Aaron_H

7:1 is my go-to. I only use a 6:1 on my chatterbait/spinnerbait rod, but find it's harder to really speed up with that than it is to slow down with the 7:1.

Fishing is going to be pretty limited, another cold front coming through and it's super stormy. Lots of lightning all week, but all this rain does have the culverts in the canal out back flowing pretty good. Picked up a few little guys earlier on a watermelon/red Rage Bug. As long as you pitch it right up into the outflow, they smash it as soon as it hits the water.

I could get away with only fishing lipless cranks and jerkbaits year round. I wouldn't be happy about it and I'd be passing over a lot of fish, but I would still have a pretty good year on just those two even in the summer I'd bet.

"Woah son!" -Roland Martin -Aaron_H

Interesting! In my limited experience with jerkbaits so far, I feel I have had better success on days with a little chop on the water than the days where it was slick calm.

I have no problem with my FR705CB being a composite blank, but it is unacceptable IMO that this information is not readily available on their site. The page for the Fury rods, for example, only says "high modulus graphite blanks" with no exception made for the CB model. A 40% glass rod is not a graphite blank.

That is a solid fish. Keep at it with those neighborhood ponds, that's what I've been catching these big girls out of lately. Many of the older ones can hold some real giants. I use Google Earth Pro's past satellite imagery to weed out ponds too new to hold big ones (my cutoff is 10 years, but I prefer ponds in the 18-20 year range). That 3.5lber is evidence of a quality fishery. It took me a long time of hard fishing before I started getting more consistent at triggering bigger bites. So much of it comes down to luck, but nothing beats time on the water for giving you more chances at being in the right place at the right time. Keep it up, I look forward to seeing your success! I'm too far of a drive, but you can always drop me a PM if you need help (though others here will probably be more help than me).

Please send them to me for proper disposal. Thank you for your cooperation.

Excellent fish and great pics!

Don't be so hard on yourself here, I think most of us here (myself especially) are just a bunch of dinguses who get regularly outsmarted by an animal with a brain the size of a quarter. You're pushing yourself to learn new techniques and that is commendable. My first day with a baitcaster I made a couple of softball casts and was like oh man this is easy! Then proceeded to blow up the spool so bad I had to cut most of the line off.

That's the H2O Xpress logo, Academy's store brand. Solid brand, some real gems in there for the angler on a budget.

I'm tired of seeing Geico cure hair loss at this point. Haven't seen anything super exciting so far today, looks like a lot of guys are struggling.

Junebug/chartreuse calls out to me every time. I'm particularly infatuated with Zoom's iteration.

+1 on the H2O. Don't be put off by the price or it being a store brand, bass will absolutely smash it (some of the big girls seem to like it, too). I'm still learning my way around the technique, but I've had some good days on a handful of Rapala baits, as well. Shadow Rap, Shadow Rap Shad, Husky Jerk, and the RipStop in warmer water have all been pretty solid producers for me.

Thanks! I like that crackle color a lot. I bought the ghost shad color as well for more clear water but I haven't even bothered to throw it yet, crackle has been getting it done regardless of water clarity.

The Texas rig is more versatile for me, I often end up working it like a fluke and I can throw it in the slop. But the wacky rig has given me my best numbers days as well as my biggest senko fish.

Just got home, 2022 continues to be the Year of the Jerkbait for me. No crazy numbers, but best five bass from today went 18.375lbs anchored by this 8lb 10oz fatty. Once again on that H2O Xpress jerk shad. She smashed it up shallow and took me back and forth about 15 yards down the bank a few times before I could get her in. All three trebles in the bottom lip, she jumped four times but stayed pinned. No bent trebles once I got her unhooked. ? Of course I was a little prematurely excited about the trebles, because two casts after I released her, I hooked into a 3lb 3oz that absolutely destroyed the rear treble once again. Another one right into the trash. This fish makes my top 5 bass of 2022 come in at 43lb 9oz. We're only in the first week of March and this is already hands down the best year of fishing I've ever had. If I don't catch another bass for the rest of the year I'll still be over the moon about this spawn period.

Frogs (sacrilege here in FL). I only threw a frog one day last year, will need to correct that this summer.

Interesting, I was under the impression that aside from the glass rods, the Colts were the only composite rods in the lineup.

Still have a decent stock of split rings currently, I upgrade them on almost everything I purchase.

The reels haven't been released yet, only the rods (I should have been more clear, my apologies). I'm sure we will get more information about the reels once they release. As for the rods, I would have liked to see a shorter casting rod in the mix. A 683C or something would've been nice.

Sucks about the headache involved, but that is a sharp looking combo. Well done, I hope you nail a biggie on it.

Just an FYI for anyone interested in these, I just noticed they are finally listed as in stock on Tackle Warehouse.

Lipless crankbait, jerkbait, jig for me.