DCales84

Try using a Berkley Havoc Devil Spear. The smaller version fits on the back of a chatterbait very well and produce a ton of action.

Yes you can launch out of Riverton. The water there can be very shallow during parts of the year and the ramp has had several large rocks and other items near the end of it that you need to watch for. I have a semi V hull LOWE with a 25hp tiller on it and have no issues the last few years. You just need to go slow until you learn the area. Under one of the overpasses the remains of old posts are super shallow and you need to be very cautious not to hit them. For me personally I have had much better fishing success on other parts of the river but you can do well there if you know the area. Pretty sure the max depth tops out around 20ft and there's current that you will have to deal with as well. During the summer it can be annoying as people will sometimes hot lap the area with jet ski's and ski boats. If you have a shallow riding boat and a jet motor you can go upstream a good ways and I have had better luck doing that in most cases.

Both the lfs or the older ss1 models are great values. I have 5 of the ss1 models and they are solid. The lfs improved on the ss1 platform by reducing weight and going to a slightly smaller profile. While I prefer Lews the BPS pro qualifier was on sale for 70 recently and may be still available at that price.

I came across this sale today as well... Its tempting at the sale price but I have not been able to handle one in person yet. They look to be a larger sized reel from photos online. Any other BR members out there have any thoughts on this reel? Thanks!

Also they do make a 7'6" Heavy Berkley Shock. I have owned two of them and they get the job done without breaking the bank. I was able to locate both of mine from Dunham Sports for under $40 each. Also some Wal Mart locations have had the Falcon Jason Christie series rods on clearance. I picked up a 7'3" Heavy for $50 locally and its a very nice rod.

I just bought two XL sized casting rod gloves and they are super long... I recently bought a Lews TP1 7'6" and the XL cover comes down to within about 2-3 inches from the reel seat. On my Lews TP1 7' an XL cover will all but touch the reel. If your looking to just have protection for the guides the normal sized covers work well but if you want to keep the entire rod from being banged up the XL's may be for you. Also keep in mind that the longer rod gloves make it harder to store if you like to keep baits tied on as well.

If you haven't opened the line yet I would exchange it for a smaller test. 17lb test is pretty hefty for a spinning reel of that size. I tried heavier line on a spinning reel before and it ended badly to say the least. If you want the higher lb test go with braid and add a leader of your choice.

As others have said it appears the bass line of baits are no longer in production. I've used both sizes of tube baits they offer with good success. For $2 a bag its worth buying a few to try. Even the Linder family has switched from Trigger X to Big Bite Baits this past year or so.

Glenn has posted a video on BR that shows the best way to T-Rig a tube bait using a Trokar tube hook. Check it out and it will def. help you out. Eagle Claw makes a less expensive option as well if your looking to save a few dollars.

As mentioned before the Ghost series of rods are nice. I wouldn't say they are the finest rod at the $100 price point but they are better than most. As with most EVA foam handled rods I found the Ghosts handle to be a bit slick so I added some shrink wrap grip and it's much improved. On my 7' MH Ghost the only thing I've used that I did not feel it handled well has been spinnerbaits... Esp larger baits around 1/2oz or more. Jigs, T-rigs, weightless senkos, and smaller crank baits can be handled easily. I will also chime in on the Falcon Bucoo series of rods. I have 3 different Bucoo models and the 7' MH is a true workhorse. It has handled everything the Ghost has and will also handle spinnerbaits and larger cranks easier. Again the Falcon needed some attention on the foam grip but aside from that if you can score one at less than retail it's a great all around rod and I'm pretty sure it's American made.

I have been using both straight braid and braid with a fluoro leader the last 2 seasons and honestly haven't noticed much difference between the two. I will also say the braid I've used is heavily faded from use as well so it's all but white at this point. I have used yellow Berkley fire line with good results as you can cast a senko a mile with ease and the light line weight helps them skip under docks and trees much easier. I'd say give it a go and see if it works for you.

All black grubs will work with any jig you use. grubs also make a good A-Rig bait as well. Maybe use brighter color grubs with one or two black grubs mixed in.

I pour my own weighted wacky jig heads with the do-it molds jig. Rarely lose fish and have only had one hook let go on me so far and that was due to a bad hangup. Normally use 1/16 or 1/8 and yes it does make a difference as far as action goes. If going weightless I'll normally use an EWG hook between a 3/0 and 5/0 on a bit heavier line.

I have more trouble with the butt length than anything else as I currently have a sit in kayak. Anything from about 14 to 14.5" I start banging into the side of my kayak. I prefer longer rod's for jigs and tx rigs for extra leverage.

If held to one color only I would have to go with black. As of now its been the most productive color for me. If you're buying toads look into buying dedicated hooks. Stanley's double take hooks in a 4/0 size are killer when used with Zoom toads.

It will work just fine. I've used every type of line with my shock rods without any issues. Use whatever works best for you.

I've fished them texas rigged and on a swinging football jig and both work well. I've seen others use the magnum sized worms thru grass and pads with a swivel inline to keep the line from twisting to bad. I would imagine that they would also do well on a shakey head and even trimmed down and used on the back of a swim jig. Very versatile bait and Zoom offers a color for any situation.

I bought two packs of 3/0 and 4/0 standard EWG XPS hooks last season while they were on sale. For the price they work.... not great by any means. Make sure to keep a hook sharpener handy if you buy some. Overall I used them for thinner baits and they worked just fine.

I use the Do It brand swing jig mold and its just about the only way I fish plastics for bottom contact. very versatile and the cost is reasonable vs store bought jigs. I have tried numerous hooks and have found the long shank EWG hooks by VMC to be my favorite for now. I have yet to lose a jig due to a snag... I have ruined hooks and beat the paint off them which is another story.

I have 3 Bucoo Micro's and they have all done well... Yes the guides are very small but I almost never use leaders so it's not a problem. They have all handled braid flouro and mono at some point without issues. My only gripe is that after about a years worth of use the foam handle became a bit slick. I recently wrapped it with AccuCull tube wrap and its now better than ever. Have caught loads of fish and wouldn't hesitate to buy more.

Berkley and Zoom are my go to companies due to cost. Both brands offer good values and are easily sourced. I'm a big fan of the Berkley Havoc line up and have done well with all the baits that I've tried so far. I really enjoy fishing Zoom toads as they are durable and a blast to catch fish on. If I had deep pockets I would prefer to buy all Strike King or Yamamoto but.... that wont be happening anytime soon.

My personal best smallmouth came on a Cabin Creek tube. They are thin and I normally texas rig them on a 1/0 EWG hook. They can also be bought in bulk packs from some merchants which can save a few bucks. https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/catpage-SBTUBE.html?from=basres

If you decide to try them out ill give you a piece of advice. Before installing them read the directions and wet the reel with water to help the grip slide easier. I was able to get all four of my grips installed in under a few min without any issues. From what I have heard if you have any issues and destroy one attempting to install it the company is normally willing to replace them.

I picked up the spinning reel versions late last season. So far they are worth the money after having hand and wrist issues. They come two in a pack so the cost isn't to bad overall.

The VMC rugby jigs came to mind after I posted about the swinging football idea. I've used the rugby heads on ZMan finesse worms and they sit straight up. Assuming the TRD's may be able to float them as well. Will have to drop on in the sink to test it out.