roadwarrior

What? https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Strike_King_Rage_Tail_Space_Monkey_6pk/descpage-SKRSM.html

When my brother and I fished Toledo Bend two years ago, most of our fish were caught on a Rage Hawg, Carolina rigged. A distant second was a Robo Worm in a drop shot rig. Go figure.

AHHHHHHHHHH! 29* tonight

Well, let's see what Lew's has to say. I suspect they will replace the rod. BTW, nice fish!

Well...

I own several "experienced" reels that were bought from members in our Flea Market.

My Diawa is a Alpha saddled on a dedicated jerkbait rod. The rest are Shimano.

Gotta add the Rage Tail Menace, BPS Tender Tube and Powerbait Flat Worm. For a jig trailer with muted action, Rage Craw DB.

Pay attention, this guy is "Professional Grade".

Gold Label is the real deal. Thinner, stronger and tougher than any leader I have used. https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Seaguar_Gold_Label_Fluorocarbon_Leader_Line_25yd/descpage-SEAG.html

Well, I am a HUGE fan of the Aldebaran. So, buy the "new". You will not be disappointed.

Guess he couldn't find a picture.

Most of the biggest "weighed" fish in the pond are 6 1/2 - 7 lbs, the biggest 11.98 (not my catch). I estimate today's princess would weigh +/- 6 1/2 lbs.

Bought the "new to me" PowerBait MaxScent Flat Worm. Rigged it on a drop shot this morning to fish at a local public pond. With a slight breeze and 29* I owned the pond! Arrived about fifteen minutes before sun up and fished for an hour and a half without a sniff. I was almost done when my rod loaded up. I'm fishing #10 Smackdown with #6 Gold Label leader. Tied on a #4 Gamakatsu Octopus Circle Hook and a 1/4 oz bell weight. The Flat Worm was nose hooked about 12" above the weight. After settling to the bottom I let it sit for about twenty seconds, then moved it a few inches and let it soak some more. Patience is a virtue, but not immediately rewarding. The fight was strong, but short until I wrestled her near the bank and she would have nothing to do with that! She made a beeline for deeper water then tried to stage on the bottom. I'm fishing a "Gork", custom RainShadow built by ghoti. 7'2" medium light spinning tackle saddled with a Stella SW2500S. Great give from the rod and perfect drag release (no back reeling for me). This is my first good fish this month and it feels great to be back.

Maybe you need so find some new water. The fall fishing in Texas is generally pretty good and it's been great here in Tennessee. This morning I caught a "Walmart Girl".

The Core !00 was introduced in 2006, the 50Mg a couple of years later. As I stated in an earlier post on this thread, I fish two. The reels perform flawlessly, as good or better than new. My two Aldebaran are relatively new (2015). "Build quality" is subjective, but I think these are two of the finest reels Shimano has ever offered.

You left out the Calais CL200ASV ? My favorite is the Stella line of spinning reels, but that's another topic. I think the Chronarch CH50Mg was a game changer. Next was the Core. CTE200GT is another game changer. Today I fish two Core 50MG, two Aldebaran, a Conquest 100, CTE100GT and Calcutta 300TE. I still like the Core a little more than the newer Aldebaran. The Conquest is in a class of its own.

Try the Rage Tail Menace, T-rigged.

Try the Baby Rage Craw, T-rigged and unpegged. Hang-ups are rare, but BIG smallmouth are not! Watermelon/ Red Flake is the ticket around here.

Gotta add the Structure Bug J-rigged and BPS Tender Tube.

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Vertical on swim jigs so it looks like a baitfish, not a craw.