Mr. BattleArmor

You could be bringing in the fish too hard but for me, I just couldn't get used to the XF tip. I use a fast tip now for worms and senkos etc. and barely ever lose fish. I was done with XF after losing fish an entire day while kayak fishing, it got so annoying. That's not to say that it isn't good for other people, or that I might've jumped the gun by switching. But I didn't see the advantage of trying to get used to the XF tip when the fast tip worked fine for me, and I didn't see the disadvantage for using the fast tip vs the XF. Again, all subjective, but that's just how it was for me.

Carbonlite + Pflueger President

Yes it will stand back up. I'd recommend finding some shallow water and just dropping it in, so you can see the worm and have an idea of how it will look deeper in the water first. Also if you get trick worms, it is easier with screw lock jig heads if you just bite or cut the tip of the worm off so you have a flat surface to screw the jig head into.

Just make sure it says "The Original" Trick worm, not the salted ones. The original has no salt, and will float

Walmart actually does tend to have some nice prices albeit on a much limited stock compared to BPS. Luckily I have the pleasure of living about 25 minutes from two different Bass Pro Shops you know you are hooked when you go to both in one day to just "look around" lol

I have a Supreme but for your budget I would also recommend a President without hesitation. Great bang for buck, considering it can be had for ~50$ you can save that extra 30 for some more tackle

Gars around here usually go after fish looking lures and baits, for me, X-raps and flukes they usually go after, but they will ignore worms. Just my experience. Just be watching for them, they usually aren't too far from shore

I've seen a ton of Florida Gar around bass in the everglades, although they weren't that large, it didn't seem to me like the bass tried to stay away from them any more than anything else. Around here you can find Gar in almost every pond you fish but they don't seem to have an effect on whether I catch bass or not... maybe if they got huge I could see change but most around here that I regularly see seem to be 2-3ft long. By the way, word of caution if you don't want to hook into a gar....the ones around here LOVE X-raps, I can't even throw one around a gar cause it'll bee-line for it every time lol

lol well what I mean is, it doesn't seem like it hurt at all

I'd recommend a Carbonlite as well

Went out today, wearing sunscreen, caught 5 fish to my buddy's 1. He didn't have sunscreen on. I'm gonna say that for me it makes no difference, its not like I am rubbing it on the bait

I'd say Carbonlite

I fish off the bank often and I use a 6'9" rod. sure you might get more distance with a longer rod but how big are the ponds you actually fish? will the few extra feet of casting distance make a difference for you? if so, then I would then consider the amount of trees and things around where you fish, cause you could run the risk of having the longer rod be a nuisance but its personal preference. I would go to the store and pick up a few rods and see how that length feels first, even if it isn't the exact rod you are buying. then you can get a feel for the length and if it's worth it to get those extra inches, or if it might be a drawback. hope this helps

lol I shouldn't of read it so literally. either way, I've seen the fishing being on fire lately and the trees on fire too haha

As some others have said, if I know fish are there and I've caught fish there, I stay and keep trying until I've gone through everything. Then I just figure the fish just ain't in the mood. If it is a new spot, that looks very promising, I'll try a few things and leave sooner, and make a mental note to come back a different day at a different time. If it is a new spot that looks just ok, and I don't get anything on multiple lures, I usually won't go back.

Seen fires along the alley periodically the last few weeks. However it seems it's supposed to be raining hard the next few days... maybe the joys of lower water level are over

I guess technically you could, but most people use a slower tip rod for crank baits, so it bends deeper into the rod.

I like fishing with buddies, but usually end up catching more by myself. I guess I am just focusing more on fishing when by myself.

While a Kayak isn't always feasible for everyone, I definitely would recommend it too. Way cheaper than a jon boat, and more portable. For me, it was trial and error, trying out different spots, trying different lures and presentations. It is kind of like learning fishing again, but it really opens a whole new world for you. by the way are you even sure the spots you are fishing have many fish? If you have tried everything and can't buy a bite, it might just be a dry hole. You might not see bass shallow if there is no structure available for them. They tend to not just swim around open water. Good luck though

As was said before, Location is the most important, then for me it is the Lure and color, and then the technique. As an example, I took my fiancé fishing for the first time yesterday, and I took her to a spot I know is good, with a bait that I know would catch fish for her at that spot. Well, on her first cast she brought in a 4 pounder. Needless to say, she obviously wasn't thinking about having the perfect technique, but the fish didn't notice that! Location + Lure, then focus on exact technique and presentation

Thats a great deal. But I have actually noticed how much cheaper Walmart is than BPS especially. I get all my saltwater lures at Walmart for almost 50% off compared to BPS. And topwater frogs are cheaper there too.

No reason to fish something you have no confidence in during a tournament.... shaky head if the bite is really slow but T-rig to move up and down the water column more. use what you are confident in

1) jerkbait 2) jig just based off of personal success

For me, slowing down is exactly what I do when the bite is tough. Dropshots and shaky head rigging worms works for me. Maybe try that next time if the bite is really slow again and see how it goes. Don't give up though!

I actually almost always rig it T-rigged, and weightless. This works for me regardless of conditions. If it is really deep water I generally don't use a fluke, or I just let it fall on its own. To me, using the bullet sinker really ruins the action.