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Shimano Crucial 7’ H/XF Shimano Castaic SF w/ 3 brakes on and cast control set a little freer than lure stopping when it hits ground 65# Power Pro T-rigged worm or creature

I’m trying to get over my reluctance of going into the gnarly stuff for fear of hanging up. But I’m having trouble getting into it in the first place. Every time I hit the slightest branch, twig, or piece of grass sticking up I get a backlash! I’m thumbing the spool during the pitch, but it still happens. Tightening down the cast control reduces the distance and I end up overpowering the pitch which results in backlashes too. Is there anything I can do to better my results? Joe

Up here in the foothill lakes brown/purple work well. The #221 Tom mentioned covers this on a bare jig head. It will work on a skirted jig as trailer too, the skirt on the grub gives the jig more bulk when a larger profile is needed.

Got a couple questions on assembling your own rigs rather than buying pre-made. Would having an oval split ring be better? Also, could you use a snap for the split ring to weight connection? If so, what size? I’ve got a bunch of cylindrical drop shot weights that I think would work well for this application. Thanks….Joe

Sorry hijacking your thread. I use bobber stops with bullet sinkers. But will use pegs for cylindrical weights when mojo rigging.

Very nice, thanks!

I use sinker/ bobber stops also. The ones from BPS come in three sizes based on line test, but others available do not. Would like to try other brands, but most come in only one option with no reference to what line size works best in them. Are they basically one size fits all? Joe

How does Robo Hologram Shad stack up? I’ve seen it mentioned as a good color.

Looking for thoughts on which of these two worms is the best shad imitator as a drop shot bait. Both are clear water baits with a similar profile, but colors are slightly different. What conditions would dictate using one or the other? Joe

I haven’t fished it yet, it’ll get a shot next weekend. But I would think it would come through rock way better than an open hook.

Ahhhh, finally got it! Got some Stupid Tube & Bite Me EWG heads. As nearly all of you commented the shanks on the heads I was previously trying were too long. As for the difficulty reversing the head, I was bring the hook out too far down inside the tube leaving no room to work the head around. Thanks for all your input! Joe

We’ve had an unusually frequent number of pretty large rattlesnakes appear around neighborhoods close to us. Haven’t personally run in to one, but I could easily deal with that..........now spiders are another thing. I hate spiders! They usually get the sole!

Interesting.....there are hang ups where you know you’re going to lose the weight. But there are those where a little tug or pop will loosen it. Do you find you lose weights on these with the bobber/sinker stop method?

It was Mad Dog 20/20 for all my college buddies. Don’t have a clue why they drank that stuff, unless they enjoyed barfing in Technicolor.

Are you talking rods? I have a Procaster 6’6” M/F that’s pretty old. I use it for multiple finesse setups and am curious to see what you come up with. I did the search thing too with no luck. The model number is: PR-X661MFS M. I assume that means 6’6” one piece M/F spinning. Don’t know what the last M is, maybe another reference to it’s power.

I keep them in Plano 3700 boxes at home by style and weight. I have one Edge jig box I take with me. I transfer the jigs I take to that box by weight in rows. When I get home they go back into the 3700 boxes they came from. A little complicated? Yes, but it keeps me organized and I can tell when to replenish easily.

I dusted off all my GYCB grubs because of Tom’s posts here. Have a bunch but got away from them for inexplicable reasons. I know they catch fish, but got into the mindset that there was always something better. Now I wish I can do the same with Iovino baits! Robos put them on the shelf for me and they do catch a lot of fish, especially colors that you know who has suggested. Time to give the Iovinos a reboot!

Oh I’d say it was legit without reservation. Wealth of knowledge coming from Tom. Especially the history of lures and techniques.

I really don’t know. If I had to guess it would be a live worm at Clear Lake sometime in the Ike administration.

So any auto will still have a manual override? If so why the auto/manual versions?

Looks nice! Do you split that 1/2 tab of brown, 1/4 on top, 1/4 on bottom? Looks like an Alabama Craw or Delta Flare trailer would look nice on that.

X2 on NetBait TMac in GP... wait, after last tourney now Robo FAT 6” in either Oxblood Light Red Flake or Peoples Worm.

You’re talking eddies. Bridge pilings come to mind there.

CA Delta. Next to never do well there. Have had some success out of Ladds, but the main Delta has been very disappointing.

Will 3/4- 1 oz lead bullet weights work for punching mats? I have several of these, but they seem pretty large. Will they over power a bait like a Sweet Beaver or large Rage Bug? I’d like to give the technique a try with these before putting money into the more compact tungsten ones. Joe