Kevhead19

Wild Gill or plain ol' Gill are what I use the most. I'm using a 6'9 M/F baitcaster with 40lb braid / 14lb mono leader most often. I usually use the Popmax as a walking bait first and personally have more success with a straight walk rather than a slower traditional popper style. It's probably my most used topwater lure. Big fan.

I have the Tharp series Money Maker (7'3 MH/F) and had a BHittay (7'4 MH Mod Fast composite). I really, really like the action of the blanks. I dislike the micro guides but I have just decided to use straight copoly or braid as needed with these. The Money Maker is a stout MH and I would say it's more like a heavy with a flexible tip. I use it for texas rigs, jigs and frogs when it's not crazy deep pads/grass/slop. The BHittay is an excellent chatterbait / crank rod. It seems better with 1/2oz + trailer chatterbaits for me though. I sold due to mainly using 3/8 size and wanted something slightly less powerful. Thick diameter and weight on the composite but that comes with the territory. I am eying the Grinder model during the upcoming sale.

Afternoon walk with wife to retention pond yielded this today.

Sufix Advance for me. I use it pretty frequently.

I use the Tatula 100 (new body style) - 7.3 speed or the Johnny Morris Platinum 8.3 speed - 40lb braid and a mono leader (10-14lb depending on what I have with me). I use a leader that stops just before the line guide since I retie throughout the day. I have 6 of those Tatula 100s for my other rods that I rotate through as I really like that frame size. However, the Johnny Morris is a sleeper of a reel and has become my favorite. I got it last year on sale. I can't bring myself to pay full msrp for it but it's golden at a good sale price.

I use my Fury 733C for the big spook style walking baits in IL. It works really, really well for that also in addition to lipless. To echo - the 4 power is pretty nice with a 3/8oz chatterbait - I've used the Sierra series for that (734c) but moved towards the glass style rods but it gets pretty technique specific at that point.

DC736C - Frogs - probably my favorite rod I own DC704C - "Do it all" single hook DC736CB Glass - Chatterbait / 12-15ft crank DC705CB Glass - squarebill / topwater DC796SB - Spro rat 50 DC807SB - Large beast hook swimbaits SA734C - "Do it all" single hook SA704C - "Do it all" single hook SA703SF - Everything spinning SA705SF - Friend / family frog rog that cannot use baitcaster FR733C - Topwater walking baits FR735C - Frogs FR703SF - Everything spinning FR664C - Spinnerbait / bank fishing / truck rod FR663SF - Everything spinning CL703C - Topwater / spinnerbait CL705CB - Crankbaits I don't have a reel for every rod. I own way more rods than reels. Only a few were purchased at full retail. The rest were picked up via Dobyns refurbished or ALF used section. I planned to thin out the herd on overlap but shipping a rod really deters me from anything but local sales. I fish larger waters from a kayak and any ponds I can walk to. Maybe 4 rods with me in the kayak at once. The rest get cycled through as seasons or personal preferences deem needed. The most used for me are the 736C , 704C (any one), 703SF and the 796SB. You don't realize you may have an issue until you write it all down.

I purchased the B-Hittay and the Money Maker. I really regret selling the B-Hittay due to the braid to leader deal and use the Money Maker with straight braid. They have really comfortable grips and real seats. The composite rod was thicker due to the nature of the material but still really comfortable.

I had the Ark Tharp B-Hittay last year. It is a little heavy but fishes really, really well. I'm a big fan of the Tharp series action but not so much the guides. I sold it due to micro guides and using braid to leader at the time. I've since reversed back to copolymer for my chatterbaits and I'm strongly considering buying the rod again. It's a sleeper. I also used the B-Hittay for 5xd cranks from my kayak and it performed well. Great rod for the asking price.

Largemouth: tie Livetarget frog size 65 color white and black cow pattern and equal size on Spro Rat 50 ninja color Northern: Megabass popmax color gill

I haul around a pa14 with a Sierra and bed extender. I've been using the Erickson big bend extender and it works quite well. I've not had any issues securing it and use three straps in total. Longest drive over 2 hours on express way.

I can't speak for the Tatula but if it's like the Elite I tried it felt like a golf club to me when checking out in person. I found it awkward and heavy. Similar to you I had been using a Sierra 734c w/ braid to leader. I fish from a kayak in and wanted something different for the same reasons. I tried the Ark Tharp B Hittay and that rod is great other than micro guides so I sold it due to not liking a leader knot. I have not found a 736cb glass to try in person. However, I did get a 705cb glass which has been great for 3/8oz chatterbaits in grass on the kayak. If the 736cb glass loads like this, I would lean towards Dobyns first. Feels great since it is a composite and not super heavy in hand.

Casting: Daiwa and Doyo (BPS Carbonlite / JM Platinum) Spinning: Daiwa and Pfluegar

Currently: Rod - Dobyns Champion XP 736C FH Reel - JM Platinum 8.3:1 Line - Sufix 832 50lb Lure - Live Target Frog in the largest size, usually white or black