Big Rick

Thanks! I guess my biggest concern is the ability to handle a big fish. I fish a lot of structure and don't want to lose a big one due to failure of the clip. Yes, I let my drag do the hard work, but I've had issues with clips/swivels in the past so I'm a bit skittish.

As the saying goes, Life is 10% of what happens to you and 90% of how you react to it. Words spoken can never be unsaid. Actions taken can never be undone. But, the results of those words and actions can affect you for the rest of your life, both positively and negatively.

What size do you use?

Obviously, the PRO'S tout whatever brand is paying their bills.? A pro I am NOT. However, I've had great success with Seaguar AbrazX. It's "affordable" yet has very low memory and good sensitivity. For mono I use Cajun Line. It is dirt cheap, tough as nails, and almost NO memory. It's also RED and I have fished clear water lakes that I could see my bait 10 ft down and still caught fish on it. Seems the fish disregard the red color.

Anyone that fishes with a leader knows the frustration of multiple reties that shorten your leader with every lure. That said, I've seen the Mustad KVD Fastch clips. You can get them with or without the swivel. Has anyone had any lengthy experience with these? Do they hold up to abuse? Will they handle a big fish confidently?

I know, right!! As I was testing mine in my pool I had to really fight the urge to hook to my boat and take off to the lake!!

The biggest cause of interest in your statement was the bait you were fishing. You were using a presentation that gives the fish ample time to really scope out the lure. So, yes, the line definitely makes a difference in the reaction the fish has to your presentation. You have a much better chance of catching fish on braid with reaction strike fishing like frogs, topwater, chatter baits, and the like. The fish is so zoned in on the action of the bait and the speed of the presentation that there's not much time for them to shy away from braided line.

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For what it's worth, my Tackle Warehouse shipment just dropped and I for my hands on my 75's. I bought 3. I immediately tied one on and went to my "testing pool" (40ft long swimming pool) to try them out. I reeled this thing in as fast as I could with a 6.3/1 reel and couldn't make it blow out or twist. Seriously tried HARD to get it to twist. I was throwing it on 30 lb braid. Color me impressed! I can't wait to get it in front of some fish!! On a slower retrieve it plopped right along real seductively. No sinking issues, no wait time to engage. Stop and start was very enticing. Maybe five-bites bait needs adjustment on the tail section. It seems it may not be as free as it needs to be. Mine spin effortlessly. Just my $.02. I would load a photo but I can't seem to get one down to 1.46mb......?

I've got a box full of bladed jigs and the Jackhammer is WORTH THE PRICE. It's just something about how the blade strikes the head and the fit and finish of the whole thing. You'll be glad you spent the extra, I'm thinking. And the Zako is perfect for a trailer as well. Just enough action to attract a fish but not too much to kill the action. Good choices. Oh yeah, that crank bait looks a lot like a Rapala Brat instead of a BP XP brand. Which is it?

Not at all. The 90 would spin like a top and create major line twist. There's a delicate balance between the body of the bait and the tail. That's why the 75 is shorter yet much fatter. It's necessary to keep the body on an even keel while the bigger tail does it's magic.

These do favor the Megabass. However, there is one major difference.. Well, major difference for me anyway. And, please understand, I am not at all saying the Bubble Walker is inferior as I love River2Sea. Just pointing out a difference in the two products. The difference I've noticed is the thickness of the material. The Megabass is VERY thin and transmit sounds really clear and distinct. the River2Sea products are much thicker and the sounds are a bit muted. Again, not trying to say one is superior to the other..... just saying that the bass may hit one and not the other even though they favor because they certainly SOUND different.

There's another current thread titled the same that has nearly 50 replies and is full of legit info. check it out. Remember... the search bar is your friend.

Is that an SV spool on that reel? My Tatula's with the SV spool really reduce the professional over runs. And the drastically reduce the severity of them. Normally just a few spins of the spool. I feel for ya, brother. Been there, done that. I fish a lot of water in La that is FULL of cypress trees. Your back swing on your cast is more important than the direction you're casting to!!

I'm a bit confused. First you retract the above statement about Tackle Warehouse.... Then in the lower statement you say your only gonna use Tackle Warehouse exclusively. What gives? Am I missing something? Tackle Warehouse is tops in my book. The ONLY issue I've ever had was waiting too long to order and they ran out of the baits I was gonna order. But, ultimately, that was on me..

Customer service is becoming harder to get. Great customer service is nearly obsolete!! Kudo's to Duo Realis!! Makes me want to buy more of their products. Which is exactly to purpose of great customer service.....

dude....... you are HARDCORE!!

With soft plastics it's the METHOD more than the actual BAIT. You have it incite the fishes interest by HOW the plastic acts much more than WHAT the plastic is. Use the search function on here and you can be very educated by your next fishing trip. Soft plastics is by far the easiest way to catch fish because they out fish any other bait. The reason is it looks much more natural to a fish, but ONLY when the bait is worked right...

The more expensive and exclusive the lure is the more info on the lure itself, it seems. Mass produced, lower end lures tend to lack info on the lure itself. Which leads to aggravation once the packaging is gone and the lures are in our tackle boxes.

Well, this bait is a game changer. It has totally opened up a new era of fishing. I know there were a few similar baits out there, but the Whopper Plopper really zeroed in on the "plopping" sound and took the market by storm. And, it's a raging success. Kudo's to River2Sea for listening to the customer base and correcting the shortcomings on the 90 by creating the 75. The 90 will still have it's place, I'm sure, but the 75 will, by far, be the best of both worlds....

The search engine here is your friend.... There's a TON of good info here and a lot of teachers willing to share their expertise and knowledge. Use the search function and you'll get lost in a labyrinth of knowledge that'll make you go spend more money and catch more fish.....

Until you actually hold one in your hand and see, hear, and feel the difference anything we say can't convince you enough. You truly have to fish it to believe it. But, to answer your question as best I can..... The gill pattern causes water to exit the bait in such a way the no other can imitate. (sight and sound) The rattles inside and the material it's constructed with are so unique. (sound) The shape and balance create an action that is so seductive. (sight) And, YES, the fish can see the sides of THIS bait. When it is "walked" it has a severe roll side to side that flashes the colors to the fish. It just flat out catches fish. Period.

Very nice! And great timing as well. Thanks for the heads up.

Well, in perspective our lakes bottom out around 20-25 feet. We have very few deep water lakes... 77 ft would put ALL of our lakes BONE DRY.....

Down here it's pontoon boats pulling tubes, jet skis, and ski boats pulling skiers that create 2 ft swells and completely blow out the bank fishing! Water will be muddy 20 yards out from the bank! Now that all that is pretty much said and done it looks like Gordon is gonna give us some much needed fresh water! My favorite lakes are over 2 feet low... fingers crossed..