5by3

Cool appreciate the info. I’m mostly fishing a mix of alx Zolo and enox rods right now. Curious how the expride compares in sensitivity.

Which baits do you throw on it? Looking for a rod to pitch docks or light cover with, and maybe drag some 3/8-1/2 oz jigs.

For me personally, it boils down to power fishing vs finesse fishing. Im lucky to live near Lake Erie, one of the best smallmouth fisheries in the world. I love to catch my share of smallies, especially during his spring when they come in shallow to spawn. During the summer months, I don’t care much to chase them in 20+ fow with a drop shot or tube. I’m a power fisherman at heart. I’d rather flip heavy cover or throw topwater and catch 2-3 lb largemouth than drop shot a 4 lb smallie. My opinion would probably change if we had better inland lakes near me for smallmouth, but largemouth are more accessible.

Anyone have a review on the 7’2 mh expride? I’m looking at the regular rod, not the glass rod. Curious if this rod is a “true” medium heavy or runs a little bit on the heavier side. Also wondered how this rod stacks up against other rods in terms of sensitivity. Thanks in advance.

Yep, 6” bull Shad is a good all-around choice that will work anywhere.

I keep it really simple. Silver in sunny conditions and/or clear water. Gold on cloudy days or stained water. Sometimes I’ll mix in chartreuse if the fish want to see something different.

I have the same issue. I’m 6’6 and have trouble finding long-sleeved shirts and pants that are long enough. I’m also on the thinner side, so once I start getting into those 2XL+ sizes to increase the length, things start getting too baggy. I really need a LT or XLT. My current pair or fishing bibs looks like a pair of women’s capris ?

Caught so many fish on one of my beloved vision 110s that it’s time to replace the bent and cracked treble hooks. I tried swapping the stock hooks for #6 gammy wide bends but they’re causing my bait to slowly sink now. Looks like they might be a little bit thicker gauge than the stock hooks. Any suggestions for a thin, but strong hook that will allow my bait to suspend again?

I like a 1/2 oz dirty jigs football jig with a strike king rage craw. Usually some variation of green pumpkin, but my favorite it blue craw.

I’ve put the Hack Attack Flourocarbon jig in some nasty, nasty places and it always comes back in the boat!

CountryboyinDC offered a pretty fair assessment. I’d say that they are more sensitive than the champion XP rods I used to have, but not as sensitive as a high end loomis (GLX and above). I’d agree that they are probably slightly below an IMX - but they’re also $100 less. If you are going for sensitivity, the enox blank is a noticeable upgrade. You can get them on sale sometimes for about $60 more than what a Zolo costs. I’d put them above an IMX and headed towards GLX territory. G Loomis is still the standard for sensitivity for a reason.

If I remember correctly, #5 is a “mid-micro” guide. It’s right in between a regular size guide and a traditional micro guide. could be wrong though - you may want to double check.

Looking to invest in a warm pair of fishing gloves for fall/winter fishing. I’d prefer fingerless so that I don’t need to remove them to retie or unhook fish. I also have large hands and often struggle to find gloves that fit me well. what are your favorite gloves For fishing?

I use leaders mostly for abrasion resistance. Braid + rocks = trouble. If I’m fishing a presentation in clear water where the fish has more than a few seconds to stare at my bait, then I like a fluoro leader. I’ve seen this make a difference on a local body of water with 10+ feet of visibility. If I’m fishing heavy grass or pads I tie straight to the braid.

Can’t speak on Kistlers, but I own several ALX zolo and enox. The zolos are great workhorse sticks day in and day out. Sensitivity is good and probably slightly better than most at the $200 price tag. Build quality is phenomenal, customer service is great. They do have more of that “mag bass” feel to them, which I personally prefer over extra fast rods and this makes them pretty versatile. The new enox models are nice too if you want to spend a bit more. Ive never fished an Expride, but the reviews seem to be extremely positive. They are definitely on my bucket list to try.

I used to own a few of the current model GLX rods, both had split grips. Loved the blank - very crisp and sensitive. Couldn’t do the real seat with anything other than a 50-70 size reel. I have big hands and usually grip my rods with 3 fingers in front of the trigger and one finger behind. My hand would cramp after fishing the rod for a few hours if I used a 150-200 size reel. It’s definitely a different feel. Some love it, some hate. Other than that, great rods!

Jerkbaits and blade baits. The last 2-3 weeks before the lakes freeze can be some of the best fishing of the year in my area. The jerkbait bite really seems to come alive when water temps are in the low 40s and the blade bait shines for me when water is in upper 30s to low 40s. Dont be fooled when people say you have to pause your bait for 20-30 seconds in cold water. On some days that does work, but you’ll often find that the fish are still pretty aggressive.

I’m not a professional tournament angler, but I don’t see any reason to back reel given the drag technology in our reels today. For me it’s much easier to turn a dial to loosen drag than to fumble around and reel in the backwards direction. Just my own opinion.

Had the same experience with mine. Mine fished terribly right out of the box. Took it inside for some grease and oil and feels great now.

Gotcha. I used to have the 705cb fury too. If you’re strictly cranking, I’d try one of the glass rods. If you want to throw other baits like jerkbaits or topwaters, I’d pick the graphite rod.

The new enox does not get the recognition it deserves. It holds its ground in comfort and sensitivity with many rods in the $400+ range imo. Try the BMJ too. Been loving it for my swim jigs recently.

Were you asking about the 705cb fury or champion rod? And graphite or glass? Obviously the graphite model will feel different than the hustler because the hustler is a glass composite rod. Some people like glass, others do not.

I currently own the ikos hustler and used to own the 705 cb glass in the champion xp line. I prefer the ikos, especially for $100 less. I use mine for 1.5 squarebills all the time. It’s got a buttery smooth feeling when it loads up. It’s comfortable to fish, but by no means a feather like some of the graphite models. The butt section is a bit thicker since it is a glass rod. My dobyns rod was the same way though.

I like a 7’ medium spinning rod with 15 lb power pro mainline to a 10 lb flouro leader. This setup works for a lot of other baits too.