PennBass

Recently bought a Lucky Craft Casting Rod in moderate action for all around cranking/spinnerbait use, but I want to see if there are more applications it could be used for. Does anyone have experience using topwaters (not frogs, of course) on a moderate action rod? I'm talking buzzbaits, walking baits, poppers, etc. Does the slower action effect the action of lures and are there any problems with hooksets? Any tips/suggestions are welcome. Thanks

What's the pond like? Is it deep, shallow, weedy, rocky, muddy, etc?

If you're buying four jerkbaits, I would recommend you buy from more than one brand. Each brand has its own special action that may be a game changer for certain day.

Here's a quality but lesser known bait: the TNT Claymore Jig. $5 at TW, with hand tied skirt, quality hook, and great action (especially when popped).

Zoom super fluke in Watermelon Gold flake rigged weightless. Works all season in all conditions

Personally, I think that a 7'0 MF Avid would cover the applications you stated for spinning in one rod. St. Croix's ratings are a bit understated, and I find that their medium is more of a medium heavy. No problems with sensitive, especially when paired with braid. Also recommend the Daiwa Tatula MH 7'0: quality components, sensitive, and lightweight (3.7 oz).

I fish a small reservoir and a pond, and a Duo Realis Walking Pencil seems to work 24/7 during the late spring and summer, no matter what the conditions are.

I'd personally try to sell old equipment on Craigslist. Have had luck selling several old tackle boxes, reels, and rods.

Bought the Kastking Royale off of amazon for $36 on sale. For the price, seems to be pretty decent. Smooth reeling, strong drag (11 lbs), and solid construction inside. However, it obviously won't cast as far as a $100 reel, and there is a small bit of play in the anti-reverse bearing, but not enough to be concerned about.

14-1 Fishing rods are a great option i believe, based on the reviews. Also, check out some of the rods on sale at TW.

I also highly recommend the St. Croix Avid (X). Also, while the Zodias may have some advantages, the Tatula (which I also recommend) is essentially the same thing for $100 cheaper. Avid: Tad bit tip heavy (nothing really noticeable) Very sensitive Loads well, but rating is a bit low (Medium is sort of like a medium heavy) Lightweight Amazing warranty and customer service Tatula: Cheaper Also lightweight (3.9 oz. for 7' MH) Also sensitive Accurate rating in terms of power Comfortable grip Might be more aesthetically pleasing

Loved the Trokar sale: bought around 50 hooks for much cheaper than regular price. Also, the Lucky Craft rods were a steal. Based on the TackleTour review, they were originally $350, and buying them for $50 is amazing.

Looked at the weather reports and seems like there's going to be a warm (50 degree) rain tonight. Just wondering what effect it would have on bass activity in a small pond? The pond I plan to fish at is only about 2 acres large, max depth of 2.5 feet with soft silt bottom covered in leaves and no cover to speak of besides on a few shallow flats (which have some stalks). There are two aerators in the middle. I went earlier today (40 degree weather) but got skunked. Any suggestions or tips are welcome. PennBass

As the weather finally begins to cool down, it's getting harder to fish in the early mornings and at night because of the colder weather. I've especially had problems with my fingers getting frozen/numb. Could anyone recommend a good pair of gloves? I'd like them to keep my hands warm in below-freezing temperatures and to still be able to tie knots with them on (fingerless gloves maybe), although they don't need to be waterproof/waterresistant. PennBass

I fish the same conditions as you. Around 30% of the fish I catch are off of walking baits and buzzbaits, the other 70% on weightless flukes and worms. I've tried everything else out there, but for some reason or another (probably working them wrong), they don't produce.

Update: Emailed TW about the issue and they sent a new one free of charge. Very pleased with their customer service.

In the video and on the right side of the screen the bait's described as floating. Not sure why it says slowly sinking if it's classified as a topwater prop bait.

During the Black Friday sale I bought a Lucky Craft Kelly J. Prop Bait. Judging by the reviews, the bait is excellent; however, when I went out to the lake to test it out today, it sank at a very slow rate, but sank nonetheless. I'm using Tuf Line XP Braid along with a small snap swivel, and don't have problems with other topwater baits. Could this problem be due to the equipment I'm using, or do you think it's a manufacturer defect? I didn't see any water in the bait either, so it wasn't being filled up/sinking due to water entry. PennBass

The Storm Arashi crankbaits have been a huge hit for me. Love their color schemes, and the circuit board lip is very durable (not to mention they have an auto-adjust system so the crank always runs true)! If you're interested in the crank, I can suggest the Parrot color, and the Hot Blue Shad color has been my biggest producer this year (even though there are no shad in my lake!) PennBass

5" Zoom Super Fluke in White Ice/Watermelon Gold rigged weightless on 3/0 EWG hook. Produces bass year-round for me

As many other people have suggested, St. Croix is a very good company, especially with their customer service. However, if you are looking at the Premier, I suggest you don't buy the cheaper $89 models: Those are made with the SCII blanks, and many people, including myself, have had experienced their tendency to snap on casts/hooksets. I do agree with Darren that you should look into the St. Croix Avid: I have a 7 ft. Medium Fast Spinning model, and the rod is sensitive, lightweight, and a pleasure to fish with. Hope this helps you out. PennBass

Was wading in a shallow, muddy pond yesterday when I felt something hit my boot, sort of felt like a shove. Water was too muddy to see anything, so I lowered my lure into the water and ended up snagging a 3 lbs. catfish. Why would a catfish be striking my boot? The water was around 6 inches deep, but with soft, silty mud bottom.

+1 for pflueger president. Great reel for a great price: very smooth, no problems with casting, and drag is nice

I had the same problem as you do, especially when it was windy out. My solution was to buy Sufix 832 braid in the bright yellow color: super visible, even in low light conditions, plus abrasion resistance and sensitivity is much better than non-braided lines. I don't use a fluoro or mono leader, and haven't found that it effects my catch rate, even when the water is relatively clear.

I own a St. Croix Avid (Medium Fast) Spinning Rod, and I can say that it's worth every dollar. It's sensitive, lightweight, and with the microguides, casts extremely well. Haven't used any other rods besides St. Croix, though, so not sure how it would compare to other brands. PennBass