water - the more buoyant it becomes thus you may want to move up to the 1/8th wacky jig head size to get that slow fall again . Lastly when putting the wacky jig head hook through the elaztec material - pull the hook out and slightly , rotate the stick worm slightly for a new hook penetration point before inserting the hook back through the stick worm . This video explains the technique well :

*I would not have thought to use a Ultravibe worm - but hey if it works ! On Neko rigs my preference is to have that #1 or #2 VMC Neko Rig Hook with the point always facing up towards the tail .

This ? https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Daiwa_Yamamoto_Neko_Macho_Worm/descpage-DYNM.html . *Interesting , have not seen this before ? ... Seems similar to a Z-Man FattyZ worm . Nice range of comments - thanks !

Baby Menace as a finesse swim jig trailer ... Order the finesse swim jig in a shad color along with the Baby Menace from site sponsor Siebert Outdoors - then load the boat with bass !