Steveo-1969

While on vacation at Kentucky Lake the past 2 years our most productive bait for ledge fishing has been a Rage Bug on a swing head.

I have no opinion or experience with any of these hooks, but I'm not sure what hooks you want feedback on. You asked for opinions on two weighted swimbait hooks but mentioned Gamakatsu, VMC, Trokar and Berkley Fusion 19 hooks. I'm assuming you want comparisons between VMC and Fusion 19?

When I saw the title I thought this topic was about the TV show... ha-ha.

Heck yeah! Great fish Derek!!!!

It was obviously a new world record!

Welcome to Bass Resource Colonel!! Here is a link to a Bass Resource video that explains how to Texas-rig a soft plastic bait (like a BPS Stik-O). https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-videos/texas-rig-bait.html

Great message Meatloaf and a pat on the back for paying it forward. And in an unrelated note may I say your written communication skills never cease to amaze me!!

I also agree with 10# fluorocarbon. I use 10# Seaguar Red Label on my NRX MBR 842c and have no complaints.

Tackle Trap X3. I own two NRX rods and they were both purchased from them as rep samples/demo rods but delivered with stickers/tags/plastic and looked brand new. And both were approximately 30% off retail price.

Yup. Last year while on vacation at Kentucky Lake we ran out of PBJ Structure (Rage) Bugs and started looking for them at local stores. The only color we could find was Bama Craw which worried me because all the other colors were sold out. Why wouldn't the locals buy Bama Craw? Hmmmm, we figured because it must not be a good color. But we bought them anyway and had to go back 2 days later to buy more because the fish loved it.

Welcome to Bass Resource from one of your neighbors from the north!

So far in 2017 I have caught ZERO bass. But thanks for asking........

These are the only two NRX rods I own! The NRX MBR 842c and NRX JWR 893c. I bought them both as demo/rep samples for less than $400 each and they were brand new in plastic with tags. I don't know how you being in Canada affects the pricing though? Hope you are able to get these rods, you WON'T regret it!!

Yup, I feel your pain. I remember EVERY big fish that I've lost and there's always a couple each season. But think of it this way. If you just knew that every time you set the hook you were going to land the fish then fishing wouldn't be as exciting.

Welcome to Bass Resource. Make sure you go to the Fishing Locations section here. Inside the Northeast locations there is a thread called "Maryland's Who's Who!". Lots of good local fisherman in there to talk to. https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/43647-marylands-whos-who/

My grandson has outfished me 30 to 0 on that very combo on more than one occasion.

You didn't mention if you spooled it on a spinning or casting reel or what size Red Label you are using, so my comment may be useless to you. I've been using fluorocarbon mainline on one casting rod for the past several years and have tried different line brands but always in 10# test. (Oh, and I've always used KVD Line & Lure Conditioner) I've tried Seaguar Red Label, Seaguar Invizx, Seaguar Abrazx, Sunline Sniper and Gander Mountain house brand. I've settled on Seaguar Red Label because it handles and casts well, is fairly abrasion resistant, it's thin but has great breaking strength, ties strong knots and it's pretty inexpensive. And contrary to other posters above I DO buy mine from Walmart. $10.97/200 yd. spool.

The line getting into the screw lock was the first thing I thought of too. I use these Owner Twistlock hooks almost exclusively and never have problems with the line breaking. BUT to make sure the screw lock doesn't interfere with my knot I screw the plastic bait onto the screw lock BEFORE I tie the hook to my line. It helps keep the screw lock out of the way. Oh, and my knot of choice is a Trilene knot...

Welcome to Bass Resource! I travel to Kentucky Lake every year for a fishing vacation. Love it!!

For my river fishing situation I really like 3/16 ounce finesse jigs. The majority of my jigs are Strike King Bitsy Bug jigs, but I also use and like Siebert Outdoors Sniper jig and Finesse jig in 3/16 ounce.

Welcome to BR Rob! My daughter lives near Phoenix and while visiting her last April I caught my very first AZ bass at Saguaro Lake. Beautiful state y'all have!

Spinning - the only high end reel I own is a Shimano Stradic CI4+ and I love it. Most of the spinning reels I've used have been ok, but this one is special. Casting - the only casting reel I didn't like was a black BPS Carbonlite. It felt cheaply made, didn't cast very well and made a grinding noise. I have a Curado 200I that is very sweet, but my favorite is an Abu Garcia Revo LTX. Don't think I've ever seen anyone on BR mention this reel.

Is the alternative NOT fishing? Then you should go.....

I fish a rocky river and would be lost without my hook sharpener. I use a cheap diamond sharpener with coarse on one side and fine on the other, and use it so much I replace it every season. They quickly pay for themselves in hook cost and I can resharpen a hook more quickly than I can cut off a dull one and tie on a new one. As was said above, if it scratches your thumbnail it's not sharp enough. If it sticks into your thumbnail with very little pressure you are good to go!

As you can see there are lots of different answers on what size braid to use on a spinning reel, and none of them are wrong. Personally I use 10# Sufix 832 on a spinning reel and tie on a 10# fluorocarbon leader.