JediAmoeba

Tat 150 with 50# smackdown.

And furthermore, a mh graphite is surely not the same as a mh glass. The only thing that's pretty consistent is a manufacturers rods are consistent within their own lines.

Gajo Spirit Shads are my jam!

I am in the 50/50 class. A lot of times this is because I am holding the bait looking for the next spot I want to hit. If I am in a pad field where I am just constantly flipping over and over I never touch it unless it's weeded up.

Agreed. One thing about braid is the sizes are very subjective - it's very hard to measure the diameter of thread and therefore can be manipulated by manufacturers. Pick the one you think handles best and go with it - I have a lot of different ones on my reels.

I am excited to try the new Zoom Unitoad!

Big baits catch big fish. Period.

Bait Finesse System. Technology has gotten to the point where baitcasters and rods paired correctly are capable of comfortably and accurately casting 1/20 oz (or less) lures. I love it but I do recognize it is a relatively niche thing.

I have only caught fish on them in unpressured water.

I use a structure jig because most of the places I fish have a combination of wood and rock and they work great. Yesterday I was dragging bottom for 4 hours+ and never lost a jig. You can see it wore pretty well...

You should definitely call customer service and explain what happened. This is unacceptable. Is it going to get scratched in use? Probably. BUT that is for you to do!

Tomorrow the old rage thumper! Sometimes I use a Zoom monster but I have an abundance of Thumpers so going with those! This is an accurate assessment. Which is why I think it is weird when people say they are fishing BFS and have 10# fluoro on...I am usually using 10# braid to 5# sniper on BFS.

The first time I saw it, it was weird. Then I realized it looked a lot better and made sense since you never grip the handle there.

I fish a lot of big baits - gliders and large soft plastic swimbaits like hudds and I consider it finesse fishing. I am usually fishing it methodically and painfully slow to get the biggest fish to bite. I have spinning rods but almost never use them. Fishing a club tournament tomorrow as a co and I will have 6 rods - 1 xh swimbait rod, 2 heavy( a 3/4 oz jig and an 8" trashfish), 2 MH (a scrounger head and a Texas rigged 10" worm), and last a ML to fish a yellow magic the first hour or so... I don't consider any of it true power fishing.

I use vmc crossover rings - I have managed to catch 10 bass and fished about 8 hours with the same senko.

I throw 1/32 oz hair jigs on bfs or micro finesse jigs that are as heavy as 1/20 oz. Anything like 4" senkos I can throw on regular gear - I usually throw regular ned heads on my 7' medium rod with a tatula sv reel. No need for bfs.

The retainer clip that holds the bearing into the reel housing or the retainer clip that holds the shield on the bearing?

Berkley Fusion Wacky. Best hooks I have used for wacky rigging. https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Berkley_Fusion19_Hooks_Weedless_Wide_Gap_Wacky_Hook/descpage-SFWW.html?from=gshop&gclid=Cj0KCQjw4s-kBhDqARIsAN-ipH1P0OmwJO4tLa1EFOx8dMvqEIi3OzxFvnQvAnhx9LrDgu3SfbPXHqkaAoZPEALw_wcB

50# braid and send it. I would probably flip a Texas rigged senko or creature bait.

Dropshot. Adjust the bait up and down as needed.

The tip is light but when the rod loaded up, it does a pretty good job. I felt the same way you did on the first few fish but after keeping multiple fish pinned, including a 7ish pound catfish, I grew to really appreciate it.

I have the Dobyn's Sierra 7'4" light for hair jigs and neds- it is working very well.

I am visiting my sister in Austin TX this week and I have never been in heat like this... i can see how tackle would die in a place like this

Those look nice but the VMC ones have a much better hook up to land ratio IMO due to less material being under the hooks!

This is why 99% of what I do is braid to leader.