txchaser

P-Line makes a great heavy paper-clip style clip. You should use the 45 degree part of the clip to put on your bait. And your knot should go on the bottom of your pic. 100% use the SDJ Knot mentioned above, preferably doubled. It shouldn't slide around at all anyway.

Some standouts here, 50% off some rods. And 70 off some reels. The reels aren't listed in the BF sale, just search for them. Oh and the new TBX takes boxes are 75 off too.

How did it go?

yeah just angle the beam up higher. But try the calibration first! Me too, I just ignore it. I only have that one segment though, about halfway out. I notice it on other people's videos too. The calibration is actually calibrating more than GPS - it is calibrating what level is on the transducer. (I think... this is a guess based on how it changed what the computer was doing) When I got a good calibration I watched the system try to find "flat/normal" for a few seconds, and then settle down and it looked great. Calibrating instructions will come up on your screen when you start the process. It's literally just drive the TM in a circle for a few minutes. 1000% worth your time, start here. Oh and I don't recall if it was anywhere in the thread - you might turn image stabilization off, then back on, and probably keep it on low. It attempts to keep the screen chilled out when you are in rough waters. But can cause problems sometimes.

Will definitely report back. Got bit some today. No giants, and no way to know if it is 'better' than others. Early signs are good though. I did notice three things though: 1) the body roll and tail wag... ugh it's really good. 2) fishes deep, real deep, with a 10/0 3/4oz beast hook. Which I like a lot. 3) seems tough - wasn't torn up from a few catches. I think the custom nose CPS it comes with, and the way the belly is built helps. We'll see with more time.

If I see bait but no bass on the scope, I may still fish a nearby weed edge, brush, etc. Or more likely than that run some swimming presentation a few feet off the bottom to see if I can pull one up. But not for long. Slowly learning that I'm better off moving fast with the scope. If I'm not scoping and I'm on a spot that "should" hold fish I might try a couple of swimming presentations and something on the bottom and then keep moving. My lake has a lot of miles of weed edge, and I almost never wish I'd slowed down more. I'm mostly fishing for best 5 or one big fish, so ignoring the smaller fish is a better idea for me. One exception - at least on my lake when they get on the gill beds it is 100% worth the time to fish it very thoroughly - constantly reloading new fish, and a good shot at multiple big fish.

Kistler selling KLX rods for 99.00 (half price). All mod-fast. Probably comparable to the Tatula Elite (non AGS). I have a couple of these rods and I'm happy with them (medium for lighter crankbaits, heavy for smaller swimbaits). I didn't think I needed another rod, but if they had the 7'6" XH in stock I would have bought it for a heavier a-rig, mid-sized soft swimbait rod. I guess they are running a series of specials; I came to post about the reel and line sale they had going, went to check it and it was replaced with this.

I'm fishing a big soft swimbait so much I'm trying about everything. IMO the presentation of the 7" WCZ is a lot 'bigger' than the 7" bass mafia because it's tall and thick. Most of the brands are using trout-shaped molds, and my primary forage is big texas gizzard shad. So it'll probably be a bust or just the same, but worth a shot anyway. I had high hopes for the zman swag LT (love a line through, love the material) but it's just not that big of a bait. My favorite so far for big presentation on a soft swimbait is the Hangover. I love how much everyone hates it, they are on sale everywhere. I just hope they don't stop making them. When you fished them did they have the new nose harness that replaces the CPS on the beast hook? Will definitely report back. I think they will look like food and get bit. However... If I was in bluegill-only waters I'd be fishing the 6th sense super sweep. They are just light enough to cast on a heavy rod, take the 7/0 6th sense hook perfectly. Big profile because they are tall. Point is, inexpensive to try, nice gill colors, and I know they work on weedlines with gills - I have one tied on right now.

NRS neoprene - they make one model that is very thin. My fingers get cold way worse than the rest of my hands, so the short-finger gloves don't do much for me.

360 will mean you need to go humminbird. And humminbird has better sidescan. But... humminbirds livescope is gen1-class tech. On 7" vs 9" - I think you are kinda limited on what you can do with the 7"; they probably won't run a scope. And a little small for sidescan... fine for seeing rocks/trees/brush but tough to see a fish. Probably an ocean of livescope-ready garmin 9" out there from people starting with a 9 echomap on livescope and upgrading in a big boat, if you are OK with used. Sales are coming too, so there's that. Hopefully someone that's spent a bunch of time messing with electronics on a PDL will have some specific experience for you.

Bought 7" WCZ Citizens today at the hook up. https://thehookuptackle.com/products/citizen?variant=45038251147431 I hope they fish as good as they cost.

Never had anything drift out of a compartment. It rides on its side. In fairness I don't carry a bunch of tiny split rings so I haven't tested that, but there's a lot of other nonsense that could drift and hasn't.

Try fishing the same spot or pattern, but a little deeper.

Just for grins I fed it into chatgpt and grok.com (both free editions) and they both pointed out was that compression test sounded low (but needed to be run hot not cold) and were on the VRO track too.

Half the fish in that lake haven't seen a lure until you show up with your scope. Plus it's really fun, and you'll learn a lot.

Anyone happen to know the perfect fit for a mag swim worm? I have lots of stuff that's close but not perfect. My guess is a 4/0 owner, but didn't want to keep trying stuff since one of yall probably know for sure.

I've been in the middle of a big refactoring project on terminal tackle and here's where I ended up after trying or considering just about everything. One of my hard requirements was for it to be waterproof. I have a lot of "not a hook and not a weight" stuff too, so the hook pouches didn't seem viable. Examples - line-through heads, jig heads, flashy swimmers, neko hacks etc. My main challenge with the 3700 thin or the terminal version of that same box is it just doesn't carry much. The BM boxes have a ton of dividers, and lots of things take very little space. I have a full kit of 1/16 to 3/4 oz t-rig weights in about a four inch stretch. I think the boxes are five rows by 9 compartments. Runners up that I didn't buy but was seriously considering: Great Lakes Finesse wallet. I think it is really well designed for storing a lot of variety. It was next up on the journey. Spro (or other manufacturer of the same box) - makes a waterproof terminal box with a bunch of dividers. Would probably need two of them, and not standard format. Final solution, at least for now haha 3600 - bass mafia ice box (clear) - bought them on sale for about $20. Liked it enough I bought two, and bought one for a friend. 3700 - bass mafia (clear) - on sale at TW for about $25 right now.

As usual there's some juice right in the middle of this video, and it is important even if you don't fish glidebaits.

I don’t really recall, but if I did it was at the lodge.

Flouro doesn't get old like mono, so when it gets short or ragged out from cover. And one other scenario that you can kinda see - when the line has been under a bunch of stress (like fighting a monster on really light line, or pulling out snags) - it starts to lay different on a pretty long section of line. Gets limp/twisty/corkscrew looking. Sometimes you have to cut enough off that you are so deep in the spool you might as well replace it.

I second @A-Jay's comment about ditching the braid to leader. Or at least take a big spool of flouro with you so you can respool. I would have gone nuts fiddling with leaders and I'm comfy with the FG knot and used to be 100% braid to leader. The shop will have some mono for sure if you do decide to swap and haven't taken anything with. To your question about baits: 1) took this and was glad I did - Z-man Giant TRD. Kinda fishes like a 6" senko with a 7" senko diameter. If the bite is on you'll burn down bags of senkos way too fast. Probably hung off the back of one of the Siebert baccarac special jigs. 2) what I really wish I would have taken - 6-8" soft swimbaits. I don't think they see much of the bigger stuff. And many of them being tilapia eaters they probably like big meals. Line-through would be my primary, with a couple of owner beast-style softies if you are swimming around wood.

1) the spoon advice is really good and has made for a few great days over the last 30 days or so. Like a 10:1 lightswitch when nothing else would get them to eat. 2) when the spoon doesn't work (like it didn't for me this weekend) swim a big presentation over them (in my case a-rig or 6" swimbait) and when it gets a couple feet past them give the handle a spin - seems like it can trigger fish that are already full. Sometimes a handle turn will be enough, sometimes you have to rip it up like a spoon and then let it fall.

Thanks. Should be an easy test just dropping a different spool in.

Oh thank you I don't think I would have noticed those. Will report back when I get it in front of me.

I haven't - didn't want to start pulling parts out before I checked the collective wisdom. I see a single small screw to the right of the adjustment dial. Take that out, plus looks like the rest of it might be held by tabs or something?