Aaron_H

They come with size 12 VMC hooks stock, but those look fine IMO as long as they're not impeding the action or how it suspends.

Getting to hear someone's hands-on experience is never a waste of time. Thank you for sharing.

Mostly along the same lines as others here. 7' Shimano SLX spinning M/XF Quantum Smoke S3 PT Inshore 25 15lb PowerPro super slick to a 12lb Big Game mono leader 2/0 Gamakatsu Wide Gap Finesse hook. I use 3/8" clear heat shrink tubing for all of my wacky senkos. Incredibly inexpensive and very solid. I prefer it over crisscrossed O-rings, personally.

A roach is a baitfish, morphologically very similar to the golden shiner and rudd. Looks like they used the roach as the basis for the shape of the lure.

Looking forward to more reviews coming out, I've heard great things about its casting performance. Composite frame isn't a deal-breaker for me if the quality is there, plenty of mid-higher end reels with composite frames. Just would relegate it to certain techniques.

I back with 12lb mono on all of my setups, no use letting that extra mainline go to waste. I get about two spools out of a 150yd spool of braid, a lot better than one + 30-40 yards of line too awkwardly short to do anything with.

The Black Max has been discontinued for a bit now, but you could probably find leftover stock. The replacement Max X is still a decent reel for the money. The rods are rated the same between casting/spinning (spinning is rated a touch lighter on line weight), it would come down to personal preference. I would go casting, it's nice to learn something new and it will open up a much broader range of rod power/action combinations that are tough to impossible to find in spinning rods. Already had some great reel suggestions. The SLX can be had just under $100 as well if you can stomach the idea of pairing Shimano and Diawa together ?

I have not been fortunate enough to fish with anyone from BR yet, but there are definitely quite a few people here I would love to fish with. We have an incredible and welcoming community here with an unbelievable wealth of knowledge. I am humbled every time I read about someone's success and what they're doing to achieve it. If any of you make it to Orlando, I'd be happy to beat the banks with you.

Speaking of Academy, I've seen many of them clearancing out the first-gen SLX rods for around $50.

I feel for you, losing a big fish to failed hardware is heartbreaking. I am very anal about replacing hooks and split rings on 99% of my hardbaits, and this is why. Split rings are Owner Hype Wire or Gamakatsu Superlines with an oval split for the line tie, no exceptions. Spro Power Rings are super beefy also. For heavy wire hooks, Owner ST-56 is my go-to. Have never had one open up, but a lot of baits are sensitive to the heavier hooks and you can't get away with them. For lighter wire hooks I lean towards Gamakatsu EWGs, but the Owner Zo-Wire hooks look very promising for a lighter hook. I haven't been able to play with them yet so I can't say for sure. Even with quality hooks and split rings, you're only adding $2-3 to the cost of the bait, well worth the peace of mind and better chance of not losing the potential fish of a lifetime. As for how a fish will pop a split ring, it's leverage. If they can lock up the hook against the bait, that torsion will open up a cheap split ring and allow it to work itself free or (if it's very cheap) break. I've had stock split rings on Rapala baits pop free on small bass (under 2lb), and had one come up looking like a pretzel on a 7lb tilapia. Doesn't take a huge fish to do it, just have to get leverage on it. Never had it happen on the Owner or Gamakatsu rings.

It's one of my most successful senko retrieves. Hmm...maybe I should buy some trick worms.

Luck-E-Strike sells a 7" ribbontail ring worm. https://www.luck-e-strike.com/product/american-original-7-original-ringer/

We never bring money or property into it, I feel like it's a surefire way to eventually have someone "feel some type of way" about the outcome, but there is always a standing competition between us for who catches the most and/or biggest bass in an outing.

My biggest fish on a rage craw: 7lb 15oz Biggest fish on a baby brush hog: 7lb 5oz 15oz > 5oz The math checks out. (Like a couple of other users, though I love the brush hog line and have had tons of success on them, I have also mostly switched to rage craws or bugs for the same situations).

Loads of awesome fish being posted, and many defying the so-called "rules" of targeting big bass. My current PB 10lbs 9oz caught at 4:06PM on February 11, 2022. Air temp ~74 degrees, lots of cloud cover and fairly windy. Got her on a suspending jerkbait.

I was curious about that pre-release, given that all of the 705CBs are rated to 1oz, with the picture in the OP I'm glad to see it is just a website error. @Columbia Craw thank you for the impression. I have a Fury 705CB that I love for lipless fishing, but the grip is sometimes a little pinchy even with my XL sized hands. I've been tempted to pick up a Maverick for the extra give in the EVA foam grip.

Always. I prefer clear heat shrink tubing over o rings, personally.

I used to use a 3/0 Mustad Demon Perfect circle hook for wacky rigging, my biggest wacky rig bass (8lb 7oz) was caught on one. They do work as long as you know how to fish a circle hook (good advice already given by other posters). Keep in mind that it will not always grab, and this may leave you very frustrated. I ended up leaving them behind for Gamakatsu Wide Gap Finesse hooks and have been much happier. But if you're determined to use them, they DO work. Best, Aaron

I do own both SLX and Fury, but my only Fury is a 705CB so it's not apples to apples. They're both great rods, I don't think the Fury is $30 better but it does have far more options within its lineup than SLX has. I like the action of the Dobyns CB rods over the SLX glass rods, though. 10/10 worth the $30 difference there.

Not a whole lot so far that fits me personally, but those new SLX rods will be one to check out. With the new swimbait models, it looks like they're gunning even harder to occupy the space the Fury used to at that 99-109 price point.

I fish around gators virtually 100% of my trips. Pay attention, and don't lose sight of any larger gators you see. We're nearing the end of their mating season, this is the time of year big males are hopped up on hormones and females will start guarding nests. While the vast majority of gators will give you a wide berth regardless of their size, they are still unpredictable wild animals. If one is being aggressive towards you, leave. Just don't be a dingus, and you'll be fine. (The snake advice is great, too, I'd be much more worried about moccasins in that grass than gators).

Even then, retention ponds are typically stocked with very young fish to manage insect populations, it will take many years for a worthwhile fishery to develop. I personally don't fish any ponds here in FL that are younger than ten years, and my preference is 15-20 years.

If it's one that I like, I keep a few spares on hand in case of breakoffs. "Two is one and one is none" and all that.

We were just getting them as bycatch that day on lipless cranks, mixed in with the bass. A 1/16-3/16 oz jighead with a 2-3" grub or paddletail is usually a good bet to target them. A small dropshot would be good, too.

I've fished Little Lake Conway a few years back. Max depth is around 30 feet. I had the best success on the east side of the lake, just east of the two islands. There's a shallow grass flat that has nice dropoffs on the north and south sides of it. We got some nice crappie in there up to 13.5" as well if that interests you. Lipless cranks ripping that grass flat was the ticket on that day.