Tizi

Based on your requirements I would get a medium powered Ardito. I’ve seen them for around $80. Add a Tatula 100 for $99 and that is one heck of a combo. I have 2 Arditos: medium spinning and medium heavy casting. Fantastic rods.

I take my batteries out and keep them in the garage on a trickle charger.

Academy H2O hardbaits are tough to beat, especially on sale. Keep your eye open for sales from Outlet Bait & Tackle - they sell War Eagle at times for great deals. I picked up 20 last year for $1.99 each. And as others have said, soft plastics are also pretty affordable.

Old Town Topwater PDL Daiwa DX Swimbait Rod Daiwa Tatula 150 in 5.x:1 gear ratio iPhone 11 Pro - space grey Already purchased: Gill Rainsuit (jacket and bibs) Daiwa Lexa 300 Type Winn

I live in the same area and I have had good success with S-Waver 168, IMA Glide Fluke 125, and 6th Sense Speed Glide 100. Those 3 lures/sizes cover most of fishing I do.

I have a 103, I am not using it for the application you are asking about. I will be using a Daiwa Lexa 300 for swimbaits in the 2 ounce range you are asking about.

Not much fishing gear

First lure I gave my son for bass fishing: White 3/8 ounce single nickel Colorado blade spinnerbait. That’s a fish catcher for sure and relatively easy to cast and retrieve through most anything. Great lure for covering the water column. Slow rolling the bait close the bottom on deep rocky points can catch some good ones this time of year.

I bought a set of the Gill uninsulated. Fantastic suit. Heavy duty stuff. I just got it and only use the set once, but they look like they will last years. Could not be happier. The coat and bibs were around $250 total.

Should be your money and should be able to spend on what you want. My wife and I have joint AND separate accounts. We both get allowance every payday. The allowance goes into our individual accounts from the joint. probably best to just say, hey honey I am buying fishing gear on BF. I’ll be putting $500 cash into the account to cover the spend. Thanks!

Daiwa Tatula 6'10" MH with Tatula SV TWS

I have a 7' carbon-lite 2.o that I throw lipless on. Works great for that.

Welcome aboard!!

Doug Hannon's Big Bass Magic. Read it as a kid and continue to reference that book.

Must have: Shad dancer in new larger size 7. Can’t wait to use these.

Swimbait: 3.8 Keitech, sloooooowly dragged on the bottom.

I use 1 ounce mostly

I have not got the rod yet. It is between these 2: Heavy Daiwa DX Swimbait Rod or Dobyns Fury 806SB.

My 2019 Most Productive Baits: 1. Zoom Super Fluke - Bluegill Flash 2. Strike King 3XD - Yellow Perch 3. 5 Inch Yamamoto Senko - Smoke Black & Purple Flake 4. River2Sea Whopper Plopper 130 - Munky Butt 5. War Eagle 5/16 Finesse Spinnerbait - Mouse 6. Keitech Swing Impact Fat 3.8/6th Sense 3/8 Divine Swimjig Head - Ghost Rainbow Trout

I just asked this same question and ended up getting a Daiwa Lexa 300 Winn from ALF for this application.

I have the 7'6" Heavy Casting rod. It has an extra fast tip. I use for flipping, punching and frogging. I am very happy with it. I got it last year on BF for $79.99. Cannot comment on the 7'9" (this one has a fast tip).

They are out of the price range I set for myself...I saw them though. They look nice. I wonder why they went high end to get into the market? Less competition?

Check sportsmans outfitters. They have the Daiwa Fuego LT 3000 for $74.95 and Tatula XT Medium spinning rod for $69.99. Nice set up for the money and should meet your requirements. I have the same set up. Very happy with it.

I like fishing flukes. I stick to the Super Fluke size mostly and I use a heavy EWG hook to get the bait to sink. Bluegill Flash and Lightning Shad are the 2 colors I consistently catch fish on. I use flourocarbon line to get the bait to sink. I use the same rod and reel I use for jerkbaits: 6’10” M with 7.x1 gear ratio baitcaster. If I’m skipping them under docks I might use a spinning set up. I caught more fish on flukes this year than anything else, including my largest of the year: 4.2 lb largemouth.

Daiwa Fuego CT are fantastic, I have 4 of them. Sportsman’s Outfitters has the Tatula 100 for $99.99. Another excellent reel for a great price. They also have Tatula XT rods for $69.99. I have a few of these. Again, good bang for the buck.