NYBasser

Hey guys, I've been fishing this local lake for a bit, and have had some trouble catching the larger smallmouth. My friend and I have been able to locate them on the fishfinder in 20-40ft of water, but have had trouble getting them to bite. Water temp is around 85-88 degress fahrenheit. The lake has just about no crayfish (Shad is the main forage) at all, so the Smallmouth refuse to hit jigs and tubes. I've tried throwing drop shots(worked VERY well last summer), topwater(works ok), flukes, senkos, keitechs, jerkbaits, wakebaits, silver buddy's, and deep cranks, but have not been able to put together a consistent bite this year. The lake is loaded with nice sized (2+ lb) smallmouth, but getting them to bite is a different story. Just looking for some advice on what baits to use, and how to target them. Thanks

Never had any problems with Ebay or Tackle Warehouse. I buy probably 90% of my rods and reels online.

USPS Priority is a bit expensive ($8-20). If the two reels are under 1 lb, go with any size box and use USPS First Class (~$4).

I have a couple St. Croix rods and love them. That being said, I also have the exact model Fenwick elite tech you are looking at and it's an awesome rod. The spigot ferrules on the rod make it feel like a 1 piece rod and it's extremely sensitive. Love it for catching trout, crappie, carp, and even for dropshotting smallmouth. I've fished 1/64 oz trout magnets on it and it works very well. Shouldn't have a problem fishing 1/32 oz jigs at all. Have mine paired up with a Sustain 2500FG, but any 1000-2500 size reel should work just fine.

I like to use a 2500 size reel for UL, but a 1000 size should do the job just as well.

I'd go 15-20lb braid or 12 lb fluoro Not necessarily, and a high-vis braid would also help with watching the line. The only good use for mono is topwater

If you are going to spend the money to get a st. croix, might as well spend the extra $20 and get a spool of braid or fluoro. Well worth it and much more sensitive than mono. Might I dare say that an Ugly Stick with braid is more sensitive than a Gloomis with mono.....

Go get a Shimano Curado I or Casitas, then pair it up with a Dobyns Fury or St Croix. Mojo Bass. Can't go wrong with those combos.

Shimano Casitas isnt too bad for the price

Don't know too much about the Casitas, but check out the St. Croix Mojo Bass or any of the Dobyns rods. Dobyns Fury is a good rod for around $110.

Thanks guys! Decided to go with the Scorpion XT 1000. Got a good deal for one.

Always next time.... What part of Nassau are you from?

Hey guys, I have both reels, but am considering returning the Curado 70 and purchasing another 50E or a Scorpion XT1000. Which reel do you guys prefer and why?

Had decent Largemouth and Smallmouth fishing upstate. Probably had about close to 40 fish, most of which were around the 1-2 lb range. Largest fish of the day was probably a 3.5lb - 4lb Smallie on a crank. Also fished a local pond on LI. Did okay with the Largies and ended up with around 10, biggest being probably 3lbs. Caught them flipping brush piles.

Only selling this low because they go for $140 new on Ebay ..... plus I've already got the 200E5, a gem of a reel. If you PM me an email address/phone number, I can send pics.

Sorry for any confusion. Was referring to silver buddy style 1/2 oz blades. The 6'6" MH is XtraFast action and the 6'7" M is Fast action. Thanks for the responses.

I have a Curado I Series 200PG, 5.5:1 gear ratio. Reel is brand new in box, and I can do $125 tyd for it. My buddy has a couple and he loves them. Great reel for cranking.

Go for a Dobyns Fury 735C. Great entry level rod for frogging and flipping. Only costs around $110.

I just purchased a 6'7" M Casting rod and currently own a 6'6" MH Casting rod, a Curado 50E (6.4:1) and a Curado 70HG (7.6:1?). Wondering which rod and reel are better to use with 1/2 oz blades. Also am trying to decide between 10lb braid and 10lb fluoro. What do you guys prefer when fishing blades? Thanks.

Hey Guys, My name is Dustin, and I'm an avid fisherman from Long Island, NY. I fish a combination of Saltwater and Freshwater and enjoy fishing for both Smallmouth and Largemouth. Looking forward to leaning some valuable information from this site. Thanks

Ronkonkoma is possibly one of the worst spots on the island to bass fish. Forge Pond is full of weeds and almost impossible to fish. There are good spots on the island, but you have to spend time to find them. It also helps to have a small jon boat or kayak.