Aaron_H

I'm a bit too far north for peacock bass, but I can attest to the gators and sometimes I get lucky with some plus-sized largemouth.

Just checked my fishing logs, I've had ~450 outings since I bought my first SLX reel. They don't all get used every time, but they are all on techniques I use frequently. As for the MGL version, a little of all of the above. That MGL spool gives me better distance, the ability to cast lighter lures, and the SVS brakes gives you a little more fine tuning than the standard VBS brakes on the SLX (though I've never had an issue with the VBS personally). The MGL is also the only SLX version that comes with the cross carbon drag, which is definitely a noticeable upgrade over the other SLX models IMO. That said, several of my PBs were on the standard model SLX and they are a very fine reel especially for the price.

That shrug after you netted the first fish had me cracking up. Glad to see you still posting videos, always enjoy seeing your success.

I've passed two; first one Jan 2017, second one August 2018. First one put me in the hospital. The pattern on the right fish is unbelievable! SMB gets higher and higher on my fishing bucket list every time I see your bags, A-Jay. Awesome pic.

Can't speak to the Curado K, but I've been running my SLX reels for 4 years now for the oldest one and I have had zero durability issues out of hundreds of outings. I have 4 regular SLX, 2 MGL, and a DC and while I think the MGL is the sleeper of the SLX series, the standard ones are hard to beat for the money and get a lot of use from me.

Hands down the prettiest soft plastic color, and as close to a "magic color" as you can get in FL. Throw in a chartreuse tail and it's lights out.

I couldn't even imagine. I thought I had on a nice crappie when I first saw it flash, but this was a cool surprise. I wanted to get a weight but didn't think I'd be able to get the scale/lip grippers on there without hurting the fish, so just a couple of pics and a length measurement and got it back in the water.

The bass bite this evening wasn't anything to write home about, but I did accidentally catch the biggest gizzard shad I've ever seen. Kept flopping when I was trying to take the picture on the tape measure, but came in at 13.5" long. I've accidentally snagged a handful of them in the 8-9" region but this is by far my PB. Also culled a couple of tilapia, no pics since they were small but always nice to get some of those out of the gene pool.

My wallet thinks you are, but my heart thinks you're on the right track. If space is a premium, I would think a jack-of-all trades rod would be valuable to you, as long as it can do those techniques well (and it sounds like the TB does just that).

Academy has some fishing clearance that started today. Stealth Blade Jackhammers, Thunder Crickets (including the tungsten ones), and 3/8oz CrossEyez chatterbaits for 9 bucks each. Gold label Seaguar for 9 bucks, ~6 bucks for those Savage Gear 5" swimbaits (not the 4" ones though sadly).

The only reasons I use a leader are for abrasion resistance and stretch/shock absorption, neither of which are things I would use braid for. I would ditch the leader and use the suggested sharpie method if you're going to do straight braid, it will be stronger than introducing another knot into the system. But if you're around laydowns and other structure/cover that the bass can rub against, sticking with a mono/fluoro leader is the move personally.

The Thunderhawk Sergeant comes in a silent version and also has patterns with yellow eyes.

Got into a better fish this morning. Buddy of mine I haven't seen in a while wanted to get together for a bit of morning fishing, and I couldn't say no to that! Had a short window, and got out later than I'd like for a morning bite, but second fish came in at 7lb 2oz so I'd say it was the right window at least. Got her on a wacky rigged white senko, pitched just over a grass ledge and she picked it up right after it hit bottom. Definitely got my adrenaline going and has me excited for the fall transition.

The first handful of SLXs I bought came with reel oil, but my SLX MGLs did not.

Jerkbait! Couldn't get consistent results with them for years. Finally dedicated last year to grinding the technique out to learn it and it quickly became one of my top confidence baits, and was responsible for my 4 biggest bass of the year (including a PB).

Tank! I just like that the musky instinctively knew to bend so as not to block the view of The Hat™.

Florida has its downsides, but the fishing isn't one of them lol.

This is awesome, looks like you guys had a blast.

Found an algae-covered BBZ Rat floating at the bank today. Hardware was rusted and needs replaced but the bait cleaned up pretty good. Looked like they were throwing it on 6lb mono, no wonder they broke it off....

So I've been a little MIA here lately; between work and the weather I haven't been able to get out nearly as often as I usually do, and when I did manage to get out the bite has been awful. Some okay numbers days but (and I've complained about it before so sorry for beating that dead horse) this has been my worst year ever for size so far. Although it's "fishing and not catching" honestly I admit I let it get me down a bit, frustration with patterns not holding up and switching things up wasn't doing the trick either. We've had a few cooler nights in a row and the water temp is dropping a bit, so I had high hopes to get in a little fishing figuring they'll start the fall transition an begin honing in on shad schools in some shallower water. Got out today for ~3.5 hours before dark and it started about like every other trip this year, strugglebus. Took 2 hours for my first bass, a healthy 2lber on a spinnerbait. About 45 mins later there was a big blowup to my left, and I saw a big shad come up out of the water, then another big boil on it as soon as it hit the water. Dropped the spinnerbait and picked up the jerkbait, pitched it right in the boil and gave it a few twitches and BOOM, I was loaded up on a much better fish than anything else I've caught this year. Ended up weighing 5lb 11oz, not a giant but a huge weight off my back after so many dinkfest trips. And I found a Fishlab BBZ Rat on the bank shortly before, so no complaints there.

Right at the beginning of 2022, I found a brand new Rapala Shadow Rap Shad in the Halloween color. It was the first jerkbait that I started to gain real confidence in during my 2022 Year of the Jerkbait grind. In November of that year I caught the biggest fish I've gotten on it so far @6lb 1oz. The bass were feeding heavily on shad schools, and I saw one blow up, pitched this in, gave it a couple of twitches on top and she hit it hard. Not my biggest jerkbait fish of last year but one I was very excited for and as I said the biggest on this lure so far. Not bad for $0.

It would be Strike King for me, as well. I can still do all of the techniques I throw now within their brand offerings, so I wouldn't have to change how I fish. Now if Zoom offered hard baits......

Take a look at the Thunderhawk Sergeant, as well. Also a 3/4 oz lipless that I've been liking a lot.

This is the one I haven't been able to bring myself to buy. I fish over a fair amount of submerged roots and stumps and the LV500 seems to really excel at jigging off the bottom, which I do sometimes but prefer a yo-yo retrieve a bit higher in the water column.

Lipless cranks are my #1 weakness. I saw a smaller model they have, then a larger profile one that's also 5/8oz, but this is the one that appealed to me. I figured that H2OX jerkbait has done really well by me so far, for $4 this was worth a try.