Manly Studson

I’ve been pleased with my 6’ ML Fenwick HMG. It is closer to a medium than a light, and you can throw 1/8 oz poppers and even small jigs with it. The rod is as sensitive as an Avid.

Vanford and Son... “Yeah we’re movin’ on up!”

This is what I heard too. I also heard it is easier on gears. Often enough I feel the reel resisting when I crank the handle to get the bail to close. So I always do it manually.

Popper or Senko. Just one? Then I’d invent a popping Senko.

Thank you for the replies and suggestions. The popper won out again today. The water was clear today, so that I could see what fish did before striking. They swam away when I fished the lure aggressively, but they came closer to investigate when I fished it subtly. Maybe smallmouth are a little weary of the vigorous zig zag of spooks right now. I’ll try them again though.

I think a baitcaster worth it’s salt can take some abuse drag-wise. I back off the drag when the reel isn’t in use. Otherwise I set it to around 1/4-1/3 strength of the line. 10 pound mono with 2.5 to 3.5 pounds drag works well for the smallmouth I catch.

I can get strikes on many top water lures, but not a walking one. I can walk the dog, but no fish notices. Tie on a popper or other top water lure, and the fish react. Anyone have enough success with spook-style baits to keep one on hand? Any suggestions for me? I mostly fish for smallmouth in streams. Thanks for the help.

St. Croix makes a spinning rod for skipping. It’s short, but accurate and sensitive. I like short spinning rods for skipping better than casting rods. I’m able to skip under docks with a casting rod so long as I’m not too close.

The Lifetime kayaks work well for me too. The rear storage hatch is oddly placed, but I can still place a crate on top of it.

Rapala makes a popper in their ultra light series. I’ve caught a lot of SMB in streams with them. They’re only 1/8 oz, but they have produced more for me in streams than larger poppers.

I’ve always used casting for frogs, and I’d like to keep doing it. I am not against using a spinning rod; I just haven’t done so with a frog before.

Never heard of a trailer hook for a frog. Very good suggestion.

Preferably between $100-$150.

I throw 1/4 oz LiveTarget or Booyah frogs, because bass in my neck of the woods seem to prefer that size. I can cast them well on a medium power rod, but I prefer the hook setting power of a medium-heavy rod. If anyone has recommendations about a rod which can cast small frogs and can set the hook well, I welcome your suggestions. Thanks.

If you’re learning how to cast a baitcaster, then I think monofilament line is best. The other types of line work on a baitcaster, but they take a little more practice in my opinion. Berkley Trilene XL is a good place to start. 10 to 12 pound clear or clear/fluorescent is visible without being hi-vis.

Does anyone have experience using the following rods: 5’9” extra-fast Avid or 5’10” extra-fast LTB? Both are spinning rods. The specs for both rods will work for the lures I will throw. The Avid is SC III graphite and the LTB is SC IV. I expect to purchase one or the other soon. But first I wanted to see if there were helpful comparisons. Thanks.

Rebel lures work. Middle Wees and Crickhoppers especially. Rapala’s ultra light poppers work well too.

The SG1 is a good suggestion. If you aren’t fishing but a few times a year (really the SG1 is good for more) then it is a decent rod.

Those tiny jigs are great. They’re hard to pair with a trailer, but they have produced for me (I cut a TRD Craw in half as a trailer; the SK Bitsy Craw might work if cut in half). Caught my largest bass last year in October with the micro jig.

That’s because fall is football season. Even the bass know.

I am cheap. My kids raid my tackle boxes too. But I am seeing the value of owning lures that work well without any need for tuning or modifications. I may advance to higher priced lures one day.

X2. I don’t count lures. But I do know what I need without too much thought about inventory. My mental notes about fishing seem to stick better than other kinds of notes.

Yes, that is the pronunciation! It’s the only brand I use that I have to wait for a sale before purchasing.

Daiwa Fuego = day-wuh fooh-go

I’m not sure why someone called it a mud fish. They were in shallow water and going for top water lures. I was in middle GA when someone called a pickerel a mud fish.