Boomstick

For thicker braids, I usually use 8 strand braid, often Daiwa's J-Braid. For 15, maybe 20lb or less, a 4 strand braid such as original power pro is generally good. They're a little more abrasion resistant, especially with thinner line. I really like Sunline's SX1 12lb for finesse fishing (the same diameter as most 15lb braid), but it's very expensive. On the flipside, it's pound for pound the most abrasion resistant braid I've ever used, even if I call it 15lb.

I would look hard at both of the combos you mentioned at your price point. Which will she like better? It will probably depend on what she thinks of the Winn grips to be honest, which I cannot answer for her. Either way, you are getting your sister a nice birthday present and she should be happy with either one.

I was just fishing a new lake for the second time yesterday. A couple weeks ago was my first time there and while only there for a hour just to see what the shore access was like, my oldest son got a topwater bite but the fish just missed his lure. I would say the water temp is no more than the lower 50s as of yesterday, and would have been colder then. Now today is 82 degrees which should warm that water up to the upper 50s fairly quickly, making topwater a viable option in the middle of the day as it's not too hot where bass are going deep or taking cover.

Or perhaps an idea that is so original that people have to try them and see if they work?

I also don't own a boat and spend a good time fishing from the shore. I do find that in days when it's not too hot, or it's early or late in the day I am much more likely to throw a moving bait or topwater if the conditions are appropriate to cover more water, as that's often what is landing me the fish. On hotter days, I will get out the ned rig or drop shot (my choice is usually determined by water depth) and on hotter days that will often be what lands me fish. If there's any sort of current in the water, it will give my bait all the action it needs, so I'm just waiting for a fish to come along and see it. I have probably caught more fish on a spinnerbait, usually dual willow sexy shad or white colored models than any other. Last year, I probably caught more fish on a River2Sea Biggie Smalls crankbait than any other lure, that thing just produced really well for me. This year however I can't seem to find the bass, so maybe you shouldn't listen to me.

The largest bass I landed was on a spinnerbait in fairly shallow water, swam about halfway to the boat before putting up a fight and eventually swam downwards, which was when I realized it wasn't the same dink I caught the prior day in the same spot. The largest fish I ever hooked towed a 14' rowboat with 3 people in it around like nothing and finally swam itself underneath the boat and set itself free because I didn't get a very good hookset. It looked like it may have been a much larger bass from what I could see but could have been a pike too.

Well in my case, the shoreline I want to be fishing right now on many of my lakes is all residential properties so without a boat I'm out of luck.

I have used anywhere from 12-17lb mono or fluoro or 30 or 40lb braid. 15lb mono or fluoro seems to be the all around happy line for spinnerbaits as that has enough to pull them through most weedy areas just fine.

Are you sure they weren't Avid X rods? The Mojo Bass is basically the same blank, but one of the major differences is it does not have micro guides. I can't find anything on the Internet about a new micro guide version either. Anyway, you're going to like that reel if nothing else.

I think it comes down to how much you want to spend to be honest. If you have the money, the Mojo Bass is worth every penny but if not the Veritas is probably the best rod for its respective price range.

I did catch my other rod the other day and that cost me about 20 minutes picking out the bird's nest. But rarely do I ever bird's nest so bad I can't pick it out in under a minute. I think the last time I did anything that bad was back in in 2017 when my lure hit a tree casting and I spent a good 15-20 minutes pulling that one out (I think that was on 30lb braid) and what I didn't know until it was too late is that I pulled it out over a stick. That time I gave up and re-spooled the reel. But yeah, all of your problems can be solved by improving your casting and being aware of your surroundings, which is what causes the really bad ones for me. Finally, if you're skipping make sure to tighten up your brakes and tension knob accordingly. That said, I do have a double deep plano box full of extra line for all of my reels (other than spinning reels). I carry this if I go on a lengthy trip or camping, so just in case I have to respool, I have the line with me.

I just landed a Ballistic LT (2500) from a reputable seller for less than I could find a Tatula LT. It's a birthday present for my girlfriend and hasn't came in yet so I can't give a review, but I've held the Tatula LTs and they feel like a decent reel and are super light just like the Stradic. I honestly can't recall if I had the same issue with the Tatula LT as the Stradic Ci4+, which is the bail can hit my thumb.

I usually use a 3/8oz white one more often than not (I fish clear water more often than not) but will use chartreuse or white and chartreuse in dirty water and black at night. White/chart can also be effective in clear water in low light conditions -- same as spinnerbaits really. I've used Booyah, War Eagle and Terminator for brands with no issues with each.

Try the River2Sea's with Colorado Indiana blades. I like the Abalone Shad and Powder colors for clearer water earlier in the year. Also the War Eagle's in Sexy Shad or Mousse work well in most conditions.

For targeting active bass, you can target them more or less like a largemouth. A spinnerbait or a crankbait should do nicely. If they are not chasing in shallow areas I would look for areas with a sandy bottom and an occasional rock near a steep slope. Smallies like to suspend next to these rocks in areas with a sandy bottom, so if there's a weedy or slimy bottom, move along. Should there be a single smaller deep area in the lake, then you have almost certainly hit a jackpot. Work the area around the deep spot, focusing alongside any rocks. A finesse drop shot using a nose hooked roboworm is usually my preferred choice for targeting suspended smallies, but should you find any prime structure areas where there's almost certainly smallies lurking then there a wacky rigged finesse worm might be the way to go. Alternatively, a t-rigged rage tail can haul in the smallies too! If they're spawning, throw it on their beds and wait.

I had to get a rod tip from Daiwa once and it took them several months to send it.

I go by the light/dark/darker theory myself. The fish can't see the color but they see the hue, so white for clear water, brown for dirty water or low light conditions and black for night or really dirty water

^ Sums up my thoughts exactly.

So I just got one hell of a deal (from a reputable seller) on a Ballistic LT, size 2500. Actually, cheaper than I could find a Tatula LT for, so I bought that. The girlfriend is one who would probably appreciate the light weight and it was way too good to pass up

Thanks! What I've found that works is just reeling slowly until it goes where it wants. It's not really even that much of a real problem either, I was just trying to point out the only thing we don't like about it and that's about the worst I could say.

I use 12lb Sunline SX-1 on my spinning setup, but any 15lb braid will do, and then a 6lb or 8lb fluorocarbon leader, usually 6. I use about 7-8' in leader length so the knot never hits the reel, and with a double uni knot with 10 turns, I have no issues with the knot on small lines passing through the micro guides on my Avid X. Straight flurocarbon also works if you prefer.

I assume you mean one of three Mojo Bass Glass Cranking rods, which of course are glass-composite where the Megabass rod is graphite. Both are good rods, but they're very different rods overall. I've never got my hands on a Megabass rod although I've never heard anything bad about them (other than maybe the price) but I wouldn't have many reservations over buying a Mojo Bass glass cranking rod.

I can honestly say that I've never seen something on an ad somewhere and said to myself "ooooh shiny I have to have that" or whatever. In fact, I'm more likely to boycott products that waste my time with commercials. Cable TV costs enough as it is, the way I see it it should be free with all the ads they air. It's not like they don't make a whole lot more from commercials anyway. I personally think it should be illegal to advertise drug commercials. They banned tobacco commercials, but some of these drugs are even worse than smoking. Then there's alcohol commercials too, which are basically programming young minds to becoming future alcoholics rather than to learn to drink responsibly. Last year I was diagnosed with colon cancer and my life has been a slew of doctor's appointments and occasionally I've been on a few prescription meds. Even with insurance, those are not cheap. But if you consider how much they spend on advertising, bribing doctors with free samples, lunches and apparently even cash now, and add in the fact that they're still making money hands over feet, what are you REALLY paying for when you buy that medication?

I got my oldest son a Dobyns Sierra 704C for his birthday last year. He likes fishing with soft plastics, but it also makes a very good rod for jigs up to 1/2oz in lighter cover. It has a pretty good tip. You might prefer the heavier 705C or 735C for jigs, especially if you are planning on running heavy braid and throwing them in cover.

It depends on the lake, current weather, time of day and time of season. A typical day on the water will consist of throwing a slower, vertical presentation which is often a drop shot or neg rig in open water where if there's cover I'll often throw a T-Rig and if there's more cover I'll throw a jig. On a second rod, I'll have a moving bait such as a spinnerbait especially on windy days, choppy water or sunny days, chatterbait if there's grass or a crankbait. The exception to this is topwater. If I'm fishing a frog or a popper, that may be the only thing I fish all day. Say it's a hot or rainy day, I may be determined to get myself a topwater bass.