timsford

If you want to use fluorocarbon on spinning reels, I suggest trying tatsu. It's expensive, but it's definitely the best handling fluorocarbon I've tried. I'd still probably step down to 8 or 6 lb test though, depending on the size of your reel. Larger reels like 3000 or 2500 size will manage the line a lot better than the smaller 1500 and 2000 sizes in my experience.

You can get the lefties for 100 and the right hand version for 115 on fleabay with free shipping. I haven't tried the 200 but I own Tats, tat type r, and tat ct's and I have to say, these are excellent reels, especially for the price they can be found. How do you like it so far? I'm thinking of picking one up for smaller swimbaits up to a few ounces because of the extra capacity over the regular tat

I want one but I can't spare the funds right now. I think too many daiwa guys are buying up the sv103 reels instead because they love the old zillion frame and can put so many different spools into it with the sv103. I love the twing, sv spools, and aluminum zillions though, so I'm saving up for one. Hopefully I can get it soon and give a review

With bait casters, there are lots of variables that come into play when trying to achieve distance and/or accuracy. Both with lures on the low end and high end, but light lures will definitely be harder to learn to control. First and foremost is experience. You have to learn how to be able to back the brakes and tension off a little and use your thumb to keep the reel from backlashing to get the longest casts possible. You also have to learn the best casting motion for the target you are aiming at. Many times a sidearm, roll cast, or pitch will be much more accurate than overhand casting. Your equipment also matters a lot. What reel/rod/line are you using? A quality reel will have better braking systems like dynamic magnetic, centrifugal, and dual braking systems that will help you to learn to cast more quickly than one with a simple magnetic system in most cases, especially with lighter baits. Also most reels aren't going to do well much below 3/8, no matter what rod and line you use. Rods also play a big part. If you are using a stiff rod with a mh or heavy power, it isn't going to load well with lighter baits and won't transfer enough speed and energy to the bait to get a good cast. Likewise, if you use a med or med light, you aren't going to be able to cast heavy baits well because it overloads the rod. A more moderate action loads better, but won't set the hook well with most bottom bouncing stuff. The length of the rod makes a difference also.Generally, a longer rod casts farther, and a shorter rod is more accurate. Line matters as well. Thicker diameter lines won't come off the spool as fast and cast as far as a thinner diameter. Which us why many use braid. Too thin braided line can "dig in" on itself though, and cause backlashes and poor casts. This is when the line you are reeling gets pressed into the line on the spool. Any of these issues could be part of the problem, but more than likely you just need more practice with your setup. Try using heavier more aerodynamic baits at first like jigs, lipless cranks, spoon, and top water walkers like spooks. Practice casting and pitching with different motions in the yard with a jig and use a paper plate or something for a target. Try to get proficient with heavier stuff, then move to the lighter end of the spectrum. Also if you get time let us know what your setup is, and maybe there's some things that could be tweaked. Just keep practicing though and hang with it and it will come in time.

Action and wobble type, size and depth range, Quality hardware and hooks, good colors and paint quality, material(wood or plastic) and price

I use a 6'3" rod for spooks, poppers, and jerkbaits so I can get the rod movement I like without worrying about slapping the rod into something and breaking the tip. The power depends on the bait size as I own a ml, med, and mh fast. I prefer a fast action and mono line.

I'd go with the daiwa tatula in 7'1"mh unless you just HAVE to have a 7'3" length. Nicer rod than either of those and uses better components also

The reels may be smaller but Lew's isn't the first or only one with an externally adjustable, infintely variable centrifugal braking system. The Lew's acb system is just like the ivcb system Abu has used for years on some reels, and quantum has had the ACS system for a long time as well. And longer handles aren't necessarily better. It depends on what the user prefers. A longer handle should give you more leverage in theory, but it also makes your handle travel farther to make the same handle rotation so you actually end up feeling farther with a longer handle like if you swapped to a lower gear reel and had to reel more turns of the handle retrieve your bait. Shimano and daiwa make their own reels in their own factories. Everyone else pays doyo or banax to make reels that are all basically the same with interchangeable parts across many brands. I'll stick with daiwa and shimano because they make reels that last, and both introduce and stay on the forefront of most new reel technology. And if you need a part, you have a much better chance of getting one, since they don't have 25 reels that all get redesigned and renamed every year, making it nearly impossible to get parts in a couple years, but that still leverage the same features and technology so even though they are "new" reels, there's nothing new or innovative unless you count a hook hanger or line reminder on your reel

If you want to catch bigger fish, use bigger baits. Use big 10" worms and 8" lizards both weightless on top and with weight on bottom. 7 inch senkos dead sticked in any holes. Big spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, chatterbaits, and jigs. I prefer at least 3/8 and usually 1/2 oz. If it's shallow with cover use a larger trailer like a beaver or creature bait on the jigs. My favorite big fish jigs are the "mop" type jigs with living rubber that flare out with a smaller beaver or sweet beaver trailer. Gives a large profile but has a slow fall and easy to swim through weeds or drop in holes and the skirt flares out and presents a big meal. I also like using mag super flukes, and 5-7 inch paddletail swim baits weightless on top and rigged on a big owner beast hook with the spring keeper. Any open lanes or water try a big wake bait like an ms slammer, or weedless or top hook swimbaits. My favorites are hudd 68's and mattlures gills. Basically I just up size everything and focus on heavy cover, any transition areas or irregularities in the weed lines, or anywhere the weeds are present on any kind of ditch, drop off, or deeper water

I've fished ponds completely covered in algae and still caught fish, so I don't think it necessarily means a fish kill

It depends on the fish, the body of water, amount of boat traffic, water clarity, and other factors. I try to stay as far away as possible, but then again dee Thomas and lots of other guys have been flipping a rod length away from the fish and winning tournaments and catching countless hangs in the process for decades

I've never been spooled by a bass, but I have by a catfish and I've come close with stripers. I fish below dams a lot and I'm making very long casts with most of the baits I use. I also use 10 lb mono normally on my spinning reels. I prefer at least 130 yards of capacity because it's fairly easy to make a long 60 yard cast with a heavy lure and long rod and I wouldn't feel comfortable fishing for stripers or even big smallmouth in heavy current on relatively light line and drag with less line. Also the larger spool isuch more manageable with line, gives longer casts, and the larger sizes usually balance better with most bass rods, especially the longer rods most people use nowadays

Get the ss 1300 and call it a day. A 2500 or 3000 size daiwa is what I prefer and the 1300 is the same size. Amazing reel that will outlast you if you clean it every once in a while. Most makers 2500-3000 size should work great unless you go with pfleuger. Their line capacity per size is quite a bit smaller so I'd go with a 30 or more likely 35 size pfleuger

I like the 1/2 oz also in any shad color. I like chrome in sunny weather and anything opaque in cloudy weather

Wake baits I like the th customs, Mann's waker elite, baby 1 minus, storm subwart, and dt fat 1. Shallow baits under 6ft I like the rapala dt series, bandit 100, Norman fat boy and mad n, spring little John, and bomber fat a, square a, balsa b, Bagley's honey b 6-12ft I like rapala dt series, lucky craft skt mini, wiggle warts, bomber a cranks, bandit 200, spro little John MD, and shad raps 12-18 ft I like the rapala dt series, spro little John dd, bandit 300, Norman deep little n and dd22, bomber fat free shad, and various lucky craft baits Super deep cranks I like the duo g87, 6th sense crush, 8xd and 10xd

I don't have a specific favorite because what I use depends on where the fish are located and at what depth, but I have a certain selection I cycle through. Top water walkers, poppers, and buzzbaits, super flukes, floating worms, jerkbaits, lipless cranks, square bills, spinnerbaits, swim baits, jigs and drop shots. As the water cools I start using more jerkbaits, spoons, balsa cranks, flat cranks, lipless cranks, tailspinners, and blade baits. The main things I concentrate on in the fall are where the baitfish are(main lake or how far up in Creek arms, and at what depth. I also use more reaction baits and stick with them longer if I'm not getting bites quick than I do in other seasons. Most bass are relating to and feeding on shad schools and I stick with baits that imitate the size of the shad I'm seeing and that can be fished at the depth the fish are relating to.

I grew up reading and watching bass master, in fisherman, watching bill dance, Jimmy Houston, Roland Martin, and Hank Parker. I was born in 86 and started fishing as soon as I could walk and swim with my grandpas. I started getting into bass fishing around 9 so 1995 or so. Back then there was no internet or sites like this. No youtube or go pro cameras. Reading bass master taught me how to fish structure, tins of new techniques, and basically everything I know. Y'all young bucks and newbies are lucky to have the internet and resources like this. If I could pass on any advice, it would be that these old shows, books, baits and techniques are still relevant. Also that there is no magic bait, best spot, or that just because you aren't getting bites, it doesn't mean the fish aren't biting, maybe you need to experiment with new locations or techniques.

Amen to that. Customs and VERY FEW factory rods are the only ones I've seen in a few years with nice cork. It makes it hard when you despise foam, don't like the feel of the Winn grips, and customs or a 400 dollar legend elite are the only place to get a nice cork handle. I use u40 on all my cork rods since most have lots of filler. I have bought several used and just cleaned with dawn and water and magic erasers before sealing

If you want anti backlash systems, buy an sv spooled or magforce3d braking daiwa, or even better buy a t3 sv with both. Or buy a dc shimano. Or learn to use your thumb. In all seriousness though, good luck with your project

I plead my 5th ammendment right to not give information that would implicate me in illegal activity

In any water I use Chrome or shiny colors on bait fish imitating baits when it's sunny, and opaque colors when it's cloudy. Usually the only time I use translucent colors is in ultra clear water

Yes the slammer is the real deal. I've caught fish on the rat, but the slammer seems to get me the big girls more often. I know it doesn't look like much, but then again I caught 18 on a methiolate (orange) colored trick worm in an hour and a half this morning and I have no clue what it's supposed to look like

The cps springs are what I use also. If it's in open water I just use an insert head and slit the belly a little. If it needs to be weedless you can always cut a small slit in the belly and push a scrap piece of plastic worm into the head section. When you screw the bait on the hook just keep the worm piece pushed into the nose and screw the hook into it. It will usually make them last at least a couple more fish depending on the brand

If you want to save some money the tatula frog rod is 110 on Sportsmans outfitters site and is a great frog and all around heavy action rod. The tatula XT version of the same rod is only 80.

Definitely do some research on the zodias rods. I did some asking around when I was going to buy a BFS rod and several guys said the zodias was more powerful than rated. Haven't fished one myself. The JDM brands definitely have a bigger selection. Other than having a custom made on a spinning blank, the only American models I can personally think of that would work are the phenix recon 2 and I've talked to a few guys who use st Croix light inshore models. There are some good prices out there if you shop around on the JDM stuff. I was browsing the other day and either plat, digitaka, or Japan lure had a lot of major craft half off