UKCats55

Hey guys, I have always used monofilament but I am wanting to make the switch (for the proper presentations) to braid or fluorocarbon. What are some opinions on the best products as well as when to use each? I like the Berkley brand, and will be using it on Berkley Lightning Shock rods. Thanks for the help!!

Hands down, best rod under $50 is the Berkley Lightning Shock rod. I own 3 and you can find them under $50 at any Wal Mart.

I completely agree, the Berkley rods are a great value!! I have a Abu Garcia Silver Max on a Berkley Lightning Shock rod that is my favorite set up. I also have a couple Mitchell spinning reels on Berkley Amp rods for finesse baits. All three outfits cost me less than $250. With a daughter in college and a 2 year old, I can't afford to drop $500 on a fishing rod. But like everyone says, it is all personal preference. I know a guy that has caught several bass over 10 pounds using a Zebco 33 and an Ugly Stik!!

7 pounder, I was fishing a white Fluke hooked through the nose with a weedless hook. I let it sink slowly with lots of small twitches on the way down.

I have fished my whole life, and the one tip I would give is not to make it too complicated!! A baitcaster, a spinning rod, and a couple of Plano stowaways have caught 99 percent of the bass I've landed. Don't waste a ton of money on stuff you don't need. I have WAY too much stuff myself!!

I agree with the others who have said a 7' MHF is a great all around choice. I like the Duckett Ghost rods myself.

I think so!! It is water resistant, and has 3 compartments in the main bag area. I use one for some raingear, the middle is a cooler area, and the bottom holds 4-360 boxes. It is a Browning, so it should be tough.

If I had it, I would fish it!! I suppose I would be worried about damaging it, but the fun would outweigh my fear. I have 2 daughters, one in college and a 2 year old. So if anything, fish it for guys like me that think spending $50 on a rod is a lot!!

I would get a casting setup with 15 or 17 pound Trilene Big Game. You could get a couple of 7' Lightning Shock rods with Lew's reels at Wal Mart for $250-$300.

Got my backpack fixed up today!! Found a Browning backpack on sale at Bass Pro for $30. I already had utility boxes, one 3700 and two 3600. I also added a spinnerbait box and a small box for terminal tackle. Throw in some soft plastics and I am set.

Skeet Reese rods are good, but the Berkley Lightning Shock rod is EXTREMELY underrated!! I would put it up against almost anything under $100. My favorite rod ever, by far.

Nice jerk shot rig, definitely going to try this soon. I fish from shore a lot as well. Thanks for sharing!!

Gander Mountain has some awesome Vortex spinning and casting rods for $20 right now (they were $60) and I paired one of each with a Mitchell Avocet spinning reel and a Pinnacle baitcaster. Mitchell was $30, Pinnacle was $40, both at Wal Mart. Wal Mart also has some pretty nice tackle bags for $20, they are Okeechobee Fats. As far as baits, grab a frog, Pop-R, Rapala, a buzzbait, Red Eye Shad, Senkos, Flukes and maybe a jig or two. Good luck!!

Thanks everyone, a ton of good info on your posts. Gives me a lot of ideas on how to outfit my bag.

I recently posted a topic on what type of bag I should use for shore fishing. The overwhelming response was a backpack. Now I am curious as to what everyone keeps in their shore fishing arsenal. I always like to hear what others have in their bag and compare it with mine. All input is appreciated. Thanks!!

I like to fish 3-4 inch minnow baits on spinning gear. Rebel minnows or Rapalas seem to work best. Cast them out and let them sit, twitch at first, then crank them and stop. Normally they hit it on the way back up. Good luck!!

I would like to get some opinions on the Shakespeare Ugly Stik rods. I know they are not the most sensitive, but the Ugly Stik Lite and GX2 models look pretty good!! They are touted to be very durable and are extremely affordable. I mainly fish farm ponds and lakes from shore. Any input is helpful.

Thanks for the tip on the Spiderwire backpack. Checked it out online and really liked it!! Going to our local Dick's this weekend to pick one up. Seems like a great buy.

Thanks everyone!! I may try to go the backpack route, it seems to be the bag of choice. I don' t take a whole lot, 3-3600 series boxes, spinnerbait box, and soft plastics. I throw in a digital scale, pliers, clippers, line, and a knife. Appreciate everyone taking time to answer. Heading to the lake in the morning.

Hey guys, I fish a ton of small ponds and the KY/Barkley lake area from shore. I am looking to buy a tackle bag (do not want a hard box) that will hold my gear but not weigh 50 pounds!! Some of the earlier posts indicated that a backpack with utility boxes was the way to go, but I just don't like them. I occasionally Crappie and Catfish, so will probably have some extra utility boxes that I will mix and match. Any opinions are welcome, and thanks for your input. Love the site!!

I have pretty good luck fishing 4-5 inch Rapala type stick baits. The kind that float and when cranked dive 3-4 feet deep.. After you cast let it sit for a few seconds, then crank it hard, after it dives 3 feet or so, stop it. That is when they usually crash it. I have caught several bass over 5 pounds on these lures. Good luck!!

I fish from shore quite a bit and I always carry 3 rods. 2 6'6" medium Gander Mountain Vortex spinning rods with Mitchell Avocet reels with 12 lb. mono. One I keep rigged for finesse plastics and the other I use for jerk baits or rattle traps. The third is a 6'6" medium heavy Gander Mountain Vortex casting rod with a Pinnacle baitcaster with 15 lb. mono that I use for jigs, spinnerbaits, or crankbaits. The rods are on sale for $19.99 (regular $59.99) and the reels are all in the $30-$40 range. Good setup for the $$$!!