Fishin' Fool

I drop shot a ton too but try this rig. Tie up a drop shot but instead of using a weight on the bottom put a TRD worm or a Zman tube. I've caught a lot of fish on this rig lately.

I agree with you I am using a medium rod and I wonder if it's too much power for the technique. I will definitely check into their newly designed hooks though as I feel the failure rate is too high.

I am definitely having a similar problem regarding hooks breaking off on Shroomz heads. I've been fishing this rig exclusively lately and am experiencing similar issues to Lonnie G.

I haven't spent a cent on anything in 2 months but this post did me in. Got my 5th Tatula on the way.

I learned on a 7'3" heavy rod this past winter but trust me I sucked at first too. Practice, practice.

It depends on how heavy of weeds and lily pads but a MH can be used in Michigan lakes for the conditions you describe.

12 pound P-line cx

Tatula rod and reel can be found for around $200 combined. 12 pound cx would be perfect. http://www.sportsmansoutfitters.com/daiwa-tatula-freshwater-baitcast-fishing-rods/

Brent Ehrler let me hold his Tatula Elite drop shot rod when the Elites were in town on Lk St Clair a few weeks ago. Nice rod!

4-5 rods is reasonable as a co-angler

Nice pick up. Just curious why you waited so long to try a St Croix?

6'9" Avid X ML

The Xcalibur One Knocker seems to have a lesser following the the XR50's etc.. The XR50's are available on Ebay and for lot's of 3 you pay roughly $10-11/lure assuming it's not some color in demand. Give Ebay a shot and find a lot of 3 to bring the price down.

It's a new offering from Dobyns and I don't know anything about it but their other rods are good. Dobyns Colt with a Pfleuger President reel puts you right around your target. Otherwise save up for a Dobyns Fury rod.

It's a good plan in theory but just as the gym rats and their New Years resolutions crash within a few weeks it will be tough to make it past the spring classic sales. Best of luck.

1) each pro is different in that regard but I'm sure they're probably "encouraged" to be talkative. I had no issue with either pro in the amount of talking we did. I also understand they are fishing to make a living and this isn't a guide trip that I paid for 2) hang it out and go obviously discreetly. I was more concerned about #2 if nature calls. Thankfully no issues.

I have no clue where I was. He was fishing concrete shipping channel markers in 28-30 fow in Lake Erie. Not a spot I would have picked launching from Metro Beach in Lk St Clair. Granted he ran out of fish but Jordan Lee was fishing like 10 minutes from the launch.

I used to catch alot of largemouth on tubes before things like senkos and beaver style baits and etc. etc.. etc.. came out but you're right, what's old will become new again

LOL. I really think thats the biggest reason I know Poche's name. If he had fished better I might have got into some of that but it took him 99% of the fishing day to get his limit so I just let him do his thing. Who knows maybe it was just hot that day and they needed a swim

It started Wednesday afternoon with the marshal meeting. Registration provided me with a Carhartt official BASS Elite marshal fishing shirt along with a whole bunch of hats. The meeting was about an hour long and the tournament director basically just read the rules out loud, nothing too complicated. We did learn to use the Basstrackk app in the meeting. After the meeting they had a fantastic catered meal for us. The majority of the pros stuck around for the meal. While waiting in line I got a text from BASS notifying me I got Jesse Wiggins as my first day ride. Being his rookie season probably most casual fans (esp. from Michigan) wouldn't have known much about him but I watched the Bassmaster live pretty close this season and followed him quite a bit on the first tournament on Cherokee Lake that he finished 3rd. I met him in the morning and he did not have a posse with him so I had to dump him in and go park his vehicle. It was pretty rough Day 1 morning and what I found out is pros don't so down much. So we had a pretty rough ride out. We got out to his fishing area. What I was kind of surprised about during this event is how much certain pros network. For example Wiggins was networked with Matt Lee and Kelly Jaye. They were all fishing in the same general area to start the day and would discuss fish catches and what they caught it on. It wasn't a fast and furious pace but by 11 something Jesse started culling. It seemed like most of his fish were caught before noon. He had a solid day but didn't catch a kicker but was right there with 17-6 after Day 1. On the way home I got a text from BASS saying I drew Keith Poche Day 2. He took me down to Lk Erie which is a solid 1 hour+ ride. We took a few of those waves that just rock you from your tailbone to your brain. He had caught 17-4 on Day 1 with only 4 fish including a 5-13. He got on a late day bite that he was hoping to reproduce. He started in that area in the morning without any fish. After a while he decided to "run to the bank" as he called it and hit shoreline seawalls and laydowns and caught 3 largemouth there. That was actually really cool watching him work visible cover because most people don't fish Lk St Clair that way. After getting a few fish he decided to give his off shore spot another try. He picked up a nice smallie about 3.5 pounds around 11:30 for 4 fish. He fished hard the rest of the day and picked up his 5th with with less than 5 minutes to go. However he only left himself an hour to get back and still had to fuel up. He ran that boat hard on the way back and ended up 1 minute late for a 1 pound penalty. He weighed 12-11 after the penalty. My back was hurting so bad after that ride that I opted not to stay for the mandatory marshal meeting after Day 2. I was marshal 64 so with 50 fishing on Saturday and about 5 camera men going on boats I didn't think I would have made the cut but apparently if I would have stayed I would have got the last spot and drew Fred Roubanis. I'm not sure how talkative he would have been on Saturday after finding out his father past away on Thursday. I made it up to the weigh in all 4 days. Except for Thursday the crowds were all good sized and Lake St Clair did not disappoint with some awesome fishing for those guys. I think the big stringer of the tournament went 25-9 and big bass was 6-13. All in all it was great experience and I really look forward to doing it again sometime.

I'm so sore after riding with Poche yesterday. He ran down to Erie and he runs hard. I was so sore after yesterday that I didn't even stay to see if I could have marshalled Day 3. I will update my experience probably either late Sunday or sometime next week.

Day 1 was a success. Wiggins sitting right at the cut line with 17-6. Check out my marshal pics. Tough day for many guys and then many 20+ bags. I drew Keith Poche for day 2 which I'm excited about because he had 17 something for 4 fish and said he figured something out late in the day. So I'm hoping he's on em tmrw. Exhausted for now. Report back later.

Two for sure. Probably won't make the 3rd.

Jesse Wiggins. Not a big name draw but he put the hurt on some smallies at Cherokee Lk. It was pretty cool because you have a nice dinner with the pros after the marshal meeting and their meeting.

If you watch any of his videos on bmpfishing it shows him with his marshal for the day. Yah he seems cool. Sitting there for 8 hours without a rod in my hand and someone that doesn't talk would be difficult.