WIGuide

I'd suggest buying a cheap rod with a little heavier action. I know you're not wanting to fork out some cash for something you're unsure of, but I have a feeling you're setting yourself up for failure. I'd suggest you get either a Berkley Amp rod or a Berkley Lightning rod. They are both inexpensive, so if you don't like it you aren't really out anything, but if you find out you like using a baitcaster you won't mind using it because it won't just be junk.

During a tourney I think the only time you should be throwing the same thing is if you've found a super strong pattern. Until then, I'd suggest throwing different baits. By doing so you're doubling your chances of finding what is going to work. If you both throw the same thing it's really no more productive than fishing by yourself. Normally, you only need to cover water until you find a decent pattern and then you can run that. If I'm fishing an area I know there's fish in, I'll slow down and fish it with a slower presentation. I've also found that if you let the person throwing the slower bait run the TM it works better then having the slower one in the back. If the slower presentation is in the front, the person throwing the faster bait can make multiple casts to a piece of cover or structure. If they're in front a lot of times they'll make a cast or two before moving on, meanwhile in the back the person using the slower presentation will get about 1 good cast if that. Hopefully this helps you out a little bit.

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7.1 for the frog rod, other than that I don't think it really matters

I did one time quite a few years ago now. We didn't do great, but it was during the dog days of summer. Temps were in the 120's, actually got a burn from the boat seats. My dad had one snap him off, but other than that nothing big. We did better than one of the guides there though, so we didn't think we were doing too bad.

I'd start looking for them around harder, rockier bottom. After their post spawn stint a lot of times a smallmouth will relate to cover rather than hold tight to it like a largemouth. I'd say anywhere you can find rock that has grass next to it or gravel with patchy grass is an excellent place to start. Also, things like isolated boulders and or wood is always a good place to check. I agree with bluebasser86 though. If the lake has a healthy LM population, focus on those. Those brown fish can be magicians at times and I've got burned more than once trying to fully count on them in a tourney. I try to use them as a bonus if I can.

I bought one last year and had pretty decent success with it.

Nice work!

I use palomar knots you just have to do the one on the dropper side first, and then tie the whole thing on. As for their strength, I have yet to have a problem with them and I've played tug-o-war with plenty of big smallies which most know, pull like a tank.

I'd suggest a St. Croix Mojo Bass. They've got a 7' M/F and their lure weights cover the range of baits you plan on throwing with it.

Looks good so far!

There's a guy in our bass club that uses those and swears by them but as far as I know he's the only one. Personally, I like the Booyah Pad Crasher. Works just as good as the expensive ones at about half the price.

What are you looking to spend on it?

$800 is steep for what it is. It looks like it's in ok shape but $500 would be closer to what it's worth. Up by me there's a lot of boat like that that people try to give away because nobody is willing to pay much of anything for them.

I use both fluoro and mono for mine. FC gets your bait down farther and has slightly less stretch than mono and but both will work.

Congrats on the new rig! Nothing wrong with that at all. It doesn't take a big boat to catch fish! Heck my first one was even smaller than that.

Booyah Pad Crasher is the only one I need although I like the Poppin Pad Crasher too

Small hooks don't mean less hookups. I've fished a bait before called an "inch minnow" which is literally an inch long with about the smallest trebles I've ever seen and they hold fish just as good as the bigger ones do.

Unfortunately never saw him, but I know Jimmy Houston is insanely accurate with his casting. At one of his seminars he put a spinnerbait under my dads foot with a cast and told him to step on it so he could demonstrate a hook set on stage. At another one he was talking about accuracy with his roll casts and told my dad it'd be wise not to move and he put it one on his chair right in between his legs.

Usually a pb&j and some fruit. During tournaments I don't eat though. I have a good breakfast and a big can of Monster and then Gatorade for the rest of the day and that's it.

Big fan of the Big Bite Baits Fightin Frogs and use them almost exclusively.

haha true that!

I like to modify my soft plastics by adding a hook!

The strike is pretty good, and Mark Davis Fishing Master was probably my favorite as a kid back on SNES. I liked all those old games though because I spent so much time playing them as a kid. I had Jimmy Houston's game, Bass Masters Classic, as well as Super Black Bass.

Is it just me or does it make sense to go with the cheapest option at least to start with...maybe slowing down a little when it's that cold.