Logan S

I really like Red Label 15lb on my squarebill rods and many others...It's my most commonly used line. All FC lines have a lifespan once spooled up and fished...The 'nicer' FC lines tend to last longer than the cheaper ones, but they all have a lifespan. If your line is breaking unexpectedly, something is wrong...Hard to say what but it's time to respool. Other than being old - you said 2 years, which would be definitely be too old - but I'm assuming that's total time and you've respooled in between....FC gets damaged if it gets overstretched and you won't really notice it most of the time. If you've pulled off a few snags from a distance that could explain it, a fairly long section of damaged line. When it's been overstretched it gets more brittle and can definitely break unexpectedly.

Navionics is pretty good on the Potomac, but on tidal waters you're primarily using mapping for not running into things or up on mud flats...Not so much for finer details of structure. I don't have the option of LakeMaster since I use Lowrance, but my understanding is that Humminbird hasn't done much if anything with LM on the Potomac yet. LM is a big step above Navionics on Anna and SML though. I'm interested in the new C-Map Precision Contour charts but they are not available for VA or MD yet. The look amazing for the states they've mapped so far (AL, TN, NC)...They will rival Lakemaster from what I've seen, just need to wait for them to map VA and MD.

@Armtx77 Can't argue with any of your points on observation...It's a powerful tool.

I'll disagree with this (respectfully of course)....Before SI/DI existed and before GPS was common I found plenty of offshore cover and structure with 2D sonar and paper maps. I would also argue that using your technology to it's fullest potential is another developed skill, plenty of people out there with thousands of dollars worth of graphs but can barely use them beyond seeing how deep the water is. Waypointing someone's spot and rationalizing it as "I could have found it too if I had his gear," is a big assumption...IMO this line of thought is basically the same as copying the answers on a test from someone because, "I could know this too If I studied/prepared for it." Maybe you would, but in both cases - You didn't.

I listened to the whole thing. I sympathize with him since pretty much everyone has dealt with it at some point, I'm sure him being a pro with wrapped boat really exaggerates it for him too, it's amazing how glued people get to a wrapped boat on the water. Whenever one is out on the river or bay, literally everyone I run into comments on it..."Did you see that Berkeley boat? I saw him in front of Chickamuxin..." They don't have a clue who the person is or why their boat is wrapped, but it's location is accounted for nearly all day ?. I know some guys that freely admit they drive around looking for the flotilla of bass boats because, "that must be where the fish are." I can't imagine having that mentality, but so many people do and think nothing of it. I think he's a little overboard on how hard he tries to ignore others on the water. I get it, he's going out of his way not to be seen as 'that guy' that does the bent pole thing....But anyone that matters to him (friends, other tour anglers, etc) will all know he's not like that, so who cares what the random others out there think? Nice sentiment, but maybe some unneeded stress on him?

I use 2 rods for bladed jigs, they are both mod-fast/regular actions - MH power - 7'1" and 7'2" - Graphite...I use flouro for line. I use this style setup because I've found it to be better suited to the shallow water, thick grass method of bladed jig fishing which is how I'm fishing them 90+% of the time. The little extra rebound makes a difference in how the bait pops in and out of the grass during the retrieve. IMO there is a difference between the two rod styles, but it's one of the more nuanced rod selection choices....I don't think you NEED to have one or the other to be successful, but if you fish bladed jigs a lot it's nice to specialize your rod for it. I know a lot of people compare the Mod-Fast style rods to cranking rods, but IMO a good chatter rod isn't really an ideal cranking rod except for squarebills with heavier wire trebles....A true/typical cranking rod is generally a bit too soft to be a good chatter rod for me.

In general, a bass club is a great way to get started in tournaments, fish more, fish new places, learn, and have fun...For relatively low cost. All clubs are going to be a little different....Some are more competitive, some more laid back - Some will be open to everyone, some are OK staying as a close-knit group - Etc, Etc.... Many clubs are affiliated with BASS or FLW (or both) so be aware that you'll need to be a member of those organization in addition to the club if they are. The best thing to do is attend a club meeting to get a feel for how the group is and if it all looks good to you, jump in.

Since it's a tournament situation, a big part of the decision is what you've already got in the livewell. If you've got a decent bag already and are looking for upgrades, it's a lot easier to hang around...If not it's a bit harder. Beyond that, it's tough to say. I think we've all been in that situation before and can sympathize, it's not an easy decision. For me, it sometimes can be dictated on specific things like the time of year or type of water. Unfortunately, the answer is the always unsatisfying, "It depends....."

@Sam Mentioned it earlier...But Blue Crabs influence color choices in the tidal waters around here - Potomac, Upper Chesapeake, James/Chick Rivers, etc...

Good news! Now we just need to get into Stage 2 so that tournaments can start back up! I hope some of the other parks, lakes, ramps open up...Poor little Black Hill has been getting annihilated by 'sustenance' fishing - Can only imagine what it will look like now that DNR's little ro*** on recreational fishing is gone.

I don't think it's out of line, but I don't think I'd bother these days. The only time I've done it is when someone posted a report about a lake and included details on what I did in a tournament that he heard at weigh in (on this site actually). I asked the person not to do it again, but I look back and think I probably should have just left it alone, not worth the ensuing awkwardness. Between super popular YouTube fisherman publishing videos on some small local lakes and the BASS/FLW tournaments pinpointing exactly where all the top anglers are fishing on the Potomac and Upper Bay...Everything around me is essentially 'spot burned' ?. IMO, 10% of the anglers have 90% of the success...So there might be extra people out there, but most aren't hurting anything. It keeps you on your toes .

I would stay away from the FICHT, personal experience . I had an ETEC on my previous boat and it was flawless, great motor. I think the ETEC's and G2's are just as good as anything else out there right now...So no, I wouldn't avoid the more recent models.

Another MB Ronin fan here...I still prefer casting gear for most jerkbaits, but I use the Ronin when throwing the small ones like Pointer 65's. The Ronin is awesome as a JB rod and could easily be used for full size ones if someone wanted to.

Sorry to say...Fishing is currently illegal in MD unless you are specifically fishing for food. https://news.maryland.gov/dnr/2020/03/31/frequently-asked-questions-about-governor-hogans-stay-at-home-order/ Obviously lots of people are fishing for food right now. Don't know what enforcement is like....But I know several guys that have been out and none have been stopped or questioned about their intentions. Rumor is that sometime in early May when MD 'opens back up' the first phase will remove this completely asinine restriction. I know we have an easy loophole, but it shouldn't come down to that.

Perfect Pitch is great, though for 'regular' jig fishing like casting/skipping/etc (not pitching/flipping) it's a bit more powerful than I prefer. I really like the Tour Versatile as an all around casting/skipping jig rod, it's basically your standard 7' MH/H jig rod (IMO is a touch more powerful than a traditional MH). The TV is a really good all-around jig rod, the PP would also work well, but it leans a bit more toward the heavier applications. Can't speak for the Expride as I've never used one, but I have used many St Croix LTB and LE's - They are great rods as well, but I prefer the Megabass XX series over both...It's a win-win decision though, no bad choices. FWIW, for years all my rods were Legend Tournaments and Elites, I've since switched to all MB rods except 1 (mostly XX). I'll say this about the St Croix 7' MH/F (or 7'1" now, across any of their models), IMO it's the gold standard that I compare all-around jig rods to in terms of length/power/action. Both of those reels would be awesome. I use a 1st gen Exsence DC on my main casting/skipping jig rod and love it, the new one looks even better. I don't have any 2020 Mets, but I have several Met MGs and newer MGL and they are great. Flip a coin . Having said all that, my real advice its to knock $100 off your reel budget and apply it to the rod budget - And get a MB Destroyer FMJ with a Chronarch, Curado, Scorpion, Tatula SV, etc for a reel.

The rods aren't a true moderate/parabolic action...Usually it's a Mod-Fast or even a Fast action if it's glass (like the Dobyns 736CB). Similar or the same as what a lot of people prefer in a spinnerbait rod or a beefy squarebill rod. It's more about how the bait performs and not really about hooking/landing fish. A little bit of rebound changes how the bait stops, starts, rips, etc when fishing though heavy grass. IMO it's specific to that application not specific to chatters universally. If it's a straight retrieve without ripping through grass, the rod doesn't really matter. I see it as more of an optimization and not a requirement....If someone fishes bladed jigs in shallow, grassy water a lot they will probably gravitate to it eventually.

Depends on the rules in your state, they are all a bit different right now. Here in MD, the MD DNR revoked all tournament permits since recreational and/or C&R fishing is actually illegal in MD under the Governors orders. People can still fish as long as it's for food, but tournaments are a no-go until things relax a bit (looks like June for us). Before things locked down here our club was preparing to hold tournaments while doing the social distance stuff....It was going to be a de-centralized launch and catch-weigh-photo-release. Weigh in results were going to be by conference call in the parking lot (while we were in our trucks). It would have been a little different but we could have managed. Even though most states still allow fishing, I think an organized tournament would probably ruffle some feathers with authorities...So whatever you do, tread lightly.

You're never going to get people to not post fishing reports or fish pictures online. Even just fish pictures will out a spot if the background is identifiable. If you let it upset you, you'll never be happy. My point was more that fishing pressure is universal and it doesn't mean you can't be successful. It's more in your head than anything else.

Some of you guys would flip if you saw the normal fishing pressure at the community holes on the Potomac and/or Upper Bay....It's not a new thing. 20 to 30 boats in a single area is fairly normal and anytime one leaves another pulls in. You want to talk about blowing up a spot? Wait til BASS or FLW comes to a body of water you fish....Any place featured on the live shows (not just the winning spots) end up crammed with boats the rest of the year, with everyone claiming 'they've fished it for years'. It is what it is.

Been a fact of life for many years on waters small and large...There are no secret spots anymore unless it's private property and even then it's probably not really a secret. Right now with so many waters and boat ramps closed, the stuff that is still open and/or accessible is getting slammed more than it typically would....Especially with nearly everyone at home and either teleworking or not working. This is probably the real reason it was super crowded.

The bills will break if you smack them on something hard enough or if you dig them into hard bottoms enough. I've broken a few, always been my fault though. It's not an issue IMO, they don't just fall apart...Something has to happen to cause it. If it does happen, Megabass will replace them for you if you send them in, I've done it once and have several friends that have as well. I've never heard of them not replacing a broken bill if someone sends it in. If you want a more durable 110, try the 110 FX Tour - the one with the folding lip. The folding lip is very durable.

I'm a self admitted Megabass junkie but I use the Daiwa Zillion frog rod (7'4" H) as my primary choice....It's literally the only non-Megabass rod in my rotation of 20+ rods. It's just slightly more powerful than than the Perfect Pitch, but not significantly. I do really like the Perfect Pitch as a frog rod and will often use it with a 2nd frog in the summer. I don't ever feel like it's underpowered personally, but everyone's different. I could use this as my primary and be happy...I probably would be if I had never tried the Zillion . You mentioned pads and grass, no issue for the Perfect Pitch there IMO. Another MB rod I really like for frogs that doesn't get mentioned often is the Tour Versatile. I love the TV for the sprinker-type frogs and toads. It's definitely on the lighter side though and I use it in that role (among many other things, it's name is fitting ) I have a Valdivia which has been mentioned too, but like many others I think it's a better suited for other things. I use it for big jigs, pitching, carolina rigs, and other bottom contact stuff.

Smallies and Spots can wreck the stock hooks on a 110, even smaller ones. Largemouth obviously can too, but it's way more common with smallies or spots. They are light wire hooks, it happens. I prefer the stock hooks and when they get bent I replace them with the same. I've heard good things about the Gamakatsu Finesse trebles in #5 (they supposedly run small)....When my stock of Katsuge #6's runs out I'll probably give those a try, but it'll be a while before I run out. I use casting gear and 10lb flouro FWIW.

Wrap your line around a pair of pliers or anything else that's sturdy and you can hold in your hand to pull on....Use that pull on your line instead of the rod or bare hands. Something will break or come loose and then you don't leave line in the lake. I always use pliers because I have them handy and close by. With braid the line should be OK, with Flouro the excess stretching will ruin everything from the pull point to the bait....Flouro doesn't like being overstretched.

Speaking for myself...I have the remote in my truck and if I'm alone I'll just back it down right next to the dock, when it starts to float off I hit the down button...Poles go down, I pull out and park, walk back and hop on boat. Heck I do this with a partner most of the time too, it's so easy and fast. Obviously you have to realize there is a chance for something to go wrong, so I only really do it when it's a bit warmer out and not too crowded in case I need to swim for it . Even just in general for docking if alone, you can pull into a slip or dock and drop the poles before getting out of the driver seat, so you don't drift away while getting up to tie off.