CroakHunter

I like to slow down, I'll fish a jig in the same deep brush pile for an hour if I know a big one is in there. My fishing partner is a run and gunner, always wants to be turning that reel handle. Luckily I have slowed him down the past 2 tourneys and we have been in 2nd place both times and taken big bass in both as well. I'm the type of guy that just wants 6 bites in a tourney. Because I feel like that's all I need to be in the money. I'm not the type to fly around and get a quick limit then cull and look for a kicker, id rather just catch 6 kickers off the bat.

Welcome from another hoosier

Owner 4x jungle hooks. 5/0 is my preference.

Love my tatula cts just like @fishnkamp. I pitch with a 7ft mh lews tp1 speed stick. Fishes more like a heavy. And a tatula ct 8.1 gear ratio. In no way have I felt under powered. Its also a super verstile reel. I own 4 of them and use them with every technique I fish.

I have the zx Cranking rod. 7'5 mh. I am pleased with my purchase. I believe I bought mine for around 70 bucks when they went on sale. The winn grips are a huge plus.

Please tell me You're south of Indy? Lol. Every hoosier I have seen in here lives near the central part of the state of north

Glenn made a video on YouTube about this recently. Watch it and try his tips. I use 30lb braid and a medium power 7' rod for throwing weightless senkos. But have stepped up to 50lb and a medium heavy if I am fishing in a lake where I can potentially hook a giant.

Punch rig.

Good news is they come with great hooks so no need to dump more money into your hard baits. "How great?" great enough to run a hook through my ear while shaking it to hear the rattles

Get on ebay, type in "fake oakleys" most are around 10 dollars. At least you aren't out a lot of money and they are still polarized and work well in the water. Polarized is polarized to me. I've wore my uncle's 200 dollar sunglasses and my 10 dollar pair work just fine and if I lose them I'm not out half a truck payment

The B minus is my #2. Only because the Berkley comes with great hardware.

Berkley warpig

My lightest and cheapest combo are the same combo. I guess I got lucky lol

Yes I'm still having luck shallow as well. Haven't caught a fish deep yet. Frogs, poppers, and flipping/pitching is what is working for me lately

We have caught multiple big fish multiple times. We tag fish in 3 of our lakes. Same are or over 2 miles away.

I would feel comfortable punching with my 7'3 H lews tp1 speed stick. I throw a frog and 3/4 oz or heavier jigs with mine and it works awesome. The winn grips are nice.

From indiana but been meaning to fish newton,. Did you guys see where newton was ranked 7th in the central part of the country for big bass lakes?

Looks like a creek chub to me

Love black frogs. I never worry about the top color of any topwater, just the belly is all the fish are.

Unbiased on rod and reel, but I crank with 30lb braid. Thinner diameter let's cranks get deeps

Have you made it to patoka yet? Been meaning to head up there. Only about 1.5 hrs away for me.

Welcome! Another hoosier here

I like daiwa I braid x4. Cheap and reliable.

Decent bite today. 1/2 oz fogy with magnum rage bug, popper, rage craw, and a few blow ups on frog but none landed

Swim jig/chatterbait and frog for shallow Big worm/Big Jig/C-Rig for deep water. Those are my go to's in the summer time all the way up until they start chasing shad really heavily in the fall.