rtwvumtneer6

I'll have to give that a try sometime. I've been doing it wrong (6 day weeks).

Archery (deer) came in here Oct 2 and even though the weather has been pleasant, lake traffic and pressure has definitely slowed down.

Another vote for speed worms (red bug is my favorite) and Z craw junior is a great size to be pitched/flipped or as a trailer.

What does that feel like?! It's been a while... Nice catch!

I'm trying to find one to look at. Have seen a few reviews that the rod lockers won't fit anything over 7'. Any truth to this? Did you upgrade the trolling motor, or is the 45lb efficient for you? Most of my local lakes are 20hp Max or electric only. Thanks!

Thanks, A-Jay for reminding me I hadn't packed any A-Rigs. Adding fuel to the fire ?

I agree, but also very difficult to replicate if you want more! This is common for some baits straight out of the package. Flukes for example will often have a kinked tail. You can dip them into hot water on the stove (carefully, for maybe 10-15 seconds) and form them back.

My tournament/boat bag weighs between 20-25# on a given day, excluding drinks and rain gear. Sometimes it makes it with me when I'm beating the bank. I'll take one or two rods and everything I need in my pockets once in a while, but I feel terribly uneasy about it ? As long as you don't expose the other plastics to Elaztech type baits (super stretchy stuff, namely Zman) you should be ok. I would also avoid exposure to extreme heat for any amount of time. Colors may run a bit, but otherwise store them however works for you! I've unintentionally made some neat "custom" colors. Zoom seems to prefer salt over scent. You can buy an attractant to use if you would like. Some brands use scent during production, some don't. Happy Fishing!

Get after it! And post catch pics!

Not bashing, just sharing my experience. I've used a few Abu and own one. They seem to have a "sweet spot" as far as settings go. Took a while to find but once I did, I didn't touch it. The one I own is the $100 price point. Revo X 4th Gen. I had to have it replaced (under warranty) and the replacement has already been back to Abu for repair (internals). The process was easy and only cost a few dollars in shipping, but it still needed to be done. It sits in a box as a back up. On the flip side, I know a few guys that use the Black Max and love them.

Welcome (back)!

I also prefer a light belly-weighted hook (looks like you're using some sort of swimbait hook) with my flukes. They get bit. So do spooks, buzzbaits, frogs, worms, jigs, bladed jigs, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, lipless, swimbait, flippin' etc... It's been a different bite the last few times I've been out, though water temps and fish location hasn't changed much.

Prepping for my next outing and quite frankly I'm overwhelmed. I feel like this time of year the tackle box really opens up. I like to go with a game plan (or an educated guess) and having 25 rods rigged up has never been a productive strategy for me. I guess I'm finding it difficult to not overcomplicate it. Suppose the silver lining is I've got confidence in the bulk of my tackle. Just needed to get that out there ??‍♂️

Welcome! Tons of knowledge here that is shared freely. Keep it simple to start!

This is one of my favorite spinnerbaits when water temps drop, or thaw out. I throw it on 2 different rods, both 7'. A Dobyns 703 (1/4-3/4) and the other is a Medium/Fast (1/4-5/8). More often than not I add a Zoom Fat Albert to it, and both rods work just fine.

Keep them. My first Curado K was the 8.5:1. It's quick. Almost too quick. Just my experience. If the technique you're planning to use it for work well with a high speed, go for it.

Got a flier in the mail for a grand opening of a store called "Public Lands" in Cranberry, PA. Appears to be in the old Field and Stream store. They advertise for Fishing, Climbing, Hiking, Biking and Camping. Anyone else have these stores? Is it a rebranded Dicks/Field and Stream? Unfortunately, tackle shops in my area are quite limited.

How's that part of it coming along?

Caught three largemouth, and a beautiful evening.

I don't carry any skirt material with me, just a box of pre-made jigs. I try to do as much prep as I can ahead of time, so I can maximize my time while I'm on the water. I'll take a variety of trailers with me, but they don't go on until my jig is tied on and I'm about to make my first cast. I'll leave trailers on a jig that I've already used. Haven't had any issues with rust, but skirt bands will break down over time. Not sure if my attractant speeds that up or not, but it happens and it's a cheap and quick fix. If I'm familiar with the lake, sure.

I'm on board with this. If I lived in a different part of the country where major tournaments were fished regularly, I would pursue the opportunity to Marshal. I imagine it would only take a few minutes to get a better grasp on this query. My assumption is they play on a level that I would struggle to even imagine. I fished with a guy who was paired with Dean Rojas and the stories alone made me a better frogger ?

Agree.

My Magic 8 Ball says "Outlook Good"

Fairly confident that Shimano bought PowerPro about 10 years ago, maybe more. So, it's marketing. You'll notice this if you pay attention to packaging. For example, Rapala will suggest their crankbaits be thrown on Suffix line. Also, from a diameter perspective, 50# braid is the average size of about 12# mono.

Sorry to be yet another to suggest a rod that you weren't originally asking about, but I've not used any of those three. However, I agree with @Tatsu Dave the BuCoo and LowRider from Falcon are worth considering.