Texas Hawg Hunter

I usually fish with 12# Stren mono. Went with the 17# Stren flourocast because I throw into wood and other cover so wanted a heavier line and interested to see how the sensitivity changes with flouro. I trust Stren and Berkley the most as they are the original brands. Spooled it up today, went outside in the yard and made some casts with no issues. If it is at least in the 50s tomorrow I'll go out to the water.

Interesting. I went with Stren Flourocast 17#

Why would flouro make you lose more lures?

I've always fished with mono but today purchased a spool of flourocarbon, mainly for the increased sensitivity. I hardly ever throw topwaters so not too concerned with it sinking.

Picked up two H20 brand squarebills and two lipless cranks today. H20 seems to be a proprietary Academy brand of lure. I have never really fished squarebills or lipless cranks much before but am going to give them a shot. Many people say they do well in the cold too.

Thanks guys. It has been informative hearing everyone's perspective on rods.

No, I know why people take multiple rods. More like, is there anyone on here who just takes one?

I rephrased my original question to be more specific

Seems like a lot of people these days fish with seven rods and match a rod with every lure type, not to mention types of line. Is there any love to those of us who just take "our fishing rod" to fish?

A cold front is blowing through the U.S. right now...just hit Texas this morning. Anyone going out in these conditions? As I understand it, bass are supposed to be very lethargic when a front passes over. If you are going, what are you going to throw and where?

Not that I know of. This was at a neighborhood pond. There are a ton of turtles though. I know there are bass because I caught one on a spinnerbait a few days ago. I went with the smaller hook this trip because I had been reading about a lot of guys that say go with the smallest hook you can get away with so wanted to try the 3/0.

Yeah, I normally use a larger hook but have been reading about guys recommending the smallest hook you can get away with. So this trip I went with a 3/0. Do you think they would be more likely to hookup with a larger hook?

I could see it coming in handy in different boating situations, but I hardly ever fish from a boat. It does come in handy sometimes from the shore when brush gets in the way, just have to figure out how to minimize the splash. Will try some of Driftb's tips.

I got it in my head that casting over your head, rather than sidearm, is a big no no primarily because it makes a much bigger splash in the water and therefore spooks fish. Is this correct? Or maybe there's a better way to do it. It comes in handy in tight spots sometimes, in addition to the backhand cast.

Found some bites on a pond today after I decided to swim my 10-in. PowerBait worm. Was using a 3/0 hook. Water was muddy -- only a few inches visibility. First bite was the biggest and the line started sideways. A few casts later I got bit again but then nothing after that. Bites were about 8 ft from shore just inside some shade. Do you think the fish realized it wasn't food and ignored it? Or since the water was muddy would it be the case that I just never got the lure in the exact same spot again? It was interesting that the normal worm retrieve (pull up rod from 9 O'clock to 12 O'clock, lower and reel in the slack) wasn't working but then swimming started getting bites. I would think the lure would be moving too fast in muddy water for swimming to work...unless I happened to be on the exact spot of a fish.

That, or my bait got caught in a "V" between two branches underwater. I was originally thinking that the wider profile of the EWG would make that more likely, but maybe not. Anyway, it's only a soft plastic...not like losing a crankbait or spinnerbait.

I always push my hooks through and then skin hook the point back into the bait to make it weedless.

I know...I was saying I was thinking about trying out some finesse jigs.

The two I lost today were this lure http://www.basspro.com/Hart-Tackle-Justice-Jig-with-Chunk-Trailer/product/10209660/

wood mainly, but also vegetation coming up out of the water

I don't know if that's the case but I lost a t-rigged weedless worm today to something underwater and was wondering if the EWG hook might have had something to do with it. It was a 10-in. Berkley Powerbait worm.

I frequently get in situations where the normal right-handed case wont work because of obstacles in the way so I have to do a backhanded cast...it's getting there. Any tips?

Lost both of my jigs today so will buy more soon. Was considering getting some finesse jigs to throw in the thick stuff. Anyone use these? Football heads seem more for open water from what I understand. The ones I had before were swim jigs but I mainly dragged them on the bottom.

My go-to bait is usually a spinnerbait but tonight I fished with soft plastics only and got "hooked" so to speak on them again. If for no other reason than they are tanks -- you can throw them anywhere without (much) worry. That and the sensitivity they afford are really great. I think I get more bites from them too...or at least can feel the bites I do get more. And, of course, they are way cheaper than the hard baits.

Those treblehook stingers are interesting, never seen them before. Yeah they would most definitely get hung up but good to know about if the right time comes. I almost got my jig hung up in the wood I was fishing tonight.