Bass-Addict

I’ve been throwing the WP90 on a 7’1” MHMF Mojo Bass Casting rod with a Shimano Curado K. In a recent thread I saw someone mention that you want bend in your rod when fighting on top with trebles, yet I’ve also heard moderate/moderate fast is preferable to fast for this reason. Which is better? I couldn’t seem to find a MMF in any St Croix line, is that my best option if I can find it?

It is happening middle-end of cast, it hits a point in the arch where it just stops and nests up.

Is that with all 4 flipped up or down? Would another brand be much better?

Why’s that, to fix my backlash issue or for strength? I’m only fishing river smallies. My rod is MHMF. It is a medium heavy moderate fast, is that adequate for braid or still too much? Thanks for the tips! What is a better reel at that price point that requires less user input to avoid backlashing?

I am currently throwing a Whopper Plopper 90 on a 7’1” MHMF Mojo Bass paired with a Curado K 8.5:1 spooled with 12 lb mono. I have dialed it in pretty well but still somehow manage to backlash at least a few times every trip (I kayak fish small rivers.) I was told braid would help with this but also that mono was ideal for floating baits as it floats and has stretch to avoid pulling trebles out. What do you recommend? Thanks!

Just leaving Lake of the Woods, incredible trip. We caught a lot of fish, and big fish. Bunch of healthy 35-45” pike, tons of stud smallies and plenty of walleye. I grew up pike fishing all over Canada but this was the first time I went as a fisherman, it was a totally different experience. The rugged beauty of the lake combined with the abundant quality of the multi species fish is I think what makes it so unique. It feels like a foreign land teaming with monsters. I don’t think I enjoy pike fishing quite as much as bass fishing, but I have a renewed interest in it. The fight isn’t nearly as acrobatic or persistent but the strikes are very aggressive, I got a couple decent 30”+ on topwater that were pretty startling. I think my favorite bait for them was the spinnerbait though, for some reason it responded most violently to this, often coming out of the water when they hit it. Great trip, can’t wait to come back!

It is excellent, agreed. Took a few packs to lake of the woods with me, been slaying them here. On my list. How bout Mood Ring or Perfect Perch?

Yeah, you tried Canada Craw?

Like compare Green Pumpkin or PB&J with Drew’s Craw or Goby Bryant. Do you think it makes a difference or is it more about color than flashiness? I am river fishing exclusively.

Exactly I’ll never understand all these people throwing 1/32 or even 1/16. Must be lake guys.

3/16, and Texas rigged. I only retie every 10 casts or so, I’m getting better though so last trip only retied 3 times in an 8 hour float! Granted I wasn’t throwing Ned the entire time but I used it at every hole.

So I put the two contested Ned weights to the test this weekend, lighter - 1/8, and heavier - 3/16. There are variances obviously in what people throw, with the majority on the lighter end being 1/10-1/16 (with some going as light as 1/32.) Since discovering the power of the Ned rig, I have been throwing this 3/16 Owner EWG. The “weedless” Shroomz kept hanging me up in the rocky river I fish so I started Texas rigging and haven’t looked back. I found the 1/8 oz size to provide far less/no tactile feedback, where as the 3/16 I can feel everything on the bottom and when pebble bumping turns to light tugging I drive it home and catch way more fish. People argue the Ned is supposed to be a contactless, slow falling bait but it seems to have evolved from the original “Midwest finesse” designed 40 years ago into a veritable technique with all sorts of different ways of presenting it. Additionally, even with the 3/16 in even the most moderate current it still takes a solid bit of time to reach the fish. The 1/8 takes forever.

Edited lol Those are cool, thanks! I use the EWG hooks because the “weedless” Shroomz kept hanging up. I get far fewer snags w the EWG Owner blockhead. Texas rigging has been the ticket for me.

I am sort of growing tired of readjusting the plastic every other cast, I even superglue the head but the other end near the point of the hook still slides down. Is there anything better?

There are only so many trophy bass in any given stretch of a smaller river. When you narrow it down even further to a few isolated spots that these guys have bank access to, how could they not be the same fish?

What do you use most often in current, 1/4?

I have been using 3/16 EWG heads for a while now. I have tried 1/8 oz but I just can’t seem to let go of my dependency on the tactile feedback I get from the bottom contact of the heavier jig, it also keeps tension in the line and allows me to feel a bite better. The obvious downside here is that I get hung up far more often but I’m not sure which is worse. It is almost impossible for me to get 1/8 down in current as well. Should I commit myself to making 1/8-1/10 work? It seems to unanimously be touted as the best weight with many proclaiming the lighter the better, some down to 1/16.

Where the crawdads sing? Wonder why this is? Does that much food fall in?

I’m confused, are we talking about smallmouth or crawfish? You said cockroaches and in most waterways, and there are several states that don’t have smallmouth.

That sounds like a lot of work. I find it strange that they don’t make any rod socks for rods over 7’ as this is the standard size. Whats TWs?

True, but in river systems the highest concentration of crayfish tend to be where there are rocks no?

I don’t care about covering the bottom of the blank, which is the strongest part. I am talking about being able to reach the reel with the strap to keep the sock on.

If smallmouth prefer gravel bottoms, this sort of changes my previous understanding of their association with rock. I’ve always heard smallmouth hang out near rocks because of crawfish. This would be challenged by the gravel pit theory and the fact that their preference for rock is not limited to slab/chunk rock where craws/hellgrammites live, but extends to ANY sort of rock structure: chunk, slab, boulders, pebbles, and especially large concrete embankments and walls, bridge pylons & cinder blocks. Is this because the presence of rock in any form makes the water cleaner? I know smallmouth have a low tolerance for pollution. Thanks!

I have really begun to learn more as far as finding and presenting to larger fish. I used to just beat the bank as I floated by, but since committing myself to finesse my eyes have been opened to an entirely new world previously unseen in trying to locate fish. The other day I reached a turning point. I saw this stuff, standard highly fishy above water cover anyone would cast to. But when my swim bait didn’t get bit I anchored and started searching the bottom with the Ned and boom! Pulled 4-5 fish all over 16” out, one after another. They were literally stacked in there. The interesting part to me was that not only was this an area far from any current, I didn’t get bit right on the bank as I usually do. It was about 6-10 feet off the bank in about 5-8 feet of water. Is this indicative of a pattern I should start following or an anomaly? It would make sense especially with this heat wave that in the absence of shade they would go for deeper, cooler pockets. What has your experience been?

What, FG knot too thick?