r83srock

Ranger uses syntec 24oz carpet, as does bass cat and I’m sure others. I just replaced 20yr old carpet in my ranger with syntec and yes, trebles will snag. Sharp trebles go into anything. I use a lure wrap on my treble baits for this reason.

I always have two brakes on, and the external dial set around 2 or 3. If it’s windy 4-6. The cast control I set to remove the side to side play in the spool, and turn it tighter until the “fluff” is gone when I cast, and the line comes off the spool smoothly.

So I will look at Navionics for example, I’ll look for main lake points if the lake has them and start there. I will idle along, using my electronics to determine where the weeds start. In my case 10-12 feet on my home lake, although some areas the weeds don’t grow any deeper than 8. Some lakes down south will have hydrilla in 25 feet. If grass can grow that deep, bass can live that deep. Idling along the edge, I might see where the weeds stop, and then start again. There could be a bunch of reasons for this, but I will mark that spot. Maybe there is a rock pile there, or hard bottom. The point is the spot, but this area is what I call the spot on a spot. Maybe the weedline is non existent, but while idling you notice a clump on your graph. That’s a spot you want to fish. If you do not have electronics, get navionics on your phone, or a good topo map. A Carolina rig and a big crankbait make an excellent depth finder as well.

This is well thought out and organized. Enough tackle for anyone.

I’ll second the grass jig. The all terrain is a good one, basically any oversized swim jig with a big hook. I usually throw 1/2-1oz and let it fall on semi slack line, so the jig falls straight down, making note of the time it takes for the jig to hit bottom. I feel the cabbage or whatever vegetation I’m in, I can feel the tick, tick , tick as the jig hits the leaves, I also know what bottom feels like. When the jig hits bottom, wait a few seconds. I may stroke the jig once or twice and then quickly reel it up for another short cast. If I feel something out of the ordinary, I set the hook, if I never feel bottom I set the hook. I want a jig just heavy enough to cleanly go through the vegetation. If it’s really clear water, I may up my weight, so the fish doesn’t get a good look at it, if the fish is spitting the jig real fast I may drop my weight some. Also never set on slack line. If it’s windy I may throw a big Spinnerbait instead. In the morning you might catch them on the inside of the edge, try a top water or swim jig here. Sometimes I will swim the big jig, but usually on the very edge. As far as what to look for on the edge. I look for anything that is different, the difference in vegetation, bottom type, a tight contour, a long tapering point, a bend or point in the weedline. Is the wind blowing into the weedline? Current? Wind creates current, try fishing the “current” side. If you have a ton of different grass in your lake, they will often be on a specific grass from one day to the next. The fish are usually grouped up on the weedlines, keep fishing until you catch one, when you catch one just back off the spot a touch. You may find if the bite is a frenzy, and you miss one on a hook set, or lose one, the bite may shut off. Try a different bait at this point, like a Carolina rig or a big Texas rigged worm. Mark the spot, and come back later if all else fails.

A zebco 33 makes a nice dock skipping reel. I have one I modified with a big handle that I hand to people learning to skip. Works great.

Right now I’m rocking Shimano reels. I do like Daiwa and Abu baitcasters, as well as pfluger spinning.

Abu black max is a great inexpensive baitcaster. Sometimes it’s hard that tell it from it’s more expensive revo brothers. Pfluger spinning reels, trion, president are all a great value too.

I fish out of my boat like I’m fishing out of a kayak , I try to simplify everything. Right now in my bag I have 2 3600 boxes, one 3601 thin for terminal tackle, a small Spinnerbait box, and a small worm binder. Way too much tackle for bank fishing, about twice the amount I’d take as a co angler, but perfect for the boat or kayak. One box has just jigs and chatterbaits, as jigs are my number one confidence bait. But I could take just a few and be happy, I could even live without chatterbaits if i have some Spinnerbaits. That would narrow it down to two boxes. This time of year, is pack a few 1/2oz Arky jigs in black/blue, two buzzbaits, two pop-rs, a spook, two poppin pad crashers, two 2.5 square bills, two lipless cranks, two Spinnerbaits, and a few confidence plastics. 5” senko, beaver bait either Texas rigged or as a jig trailer, a buzz toad, one bag of plastic worms, one bag of soft swimbaits.

Just curious, the two ratios come with different length handles. I have a 7.2 and an 8.5 and I’ve never noticed a length difference.

I frog fish with a 6’6” medium heavy and heavy braid on occasion. The shorter rod doesn’t lack power, but the tip speed is slower on the set and you don’t move as much line as a longer rod. Just make sure you reel up all the slack before you set and reel immediately upon hook up. My pad crashers don’t have an issue with hooking bass, but you can take a pair of pliers and bend the hooks up and your hooking percent will increase. If you haven’t already, try a pad crasher or poppin pad crasher, or a scum frog trophy series 5/8 oz, they practically set themselves on those.

So all I know is, St. Croix has in fact softened many of there rod models as of late, some very noticeably. The 7’1” mh mojo feels entirely different (much softer than the first gen 7’ mh). My 7’4” h mojo is a lot softer than the previous gen 7’ h as well. Both of those models from 2 different generations of the same series are labeled “slop n frog”, and feel entirely different. My 7’4 throws frogs great. Your rod with throw frogs perfect, and because it’s such a high end blank, it will also double as a perfect jig rod for almost any jig you will throw. It will punch, throw decent swimbaits, big Spinnerbaits, big worms. Go use the thing! Tie everything on in your box, and give us a solid review while you are at it, we wanna know what YOU think.

I like that. I carry 5 in my bass boat. 2 in the kayak is perfect for me too. Don’t tell me that... I got a monkey crawling on my back. I had two, sold them, and now regret that decision. Those are fine reels.

I had the Berkley, lasts a year for r two and develops leaks. I keep it now for our Tuesday night tournaments where multiple people use the bag, drag it on the ground, etc. My wife to be got me a accu cull bag last year. I love it! I use please release me in my livewell, and the bag has a mesh liner so the treated water stays In. It has a zipper on it too, so if you happen to set it down and the bad tips over, you aren’t losing all your water instantly and certainly not your fish. My weekend bass club just switched from the Berkley bags to the accu cull as well.

If they are oem washers you should be fine.

Might be a pinch of water there but that’s really not too unusual. Oil looks fine to me. Btw, change the screw seal every time you do lower unit oil. It’s common for the screw seals to leak if they have been used more than once.

I use the mojo bass version of the same power and action for the techniques described and it worlds great for me. Loads up nice on the hook set, I can cast a 3/8 jig no problem, or flip a 1.25 oz punch rig. I use it for frogging Matt’s mostly, and it’s the right tool for the job for that.

Very nice!

If it’s anything like the 7’4h mojo bass, it will be great. I’d love to own one of these, but I don’t think it’s going to happen.

Oh yes that makes sense. I’ve only fished the side with the ship company. I was on the Lake Michigan side sight seeing but not to fish. The weights are insane!

On the bay side or the Lake Michigan side?

I’m in a group that does fun tournaments every Tuesday night from 6-9. It can be difficult to get 5 at times! I agree with the above that a wacky rig is usually really productive. If catching too much grass go Texas rigged. If everyone is throwing a shakey head, I like to throw a finesse flipping jig, just change things up a bit. On your drop shot, maybe try a little bigger bait. And focusing on one area and really dissecting it is a good idea. Evening usually presents feeding windows for bass, so don’t rule out a top water or moving lure like a Spinnerbait especially if conditions like a little wind present themselves. Try a spook, if you are catching to much grass try a buzz bait. Throw something that is efficient for the conditions. But always keep your confidence lures at the ready. I would also throw different lures than your partner, until a pattern can be established. Good luck!

Crazy story! Stories like yours are far too common up there. I’ve heard countless stories of guys ripping trolling motors off, windshields, filling the boat with water. About a little more than half my life ago, real young, not old enough to drive yet, a guy in our club at the time had Just purchased a new Triton Tr-21. He wanted to go practice for a 4 man classic tournament he qualified for. Of course I get invited along, neither of us had been there before. I don’t think I had experienced very rough water at all up until that point. When we got off the water he had several stress cracks and the engine bolts were loose. Pretty sad really. I like making a trip or two a year there, but I plan it out, no Superman type stuff. An east wind is usually ok, but that’s rare it seems. Hopefully these guys use their heads and everyone stays safe.

There might be some spawning up by Washington island but that’s about it. My girlfriend got a nice Nikon camera she wants to try out, so we might head over there Saturday to take pictures. Interesting payout indeed.

I would love to see a good 3600 thin. I use the Plano 3601 quite a bit but they aren’t the most robust boxes. I like the 3600 Plano dry loc seal, but there’s some wasted space in that box and the dividers aren’t the most customizable. Excited to see what’s new from Plano.