Heartland

It's a fishing reel, fish any d**n thing you want on it. Stop listening to the media hype and the internet pro fisherman, tie a bait on and go fish. All this gear ratio stuff makes for good conversation, but it and 8 dollars will buy you a cup of coffee. /rant

Really hard to recommend a rod based on action and power alone. There is just not much consistency across brands or many time even lines within the same brand. If you looking for some general idea where to start, I think you have been given some good options. Topwater fishing generally divides into two camps, those who prefer a slower tip to work the baits and those who prefer a faster tip. I am in the faster camp, I don't want to have to work very hard to impart action on the bait, I also do not enjoy fishing with braid to make up for the difference. For me, I generally start looking at rods in the MH F to XF depending on what the tip is like. Really boils down to how you want to fish the bait.

Hydrilla Gorilla in my best Zona voice or G-G-Giant Bass.

One of the first that I can remember using EVA was the original Carrot Stik.

Put the guard in after you have your skirt the way you like it, also makes tieing the skirt a little easier also. My molds allow me to do this, I know some require the guard to be poured into the head. If you are purchasing heads with weed guards in them you can just pull them out with a pair of pliers and replace them with something of your own later.

chrome with blue has always been a winner

Crankbaits in general, chatterbaits, slow rolling spinnerbaits, anytime you need to slow down a moving bait. Just out of curiosity what reel is this we are talking about?

Just curious, what do you use it for?

I work 2nd Shift so not much to do once I am off work. Decided to paint a few in some real basic patterns that catch fish.

No one comes out of the womb with a college degree, there is grade school, middle school, high school, and finally college. Pay your dues, practice a variety of casting techniques both on and off the water. It won't take long and you will have a degree.

An educated thumb is more beneficial than relying on mechanical braking in my opinion.

Cast, let it sit for longer than you think, give it a rip and hold on. If no taker slow retrieve to the boat.

"I have nipples, Greg. Think you can milk me?" Made me laugh.

I like what I fish the best

These are a great option also, Reaction Innovations Kinky Beaver

Try doing a base coat of color that works well for you, and then putting the white or other difficult color on top of it.

Simple pattern, wonder if the walleye would look at them. I kind of had smallmouth and clear water on my mind when I painted them.

Curado E5

Do we make one for each person that is participating or how does that work?

I would like to participate, just not sure what I am getting myself into.....

Gen 1 Revo Winch was blue, had a standard centrifugal braking system. Gen 2 Revo Winch, also blue, upgraded the braking system to what was called pitch centrifugal braking. Had a standard pin brakes and spring loaded brakes also. Some were labeled PITCH on the brake adjustment. Gen 3 Revo Winch, black, was a dual braking system. Gen 4 you can read about. This is all to the best of my memory.

This would have been perfect.

This simply is not correct. Crankbaits have been typically associated with moderate or moderate fast action rods for many decades, they have also been fished on the slower reels like a 5.1:1. Jigs and plastics are often fished on fast or extra fast action rods and many like to fish them on the fastest reels available to allow for more casts to target quickly. These are my two examples, I would like to hear yours.

wiggle wart, SPRO Little John MD will get close, anything with flat sides will have a nice tight wiggle, just pick one that will reach your intended depth.

Update to my Crappie pattern, not sure which I like better.