rtwvumtneer6

Every time I see this, I can't help but think I need to put the casting reels down and work on my spinning technique. Spools, rods, line size and lure weight are not apples to apples. At least that's my excuse. For the OP - Experience is the best answer/solution. Go make a ton of casts! My only suggestion would be a heavier braid. 15-20# (4-6# mono equivalent dia) goes on my spinning reels, 50# on all casting reels (12# mono equivalent dia).

Always save the pile at the bottom of the boat after a day out. They make a great trailer once they are torn up. You could also consider Mend-It for repairing torn up plastics. https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Mend-It_Softbait_Glue/descpage-MIG.html

You're welcome. You can use the money you save to buy me lunch next time I make it to The Oasis ?

Eye Surrender ESE works well for me. Copper lense for sight fishing and overcast days and grey lense for everyday wear and bluebird skies. They run about $60 and they claim you can replace them if broken for $20 S&H. Haven't had to try that, yet.

Sounds like very similar weather to what were getting in western PA. I've caught one fish off a bed (male) and I was blind casting. That was in a few acre pond in shallow water that warms quickly, during the few days we had of "spring-like" weather. Otherwise, I've seen so real indication that it's time yet for the majority. I think we could be close, but I'm back into the 30s over night and the weather has been anything but stable. Expect they are ready to move as soon as we string together a few nice days and nights.

If the rods are exposed at all, the handles should point toward the front of the vehicle. The drag on the rod sock is enough to fold the rod in half. Thankfully we saw this through the sun roof before any damage was done. Be sure your socks/sleeves are secure, and if you find the ones I left behind (somewhere between lake erie and Pittsburgh on I-79) please return them. ?

Yep- night before will do the trick. I like it for braid, too.

I'm not sure if this is more of a justification or a lesson learned over and over, but if you find something you like, buy a bunch. It will either be discontinued, or replaced by the newer (not always better) model. The longer I do this the less I am attracted by flavor of the month, but rather buying duplicates and replacements for proven baits that fit my style of fishing.

So this is probably more common than I realize, but this is the first time it's actually happened to me. I was having a pretty slow day, so I pulled out a SK Ned bug to try and get a few bites. I hooked a 10ish inch bass and just before I flipped him up, saw a shadow behind him. When I paused, the other fish turned and I saw a clear lateral line. Curious, I played the fish I had a caught and the next thing I saw was a giant bucket mouth open and engulf my catch. It latched on long enough to strip drag for a few seconds... Seemed like a few minutes. Ultimately the fish (I'm going to guess a 6+) let go, and I landed and released the original fish unharmed. I've seen video of stuff like this, but to have it happen at my feet was a pretty cool deal.

Looks like I'm a little late to the party but I have 2 of the Fate series rods and the one labeled XF loads better and deeper than the Fast. You might be right... Lol

Sounds like the knot to me. Braid will slip. I'd try a palomar or uni.

Just opened one of these and my first impression wasn't great. Had to mend a small tear out of the package, and the hook seems too large for the body. Haven't thrown it yet, but thought that may be helpful. Will check back if it exceeds expectations. The only floating weedless topwater I have found is a hollow body frog. A gambler EZ swimmer or big EZ on a weighted EWG is a weedless all-terrain version of a buzzbait, but it will sink when paused.

I would suggest that rod length has a greater impact on accuracy (shorter) and distance (longer). I also cannot cast a spinning rod nearly as far as a BC, but some of it is physics. A 1/2 oz trap is going to travel further than a 3/32oz ned rig.

Shimano SLX

I wouldn't qualify myself as "experienced" with Abu, but the one I own and the few I have used have all been corky. That being said, when I did find the sweet spot, they worked great. May as well glue your dials and knobs in place once you find it. I.e. I bought a Revo X (4th Gen?) after seeing how my buddies older generations held up. I can loosen the spool tension as much as I want, but the the magnets have to be 2 clicks from Max or it'll be a frustrating day. Wind, lure weight, cast, pitch, etc. you can throw out the variables. That's where it works and that's where it stays. No experience with the other brands you mentioned but hope you find a brand you're confident with!

Something rated 3/8-1oz should fit the bill. You won't want a broomstick if you plan to use it for those moving baits. It's a little shorter than you wanted but something like a Dobyns 734C comes to mind.

This could vary depending on the manufacturer. Do you have a particular brand in mind?

Own a couple of both Curado K and SLX XT. Both would work, and I like both reels. You would have to check the "manufacturer advertised IPT" but the Curado 7.4:1 seems to pick up a lot more line than the 7.2:1 SLX. Suppose this makes sense with the different spool sizes. I have a 7 speed SLX on a spinnerbait rod and I really like it. The Curado gets the nod for pitching plastics. Also have the 8.5:1 Curado K and it's almost too fast. Not a big fan of the popularity of super fast reels... 6 and 7 are my sweet spot.

This was my frog rod until I found the LowRider 7' H/F. It's got a 13-1/2" handle that I really like when walking a frog, and the overall length I can fish a frog from the boat or bank without smacking the tip. Probably shorter than most people might suggest, but it makes it easier to skip the frog and make shorter more accurate casts when necessary. It's definitely not a broomstick (had one of those rods and it didn't work for me frogging) but I have zero hesitation swinging hard with this rod. Again, this is just my preference and it's not a one size fits all deal.

This is a neat little bait for shallow water or ponds. Not necessarily the best bull for deflecting, but it will hunt on its own.

This is a double-edge sword. On one hand, you want to try several brands and establish which is best for you. But when you find it, you'll end up replacing most of the reels you started with. Unless you need all 5 immediately, I would suggest choosing one or two reels you are absolutely set on and get familiar with using them. You'll learn quickly what you like or don't like about each and that will help to guide your future purchases. Same for rods. I'm slowly converting my rods to one manufacturer (and mostly one line from that company). It takes most of the guess work out of ordering, and adds a level of comfort and confidence for me on the water. Just my rambling thoughts...

Yep^^^

Ok I'll bite on this one. Let's start with a specific budget. "A lot of money" is relative and quite vague for this crowd...

Are you talking about lead weights that are painted black, or tungsten weights? If you're talking strictly lead, black vs unpainted doesn't make a difference to me. Lead vs Tungsten is another story, and also carries a much higher price tag.

If nothing else is working, try throwing a frog. You might be surprised. I start throwing a frog here in PA as soon as the trees start to bloom with great success. It is not just a morning/evening summertime lure.