Dan:

Got checked by a warden for the first time today (I've been checked by local LE before, but never a warden). Totally professional. They checked our gear and our licenses, asked us if we'd seen any illegal fish traps and then left after a few jokes.

those are great baits. Lately I've really been getting into their baits.

Splash. Count 1...2... Set hook from 8 to 12 with authority. (This is the part that people get wrong, and I think Senko agrees. I see plenty of people who do not understand how to really swing the rod)

I have some Spros that have caught a ton of bass and a couple snakeheads and they hold water just as well as my R2S and Tru Tungsten frogs. I'm 100% with senko on this.

What type of bait, what weight, and in what cover are you going to use this setup?

no more than 2.7 ;D

so the number of joints is important in your classification?

I would probably buy one in this color just to try them out. They look worthy of trying out

I"m just trying to understand your definition of a swimbait. This thing is pretty much the prototypical swimbait that I picture when I think of that category of baits (although maybe lacking another joint)

well then get to work! I'll take two of anything that will catch a smallmouth bass that I can throw on a 5 or 6 wt ;D

So an MS Slammer isn't a swimbait?

I think he's talking about the one in Crozet, VA

Why wouldn't it count as a swimbait?

Dude, I just went to a fly fishing show near here. You should have seen the cicada patterns some guy had. They looked 99% the same as a real cicada. It was unbelievable. Some tiers are ridiculously good. I don't even have a rod heavy enough to throw it but I still almost bought it just so I could show it to people... I also saw a cool fly that I thought might be good for smallmouth around here: It's got a joint in the middle and a trailer hook in the back half. I would love to get into tying but I don't think I'd every be able to stop.

Good deal. I think they'd go together very nicely.

is graphite really all that far off from carbon fiber? I mean, both are made from carbon. I know carbon fiber is probably stronger, but by how much?

I don't know how I feel about that song. Either it's mocking the ridiculousness of some songs that are being made these days, or it's one of those ridiculous songs itself.

Paul, the OP says the rod is a Medium XF

wait until you feel their higher end rods. They make the Carbon Steel look like a Lightning Rod.

he's talking about foregrips.

I'd be interested to see the actual demographic breakdown of bass fisherman. I'd be willing to bet that ~85% are white males, if not more. I think the channels are only choosing the smartest business decision. The vast majority of the target audience is men, so if they want to attract that audience they might as well pick hosts that men want to watch. For whatever reason, most bass fishing men don't seem to want to watch women fishing on tv. Another problem is that there is a smaller sample population of worthy hosts. There are some lady anglers with accomplishments deserving a show but how many of those anglers are actually able OR willing to be hosts? Not everyone is capable of hosting a TV show. Also, there are a lot of "stars" of the sport that are men while relatively few that are women. I can probably name two dozen professional bass anglers that are men. I can only name one that is a woman.

Yes, lots of guys use 20lb braid on spinning gear. Try it to see how you like it.

just checking, some guys try to flex their rods in ridiculous ways. I think you probably got a defective rod. I would return it.

how did you "test it's flex"?

lol, I'm gonna use that one...