Drew03cmc

Absolutely

Realistically, you can get any of those rods and be just fine. Keep in mind, the Karashi is 3/16, so any light-tipped ML will throw it provided your reel will handle it. I have a M Crucial here I can throw it on and I would have zero issues doing so. If you really want a new rod, that Raid is pretty sweet. Put a Daiwa BF70 or Aldebaran BFS on it and have fun.

For that use, I would get a Phenix Maxim for like $140 and put a Tatula, Fuego, Curado or SLX of appropriate size and speed on it. From Phenix, it'll be a heavy, but they overrate everything.

For me, my favorite hook brand is Ryugi, followed by (depending on need) Owner and VMC. From Owner, I really like their Twistlock hooks for my flukes and the 1/0 twistlock light for my 2.5" Yamatanuki/DoLive Stick 3.5, etc. Most of my hooks are Ryugi though. For the cost, they trump Owner on almost everything. For jigs, heads, etc I buy the jig, not the hook. Idk if they have Mustad, Berkley, VMC, or whatever in them.

Responded. Thanks!

My $.02, find a Phenix MH X Fast rod in the price range you want and you will not be disappointed. I spent Saturday afternoon throwing weightless D Shads for river smallies in heavy current and was never outgunned. I lost a 5+ by trying to rush the fish, but caught a 3-04 that was over 18" in some ripping current. It sets the hook well, can also toss a 3/8 and 1/4 Baby Jack just fine and I will have zero issues throwing something as light as a weightless Trick Worm if I need to on my one rod bank or wade trips. Their rods are underpowered versus say an Abu or Daiwa. A MH is more of a M+ and handles everything in their weight range just fine.

If you can find a Phenix Maxim 7'3 H, it's a great stick for the price. I am using a Phenix M1 7'4 H for that purpose. They run a touch lighter than most everyone else, so it's more of a MH+, but I have pulled almost 6# bass out of heavy pads without much issue on 65 braid.

10-4, thanks for the heads up!

For reading, this book is dry, but it has good information. Bill did not fish lakes with a lot of grass or pads, so it's lacking in that aspect. I have both of Josh Alwine's books and have not read them yet, but have high hopes. The Murphy book is definitely worth the money and I will finish it when I can, but man is it dry. I like Tim Holschlag's smallmouth books a lot and have not found a copy of Big Bass Zone yet.

Thank you for your input! I have thought about the 904, but it may be too moderate and too long for my liking. For knots, I normally tie the improved clinch, but I will also tie a Uni with two wraps through the eye, just make sure to lubricate before cinching down.

I have to disagree. Braid is very sensitive when you are tight to a bait, but for slack line sensitivity, like on a jig or Texas rig, fluoro is far superior. Braid is too limp to translate enough vibration on a slack line. I finally convinced my son of this over the winter fishing jigs for big smallies here and he won't even bother throwing a jig on braid anymore. If it works for you, go for it, but for jigs and Texas rigs away from the heaviest cover, fluoro is my choice. If I'm flipping heavy, heavy grass or pads, braid gets the nod, especially a 4 strand braid as it will saw through some of the vegetation.

This was what I noticed about the FMJ. It feels super stiff, but when I bury the hook, it bends almost to the midpoint of the blank, right into the meat of the rod's power. It's a phenomenal rod.

I throw 100% of my 3/8 and 1/2oz jigs and swim jigs on a Megabass Destroyer FMJ. It is sensitive and powerful while still having the tip to skip and pitch Texas rigs in and around grass and pads. It might be my favorite rod I own and I have a Curado MGL on it with 17lb fluorocarbon. It's the rod I've come to judge a jig rod by. My son has a Shimano Expride, I believe, 7'3" MHF that he throws jigs on that he loves also.

I am going to try it tomorrow and see if these fit.

If it fishes like my Major Craft Benkei 6'8" Big Bait, it's a nice rod, but a bit stiff for most of what I was using it for. Shorter swimbait rods are, for me, limited to close quarters.

Not a bad analogy. I couldn't even hook up on the 4" with aggressive river smallies. It wasn't the hook. I was using the recommended BKK. It's just a bait that you aren't catching most of the fish that bite. It's one that you need to be patient and hope they actually swallow it or you're SOL. I fish topwater for the bite and the fight, not the swings and misses.

If I'm concerned about a kinky worm, I have other issues at hand. I don't mind an 8ct bag, but at nearly a dollar a worm, it's not exactly the deal for a technique where I might go through a worm a fish. The Flick Shake 5.8 or 6.8 is a killer shaky worm and they come pre kinked for more action, so a wavy worm isn't a huge deal.

Appreciate it, but no Oxblood option that I saw.

It is just annoying to be able to buy green pumpkin Trick Worms 20 at a time for less than 8 of the Janitors. I really like the Janitor worm, but would love a higher quantity option if that makes sense. Roboworm has the color available too, but, again, the same 8 worm quantity.

Yes. It is slightly stacked to the top and the spool has some up and down play on the shaft, so a washer is needed on the top of the spool.

Different species of fish fellas. The spots native to the Tombigbee are Alabama bass. You guys are catching spotted bass. The Alabama bass are native to the Coosa system and have been moved all over the southeast from their native range to places like the Tennesse River system, New, Potomac and James drainages in Virginia/WV, Broad in NC/SC, Catawba in NC/SC, Flint and Chattahoochee in Georgia and anywhere else some numbskull decided to drop them in. They are a detriment to anywhere they are not native as they do not just exist. They hybridize native species out of existence in some places. We fish the Broad River system in SC and for every pure smallie we catch, we catch nearly as many Smallie/bama hybrids. The smallies are not native here either, but they were thriving before Alabama bass got into the system and still do. It is just an issue in this region, but think about it. How long before they wind up in the Susky? If they were stocked in the Ozarks officially or unofficially, the smallies would be on the chopping block.

Are they relatively universal? I have a Stradic 2500 FL that the line is bunching at the top of the spool a bit and I do not have the washers that came with the Stradic, but I do have some that came with a new Lew's I bought that I was curious if they would suffice.

I've had Metaniums, Aldebarans, high end Daiwas and I keep coming back to the Curado 151 MGL. I have yet to find a reel that is as capable for the price that you can buy right off the shelf. I'm running these on both of my Destroyers. For the Pop X Stick, though, I would probably bite the bullet on the Conquest BFS.

Are the washers that come with new spinning reels pretty universal? My Stradic is bunching at the top of the spool and I have some washers that, I believe, came with a Lew's.

Personally, a shaky head, jig, bladed jig (lately a Baby Jack), 3.3-3.8" paddle tail on a jig head, frog, Ned rig or a weightless 2.5 yamatanuki and whatever else my heart desires. I've been throwing the shaky more than anything for largemouth lately, but for smallies the bait on the shaky changes from a worm to a 3" Yama Craw, the head does not.