FishTank

I live in Indy and the two local ponds I go to are frozen. Last few years I fished them on December 26th. As far as the A-rig goes, depending on the rod, I would go weightless if possible and use Owner CPSs for the dummies. With those weights, it will sink fast if not retrieved quickly. If your in approximately 15 feet of water or deeper, you should be OK.

I would say seldom. I might put one on if I want to fish a shallow area slowly but there are better alternatives for this.

I've done ok so far. I've picked up a new rod rack $50, list price was $120. I bought several baits at The Hook Up Tackle that were on sale 30-50% off and few of their bulk pack baits. A JDM site was having an unadvertised sale where you had to hunt for stuff on their site. I picked some 110jr +1s for $10, a bunch of wacky jigs and other terminal tackle for $2 a bag, Suline Invisible FC for $8 a spool, Megabass Deep X cranks $10 each, OSP DoLive Beavers and Craws $4 a bag, and a Megabass Pro Hoodie for $35. I also picked up some Evergreen crankbaits for $7.50 and a some KastKing 3700 boxes (Edge knockoff) for $9 each. I actually like these better than the Edge boxes. Amazon had them on a pre-black Friday sale.

X-zone Swammer 2.75. It works great for a 1/0 or #1 size hook.

@RoachbjmI sort of have 3 of 4 versions of the Core. The one in the middle is the JDM Metanuim MG7 Limited Edition, the top is the 51 MG7 and the bottom is the 101MG. They also made a Core 100MGFV with a supposedly heavier duty gear, a bigger handle and a different thumb bar. The JDM Metanium is almost identical in design to the Core 101. The Met does have several different parts from the Core 101MG though, for instance it has an Aluminum gear that is 7.x:1 instead of 6.x:1. Some of the parts are interchangeable but I have not tried to see which ones. The parts for these reels were designed for two different markets respectively, the US and Japan. The 51MG is a totally different reel from the Core 101MG, the Core 101MGFV and JDM Metanium MG7. Editing this just in case..... The 09 Aldebaran was like the 50MG7 but I remember the Aldebaran feeling completely different. I always thought it was the next step for the Core 100.

@Roachbjm I have a Core 51MG7 that I bought used a few years ago and it was pretty much perfect except break side of the frame was scratched and my wife's cat chewed on one of the knobs. The frame part was not available on Shimano's website so I called Shimano and they had one in stock. In my conversation with them, I asked about getting parts in the future and was told, at that time, that they had plenty of everything. I asked about getting specific parts for my reel and was told that they would all match the original schematic so no updated or changed parts. Also, on mine the screws are black and based on what was mentioned, it sounds like someone might have frankensteined your reel or at least found parts from another that would work. I would post some pics to show the difference.

I would say so. I looked but couldn't find the G Finesse 6s. I thought for sure I had some. I must have used them all, which is why I have the Ryugis. So from left to right, size 5 G Finesse, 6 BKK fang, and a 6 Ryugi Pierce. The originals are on this 110jr +1. Editing this as I noticed my box of hooks is a hot mess...... The BKK is a size 8 and the Ryugi is also a size 8.

Thanks for calling me out on that. You are correct. They ones I have are size 6s but I dumped them in with the 8s in treble box. They are not much different in size for the ones that come on the 110 jr.

I have tried the following in a size #8....G-Finesse, BKK Fang, and Ryugi Pierce. All are good. The G-Finesse, depending on water temps, to me make the bait run shallower. The BKK Fangs maybe slightly deeper and they are crazy sharp. The Ryugi Pierce seems to be the go between. I tend to order these from Japan and they are about half the price of everything else out there but you can't go wrong with any of the three.

@Cuddy What Shimano rods are you interested in? JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) generally means... it's sold in Japan only. The closest to you I know of is The Angler in Hudson IN. Their selection of rods is usually outstanding. They will probably have the Expride and Zodias. Not sure about the various versions of Poison rods.

I have been thinking of buying another one. Out of the rods I own, it's only one where I sometimes wish I had two on hand. It's versatile enough that I could fish a BFS crankbait or jerkbait on one and then do topwater or even a small softplastic bait on the other. It's just a rod I have a lot of confidence in.

@MickDThat's my thoughts as well. Having the correct rod tip for the lure is just as critical as the reel, and even line for that matter. I am on my 6th rod trying to figure out this equation. I've got 4 winners, 1 questionable, and one that just didn't fit BFS but has proven to be good at other things. If I had to pick a good starter setup, the Dobyns Sierra Ultra-Finesse 700C and a Shimano Curado BFS would be an easy to use combo. I like this for just about anything BFS, especially topwater. My favorite is a Kistler Hunt BFS 3X Ultralight and a Shimano Aldebaran BFS. I use this setup for trout minnows and small cranks. Caught my personal best smallmouth on this setup. For micro jigs and softplastic I use a Jackall Revoltage II and a Daiwa Tatula BF70. It works but I have struggled to find a Daiwa reel that works as well as Shimanos for BFS. I think Shimano has figured out something with their braking system that Daiwa has not. I tried four different Daiwa BFS offerings and each has given me issues. Two of them have been sent to Daiwa and rebuilt/serviced. One was returned. The other is no longer used for BFS. My favorite for small crankbaits is the Megabass P5 Six Eleven and a Shimano Conquest BFS. This reel is a work horse. I can't say enough good things about it. The rod is also is something special. It loads perfectly. It has enough power to control big fish. It's a pleasure to fish all day. I have lost track of how many fish this rod has brought in. For trout and stream fishing....Basically get a trout rod. Don't make the mistake I did with thinking you can cast something like a trout magnet on rod labeled 1/8 - 3/8oz. For the reel I like Shimano Conquest BFS here as well. For line I like Sunline Invisible FC 5lb and X-braid PE #0.8-1.2 and 10lb leader. Not a fan of mono with BFS. Another, side note the aftermarket spools mentioned above require PE line. From what I have seen, anything else can crush or deform the spool.

Evergreen WH-3, if you can find it. Great bait but no rattle. I has been one my go to pond baits. It runs about 2-3 feet deep on 10lb test FC. I caught 5 on it tonight. It does ok around wood. The hooks on it are crazy sharp and don't need to be upgraded. Another one to look at....Deps Evoke 1.2 or 1.8. It has worked the best for me around wood and timber but there is no silver bullet when you have a forest below the water.

@MickD What baits or techniques are you intending to throw? What weights?

Squarebills. 😄

Right back at you.... Still like the Core 101 the best.

@Peacedivision I went out after work and took a 1/8oz Keitech Tungsten Ball Head and a 3in Largo Shad. I fished them on a Megabass P5 Whippet and 2000 Twin Power. I caught 4 and this guy below. I don't know what is special about this head but it works.

Same. I use the 1/16 heads with the #2 on the 2.75 Swammers and on the 3in 6th Sense Whale. The Whale is another awesome bait. It's like a mini Magdraft.

That 3/0 hook is pretty big for a little bait. It might not let the tail do it's thing. Are you trying to get the bait deep? I use 1/8 to 1/4 Keitech Tungsten Ball Head jigs for 3in Easy Shiners in either a #1 or 1/0 hook. I have no problem getting down to about 15 feet and also no issues with hook ups. Also, if you like the small paddle tail baits, check out the Xzone Swammer. I killed it with this bait this past season. It also holds up better than most. I still do like the Easy Shiner though.

I'm going 7' Heavy Fast. In particular, the G. Loomis 904 NRX+. By the time you take a 3/8oz head and add a swimbait, you're around 1/2oz +. So going up to a 3/4oz head, that definitely puts me in a Heavy rod.

Tatsu, to me, stands alone at the top. There is nothing quite like it. There is Sunline Assassin but not quite as good Tatsu. I tend to like Sniper Invisible and BMS better but they are still pricey. The closest I have found to Tatsu is Seaguar R18 Limited. I order it from Japan Lure Shop. It's usually around $12 for 100m spool. In order to make it worthwhile I usually order line every time I make a purchase.

I have worked out off and on since I was 12. Competed in powerlifting meets, even qualified for the Arnold and was sponsored at 16 by Twin Lab. Now that I am 52 and have a bad hip, things are tough. I have taken two years plus off and just started to go back after doing physical therapy when the insurance would cover it. So far things haven't been too bad. I won't be deadlifting or back squatting any time soon. I think my overall health is going to be the priority from now on. I did have some guidance...... My Grandfather lived till he was 94 (drank and smoked a pipe forever) and my Grandmother 87. Both died in their sleep but they had a hard but simple rule when it came to a healthy diet. If you can grow it, catch it or kill it, it's good to eat. So no fast food, nothing that comes from a factory or in a box (including hamburger), very little bread and nothing fried except eggs. Funny thing is, my doctor told me the same thing last week. A life style change is a change for life.

This sums it up for me. 😁

I have one of each: Zillion, Zillion HD, and Silver Wolf. The Silver Wolf is the only one that has given me issues. The brakes seem to work for about 15-20 casts and then all of a sudden no brakes.

Not a huge expert on this but..... heavier wire will flex less so you could use heavier baits and it will hold up better to big fish. Lighter wire will have more flex and allow for lighter baits. Another way to look at it is the retrieve. With a heavier wire you can fish it faster because it has less flex. If you burn a light rig with heavy baits, the hooks, wires, blades or baits can get tangled.