Boomstick

Yesterday was one of those days. After one of the longest casts I've ever made, I don't remember exactly if the boat was drifting into a tree or what but I I somehow got the line caught in the hook holder in my rod and didn't realize it and reeled in and one half of my reel had all the line in it. Okay, no problem I can just pull this out or so I thought but my line knotted itself up pretty badly and I spent all afternoon getting it out. 5 hours on the water and not one fish.

What others have said, you could buy these new for around the same price, so I would pass alone for that reason and not even factoring in that they could be stolen (and could be scouting you out to rob you for all you know).

My take is I will only run a FC leader when fishing 6-8lb line and need the extra invisibility (which doesn't give me any issues with knots) or really need the extra sink of the FC. The rest of the time I throw on a mono leader to save some money, and perhaps time if it's a fatter line too. I don't use FC as a mainline and probably wouldn't bother. I too am in the Big Game camp for mainline with the exception of 17lb line, which they don't seem to make in Big Game so I use Trilene XT. The Big Game is strong and cheap enough where I can keep fresh line on my spool. For leaders on braid, I will often use Trilene XL that I can keep in my tackle bag,

I have a friend who caught a 7 pounder in a small pond in which she was even was surprised had bass at all. They do exist.

I would personally go with braid to fluoro, something like 20lb braid to 8 or 10lb fluoro leader. Braid has no line twist on spinning reels, and I feel like it largely is the most versatile overall as it can give you better line strength and if you want less visibility then just tie on a leader. My biggest arguement against using braid and the only reason I still have 12lb mono on one of my spinning reels is that I will occasionally use the rod to throw crankbaits and it's a fast action rod so the extra stretch in mono is a plus, but as the DX 703SF is medium fast action, you should be fine with braid, my spinning rods are fast action.

Spinnerbaits, crankbaits, lipless crankbaits and bluegill colored chatterbaits are good in the fall. Also turnover occurs at different parts of the lake at different times, so if you aren't catching anything in one spot, don't stick around too long and pack up and move to another.

If you want a good dependable mid priced reel, the Pflueger President is very good but the Mitchell Pro is even better as it is lighter, smoother and has a nice 5.8:1 gear ratio. Both are time tested and a great value.

I run a 6'10" Tatula MH fast action rod with a SV reel myself and a 7' M/F spinning rod. They make a very versatile duo if you only have two rods. I would think something MH/F would be the way to go here. Also the St Croix Mojo Bass are pretty good and a Lews Mach II combo would be a decent cheaper option too. I also cast left handed but I cannot reel with my left hand to save my life, it's just awkward to me, so I use a right handed reel and the rod never leaves my left hand. A lot of right handed people also do the opposite. So there is no right or wrong here, just preference; do whatever suits you. The advantages you will find with a casting rod is they let you throw larger baits more accurately, and once you get by the learning phase, more accurately. Finally, there is line. I currently have braid on my casting rod but have ran 15 and 17lb mono as well. I bought another spinning rod for my girlfriend but she rarely joins us so I put 8lb mono (may try fluoro) on that and 12lb mono on the other one, although I may switch that to 15lb or 20lb braid to avoid line twist and add a leader as needed. It really does work to avoid line twist.

we don't have any Gander Mountains within a 3 hour drive or thereabouts, but if I'm out that way I will keep that in mind that's a good price for sure.

I was going to say the Abu Garcia Vengeance and Black Max combos or the Pro Max myself, and if you're willing to spend a little more than $100 the Mach 2. I haven't seen one for $100 but if I do, I'll snag it and run 15-17lb mono on it where I have braid on the Tatula. Great minds think alike.

I'm sorry, I totally misread that. I was at work and read it too fast it too fast as a "redneck engineering" type solution aka homemade rod, which wasn't what you were suggesting at all now that I read it again. Foam insulation seems like a good idea though.

uni to uni works great with lighter fluorocarbon. It may work for large fluoro line as well, but given how difficult larger fluoro is to tie with knots, it may be beneficial to learn the FG knot.

My youngest son has a Cabela's Whuppin' Stick, 6'6" medium/moderate spinning rod with 15# braid and it seems to work rather well for him. Lately we've been in a rut but for most days, the fish just jump on his lure (usually a KVD 1.5). Because it's a moderate tip with quick bend, braid works or this setup. If the tip was a little stiffer however, I'd suggest mono.

I didn't mean that cheap lol Well that's a pretty sweet then!

I think my setup would work well for you. #1) MH/F casting, either with 30# or 40# braid (although I have 50# on mine currently) or 15-17lb mono. #2) M/F spinning, 20# braid to avoid line twist and add a 8lb fluro leader as necessary. I can throw smaller baits and crankbaits on the spinning rod as well as using it for finesse techniques. Ideally, I'd add a casting rod for cranking, but on a budget it works. Also find something that is cheap, in the event you should lose it.

In just call them little (green/red/etc) turds.

It depends on the time of year. At this time of year, I'm pretty patient. I'll switch baits every 30 minutes or so. Come fall however, I may switch baits sooner or perhaps switch spots in the lake as the bass will be more active in different parts of the lake.

I find that in some lakes, I kill it with spinnerbaits and in others I can't catch a fish with one if I cast the hook into its mouth. But I have yet to have success with a chatterbait, but I'm not going to say I won't figure them out someday either because I know others who've slayed it with the chatterbait. Also, I hear the bluegill chatterbaits kill it in the fall, so I'll try that out. Haven't really fished a spook enough to comment.

Try something like an Abu Garcia Black Max or Pro Max combo, or a Black Max or Silver Max reel paired with a Abu Garcia Vengeance rod or better yet, a Berkley Shock 7' MH fast action rod. A lot of people also like Kast King for the price point as well. If you know you are in it for the long haul, go grab a Lews Mach II combo, which you should be able to find for $130-140 although I've seen them cheaper. You'll thank me later. I never used a casting rod myself until earlier this year when my oldest son wanted to try it. It took us a while to figure it out, but once we did, we were sold. You can simply get more casts in with a baitcaster, plus it's a fun way to fish. Occasionally I may hit a tree or bush which can cause a birds nest, but short of that I virtually never birds nest it anymore.

That's possible? For the most part, I only get out on weekends and I wish it was like 4-5 days a week instead! Fishing is relaxing.

The only thing I ever buy on Amazon is line (specifically the 330 yards of JBraid I can't find in stores and very occasionally some rare lures or rare colors I can't find anywhere else that I want to try. I try to use them minimally, and often orders never ship out and they just cancel them due to lack of availability anyway, although they've been good for line. As for soft plastics, the only thing I recall seeing on Amazon that was roughly competitively priced after shipping with stores is the NetBait Paca Chunks, and it's still cheaper in stores, so I don't even shop soft plastics on Amazon. When I see something like a pack of soft plastics selling for something as ridiculous as $100, so overpriced they can't realistically expect anyone to be dumb enough to buy it, it makes me think that someone is using the overpriced soft plastics as a way to launder drug money. I can't think of any other reason.

Personally, I use 3650 style trays, with a large right side that can hold a few soft plastic bags. I tend to put the soft plastic bags in the box that I'd use them with, so a NetBait Paca Chunk with swim jigs, senkos with hooks etc. which makes finding what I want easy. Then I load up extra soft plastics into the top and side compartments of my bags. Extra bags get kept in a plastic bag in my trunk. Obviously I would have more storage with 3700 size trays, but the 3650 size allows me to keep my tackle bag easily portable, which is important as I don't own a boat and sometimes end up walking a ways to get to a fishing spot. I keep lures for catfish (1/6 boxes) and bass in one bag and trout in another although I plan to separate catfish lures at some point to free up space, and more importantly, weight. This helps keep it neatly organized.

I've been in a rut with everything lately too. But in my defense, nobody else at the same time was getting anything either. Hope to break the bad streak next week (if I don't get out sooner), when I'm camping alongside a lake and I can rent a rowboat and target smallmouth bass.

From the sounds of it your best bet might be to dry a different lake. Perhaps the bass in that lake are late risers or simply don't like topwater, where other lures may ultimately do a lot better.

I usually use a NetBait Paca Chunk or a Strike King Rage Tail Craw or something of the like myself. Plastic minnows also work well. They're cheap enough so why not add the extra profile to your swim jig and increase your number of bites.