r83srock

Great rod ? a little less crisp than sc3. Perfect for jerk baits

I like your thought. We (Dad and I) fish in a fun league every Tuesday night. It’s similar to what you have laid out but more traditional rules. We fish against each other out of the same boat, it’s 3 hours long, so I minimize my tackle anyway. $10 entry and big bass winner picks next lake. It’s fun and we have had a guy win out of a canoe before. Years ago, Gambler lures used to have a tournament on my Home lake where the winnings were high and they gave a boat away. This was a big deal around here. There was no entry fee, but they had a semi set up for people to buy their tackle. That was the kicker, you had to use their lures. It’s was pretty neat really.

I was doing this the other day, the bite was tough until I put a green pumpkin trailer on my black and blue jig, then I started smoking em. Op, don’t overthink your jig colors, keep it simple with 3 colors max.

Man right now it’s hard for me! I’m fishing the wolf river every weekend, the smallies are starting to move and will continue to do so. I just can’t get myself in the woods yet, although I’m practicing with my bow often. Fall fishing is my favorite.

I fish Shawano lake often, we have seen 7s, also 7s in another local lake. I would think Big Green stands a chance of holding double digits.

Man, I love the brief and accurate history you just shared. I was reading an article awhile back that talked about someone who was working for Hexcel (Hercules?) and was developing carbon material for aircraft, and he was getting requests from Fenwick for the material, which was the early IM6. I believe Lynco grinding made the mandrels, I could be wrong. Everyone has some excellent points btw! It would be cool to see a sticky on rod, or rod and reel history, and on sensitivity as well.

You and I both know sensitivity is subjective, for example, I just purchased a St. Croix legend elite 7’ 1” mh xf. I have a similar rod in the Mojo line, I always use it for finesse jigs. I rigged both rods with the same reel, line and jig, fished the same rock pile but alternated rods, I started with the legend elite (that bad boy is balanced btw!). I cannot tell a single difference in sensitivity, I actually feel like my mojo is more so, but on paper it shouldn’t be, I’m just super confident and comfortable with that rod. Other than the obvious like a change in bottom I’m not really sure. Every bite is totally different, and you need that feel at times to distinguish a bite, or a weed, or bottom. I think I feel more confident knowing what my bait is touching, that’s probably a large part of it for me. I think line is a bigger deal than even the rod. When I got serious into bass fishing I was using bps XPS specials, fine for most techniques, but bottom contact wasn’t one of them, for me. Dad helped me pick out my first st. Croix premier, and I vividly remember the increase in feel, it made learning how to fish a jig so much easier. I’ve been hooked on them ever since. People like to buy things, and try things, but an old carpenter with his trusty balanced estwing hammer will not be replaced by the latest and greatest anti vibration carbon fiber space hammer, even if it’s “better”. At this point sensitivity is just part of the deal for me, I’m locked on a particular feel, and I stick with it.

Hello everyone, my dad and I are planning a fishing trip to Stockton Resevoir in Missouri from northern Wisconsin starting late next week until early the week after. While we are there we are meeting up with some of my moms side family and taking in a trip to BPS in Springfield, it’s been many years since we have been. Dad has fished Stockton, but many many years ago, I have not. Can anyone give me some friendly general insight on the lake? Water clarity, north side of lake is better than south side, find the creeks, find rocks in 15 feet of water. That type of think. We are staying at Mt. Caramel Inn. Thank you!

Very cool!! Thanks for sharing. I found this too!

Bucoos are typically light no doubt. If both rods are a graphite or graphite glass bend I’d say they are plenty sensitive. I have no experience with those two, just the shock, and I think it’s just fine for cranks.

It’s hard to beat the Berkley Lightning Rod Shock for cranking.

I agree with you. I have a ml casting rod on a curado 100b that gets the job done well. I rarely use a spinning rod.

I have gone through your struggle before, and have had several organizing systems. When I got serious into tournaments, I started with a very large 3700 size bag and a small duffel bag for plastics. About 80lbs of gear, I used this for years and finally realized that I was just confusing myself with an endless array of tackle to choose from, way too much to think about. Then I slowly started to eliminate tackle. I am planning on doing co angler BFLs next year and I figured better manage my tackle even better yet. So, this year I have been using a 3700 sized Plano guide series bag, meant to hold 4 3700 size boxes. I have 4 Plano 3771s (thin) and 1 3750. I fish a lot of plastics and jigs, so I have one box for terminal tackle and one box for jigs. One box for hard baits, and two boxes for plastics. I carry a big full tote when I pre fish, but when I fun fish or tournament fish, I have my tackle tailored to fit in that bag. About 18lbs right now including a couple basic tools, first aid kit, sun screen, a small spinner bait box, etc. perfect for my boat and everyone else’s. I just know what’s in my bag, it’s not much really, but I’m efficient with it.

Any of those will braid as a main line is going to rock your world. You won’t miss bites due to not feeling them.

I too keep things pretty simple with colors. Usually I have two or three colors of each bait I throw. Jigs I’ll usua keep black, black and blue, and green pumpkin, and I’ll keep the same with trailers. I’ll mix and match those at times. When I’m pre fishing I’ll load a couple extra 3700 size boxes with baits I don’t usually throw, or might throw on that particular type of water, in various colors I want to try, but by game day I’ve got my selection of baits and colors narrowed down to the chosen few.

I remember I was 15, just starting to purchase decent gear while working on the farm. A friend of dads was showing me how to jig fish and handed me his G Loomis IMX, I could immediately feel the difference from what I had. I never ended up with one, I've been more hooked on st. Croix, neither are bad. I suggest to the op, handle both sticks if you can, with the reel you plan on using, and you make the decision based off the one that feels best to you.

I've fished them and they are nice. Similar to an Avid but stiffer.

Everyone's suggestions are great. That being said, I have first gen mojos, second gen Mojos, avids, and a legend tournament. Comparing similar rods, none are night and day more sensitive than the next. I do notice split grip rods having a slight better transfer of vibration over full cork, less material for energy to travel through would be my guess for that. I use my Mojo 7'1mh for 1/8-3/8oz jigs, and usually leave the legend home due to my distaste for the sk2 reel seat. Sensitivity is highly subjective.

Awesome rods, my favorite. I've tried others, but it's a match made when I pick up my Croixs. I have two premier rods that's are 15 years old, and you hand hardly read the labels on them anymore, still catch fish. They used to be stiff for their rating, but today's st. croix is accurate to their rating in my opinion.

I have done very well with black jigs.

There are definitely better made jigs, but I use 1/8oz bitsy bugs and 1/4oz bitsy flips from strike king. I'm not afraid to fish em hard and lose em. I usually use a zoom super chunk or super chunk junior. I use black, black/blue, and green pumpkin jigs, and I keep black, blue, and green pumpkin trailers handy. I'll use dye markers to add a little muted red or orange if needed.

Nice choice on silver thread. For me it's Trilene Big Game, Trilene XL, and power pro braid for the last 15 years.

Yeah the old red "Curados" are like 25 years old.... great quality, stands the test of time!

Pfluger president 2500 size spinning reel, st. Croix Mojo bass 6'10" ml.

I took a friend out smallie fishing the other day, he normally fishes for trout. His only nice setup is a cabelas fish eagle 2 7'ml 4 piece. Shamano sienna reel, 4lb nanofil. I fished a tube jig on it for a bit and I was impressed! That said, I dropshot with a st. Croix avid mlxf 6'9"...casting. I love it