BoatSquirrel

One of the great joys of our sport. You’re the man Reb!

Ksam—Go fish tomorrow. Topwater is almost always my first offering. When I see bass chasing minnows and the water temp is 60ish, a small jerkbait is number two. Good luck dude!

I made an impulse buy... only one? you done well man.

=throw search baits first. Start on the surface and work down. Hopefully they just eat topwaters all day!

Yes Doctor, those were spawners. I also saw some bedding fish this morning over here in Middle TN. It may be 90 today but it is the full moon and the water temp here was only 70. Spawners can be very tough to catch. Try them again tomorrow and they may bite!

All good suggestions above. Do yourself a favor and ditch the fluoroclear. There have been countless threads on this forum about the poor quality control of that line.

Topwater guy says 1/4 oz buzzbait or a little whopper plopper

Hiring a guide can be a fun day and great learning experience. However, there are few things more satisfying than planning your trip, executing your plan, and wacking them.

The paint has held up well for me. Great action on them also.

Anything in my boat that requires a battery, (marine batteries excluded!) is usually dead when I need to use it, so the 25lb Rapala spring scale is perfect for me. It has a marker that stops at the highest weight so you just hook the fish on, lift it out of the net, lower it back and the scale marks the weight. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rapala-25lb-11-33kg-Stainless-Steel-Spring-Fishing-Fish-Processing-Tube-Scale/223338528809?epid=1661868443&hash=item3400038029:g:H9wAAOSw259cRwQx:sc:USPSFirstClass!37179!US!-1

You guys are both right, lots of variables in this question. Super cold or hot months, go to the centers. Moderate water temps or if fish are really feeding, go towards the ends. Early or late in the day, ends. I use these basics to start and let the fish tell you. Use a search bait to find them, then hopefully narrow it down and milk the spot. Great thing about swings is once you find them, it can often be a pattern you can take all over the lake and recreate.

Perfect. Thanks guys. Its time for me to see what everyone loves so much about Dobyns Rods!

OK glide bait guys, a question about the 806. Dobyns website says 2-8 oz, but at what weight does this rod really max out? I am looking for a 200 size glide bait rod, somewhere in the 4-5 oz range. Also considering the IRods Genesis2 in 8’ H moderate action. Thanks yall!

I would be interested in your feedback—of the boat and kayak thing. Good luck man!

Thats a nice boat for that price.

who else has no idea what a puppy drum is? sounds very cute.

You are right, definitely 2 rods. I am a topwater first fisherman, admittedly fish them more than I should. My dedicated walking bait rod is a 7’7” MH moderate action with an 7:1 reel. 50 lb PowerPro braid with a short mono leader. Popper setup is similar- 7’ M moderate with braid to leader. With either setup, I can bomb a bait out there about 30 yards and when the fish eats it, just sweep-set and reel reel reel! Keep my hooks changed out and sharp and I lose very few fish. Skeet Reese said the farther away from the boat you can get your lure, the more likely a fish is to bite and he is right. Gotta be able to keep a fish pinned when she’s way out there and thats where the long bendy rod, braid, sharp hooks, and fast reel work their magic. Good luck man!

Thats 2 for straight braid with a frog. Only reason to use a leader with a topwater is braid can wrap in trebles and props.

After watching Brett Chapman snap a Kastking on MLF last week, I learned what high sticking is—when you point the rod too high under load—and thats how my frog rod broke. Some lessons are more expensive than others!

Yes, spinning gear mandatory for the shakey head. I am sure we will hear from casting rod shakey head dude here shortly. Russ E said it very well. I will add that I like the 1/8 head with a 4.75” worm and it will get hung less especially around rock. The 3/16 and 1/4 works better with larger worms, on a windy day, or in deeper water.

If Tatsu is a 10, how far behind is Invizx?

13 Fishing Defy for $59. Much more rod than you would expect for that price point.

Rage Rig...a rage craw or thereabouts on a belly weighted swimbait hook.

Great reminder—thanks! Buzzbait is a consistent bite getter that also catches hawgs.

Bill’s son was two grades below me in high school—1986. I tried to pay him $20 to aquire one for me. Still waiting on that...