Junk Fisherman

I hear ya. I made a goal a couple years ago that every time I am fun fishing I scan a new area spending 20-30 minutes idling around. Actually, every time out I fish or check out one new spot. Continually learning is what I'm trying to accomplish.

I've added a couple new ones to my list. Always wear my life jacket and kill switch when boating and always wear my inflatable suspenders when I fish big water in cold situations. While I don't feel I have ever been reckless or careless, I don't feel I have taken safety seriously enough. I have gotten complacent since I've never had an issue on the water but there's a first time for everything.

That’s a great choice. That extra length definitely helps with casting out the light stuff and then also handling a fish. That rod is extremely versatile for all finesse applications.

702 Champ XP spinning- all-around finesse, tubes 741 Champ Extreme spinning- Ned rigs, finesse swimbaits, hair jigs 742 Champ Extreme spinning- dropshot, secondary Ned, tubes 763 Champ XP spinning- heavy tubes, stupid tubes 792 Champ XP spinning- 4” swimbaits on ball head jigs 703 Champ XP casting- Texas-rigging, senkos, swimbaits 704 Champ XP crankbait- jerkbaits, Sammys, poppers 735 Champ XP- football head jigs, frogs, heavy scroungers 742 Champ Extreme- pitching dropshots, swimbaits, tubes, all-around finesse baitcasting I also own a Daiwa Steez 761 MML which is superior to every Dobyns rod I own. I also own a 843 and 844 GLX which I use for pitching plastics and jigs.

Agreed. I use my 7’4” light, fast action Dobyns Champion Extreme. I also use this rod for 1/16th oz Ned rigs and TRDs. It gives me better casting distance than my medium light rods I have. Using the lightest braid possible is important as well.

I added another goal- 25 lb bag. The only way it happens is up north over the summer. I’ve been 23+ a couple times.

I kinda like fishing a C-Rig on deep structure. I think I am going to start using it for smallies in the summer on deep flats as a search tool. If not to find fish but to find rocks and other transition areas.

It all depends on the circumstances. If it is a lake I know well and the conditions are positive, then getting skunked is crippling. But the few times I have gotten skunked in the last few years was lake trout fishing in 40 degree water and fishing in a lake when I highly suspect they just did a weed kill. With finesse tactics and the amount of time I spend on the water when I fish, a true fishless day are really a thing of the past for me. The question that applies to me is about getting outfished or having a poor day in terms of my performance. After the initial disappointment and anger wears off, those days motivate me to improve. What should I have done? What did I do wrong that I need to improve upon? I am constantly trying to improve and evolve as a fisherman. A long time ago, I fished a 2-day club classic in very tough circumstances and all I needed was one fish to finish on our state playoff team. I didn't catch a single keeper fish in 2 days and missed out on the state team. That motivated me to study and practice over the offseason. I analyzed my strengths and weaknesses and how I needed to improve. That offseason was the best time in terms of my improvement.

Love the sensitivity of braid as my main line and then a mono leader unless it is very clear which it usually isn’t where I am c-rigging.

You're exactly right. I try to experiment with something new every time I go out and when I am having a good day I work in new presentations to build confidence in baits. I too used to only break out new stuff when my traditional, confidence baits didn't work. So it's a tough day overall and that is when you decide to try a technique or bait you don't have much experience with? Doesn't make sense. I have changed this over the last 5 years or so with having 1 or 2 combos rigged up with something I am working on whenever I am fun fishing. It has worked out well for me.

I have found that while I often plan to focus on a new bait or technique during the upcoming season, the fish and conditions determine this. Early success with a bait builds momentum for continued use. I have said before that I am focus on a jig or a jerkbait this year only to find that it becomes the year of the Ned rig or a wacky senko or a swimbait. I have several techniques I am planning to experiment with this season but I know from experience that it is very fluid. I plan to get back to using a Neko rig, a heavier Ned rig for deep water smallies and using my new finesse baitcaster for pitching dropshots. We'll see how the year plays out.

Yeap. I bought a bag and didn't understand the big deal. I rigged one and dropped it in my pool and quickly understood. They were dynamite for me for a couple years. Don't throw them much anymore.

I just ordered one a couple days ago after doing quite a bit of research. Tackle Tour said it could handle bigger baits but it loses some of its smoothness and refinement when tasked with a heavier load. The real shines with baits under 1/2 oz. It received a great review from them overall.

Not sure about the angle but the slot on the Tatula is definitely more narrow than the circular levelwind of other reels I own. I use Team Daiwa X reels with the circular inlet and I can reel the FG knot onto the spool with no problems.

True, but where I go is almost always cooler than the Chicago suburbs where I live. Numerous times I have been 2-300 miles north in July and August on a Great Lake and it was beautiful while back at my home it was humid and 90 degrees.

No, I'm doing the opposite. We're buying a summer/retirement home in Northern Michigan in another 5 years or so. May to late October will be glorious. While the weather is tough now, I don't enjoy the 100 degree stuff down south throughout the summer. When I am retired I plan to take an extended Florida or Texas trip every February to shorten the winter.

I own both of these rods. The Sierra reel seat is an inch farther back on the reel. It seems that the Sierra is slightly more stiff but that is just me applying some pressure on the floor. Both felt the same weight-wise in my hand. If you get any answers, please post.

I know no one here has mentioned it but others besides myself do have issues with an FG knot getting hung up on the T-Wing. It rarely gets hung up on the circular level-wind reels I have. I fish very clear water so I want a little longer than 7'-8' of leader line. Think I will make it easy on myself and keep the Daiwa Tatulas for straight fluoro. Probably get the new Curado with the circular levelwind for braid and leaders. Thanks everyone for the info.

Since I didn't comment last year..... I use straight fluoro on a spinning rig for small swimbaits since it eliminates wind knots at the first guide. The sensitivity of the braid/fluoro is not as important with this moving presentation. I also use straight fluoro for cracking tubes and a secondary drop shot rig. I use straight fluoro on baitcasters for pitching plastics and medium size swimbaits. Straight mono is used for topwater. I also use Fluoroclear for chatterbaits and jerkbaits. The line just floats off the reel and I don't need it to be particularly abrasion-resistant with those presentations. I do find myself to trending more and more to braid/fluoro over straight fluoro.

I always have 1 or 2 pretied leaders but I don't use a swivel and I don't put the sinker on. I figure I am saving 1 knot if I have to retie the entire leader. The water I fish has a lot of awful snags so when you are fishing a dropshot most of the day you will have to completely retie a couple times a day. I don't like pretying more than 2 since I want fresh line with little memory and not something that has been sitting in a compartment for a couple months. Probably doesn't make much difference but I like to tie the leaders the night before.

How long of a leader do you tie? In the super clear Great Lakes, do you think an 8’ leader is long enough? I go 12’-15’ on spinning reels but I am wondering about baitcasters. The reason I am asking is because even the thinnest FG knot I tie still hangs up too often going through the Daiwa T-wing. I suspect this will weaken the knot and cause failure. It’s not an issue with the traditional round line guide on other baitcasters. I‘m considering getting my first Shimano (Curado 70MGL) in a long time just to solve this issue. Any thoughts?

Sportsman Outfitters DOBYNS25 Picked myself up a DX742C .

My 3 main local boat spots are a 40-50 minute drive. There’s a kayak lake that’s 10 minutes from home.

I have run straight 7 lb Gamma Touch on a spinning reel for small swimbaits for 3 years now. No issues at all. Follow the advice already given. Also, don't overfill your spool. I would rather underfill it just a little. Trust me, I understand wanting to maximize your casting distance but getting that overflow mess from an overfilled spinning reel is a pain.

1) Small 4" swimbait on a ball head jig 2) Ned Rig *All year long no matter whether I am largemouth or smallmouth fishing those two will be tied on. 3) Dropshot- once we get into summer, probably 75% of my smallmouth fishing is a dropshot. 4) Tube- most of my big prespawn smallies come on tubes. 5) Bait X (not sharing this one)