Bass-Addict

What would you recommend for a replacement?

Gotcha, man maybe I need to get over the braid birds nest learning curve. So with 14 lb mono you would prob struggle as well to throw a KVD 1.5?

So you think my reel is more the issue or my rod? I was thinking what you said originally, that St. Croix being overpowered was my issue, as there shouldn’t be a dramatic difference between a Curado and a Tatula. Both have same adjustments available. Are there rods with a wider range of lure ratings, ie 1/4 - 1 oz or even 3/4? So you think the reel itself or the line?

I currently have a mojo bass 7’ medium heavy moderate fast paired with a Curado 200XGK as my “do everything” casting setup. I keep it spooled with 14 lb Trilene XL to cover this wide range of lures, which while not ideal for some presentations is easy to cast and work with and inexpensive. I cannot seem to throw a KVD 1.5 or any 3/8 oz crank very far on this setup for some reason without adjusting the breaks or spool tension every time I switch baits which is a pain in the ass. I am stuck with 1/2 oz or heavier crank baits to get any sort of casting distance which is very limiting. I am assuming this is because the rod is too heavy? I know St Croix are underrated power wise, I’m wondering if a Fury or Champion may offer more flexibility in this regard. What power rod do you crank with? I’m on a kayak so sort of limited to only 4 setups hence why I am trying to squeeze so many applications into this one rod.

While I am sure every system is different, there are certain consistencies in regards to river smallmouth behavior during the spawn. For guys who fish beds, which I’ve tried and while I don’t enjoy it quite as much as targeting active fish has it’s place in the absence of other options for bored trophy hunters - do you find that Ned rigging is key and once fry have hatched a fluke is the only really consistent technique? Lastly, what is your game plan once the fry have been displaced by the first blow out, do you immediately switch over to summer pattern or do you find them scattered, lethargic and difficult to catch?

I previously threw either a tandem or double willow with gold/silver blades and a white & chartreuse skirt. I have seen a lot of people throwing the classic chartreuse double willow with chartreuse skirt who swear by this, and say it is more visible in stain. What are your preferences for different stain levels?

That is precisely how I roll 🤙🏼

What exactly do you find so preferable about it?

What are the positives?

Why do you prefer it in those applications? I have heard multiple people say they prefer flurocarbon over mono in almost all applications other than topwater, but I just don’t get it. Are fish really that line shy? I find mono casts much smoother, is cheaper and far less brittle/prone to breakage. The ONLY application I use it for is a finesse leader with braid as a main line.

Mid day cloud cover This is 100% my experience in the summer, but not in the spring. I agree I will never understand the hype around spring fishing. That could very well be what is at play, water has been very stained and usually is in spring!

It’s kind of crazy but that has been my experience, at least for river fishing. Water is in the 60s but as soon as the sun dips out they shut off like a light switch. Couldn’t get them to eat anything. Why do you suppose this is? In colder months or when the water is still hovering in the upper 40s it makes perfect sense, but when the water has been hanging in the low-mid 60s for well over a week I don’t quite understand the science.

They didn’t get that big by burning calories that’s for sure

Even in prime prespawn feeding you need to slow it down to get mature fish to bite?

Why is this, food or spawning habitat?

I know a lot of guys who don’t even bother with anything but fishing the face of a low head dam in late March-April, do you find this to be the most productive approach to spring fishing? Do you wait until water is over 50-55 to switch to moving baits or do you think once they are active anything goes?

Where do you rate cold?

Water is 53 degrees where I’m at, just coming down from a blowout. Visibility less than 6”. My gut tells me they probably wouldn’t be as aggressive as they would be in these conditions under normal circumstances (once actively feeding) to the point that I could have a good day on a spinnerbait. Do you believe muddy, cold water is generally bad and if so what is the threshold for “cold?”

I suppose it varies by region

Great point, they’re dumb but they still have hardwired instincts that are millions of years old that their survival depends on.

I am revisiting this subject because I continue to see the most incredibly lifelike plastics online and they look so good to me, but I know from past experience that not only do they not help me catch more fish even with the confidence boost they give me, but that other far less realistic looking baits are significantly more effective. Consistently, too. Take for instance a tube. It may vaguely resemble a fleeing craw being dragged along the riverbed, but to us it looks more like a dark green Pac-Man ghost compared to a TRD Craw or some of the more ultra-realistic craw patterns developed by these cottage companies. Yet the tube catches exponentially more fish, which leads me to one of two conclusions: 1. Either black bass cannot distinguish these lifelike features and details and see only rough silhouettes and a handful of colors, leaving the action of the bait as the primary stimulus. or 2. As sight feeders they do indeed have a keen sense of vision and for this reason can very easily spot a fake if it tries too hard to mimic nature, and instead reactively strike at odd or irritating presentations with a combination of forage resemblance & alluring action that they can’t immediately dismiss as a fake.

Champ XP swim rod is good, just not ideal for yak fishing with that 20”+ handle. 17” is the sweet spot for me.

This lucky craft crank is listed as 1/2 oz, so I bought it and when I took it out of the package it felt light so I weighed it, barely .4 oz. Is there a way to determine this without buying and opening them? It’s crazy to me that in a sport where lure weight is crucial to determining what setup and conditions to use them in that companies this big are not regulated with these specifications being accurate. https://www.omniafishing.com/p/lucky-craft-lc-1-5-square-bill-crankbait

I’ve added flukes to my arsenal as well, although with 1/8 and 1/16 because they’re deep. Yeah, makes sense. What would you say the water temp threshold is, 42-43?