RandySBreth

Maybe lay off the Red Bull? ;D

Maybe lay off the Red Bull? ;D

Maybe lay off the Red Bull? ;D

I use leader fluoro all the time, mostly Seaguar or Orvis Mirage. It's stiffer and stronger per diameter than regular main line fluoro. Tied to my main line of braid or fused superline as a leader, it's an awesome set up. And yes, it's expensive as bleep. But folks are shelling out boocoo dinero for Tatsu, too.

It also depends on what line you will spool on that rig. If you use superline or the superline/leader set up, ML might be just fine as far as power goes, but if you're using fluoro or mono you'll find the M better suited for all around use. I'll echo what has been said by several people already - drop shot and shaky head are techniques that I use two different rods for. I use a lot of small (1/8th - 3/16th) finesse jigs and shaky heads, and I use a fast action M rod for that, and drop shot I use a softer tipped ML.

I would probably switch to a weedless head for bass, but really what you stick on a jig head is only limited by your imagination. Here's some lures I use on a weedless jighead for river Smallmouth. Wacky rigged Dinger, Shaky Tail Worm, and Grub.

The "fly" part of the rig is usually small craft hair jigs. Not flies. I tie mine on smaller ballhead jigs. There's tons of info on the internet, and here, too.

Nope. It's a Largie. Spots look like this:

Nope. It's a Largie. Spots look like this:

Nope. It's a Largie. Spots look like this:

One rod I was surprised by is the BPS "Extreme" 6'8" ML. They say the action is fast, but the tip is pretty soft. I like it for dropshot, and skipping small finesse jigs under docks. It has a split grip, too, if that means anything to you. I catch them on sale or on return or repair at the outlet store, so I've never payed retail for one, but I would. The butt section has a lot of backbone.

I've used them a couple of times when fish were holding in a little deeper than I could get to them with a regular jerk. I wish they'd make one in "Purpledescent". (It's my favorite Rapala color for clear water - here's an XRap Shad in that color.)

This won't help with the custom mold question, but concerning the fact that the open hook design on this type lure is prone to snagging - just use a Hitchhiker attached to the hook eye and then Texas Rig the trailer that way. You'll miss some fish, but keep your lures. http://www.basspro.com/Hitchhiker-Trailers/product/15839/-369264

I use superlines (original Fireline isn't braided) with leaders mostly. I do use straight braid on several spinnerbait set-ups. I would use straight braid on some set-ups but I fish superclear water, and I like to save money by cutting into a leader instead of my main line all the time when changing lures. I couldn't imagine having to go back to straight mono or fluoro for suspending jerkbaits versus the superline/leader set-up I use. Works perfectly for me.

Tail up tends to get snagged more on the hook point than tail down for me. So it's tail down.

I can only get the superlines that have more "body" to them to do a good blood knot - Fireline and PowerPro. Slicker braids like original Spiderwire and newer ones like Suffix are too slick, and a blood knot is darn near impossible to tie well so I use back-to-back Uni or the Alberto. Mostly the Uni.

Wow- what trailer is that in the picture?

No - don't go there. I often use rod wrapping thread for tying jigs and Bass Bugs, but I wouldn't use flytying thread for rod wrapping - when you see one versus the other you can see why the rod wrapping thread is more expensive - it's just much, much better. Sewing thread wouldn't even rank. I second (or third?) everything everyone else has said - and also check out rodbuilding.com while you're at it. Lot's of help there.

I use 1/16, 1/8, 3/16, and 1/4 most often. 1/8 is the most used out of all of them. Usually I use a plain ball-head jig with a long shank light wire Gamaktsu hook. 1/16 for very shallow water and skipping around docks. 1/8 for same conditions when it's windy or the fish are mostly hitting it on the bottom and you want it down there quicker. 3/16 for a little deeper water - say down to 15-feet or so. 1/4 for deeper than that, especially when it's windy. I like any straight tail worm most of the time, from Zoom's finesse to Kalin's Weenie Worm. Sometimes I'll use a small curl-tail worm as it makes the lure drop right beside cover precisely versus the spiraling fall of a straight tail worm.

The only DT I've ever broken was when I was trying to get a very long cast to parallel a bridge piling and drilled it directly into said piling! I broke a Pointer on the same piling a month before that, doing the same thing. :'( Otherwise I bounce mine of rock and timber all day long and have never broke one. Yet.

I'm lucky that I live close to the main store and the outlet store - where the rod and reel repair is located. Handy to get parts for BPS stuff. Earlier this year I had a BPS brand rod that I managed to break the ceramic ring in the tip. I took it by and they put a new guide on the rod for the cost of the guide. I think it was under three bucks. I could have done it myself, but I would have had to match the guide type, order it, wait, etc. Easier and cheaper in the end to just go by there.

Wow, if it's for that size spinnerbaits I can't be much help - I use casting gear for spinnerbaits that size. You did say spinning - correct?

I have the 7' MH Extreme spinning rod, O.K. - a couple of them. I really like this rod and use it for skipping finesse jigs around docks or heavy cover, and also for "finesse Carolina rigs" a favorite on Table Rock and Beaver. Easier to throw a 1/4-ounce weight and finesse worm on spinning into the wind. I also use it to throw lighter weight swim jigs around cover. Anyway, I like it because the two-piece version is handy for co-angler duties in tournements as I sometimes drive to them in a smaller vehicle. As for the action it is medium-heavy. It's not whippy or tippy - it has backbone. For all-around spinning duties I'd go with the Medium action version, but if MH is what you're looking for, you got it with this stick. It isn't the lightest, it doesn't have a split grip, but at that sale price it's pretty hard to beat, so that's why I have several.

I have a bunch of them. Pretty nice for the money, especially when you get them on sale. I'd get another reel for it and keep it. Of course I have so much stuff I could outfit a platoon for a tournament, so keep that in mind when I'm giving advice.

Another idea: Maybe the color of your jig or the retrieve was 90% right, but just not quite enough to make the fish totally commit. When I get fish that are barely hooked on a certain lure a couple of times in a row I change colors, or my retrieve, or both a little. Must of the time that brings them to the boat. ;D