Jagg

I love Trilene XL for mono for my spinning gear. I love P-Line CX and CXX for copoly.

Maxima Ultra Green in that # test range.

Weren't Ardent reels made in the US at one time?

Aren't US Reel reels made in America?

To me, in my experience, a paddle tail on a swim jig (skirted) is borderline power fishing and can be power fishing. Also, I've had better luck with the swim jig/paddle tail combo in slightly to moderately stained water and/or slight chop to breakers on the water and/or low light conditions. Paddle tails on jigheads (non skirted) is more finesse and I have better luck with them when the conditions are tougher like bluebird skies and/or no wind and flat water and/or super clear water.

I've tried B n' M poles but have never tried their rods before. Gonna have to give them a try if I can find one in stores. I was a big believer in BPS Micro Lite Graphite Series of rods until they went and changed them with this last generation. I really like the St Croix Panfish Series of rods. I have the 6'9" ULF and 7' LXF. I like the 6'9" for casting light jigs and rigs. I tried the G Loomis line of panfish and trout rods but they just didn't feel right for the type of fishing I do and were almost twice the $.

Yup, my bad. This time of year a Spot Remover jig with a Z-Man plastic. Ned rig or Slider Spider jig is also an option since you don't want to really be on bottom with those, but swimming just off bottom.

I don't throw the 4.8 but might start this year. I do throw the 3.8 on my 7'MF Avids both casting and spinning. I also throw them on a 7'6" MF Premier spinning when I want to make long bomb casts. Normally have to pair that rig with braid or nano lines.

Your tackle will work better when balanced, so yeah try to match your rod and reel to the weight of your rig and lb test of your line. Finesse fishing with light line and light tackle works a lot better with 30 and/or 35 size spinning reels and M and/or ML spinning rods compared to MH or H casting flipping sticks and reels and vice versa.

Mono till your thumb is better educated.

I fish a lot of ponds with healthy bluegill populations and only caught a few on them. The main problem I have is they sink way too fast. I guess they could work better in deep ponds with very little shallow water. That's been when they have produced for me; bringing them in from deep to the first drop off, isolated coontail and milfoil and parallel casting drop offs. SK King Shads seem to work much better with not nearly as much headache.

Fish em on swim jigs and on jigheads. They flat out catch fish. Tail separated.

Topwaters. Floating minnows, Heddon Torpedoes, Tiny Lucky 13s.

Yup, sink way to fast and doesn't look natural on slow to even medium retrieve. As others have said, really does helicopter bad, especially in the wind. I just use my SK King Shads now.

Casting light jigs (1/16th and under) tipped with plastics and light split shot and drop shot rigs for sunfish and/or crappie.

When casting light jigs and rigs, what's your rod of choice and why does it work for you on your water?

If you can go on post on Fort Carson there are 2 lakes (that I know of) that you go to and catch sunfish and crappie. The bigger one has really nice size bluegill and pretty good crappie. Outside of that, Brush Hollow has some really nice crappie and bluegill in it on the shallow side. Lone Tree and the lakes around it are supposed to be fairly good for warm water species, but never tried them. Aurora Res has very good crappie and bluegill also, but is up by Denver. Hope this helps.

Stick with the St Croix and get yourself a rod from the St Croix Trout Series.

I handled that rod in store and test fished it but went with another rod. I really like Trilene XL 4# for rods like these. I've had 10" bluegill break the 4# (super quick movements are not as well protected by even the smoothest drag) so keep some of the same line in 6# around also. BTW, it seems like a super rod. Let us now how it fishes and give us a review if you can.

Yup, St Croix Mojo pitchin' rod. Should go on sale before Spring. Also try Academy's H2O express line of rods. Some of the Ethos rods are on clearance for $60 and less.

I'm a big believer in green mono myself. Night or day; freshwater or saltwater. Really love my green line or at least a green mono leader.

Definitely speaking my language! I'm in SE Colorado now but am from TX and will very likely be in JBSA (Joint Base San Antonio) for our next duty station. Was stationed there once before and did AIT there so I know that area very well and hope to make it our permanent home. When I started out bass fishing it was fishing the Angelina River in East TX along with the other rivers and creeks in The Big Thicket. Normally reserved UL rods for 'gills and other panfish but we did have L and ML rods (5' - 6'6") for bass that we normally would use the same reel and would switch out spools for 6# or 8# test depending on the cover and size class fish. Basic used the same methods and tackle for the greater SA and Hill Country areas and there are tons of spots perfect for that style of fishing in that area. Even more if you have a canoe or kayak to get around with.

I have the St Croix Rage 6'10" MLXF and the Avid 7'6" MLXF and love them for grubs, tubes, small swimbaits and other finesse stuff when I like a long cast. I've found that since I switched my spare spools to braid, I rarely have a hookset problem. My main spool is normally a mono or coated mono and my spare is braid.

Kayak Angler is a dud mag. Way too much ads and very little "regular guy" kayak fishing info or articles.

WI, I'd probably try a Devil's Horse or other prop bait before I tried a Whopper Plopper in swift current.