Klebs01

That lure appears to exceed the rating for the rod. I wonder if the added stress somehow damaged the rod and is a factor in the degraded performance.

I used red label from 4 to 15 lb for all my leaders this past year, and didn't have any knot failures. I am using an improved clinch knot though.

I haven't caught any fish on my 6"+ baits, but my biggest bass last year came on a biwaa seven a jackal giron. I'll be chucking those as well as the bigger stuff this year. Can't wait to throw the spro rat.

8lb power pro with a 4lb leader.

Yeah, that applies a lot more to freshwater flyfishing. Still, most of my rods are more than the reels they are paired with. A better reel can definitely make a day more enjoyable, but I can't think of a single time a reel made the difference in catching a fish. The rod and line impact lure feedback much more and definitely have led to more fish.

I'm the opposite. I would spend 3:1 on a rod befor a reel. A reel just holds line. A rod is much more important in casting and strike detection.

The reel should work well. I was out in LA earlier this week and went calico bass fishing. We used ci4+ 3000s with at least 40 lb braid and the drag cranked tight. The reels performed flawlessly fighting the fish out of the kelp. The kelp is no joke. Way tougher than any Lilly's I've ever seen. Should be perfect for your application.

In 2015 I greatly expanded the number of baits I had confidence in, especially slower presentations. In 2016, I plan on continuing my progress and trying competitive fishing for the first time.

Shadow raps out produced megabass for me this year.

30lb braid to flouro leader. I use braid to flouro on all my rods other than cranking, so it fits my style.

For the two baits you have listed, I would use two different rods. I have a 7'3" mhf (rated to 1.5oz so really a heavy) for frogs, and use my 7' mhf spinnerbait rod for buzz baits. For other top waters like spooks and poppers, I use a 6'8" mxf so it's easier to work the baits with the rod tip down.

Just got my 6'10" ml A-A-Ron rod. It's nice enough for the price. Matte finish on the rod beyond about 5 inches in front of the grip. Like the looks other than the matte purple model name. I got the rod to use for drop shots, ned rig and spy baiting. My favorite rod for the first two is my 6-9 mlxf avid. This rod has a much stiffer tip and bends way further down the blank than the avid. The grip feels great. Feels like it was designed for four fingers in front of the reel, which is how I hold my spinning rods. I think this was a good buy for the price, but it will likely be a few months before I can fish with it. Hopefully it will still feel like a good purchase once I get a few outings under my belt with it.

Thanks for the heads up. I've been looking for a dropshot rod and figured it was worth giving the enigma a shot for that price.

Just got my jigs and they look awesome. Wish I could be out there fishing them right now. If they fish as good as they look, I will be ordering a lot more.

I was just pondering this issue on my boat. I supposedly have a 27 gal tank, but have never filled up more than 15. I'm wondering if I'm not filling it up all the way or if th gauge just reads empty with about 12 gal left.

Beer and scotch help. Otherwise, lots of videos and reading. Also try to get in some fishing if we are able to get someplace warmer.

Finally was able to submit my order. Only 72 items. Took so long some items ran out of stock by time I completed my order. I'll just claim some of the stuff was for my wife. That should be a good excuse for buying so much and wasting a day.

The site finally loaded for me and my cart is empty. Hope it's not another 2 hours to load everything.

It was working for a while without discounts, but has stalled out again. I wasn't planning on TW taking all day.

I can't get on TW either. Looks like the site crashed. At least I got my siebert order in this morning.

I agree that the boat you mentioned does not fit with the general bay boat segment. The bay boats I have fished out have had great layouts for bass fishing or inshore and have never had an issue making casts as long as there was a little situational awareness. If I lived near the ocean I would get a 24' bay boat in a heart beat to cover inshore, reefs/wrecks, and bass. May not always be the best option, but it would be the most versatile option.

St. Croix.

I've have a 7'3" mf *** and have many avids. There is a reason...the avid is a much better rod and worth the extra cost to me. The mlxf is a blast to fish. Definitely my favorite ned rig rod. It may be a little light for a jerk bait, but that's nit picking between that an a 66 medium. Now I just need to find a way to sneak a mlxf legend elite into the house. Lol.

Some perspective for those that say nowhere is safe anymore...we have never been safer than we are now. Violent crime, including murder, is down 50% from 20 years ago. Even with the wars in the Middle East, total deaths from violence around the world are at historical lows. Some things are getting worse, but overall the world is continuing to get better every day.

Seems the same to me. 4cyl, v6 or v8 has nothing to do with engine size. Some of the old 500cc v8 race engines were great. Small, little torque, but high reving and fast for the day.