TotalNoob

With the feedback I received in another thread regarding the general stability of jon boats, I settled on purchasing a Pond Prowler II from BPS. I picked it up yesterday afternoon, here's a couple pics. I'm wondering if I should proactively protect the hull or pontoons of this boat with some kind of protective material. After unloading it from the truck I already noticed some moderate scratches. That got me thinking about the terrain of the reservoir where I'll be using it. The reservoir where I'll be using this has rough terrain; it's very rocky with lots of shale (often jagged) along the shoreline. There are few areas without shale or rock. Below are a couple incidental pics I took this Fall to give some sense of the kind of terrain I'm dealing with. A trailer is not an option. Due to the lake regulations I can't launch this directly into the water via a trailer - I will be taking it out of the bed of my truck and getting it to the shore via a homemade dolly. It will undoubtedly have lots of contact with rough terrain. Yes, I could launch from the marina if I had a trailer, but this reservoir is very deep and sudden, strong winds are notorious - my propulsion is a 45lb thrust MK trolling motor. As a result, I will launch it in the specific cove or area that I intend to fish and not veer too far away in case strong winds pick up. Safety rules the day. Someone in another thread mentioned gator patches for the pontoons. I'm not familiar with these types of products or where they would be placed on the boat to best protect it. Are there any recommendations about how I might protect the hull of this plastic boat to ensure I get the most life out of it and/or prevent damage from the rough terrain of this reservoir?

That's a fantastic setup there - is that Bigfoot switch as big of a help as I imagine it being (more hands-free fishing?) Yep you're right, looks like the PP2 has a raised area on each side where rods would otherwise easily lay down. That doesn't make a lick of sense.

Wanted to bump this as I'm likely purchasing the Pond Prowler II this week. Would definitely be interested in any additional info if anyone has any to share. No tips or suggestions or advice too small or insignificant! Was curious as well if anyone knows if the PP 2 goes on sale during the Feb Fishing Classis at BPS? Called up there and guy said he has seen them on sale but couldn't remember when that was. How did you like your Pond Prowler, aside from the loading and unloading? Any pros and cons you'd be willing to share?

Good call - I measured that area and it is narrower. Went from about 52 1/4" on the side to side to about 50 3/4" at the narrowest on the back by the tailgate (between those bumps). That's a slim margin (but should be doable) if BPS' stated specs of 49 1/2" wide on the Pond Prowler II are correct.

I, too, have an S10. The Pond Prowler was a touch small in terms of width? The tailgate down is a given.. it's gonna stick out several feet. BPS' website is showing the original Pond Prowler (yours) as 48" wide and showing the Pond Prowler II as 49.5" wide. I get 52" when I measure the width of my bed.

Between late last night and the time I've had today, I've read through the first 21 pages of the "Any Pelican Bass Raider Owners Out There?" thread (21 of 113 pages!) - going back to 2010 when it started! What a phenomenal resource! I'm just going to ask my questions now because I'm very interested and need to make a decision. I want to be ready to fish out of this by the time early Spring arrives - not ready to put this all together by the time Spring arrives. Apparently I can't get a Pelican Bass Raider 10e. Dicks (per their website) does retail them, however they are not available at any Colorado location that I can find and that includes the "ship-to-store" option. That seems absurd to me and I'm not sure why. BPS has the Pond Prowler II available. It appears to be remarkably similar to the Pelican Bass Raider. Virtually same specs and design. Aside from basic specs, I'm wondering if anyone who has owned both (or is at all familiar with both) can speak to any key differences between the two? Is there any information that someone who is strongly considering a Pond Prowler II purchase (rather that the more popular Pelican Bass Raider) would want to know? The Pelican Bass Raider thread has so much phenomenal info that I kind of feel like I already know it inside out (just from reading through the first 1/6th of this entire thread). That's a level of comfort I DON'T have in regards to the Pond Prowler unfortunately, which seems to be my only purchase option. Any info/suggestions/advice/resources would be greatly appreciated. One more thing, for those who have either the 10ft Bass Raider or 10ft Pond Prowler and a mid-size truck (S10, Tacoma, etc), how are you securing this in your bed? I measure 52" width in the bed with just 36" between wheel wells. This is definitely riding on top of the wheel wells - are there any tips or tricks for hauling these in mid-size beds?

Sounds durable - 10 yrs seems solid for this kind of craft I would think. The regulations of the reservoir state that any trailered boat must launch at the marina, and the marina might as well be light years from the inlet in terms of only having a trolling motor & safety.

After watching several youtube vids and absorbing the info in this thread I'm starting to lean toward the "plastic" pontoon-style boats due to their stability. It looks like they're all made of some kind or other "UV-stabilized Fortiflex® high-density polyethylene" which doesn't really mean anything to me. Can anyone speak to their real-world durability? While going through reviews, I learned that the Bass Baby is apparently made out of one single piece of material. BPS says the below about the Pond Prowler when asked if it is a one-piece construction: the Bass Pro Shops Uncle Bucks Pond Prowler II Fishing Boat SKU: 2451000 is not a piece. There is a deck and a hull stapled together with putty in-between. Then we put the rub rail on with rivets. Does one-piece construction play an important role in it's longevity? 10-20 yds at the closest likely - water level will be higher in the Spring which is when this will really be useful. The terrain it would go over is unfriendly - rock, shale ... she'd get scratched up for sure. Seems pretty impressive (albeit a little tight) though this guy admits he received a discount on the price of the boat in exchange for unbiased opinion. Built-in wheel system does look quite handy for one person. I do wonder about the durability of that. Thanks for this link. I watched him fish out of it and also found his review video that you mentioned (below). It's a Pelican Bass Raider 10E and he's fishing out of it the way I imagine fishing out of a boat on the water. Looks like he's had a lot of practice, he seems very comfortable. Dick's carries these Pelican Bass Raiders but not around here they don't. I looked online and it shows that no Dick's store within a 50 mile radius carries these (nor will even "ship to store"). There is a BPS about 60 miles away and they carry the Pond Prowler. I found this little review below. This guy shows the 10ft boat in the bed of his truck, looks like it's wide enough to fit between the wheel wells. I went and measured the width between the wheel wells on my S10 as 36". So it looks like I'd have to ride something like this above the wheel wells it seems, or at an angle within the bed? Does anyone who owns a small truck and one of these types of boats have a solid system of loading and securing the boat? It looks like even the 8ft Bass Baby has a 48" width between the two pontoons underneath.

Thanks for the responses guys I'm starting to see this in a new light ... greater width for greater stability - seems like the consensus is there's a substantial difference in stability between 36" and 48" - I've been looking at the specs of something like a Pond Prowler. Can I get some quick clarification from those who basically said that they are able to stand but either learned or preferred how to present to the fish from a sitting position? What presentations are you referring to? Fishing from shore the last couple years (this last year pretty hardcore) I can't even begin to imagine any kind of presentation from a sitting position inside a small, deckless craft ... am I missing something? Jerkbaiting comes to mind as a good example ... can anyone say they effectively worked a jerkbait from a sitting position? My primary use for this will be in the early Spring to mid-Spring (water temps ranging low 40s to around 50° - hence jerkbaiting) around the inlet and first small creek channel of the reservoir. The shoreline in this area is a joke - that is, you can cover maybe 5% of the water in this area via shore. It isn't a lot of water overall (a pond's worth), but the structure of this canyon reservoir makes covering that water from shore extremely difficult if not impossible. Hence why I'm seeking a portable, stable, standing-while-casting vessel that can be unloaded on the spot from my 6ft bed truck. Yea - It's not ideal at all. I hope to be able to find something used in great condition while I'm educating myself on watercraft in the interim. Part of my motivation here for the smaller craft is that I already own about $600.00 worth of everything necessary to put onto a smaller, portable craft (trolling motor, battery, small fish finder, oars, PFD, etc - all brand new). I'm just lacking the vessel itself. Out of curiosity, is this FB marketplace you're referencing a local thing or...? I check CL on the reg and I'm going to start checking the local paper as well. I'm wondering if the good-old newspaper doesn't get overlooked sometimes given the prevalence of CL.

Nice setup - Yes, needs to go in the bed of a small pickup (S10). Per the regulations, anything trailered must launch from the marina, which is too far away from the small area of the reservoir where use is intended. I need to be able to hand launch it (keeping weight down) in the area it'll be used. I've seen some vids about building decks on these (much like the one pictured) ... it's most definitely nice to have that feature but I don't think it's a must in my situation. Given how little shoreline is accessible where I want to use this, simply being able to maneuver around the area while presenting from a standing position is an enormous advantage as-is. I'm looking to balance: 1) Safety 2) The ability to hand launch in a specific area and 3) The ability to cast/present lures from a standing position So to be clear, I'd be looking to cast from within the boat - not from a deck. Is it possible to clarify whether or not a flat bottom jon boat is more stable than any kind of mod V jon boat (from the perspective of standing up in it)?

Hi all, this is my first post in the boating area. I'm in a situation where I want to fish around the inlet & first (small) creek of my reservoir this early Spring. The reservoir itself is about 4500 surface acres but I have zero intention of being out over the main body of the lake. The small area I want to work is a very productive area in the Spring. The purpose of this thread is to gauge what the community feels about the general stability of casting and working presentations (jerkbait, jigging, etc) from a standing position on something like a 10ft Jon Boat? I can't imagine myself trying to work a jerkbait, for example, from a sitting position. Or really any other kind of presentation from a sitting position for that matter. Sitting (in my mind) = trolling, and that's not something I'm really interested in. Casting/targeting fish in cover & structure is my idea of fishing. I have seen some youtube vids where a guy has an almost identical setup that I'm thinking about putting together (10 ft jon, electric trolling motor) and he seems to do fine standing/casting. But then I read some comments about setups like this "looking tippy" or unstable. Some folks reply saying they may feel "tippy" but actually aren't. As I've never been in a jon boat on the water I have no clue how I would feel inside of it or what it's limitations are. Other Considerations: -I currently have just about everything needed to ADD to a jon boat: trolling motor, deep cycle marine battery, minn kota trolling center, small fish finder, oars, life jacket, anchors (some pictured below). The trolling motor is a 45lb Thrust Endura Max. I've got about $600 into these items already so I'm definitely looking to get some use out of them this Spring. -My truck is 2000 Chevy S10, so not a huge bed with which to haul. Can anyone with experience with these types of jon boat setups speak to their general stability and the types of presentations/applications they're comfortable using them in? I'd be looking at something like the below, though I would very much like to find a used one in good shape on CL or something:

I've been looking around a bit and I'm not seeing any particular deals on Keitech Fat Swing Impacts. I'm looking to possibly buy a bit of bulk in early preparation for next season. Thought I'd reach out to the community and see if anyone is looking around for the same thing or perhaps stumbled across a deal on Keitechs while looking for something else. Apologies in advance if this is the wrong area of the forum for this.

Thanks guys, I'm looking at purchasing the original hooks now and I'm finding 25 pk VMC Round Bend Treble hooks (size 6) BUT there seems to be multiple options having different model #s. I have several of these shadow raps and I know a 25pk will come in handy. There's a lot about treble hook characteristics that I don't understand yet but in the interim would anyone be able to confirm if I'm looking at the correct treble hooks here for this jerkbait? https://www.ebay.com/itm/25-VMC-REGULAR-SHANK-1X-TREBLE-HOOKS-SIZE-6-BLACK-9650BN-9650-BULK/173503025917?_trkparms=aid%3D555018%26algo%3DPL.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20131003132420%26meid%3D227853c352a2431f88dd2d3668d74a3c%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D6%26rkt%3D9%26sd%3D122681697898%26itm%3D173503025917&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

I'm trying to determine the stock trebles on a Rapala Shadow Rap (pictured), they're bent out and need replaced. I don't want to put just any hooks on them because I don't want to alter it's suspension in any way. Any help appreciated.

@bagofdonuts This is exactly where I'm at now. If you have a chance would you be able to look at fish #3 in the clip and tell me if you see something in how the fish was played (too fast?, too hard?, too much movement?) that resulted in the side-hook? I'm very open to suggestions - this is not at all how I want to be landing bass on topwater. Additionally, is there in difference in how you'd play a topwater Smallmouth vs a topwater Largemouth? I ask because we have both here but primarily Smallmouths.

Is this in reference to them coming in only side-hooked (fish #3)? Or are you just speaking generally? I clearly wrote too much, I should have consolidated that. To be clear, my concerns now (one month after my initial post on this) relate to the most recent fish in that clip which I put together. I am getting hooksets now, but I'm trying to determine the best way to 1) bring in the fish post-hookset and 2) why fish are coming in side-hooked only or barely mouth-hooked. I wonder if I'm kind of horsing them in too quickly? I also don't understand why I lost fish #4. I felt like I had him pretty solidly, he came in 95% of the way.

-Update- Almost One Month to the Day I want to give a huge "thank you" to literally everyone who chimed in on this thread with feedback a little while back. Literally everyone. I read every post several times - with the information and feedback provided I've been able to begin to turn around my topwater game. A lot of that feeling of frustration has turned into that incredible feeling of a successful topwater experience. Real, actual, positive outcomes have come as a direct result of this thread and the feedback within. Again, thank you. However, I know I still have improving to do and there are still some technical things I'm unsure of that I'm hoping for some additional feedback that leads toward clarification and additional improved results/understanding. I'm seeking 1) verification of process improvement and 2) next-level feedback. I have a clip with 4 topwater fish, first 3 landed, lost the last one. Just to reiterate, I know that 100% of topwater fish can't be landed - this is about trying to ensure I'm procedurally correct in my actions. Before watching the vid I've listed a few thoughts below I hope you'll read and consider while watching and offering feedback. Areas where I think I've made progress: -The Hookset! Actually getting (or trying to get) a solid hookset that sets everything else up -When the strike hits, keeping my d**n hands off the reel handles! From the previous vids/comments it was plain as day that I was often literally pulling the lure away from the fish before they even had it -Per @A-Jay and other's feedback, not "winching" the fish in so much, rather using the ROD to fight the fish and using the REEL to recover the line -Speaking of hands... I try to be highly conscious of my retrieve-hand placement post-hookset. I can even see this in some of the new clips - I'm literally screaming in my mind through the adrenaline to myself "TAKE YOUR HAND AWAY FROM THE REEL HANDLE". Thinking through it while it's happening is incredibly helpful but it isn't second nature yet. Next-Level Questions/Specific Concerns: -When I DO set the hook and, in the next moment realize the fish is in fact there, I suddenly feel like I'm walking on broken glass. It feels kind of like "now what, exactly"? I think some of this uncertainty can be seen in my hands, my movements, and how I'm generally handling the rod/reel during the fight. This may seem like a stupid question but .. How quickly are you supposed to work a topwater fish? I use the term "Topwater Fish" as a qualifier in that I don't think you ever really know how good of a hookset you got (not me anyway) - as opposed to a Trig or jig where you KNOW that single hook has penetrated and they're locked in. Perhaps not even "how quickly to work" a topwater fish is the question, maybe even more basic as in "how specifically" is the best way to work in a topwater fish? I ask this because during the fight I constantly feel 100% on edge, completely in fear the tension will suddenly disappear and the bass will high-tail it away. There has to be something of a guideline once the hook is set. What do you do? Or, what do you do (or don't do) that makes you feel like you're doing everything you can to successfully land the fish? -In the below clip, only the first fish comes in 100% "clean". By that I mean the front treble was pinned in his mouth, the back treble didn't penetrate the side at all. The other 2 landed fish either didn't have the front treble pinned well or (on the 3rd fish) came in with just the back treble pinned pretty well in her side. That part does kind of bother me a little - I know it's part of the whole topwater business but the bottom line is it's far more satisfying to have a good, clean hookset than to see you basically drug that fish in by her side... feels like I just snagged her and it's a crappy feeling all-around. Is there anything you see where I can procedurally improve to get a higher quality hookset? Any/all feedback much appreciated. The blunter and more to the point is better.

Nothing that day. I've purchased a couple rods since then (an abu, an okuma) for specific presentations, but mostly because I hunted down sales (no loyalty to a specific brand, just our pocketbook and quality products). I understand St Croix is a terrific brand and the issue with that particular rod is not a reflection of their quality. I've only been at the fishing thing with a level of seriousness for a couple years (so take this with a grain of salt) but I have two of the BPS pro qualifier 2 rods (one spinning, one casting) that I got on sale and I don't have a single bad thing to say about either of them. Lots of good memories so far with both.

Quick Summary: Looking for a smaller profile underspin jighead with a baitkeeper that will hold 3" to 3.8" keitechs without the jighead being too big for the size of the swimbait (appropriate profile presentation). Last week I measured a gizzard shad that my bass spit up after landing him. Same day, on the opposite side of the lake, I measured an untouched gizzard shad that floated up onto shore. They both came in almost identical at just a smidge under 2" (see pic below). So I figure I want to keep my swimbaits no larger than 3" or 3.3" to match the hatch as best possible. It's my current understanding that, when fishing areas where bass are known to be pushing shad, an underspin jighead for your swimbait can be helpful in distinguishing your presentation from the buffet of natural food all around them. I was able to put myself very near a few of these violent shad thrashings within the last couple weeks. I tried topwater first to no avail. On the next opportunity I put a 3" keitech on a BPS "Walleye Angler" underspin and got hit hard but missed that fish, though it wasn't but a split second later that another bass went in for the kill and I was fortunate enough to be able to land him. I've since missed a couple more fish on this little underspin combo. I really like the profile and size of the underspin jig head for the small 3" keitech but 1) the hook is far from stout and 2) has no bait holder of any kind thus I'm going through keitechs far quicker than I'd like (especially when a real aggressive smallmouth gets a hold of one .. tears it right up or the plastic flys off bringing the smallmouth in). This is the little set up from above. I ordered 3/8oz VMC underspin jigheads online. The problem is the head is really big and awkward looking for the 3" keitech (and also for the 3.3" fat swing impacts I ordered with them). The blade itself also seems a little on the large side. The stout hook is nice though. Overall the profile of the presentation just doesn't seem quite right. This is 3/8oz VMC underspin with a 3.3" fat swing impact keitech. Can anyone recommend an appropriate sized underspin jighead for 3" to 3.8" keitechs that has a baitkeeper on it? I'm also looking for a good swimbait head (without the underspin) that would also meet the above criteria.

Definitely great info in this thread, lots of good stuff. This might put your mind completely at ease though OP, in regards to this particular rod. I purchased a 6'10" MH/F Bass Mojo from BPS on June 3rd. Two days later it snapped on it's very first cast. I took it back to BPS and just took the $130 refund. Didn't want to get it replaced because I did a bit of research and right there on BPS' own website in the Reviews was all I needed to know that I wasn't the only one it happened to, and neither are you. https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/St-Croix-Mojo-Bass-Casting-Rod Click over to the "Reviews" tab and take solace that this exact problem has happened to lots of folks with this particular rod. You state that BPS gave you a new one, you can decide for yourself after reading those reviews whether you feel comfortable keeping the replacement or not.

I really like this question and I really like these answers. I do wonder though, is there not some science that tells us (with reasonable approximation) what water temperatures affect feeding behavior (on the way down/Fall)? The consistent theme to all the above answers is that everyone is fishing a different part of the country on different bodies of water. "Sept is rough here" ... "Wouldn't miss Sept for the world here" etc. Well there's a reason for the disparity in answers and it has to be scientifically based, right? On the macro level, isn't Water Temperature the primary driver of Bass behavior? It's hard to believe with as massive a commercial industry as Bass Fishing is that we don't have some good data on this question in 2018, coming up on 2019.

I do start reeling rather quickly it seems. I notice this in all of my catch footage that I review. The hookset on a topwater treble vs trigged plastic I don't think could be any further apart. I've basically been dragging plastics all summer with a spinning rod (left hand reel) to now these violent eruptions on a baitcaster (right hand reel). I know there's a big learning curve here. To try and answer your original question...I positioned myself (on the second fish this morning) so that the lure was coming in essentially from my LEFT side (rod as parallel to the water as possible) and if a strike came I wouldn't have to be frantic in that moment; I would just need to sweep to the right. I did so, where I think I went wrong was setting my drag too tight after losing the first fish. I realize now I was probably overcompensating with the drag and in fact possibly is what cost me that fish. I really wish I had remembered to turn that thing on, it would have shown everything.

There's something so dang jarring about these plopper strikes - catches me completely off guard. That's my fault. I've been finessing a texas rig most of the summer and this is just downright violent in comparison. I had two strikes this morning and lost both. Both were going to be good fish (for me). This first one is basically the same as the others above. I'm caught completely off guard somehow. I'd venture to guess this was a Largemouth given the cover and fact I was running a Loon 90. I had the d**n thing exactly where I wanted it, when I wanted it, and earned myself a good strike. Yet nothing but frustration. This was that prime time as the sun was just slightly still below the horizon + I had cloud cover. The second fish I actually reacted to the bite by sweeping my rod to the side! Y'all might have been proud of me ha. I really felt like I had him, he stayed low and I could feel he was a decent size smally. I did NOT land him ... last minute he somehow just got off (no shake). I think the treble(s) may have ripped out (unfortunately for both of us). This is so frustrating. One thing I did do this morning (after losing the first fish) was tighten my drag. I feel like it may have been too loose. I did indeed get something of a decent hookset on the second fish but I fear there might have been too much pressure "in the system" and the breaking point was at the hook/fish. I'm also afraid I may have really horsed him in too strongly. One particular comment from above comes to mind when I think about why the second fish wasn't landed: Here's the thing: I am still getting used to handling a baitcasting set up. Not so much in the reel itself, but the conversion of actually managing a fish on the other end with the different grip on the baitcasting rod - not to mention my hands are reversed from the spinning setup I'm used to. I really wish I had that footage so I could see for myself if I was going nuts and not keeping even pressure on, just cranking (too) hard and low to keep him down. Before I went to bed last night I read all the responses up to that point, knowing my alarm was going off @ 4:15am to try again. I wish I was reporting better news for those of you trying to help. A few thoughts... this rod is a 6'8" M rated specifically for topwater (and jerkbaits). I have a 6'9" MHF Veritas that I'm NOT afraid to use for this madness. Sitting here thinking about this I feel like I can really bury the necessary hooks with a faster tip. With braid I think that could be too tight a system but I am thinking the copolymer leader would provide the necessary give/stretch??? Also I'm wondering about my drag for this. I've read multiple times to set your drag looser with a fast tip on trebles. Does the same logic behind that apply to topwater treble applications? Seems to me that I need every split second of leverage I can get to pin the fish. Last thought ... how are you guys connecting your plopper? Tie direct? Swivel? I tie a palomar to a crosslock snap and connect the lure to that. I do this for the obvious benefit of lure changes. I've seen some different types of rigging for the plopper and I wonder what folks are generally doing or if there's any consensus. I don't know how much difference it would make, but clearly I'm wondering if tying direct would give me any additional split-second edge on this craziness.

I just watched that about 10 times... Excellent Stuff. Just out of curiosity, is that a Fast Tip? The hookset was one of my chief concerns after going through the footage and putting the clips together. I've had issues previously on trebles where it seemed I was setting the hook too quickly and pulling it away. I stopped using a Fast tip and bought this rod in hopes of helping with that. So before the hookset though ... can I ask about the location of the rod while working the lure? I've found I get hit more often working the lure at a marginal speed. Just enough to get a steady "plop-plop". I find this is achievable only by keeping my rod tip up. So, when the strike comes, my instinct is to set UP (this probably also comes from bottom fishing texas rigs). It looked like you set the hook upward, however, your rod was initially to the side as you were working the popper. So my question is, can I have the rod tip in an already upward position (say 9 to 10 o'clock) and then SET FURTHER UPWARD on the strike? Below was a fish I lost on July 23rd on a 6'10" sort of all-purpose spinning rod (MF). Same whopper plopper 90 on there, 20lb braid to 10lb fluoro. Did I do the same thing here? My hookset definitely seems late. I felt drag rip almost instantly. I'm unsure why I'm hesitating. Do I just need to stick it hard to them the moment I feel the strike? And what's the best way to set the hook with the rod in an already upward position (like here)?

I'm looking for any critique or feedback on my continued frustrating topwater issues. I have 4 clips from 4 fish from yesterday morning; they're shown once each in real time and then again slowed down for easier critique/analysis. The first 3 clips are Whopper Plopper fish, the 4th and last is a shallow running crankbait fish that shakes off last second. I threw this one in because it came on the same setup just minutes after losing my first plopper fish and because it seems to involve the same treble hook issues that have plagued me. The primary focus IS on the topwater treble hook troubles but perhaps there's something useful in the crankbait clip that can help in identifying the overall issues. My Background -This is my second calendar year of bass fishing, first full season of fishing -My only confidence presentation is a Texas rig on a spinning rod. I actually don't really even use anything else (though I bring a whole bunch of stuff with me). I'm really trying hard to expand out to have more than one "confidence presentation" in my arsenal -I've had limited success with the whopper plopper coming into yesterday - definitely not for lack of trying. I have had some strikes on them but have only landed one single fish prior to yesterday (a small Largemouth way back in eary Spring) Having watched this footage and slowing it down during editing I have some thoughts and questions but I'm hoping for some raw feedback first. I do understand not 100% of these fish can be landed, however, my landing ratio is so low it makes me want to put this stuff down and go to the Texas rig exclusively .. but I don't want to be just a one-trick pony. Below is the pertinent info on the setup/lures. I'm don't want to name brands - you can see whatever you can see in the clips. I don't want this to become any kind of debate over manufacturers. I feel strongly this is an issue with me and my actions. Rod: 6'8" M - It is specifically identified by the manufacturer as a "Topwater/Jerkbait" Rod Reel: 6.3:1 Ratio Line: 30lb braid connected to 10lb copolymer leader Lure: Whopper Plopper 90 (no modifications) and Rapala "Clackin Crank 53" (weighs approximately 1/4 oz - no modifications) BTW I purchased this rod specifically hoping it would help with these issues. This was just it's second time in action. I feel like I can eliminate the rod as the problem. What am I doing right and what am I doing wrong? I'm very open to feedback on anything you see. There are no bad critiques, I just want to know what you see because I just want improve. My fishing time is valuable to me and it's a serious burnout to consistently not be able to land fish in certain presentations. Thank you in advance.