FryDog62

Ultimately I’ll have to experiment on the water, but I heard from someone at Dobyns today that has fished the new Ultra Finesse rod with a BFS reel. He tried both 10 lb braid and 4-6 lb fluorocarbon and thought the fluorocarbon cast further. So maybe your assertion that fluoro is denser and creates more inertia is the most accurate hypothesis. Surprises me a little bit, but I’m anxious to try out both in the Spring...

Caught a few 20 inch smallmouth this past year - Neko’d a crawfish for this one?

Epic in both a good and bad way - Went to Boundary Waters several years ago and 1st fish 10 minutes in was an 8 lb walleye caught on an ultra light spinning rod. Later that day we found a young woman on the shoreline waving for help from us, she was almost in a state of shock. She and her dad had tried to paddle up a large channel from a connected lake - got 3/4 the way up and the current was too much. Canoe capsized and he was lost. We spent the rest of the day and the next morning looking for his body until the Park Ranger and planes showed up to search further. Put a damper on the trip to say the least. Turns out the guy was a state attorney general from a nearby state. Tragic...

Tom, how do you like the castability/strength of Sunline Super Natural compared to Sniper?

Yes, very familiar with Yo-Zuri Hybrid... @Roadwarrior has used the 4 lb a lot and based on his recommendation a few years ago, I picked up a spool back when I could find it that size. The 4 lb has the diameter of most 8 lb lines, but it is pretty strong, abrasion resistant and good knot strength. I have some 7 lb Sniper I would probably try before buying 6 lb Tatsu. Valid point, any perspective on what size braid would or would not work on the BFS reel Daiwa Air Stream?

Been thinking more about this point which is valid... however, as I think about it more - would the higher density give more weight when casting a light 1/16 oz hair jig and actually help get more distance?

Thx!

Thx, but need something transparent for clear water, also I’m not sure if BFS baitcasting reel can use braid...

True, they are non-braid... I'll add the caveat that this will be used in gin clear smallmouth waters so needs to be low viz, i.e. mono/co-poly/fluorocarbon. And Ultra finesse micro guides that braid/leader won't go through.

What mono/co-poly/fluorocarbon 6 pound line do you get best casting distance from? I’ve heard that Gliss casts a country mile, but that it’s too fragile. What else do people like?

Anyone have a current coupon code for Digitaka, JPAngler or other reputable JDM sites?

Thx, I better save up some yens ?

Air stream preferred over Air TW, or do you mean starting price of stream is better?

How do you think the Alphas CT SV would work with that rod? Wondering if it will get enough distance with light hair jigs..

I have ordered a Dobyns 740 Ultra Finesse rod to use for throwing 1/16-1/8 oz hair jigs for smallmouth. May use as a Ned/DS rod some too. I have a Daiwa Alphas, but odd as it may sound I will experiment with a Tatula Elite too. The Elite is not BFS but I have used it on a 7'1" Phenix Feather MLF and honestly get better distance than the Alphas. Elite can be a little touchier, but once dialed in I can cast a light Ned about 10-20% farther than the Alphas.

I switched my jerk bait set up from a Tatula SV TW to an Elite this past year. It is so much easier to get distance on lighter, high profile lures with the Elite. Big difference. I like a higher speed reel to pick up line when I'm jerk baiting - I think 7.1 or 8.1 would be fine, I have the 8.1.

I have just about all of the SV Daiwa reels - but picked up 3 Elites in the past year to help me get more distance on higher profile/light lures like buzz baits, jerk baits, etc. I have struggled at times adjusting to them because they cast so far. After fishing SV's all day and picking up the Elite, I have launched some buzz baits well into the upper deck on shore. Seriously, it launches...

I ordered a Dobyns 7’4” Ultra finesse baitcasting rod... I want to focus more on 1/16-1/8 oz hair jigs for smallies at certain times of the year here in MN... so far I dabble with Marabou, but the light went on this Fall, just needed the right rod;)

I’ve been intrigued but haven’t bought the 6 inch Fat Straight Tail worm for Shaky Head or Neko rigging. Was ready to purchase some last summer but my local store sold out. Do you find the tail to float well enough? I know the action is good... I don’t always like the worm floating straight up but somewhere between 45-90 degrees seems to work best for me.

White Bass like them too - -

1) Kalin's 5 inch Wac-O-Worm (Baby Bass) Weightless T-Rig for wacky 2) Maxscent General 4 (drop-shot wacky style) or 5 inch regular wacky style 3) Grande Bass 5 inch Airtail Rattler Neko/Shaky/T-rig 4) 7.5 inch Culprit in black/blue T-rig 5) 4 inch Roboworm for DS (if I'm out of Creature Hawgs) "The Wiggler"

Alberto is one of the strongest and thinnest knots when tied correctly. It has one primary flaw if you can avoid will make it nearly bullet proof. You must go back through the original loop the same direction as you came in or it will pull out upon tightening. I try to be very careful but out in the wind and a rocking boat I still go the wrong way from time to time and it is frustrating...

Once you get out on the water, try to focus on a rig that skips easiest and build confidence from there. A wacky worm is good, but one of my favorite you can actually get to "ski" even more than skip is a 4 inch Biwaa Craw on a 1/8 oz jig head... will make you feel like a pro!

Cool, will have to get your feedback if you get the new Zillion... I have high hopes for it. Yeah, not a huge rush to get a skipping combo this time of year in MN. Although if you did it now out on the ice you might set a Guiness record for longest skip under an ice house..!

I have not used the DC, but talked to a guy I know that does. He says it’s definitely better than the other Shimanos he skips with but not as smooth or as much distance as the Daiwa SV. That said I’m sure both are great reels. Are you talking about the new Zillion set to come out or the old one? A new release is planned with significant upgrades. I had a Zillion a couple years ago and it was nice, but I think the Tatula SV that came out last year kind of leap-frogged the Zillion. Which makes me think the new release of the Zillion will be even better. For me, I’d wait and at least compare... I think the other thing he does right is more of a stand straight up and roll cast. He kind of calls out the guys that crouch down baseball style and sling it side arm. That was absolutely me when I started out skipping and I had some epic blow ups!