FryDog62

Here in the North, its debatable if you even need a leader for largemouth. They aren't the sight feeders that smallmouth are. That being said I usually do tie on a leader if I'm using braid as a mainline - 8 lb YZH for lighter/finesse applications and 12 lb YZH or 15 lb Abrazx for docks, jigs, flippin', etc.

Where sensitivity in baitcasters comes in handy for me are: Medium action b/c: Shaky head, got to feel that bottom for contact, composition, etc. I prefer a baitcaster once hooked to pull the fish away from cover. Medium action b/c: Neko rigging - having the nail weight exposed slightly helps detect the rock pile you are targeting. Medium Heavy b/c: Texas Rig when bouncing off cover and maneuvering around the "junk" Medium Heavy b/c: Dragging a Biffle Bug, Dark Sleeper, Football jig, or Carolina rig across flats, gravel, chunk rock... Heavier lines are better on baitcasting set ups IMO. I tend to favor extra fast rods in those situations, but at least a quality fast action rod. Finesse and sensitivity can definitely come into play with baitcasters too. Much is personal preference and confidence, so if you prefer spinning ok to stay that way too ~

Especially cool that he caught it from the bank and not on a fancy boat with 360 Imaging or Livescope ?

Since this post 2 years ago, I continue to throw the DS a fair amount. Still toss it in the middle/outer weed edge and let it bounce and swim down the water column In the vegetation - catch both largemouth and walleyes. The 3 inch (not 3.8) in 3/4 oz does this particularly well due to its weight yet compact size. The other place it did really well for me last year was a flat with lots of broken/chunk rock scattered around in 7-11 fow. That 3/4 oz gets down and the smaller 3 inch size stays along the bottom well with a medium speed, straight retrieve. As it bounced off the rocks it really got smashed by the largemouth. Still using the Orochi Braillist, excellent feeling the bottom and cover below... but I think any sensitive MH rod could work well. When I use the 1 oz size I switch between the Braillist and ALX Zolo Dragger.

Any experience with the 71MXF casting rod for shaky heads? Too many surgeries on my wrist to use spinning rods anymore. I guess you can say that I’m half the man I used to be... ?

Great story, persistence pays off ?

Would you recommend this rod for 1/8-3/16 oz shaky heads? Or would that be too light as the rod is rated 1/4-3/4 oz... Thx

When I fish for bass with white or chartreuse Chatterbaits, all I catch are pike...

I recommend a VMC Rugby Head in rivers if there are boulders. Not perfect but pretty good avoiding snags. Can use any plastic that works - Craw, Hula Grub, Ned, etc...

I think I have donated literally thou$ands of dollars to those toothy scud missiles over the years... plus they can be a little rough in the release process..

I'm all baitcasting now... Anything I would potentially skip has a Daiwa SV spool Everything else is becoming a Tatula Elite which casts unbelievably faaaaarrrrr.... (Exception - I have one BFS reel for throwing 1/16th oz hair jigs - Daiwa Air TW) I had Lew's for years but they just didn't hold up over time. Loved my Curado 70, extremely palmable reel, but just didn't throw the lighter lures or skip very well compared to an SV.

Biggest difference will be casting distance. CT is a solid reel, but the Elite will get you approx 20% more distance...

In moderate cover I have stuck with braid but tied on a YZH 12 lb leader at times. As stated above, Yo-Zuri reports closer to 19 lb breaking strength. Seems to work okay for me... I find it very abrasion resistant and great knot strength..

It will work well casting 1/16-1/8 oz hair jigs or small cranks like a 1/16 oz Lucky Craft Snacky in lakes and streams without significant cover. I throw 1/10 oz Neds and found the 740 UF tip to be too soft and returned the rod for a Phenix Feather 7'1" Light. It works better for Ned rigs IMO and even the above mentioned ultralight lures when paired with an Alphas Air TW reel. That reel is unbelievable with light lures, but now I feel like I have a much more versatile bass fishing rod. If I fished streams for trout, I think the 700 would be a very good rod.

I had looked at those earlier, I like the price if the pike bite off a bunch. Although they do look pretty light, I wonder about castability... I could use an Alphas SV...

That Crush Mini is a great suggestion. And yes, I thought about a lipless crank - Steve Pennaz got me going on the Warpig, maybe the smaller 1/4 oz size would fit the bill..

I have the jerk bait angle covered, but yes heavier line might work too?

Fishing for White Bass - 50 degree water, 10 foot flats and fish are suspended 3-4 feet down... they feed up and minnows are busting the surface. I have other things I can throw (jerkbaits, spinners, spoons, paddletails) but looking for a cold water crankbait option too. I threw a couple squarebills yesterday but they dive more like 4-5 feet and I was "under" the fish too often. Need a crankbait that is fairly compact, sticky hooks and preferably flashy since the Whities are visual feeders. Suggestions?

You'll have to experiment but those options sound workable. Biggest factors are ability to cast the lure weight and retrieve them in/around cover, weeds, rocks, etc. I think the Dobyns will cast well enough and probably has adequate backbone to fight most fish - just can't imagine pulling anything through light cover with it.

I’ve been a little out of pocket w/family health issues... you may have already posted the replica of your Tiger, but if you can plz do so again, would be great to see. One of the prettiest freshwater fish out there ?

I like the thought of a 50 incher from a guy that has caught 5 between 49 and 49 7/8 inches

Don’t know if you can find one ... but the best “small boat” I ever had and if I had to go back to a small boat again ... is a 16 foot fiberglass Yar-Craft tiller. I bought it when I didn’t have the money for it but never regretted - except the day I sold it. I had it for 6 years and the boat had great bones and I upgraded the motor and electronics over time. I took it into the shallow/tight places on the vaunted Rum River for smallmouth - as well as for Walleyes/Muskie in 3 foot swells on Mille Lacs and Waubay. It was a beast in bigger water and yet sleek and agile when you needed it. It would kick any aluminum tiller’s arse, even those 2-3 feet longer.. There are probably other small glass tillers out there, hard to beat IMO and extremely versatile.

I think you can splice the two different lines and maybe achieve your desired results. But remember, when you splice you reduce breakage strength at the knot to about 80-90%. Personally I would go with all fluoro or all mono depending on the application.

7’ T-Rigs 7’2”, 7’3” Jig rods 7’4” Flippin

Not exactly mono but close... Yo-Zuri Hybrid 12 lb. Best leader material I’ve found for knot strength and abrasion resistance. Their tests show it has a breaking strength of 19 lb. Abrazx is good too, but if you’re throwing frogs on top I wouldn’t use fluorocarbon. Actually if you’re just throwing frogs, Tom is right - go main line w/o a leader.