ITO_ZILLION

Been jig fishing a while and I consider myself to be a pretty proficient jig fisherman. But...I just noticed something...Jigs actually come in 2 different styles. One has the line tie in a vertical position (90 degrees) and the others have the line tie in a horizontal position (180 degrees). Whats the difference between the vertical and horizontal line tie position...? Is one better than the other...? What are the pros and cons to both of these line tie positions when fishing a jig...? Been thinking about the differences for a couple weeks and my theory is...Since I fish jigs with a baitcaster...The horizontal or 180 degree line tie position seems like the better choice since baitcaster spools are horizontal/flat. Therefore...the horizontal line tie position in a jig would afford a more 'straighter'/accurate line of pull...thereby not creating any line twist (in theory)...correct...?

If anyone in here has any experience with the Megabass Destroyer TS Series of rods...I would love to know what your review/experience is. Tranx 300 sounds about right. I think the extra line capacity with the tranx 300 over the tatula 200 would be most beneficial for the baits I am planning to throw and the size of fish I am targeting. Thanks for the info.

Megabass has come out with the Megadog and I want to buy a couple for stripers and largemouth when summer rolls around. I just recently got into swimbaits and big/magnum type topwaters. So...I need a rod and reel that can handle most magnum topwaters like the Megabass Megadog, Lunker Punker and ABT Lures Dirty Donkey in that 1-5oz range. Megabass Megadog Specs: 8.6" - 4.6oz For rods... 1. Megabass Destroyer TS Casino _ 7'7" Heavy Med. Fast 16-30lb 2-6oz 2. Megabass Destroyer TS Baccarat _ 7'8" Ex. Heavy Med. Fast 20-40lb 4-10oz For reels... 1. Daiwa Tatula 200 spooled with 50/65lb braid to a mono leader. 2. Shimano Tranx 300 spooled with 50/65lb braid to a mono leader. Some concerns/questions... The stripers in the lakes I fish get pretty big (20+lb). Therefore I need a rod that has a lot of muscle in order to fight these big fish. I am leaning towards the Baccarat since it is a extra heavy and can probably handle some big fish. But...the baccarat's lure rating is a little high for 4 oz so I am afraid the baccarat's power/action might be a little too stiff for working the megadog correctly. On the other hand...The casino's lure rating seems like a better fit for a 4oz bait since 4oz is in the middle of its lure rating and would probably have the right amount of power/action for working the megadog correctly. But...I am afraid the casino might not have enough power when fighting big fish in that 20+lb class. Which one would you guys go with...? I am also concerned with line capacity when it comes to fighting a big fish. So...should I go with the Tranx 300...? On the other hand...I have small hands so I am leaning towards the Daiwa Tatula 200 since its smaller and will feel/fish more comfortably than the tranx 300. Its going to be a wrist/arm saver when fishing big swimbaits and topwaters all day long compared to a bigger reel like the tranx 300. Would I be 'ok' line capacity wise with a tatula 200 spooled with 50lb braid and a mono leader...? Which one would you guys go with...?

A good old Regular MH rod for 1/4 & 3/8 oz jigs sounds about right. Would you go with Megabass Destroyer Daemos for 1/4 and 3/8 oz jigs...? Daemos is a F5 power whereas the FMJ is a F6 so it sounds like it would fit the bill perfectly.

Holy ****!!! Browsing TackleWarehouse and I just noticed...Daiwa Steez SVF AGS is more expensive than the Megabass and the NRX!!! I totally forgot about the Steez line of rods from Daiwa. I am gonna have to factor the steez into my lineup of choices too now. Particularly the 7'1" Heavy _ Extra Fast _ 16-30lb _ 1/4-1 1/2oz Anyone have any experiences with Daiwa Steez rods and particularly the one mentioned above? Is the sensitivity and weight/lightness on par with the NRX...?

I think I might have to go the 'custom rod' route as WRB stated. I am only interested in 3 blanks for a custom jig rod build. 1. Phenix K2. 2. North Fork Composites (NFC) X-Ray. 3. Kistler Z-Bone (its probably made by NFC but seems like I would need to buy thru Kistler and not NFC). Some questions... A. Does Kistler sell just blanks...? B. Is the NFC X-Ray on par with the NRX in terms of sensitivity and weight/lightness...? C. Is the Phenix K2 on par with the NRX in terms of sensitivity and weight/lightness...? D. Is the Z-Bone on par with the NRX in terms of sensitivity and weight/lightness...? Kinda leaning towards the Phenix K2 because I live in Southern California and Phenix Rods is 'literally' a couple streets away from my house. I like supporting local companies as much as I can.

My number 1 gripe and the reason why I am a little hesitant to go with GLoomis is because of the craftsmanship and fit/finish. I mean...at over $500...You would think the craftsmanship would be a little better but seeing as how guys are complaining about misaligned guides, bad thread wrap jobs and unpleasant aesthetics...I am very hesitant to go with GLoomis. The warranty is great but at over $500...the craftsmanship and fit/finish also needs to be 'top notch' too. Well...I guess we can't all win all the time and it seems we have to make a sacrifice somewhere.

Hell Yeah Punch...Thanks for the info and review. Greatly appreciated. Just like you...I am mainly looking for a 'dedicated' jig rod since jigs are my confidence bait and Pitchin is one of my favorite techniques. I was looking to get the most sensitive and light weight jig rod I can get my hands on for pitchin around heavy cover in shallow water (10' and less). The NRX series of rods kept showing up everywhere I looked and researched online. Some questions... 1. I know you stated 1/2oz and larger jigs...But can the FMJ fish 1/4 & 3/8 oz jigs effectively also or is it 'too much rod' for these lighter weights...? Would most people agree that the FMJ is mostly 'at home' at 1/2 oz and larger...? 2. Is the FMJ pretty versatile and can it fish reaction type baits effectively also (swimbaits, wakebait, frog etc)...? 3. Can you give me more insight as to why some guys choose the 894c over the 854c...? Is the action of the 854c too light for jigs in heavy cover...? What would most guys use the 854c for...?

I am thinking about getting the Megabass Destroyer FMJ for mainly jigs and texas rigs for pitching into heavy cover. With Megabass being so high priced...Is the sensitivity and weight on par or better than a G Loomis NRX JWR...? I have never fished/owned a Megabass or a NRX...but from what I have read on these and other forums...NRX seems to be the 'gold standard' when it comes to sensitivity and lightness. Since Megabass is in the same price range as the NRX...I figured the sensitivity and weight should be about the same as the NRX rods. Hopefully there is someone in here who has experience with both manufacturers and can give me some insight into how both of these rods fish and their relative actions for the techniques listed.

I don't really like being a tackle *****/hoarder but mostly its because I am cheap. Therefore...I don't like the thought of having to spend money on multiple styles of jigs when 1 can suffice. This means I like having 1 style of jig for any and all situations that might call for a jig. To that extent...when ever I am faced with a open water bottom contact situation that calls for a jig...its always going to be a football head jig regardless of bottom composition, structure and water depth. So... Do I need to buy/fish a casting jig if a football jig can suffice my needs 90% of the time for any open water bottom contact situation...? Whats the biggest difference between a football jig and a casting jig anyways besides the obvious physical difference between the lead head shape/form...? Are there any noticeable advantages to a casting jig over a football head jig and in what conditions/situations and/or bottom composition would this be true...?

Looking to upgrade my current pitching and flipping reel. Can a Bait Finesse baitcaster handle pitching/flipping duty just fine...? Or would it be too 'underpowered'...? My current reel feels heavy and a little bit big, which makes comfort and palm-a-bility a little bit cumbersome for someone with small hands like mine. I have been getting into some bait finesse type stuff and I noticed the BFS reels are 'super light', smaller in size and just way more comfortable. I love pitching and flipping but I hate how a heavy and cumbersome reel can wear you out when on the water for a good amount of time. I know there is the whole reel modding scene where you can upgrade or change out parts for whatever parts suit your applications better. Should I just mod a BFS reel with more powerful parts...? I always see guys mod the hell out of Daiwa Pixys that are called 'Pixzillas'. Should I be looking to buy or do something like this...? I know that the Shimano Core 50 is really small and light. Can this reel handle some pitching and flipping duty while also being solid and reliable...? I know the Daiwa Steez is pretty light and small...But do guys actually use a steez for Pitching and Flipping...? Most people I know that use a steez...either mod it for BFS or use it for open water reaction type baits. I need a reel that is small and light like a BFS baitcaster...but that has powerful parts that can take a beating and will still be very reliable for pitching and flipping duty. What current reels on the market can do this...?

Ahhhhhh...I get it now. Its not a matter of jig weight or fish size. Its more about what you would consider or define as 'finesse' in your own terms based on the bodies of water you like to fish in and the lightest tackle you can get away with given the lakes varying conditions/situations at the time. Because obviously, you can still fish a 1oz punching jig, a small trailer, a thinned out skirt with a heavy rod and some 20lb fluoro in some heavy vegetation and it would still be labeled as 'finesse' depending on the lake/pond and a host of many other variables that always play into your decisions on the water. Thanks for the discussion and feedback guys. I am going to try and make a dedicated setup for finesse jigs. I think 3/16oz with a light wire hook on 8lb fluoro would be about the lowest I could go for a finesse football/casting type jig. Any rod recommendations...? I am looking at the Phenix K2 rods right now... 7'1" medium light _ 1/16-5/8oz _ 4-12LB 7'1" medium heavy _ 3/16-3/4oz _ 6-18LB I was thinking of going with the medium light since I want the full experience of trying to fish smaller jigs on light tackle. But...some of the lakes I fish in have some BIG fish and I am a little scared of getting 'broken off' so the medium heavy seems like the better choice. Although...I could just get both. Than that way I can just dedicate the medium light to smaller ponds/lakes/fish or strictly open water applications and than delegate the medium heavy to bigger ponds/lakes/fish and some light cover pitching and flipping.

I have been meaning to try and log my catches myself. The logging apps seem so cumbersome and finicky to me that they seem more like a chore and hassle than anything else. The method I have devised up with for now is...Take a picture of every fish I catch...Than when I get home...I input info like bait used, weight, weather and location into a notepad document...Than I stick that document and all the pictures of all the fish caught for that day into a folder that is than labeled by date and location onto my hard drive.

What weights would be considered 'finesse' when it comes to jig fishing...? As 'in general' or would be mostly agreed upon by most anglers (90%) in most places in the US...? Is it 3/8oz and under or 1/4oz and under...? Seems like it would be kind of dependent on the specific location/region you live in or like to fish in. But more specifically...it seems like its more a matter of the size of the different ponds/lakes you like to fish in, its ever changing ecological variables/differences and most importantly the 'size' of the specific fish your are targeting. In some ponds I fish in...the bass are small, the water is shallow and cover is non-existent so 1/4 oz and under seems like it would be 'finesse'. Than there are some bigger lakes that I like to fish in that have bigger bass, deeper water and heavier cover/structure and 'finesse' in this lake seems to be 1/2oz and under. I live in CA and we are known for 'bigger than average' fish, which would make my 'finesse' jigs lean more towards the heavier side than say someone in the North or that fishes the Great Lakes for small mouth. I fish a jig A LOT...mostly football/casting jigs in deep water and flipping jigs in shallow water/cover. I have been getting more and more into BFS/Bait Finesse type stuff and it got me interested in scaling my jig fishing down to a more 'finesse' style approach. Found a lot of good tips on youtube but figured I would also ask here in Bass Resource because I felt like some of the videos I found were lacking in information. I don't like spinning gear for jigs in general. I would like to stick to baitcasting for fishing finesse jigs if I can. Some gear questions... 1. Any medium rod with a fast action tip should be fine right...? Would medium light be considered too light since I live in CA and target bass that is bigger than average...? 2. Do I need to drop down to a BFS/Bait Finesse specific reel for finesse jigs...? Or would any reel do as long as it can cast light lures (1/4oz and under) pretty well...? 3. What LB line range would be considered finesse for finesse jigs...? I see some guys go as low as 6lb for finesse jigs when the lake has zero cover and the water clarity is 'super clear'. On the other hand...I see some guys go as high as 15lb for finesse type jigs when in heavy cover or very stained/dirty water. I understand the old adage...'go as light as you can for the given conditions/situation'...But I still need some general guidelines and/or a basis to start from.

What are some of the best lures or techniques for snakehead...??? I mainly see guys using TOPWATER type lures. I take it hollow body frogs, soft body/texas rig frogs, wakebaits, buzzbaits and walk-the-dog type lures are all FAIR GAME...yes...? Being that snakeheads have some pretty nasty sharp teeth and will basically tear up a bait to 'SHREDS'...Best leave your expensive/good baits at home and opt for the cheaper lures for snakeheads so I can feel better about throwing them away when they are all torn up to shreds...yes...? Do other types of lures work for snakeheads...? Say like...spinnerbaits, swimbaits, chatterbaits etc. or any sub surface type bait...? How about bottom contact baits...jig, dropshot, shakey head etc...? For the guys that have posted and are from/live in florida....... How much does a fishing license in Florida cost for a day or multi day...? Can I buy a Florida fishing license from any Walmart or Should I go to a local tackle store/bait shop or should I go to a big box store like Bass Pro Shops...? Also...I know that Florida has alligators and other reptilian wildlife that could potentially pose a threat on my life/wellbeing while bank fishing for snakeheads so....... As long as I mainly stick to more 'urbanized' areas of Florida on my trip....I should be safe from alligators, pythons and snakes...yes...?

Hopefully there are some anglers in here who also fish for Snakeheads that can help me out a bit. Just recently came across snakehead fishing on YouTube and it looks so much FUN!!! I really want to try and catch one now. I am now thinking of planning on taking a trip to Florida to try and catch my first snakehead before fall finally kicks in. 1. What size reel would be sufficient for snakeheads...? I know snakeheads can get pretty BIG (10+ lbs). Does that mean I would need a 'swimbait' sized reel (300+) or can I get away with 100-200 size...? I prefer the smaller 100-200 sized reels because I have smaller hands and they are also much more comfortable for fishing all day. I also know that snakeheads stay pretty shallow and are not that far from the bank so technically I would not need a big reel with big line capacity. I am thinking a Shimano Curado 200 would be sufficient, yes...? 2. What rod Power and Action would be sufficient for snakeheads...? Being that snakeheads can get close to 10+ lbs and live in some pretty NASTY cover, I am assuming that a Heavy or even Extra Heavy rod in a Fast action would be required. Is it necessary to go to a 'swimbait' or 'musky' type rod or will your typical Flipping, Punching or Frogging bass rod in Heavy or Extra Heavy and Fast action be sufficient enough...? I really don't want to go out and buy a swimbait type rod and also I think it might just be 'overkill'. I am thinking a 7'6" extra heavy fast action 15-30lb 1/2-3 oz punching type rod would be sufficient for snakeheads, yes...?

Can you recommend me some composite rods...? Brand...? Model...?

Truth be told...I stopped bass fishing for a while because of other priorities. I started fishing squarebills when they got really popular a few years back when KVD and strike king came out with the KVD 1.5/2.5 Squarebills. I immediately knew I wanted to try and fish squarebills. So...I ended up getting a Dobyns 705cb and a couple KVD 1.5/2.5 squarebills just to try out the technique. On my second outing with that combo...I caught my first squarebill crankbait fish. I ended up selling the rod though because I really didn't like the way it handled other baits and techniques. For squarebills...it is really superb but it wasn't versatile enough for me so I ended up getting rid of it. But now that I want to get back into bass fishing...I am looking for a squarebill crankbait rod that isn't a Dobyns and that I hope would fill some double/triple duty applications. Per Tacklewarehouse and I believe Spiralite's marketing claim and I quote... '...the Spiralte SQ Series Casting Rods employ more moderate actions in comparison to Spiralite’s other, spiral-wrap offerings...' So...with 'moderate' in the description (and maybe taken out of 'context' here)...I figured the SQ rod would be a pretty good candidate for a squarebill crankbait rod and maybe afford me some versatility with other techniques/baits. Gonna have to follow new2BC4bass advice and just 'bite the bullet' and try the rod out as a review for everyone else on the forum here.

I need some tips and advice on a squarebill crankbait rod. Mainly throwing 3/8 and 1/2 oz crankbaits. Maybe the occasional 5/8, 3/4 oz also. 1. Medium or Medium Heavy...? Most likely fishing medium to heavy cover (timber, laydowns, brush piles, tules, rip rap etc). I live in CA and its known for bigger than average bass so I am leaning towards the Medium Heavy. The Med Hvy would also be great for the 5/8 and bigger baits I plan on fishing also. 2. Fast or Med Fast/Mod Fast Action...? I know med fast/mod fast is usually the best bet for crankbaits and treble hook lures. But seeing as I will mainly be fishing around some pretty heavy cover...I am leaning towards the fast action. 3. Length...? 7'0"...? Less than 7...? Greater than 7...? I am leaning towards 7'0" since its a good compromise between not too long and not too short. I tend to like longer rods for the extra distance in casting, picking up line on a hook set and for better leverage in fighting the fish. 4. Graphite or Composite...? Don't really like glass rods at all. Tried one once and it felt horrible to me. Leaning towards graphite. I like the added sensitivity that graphite has. If I plan on going for a all graphite rod...Will downgrading to a cheaper/lower grade of graphite (30 ton vs 40 ton, IM6/IM7 vs IM8 etc.) afford me some more shock absorbency/softness for treble hook lures...? I am browsing Tacklewarehouse as we speak and I came across a rod I think would be great for squarebills and tick all my boxes. It is the Spiralite SQ series of rods. They are brand new and just came out this year so not a lot of reviews or experiences from people yet. I am trying to decide between the 7' Med Hvy Fast or 7' Med Fast. I am leaning towards the 7' med hvy as I think it would be a lot more versatile and be able to fish a variety of baits and techniques. Its 30 Ton graphite and a little on the softer side as far as blank materials, so it should be able to fish treble hook lures without being to stiff/powerful. Help...?