JediAmoeba

My biggest bass of 2023 will come on a Black Talon Donk or a Toxic Baits Wad3. Hopefully I can push up over 8 lbs this year.

I only buy smaller spools because I use braid for everything and leader up. Braid lasts me forever so I don't need to respool too often.

I may have one. If I do, you are welcome to it.

Start with baits that are easier to detect baits on - something like a Texas rig worm with a 1/4 oz weight pegged. (When the weight isn't pegged it adds a dynamic where the weight can fall and false bites can be felt.) I have found lightweight baits, like a ned rig are very hard for noobs to detect bites on...bite detection is something that comes over time- Braid makes it easier for bite detection but will also ruin the learning curve if he switches to mono or a coplymer.

Shimano or Daiwa - take your pick. Go to a shop and put one on your favorite rod and see which one you like best. I think it's very important, especially with spinning reels, to see how you like the feel and balance on the rod it will be used with...

Looking back a few my only decent days this year have been with a strike king structure bug on a 4/0 hook with a 3/8 oz tungsten weight and a bobber stop holding it in place. But this is what I pitch out in open water and let it fall near weed edges, stumps and other weedy hells. Color doesn't matter.

I see no reason why it wouldn't work. I have 500 sized spinning reels and in-line reels on my ice rods and they work fine for landing some big fish.

Those are nice rats but I am not paying 190 bucks for one. It is rumored that Bucca has an HD rat coming and I will get that one.

That seems excessive! I like it! ?

I have to say, my fishing woes lately don't matter. My 7 y.o. girl caught her first swimbait fish all on her own today using a zebco 33 with 12# mono and an old 6' 10" mh lews rod I had... Caught it on a Blackdog G2 Shellcracker. My son gave it his all and lost one a few casts later which upset him greatly but he will get it next time. I was waiting for this kind of weather where it was overcast, warm and little misty out.

I prefer a jig. When throwing it into fallen trees they just seem to come through better and give me better hook ups. Nothing beats the feeling of feeling that tap from a fish and setting your jig firmly into the side of a fallen tree in 10 feet of water with 65# braid.

Yeah, those are an insane price in the swimbait world.

Yeah, I think you guys are spot on - those 2 companies make those really shiny lures.

Does anyone here know what lures these are? Thank you in advance!

That's a funny looking Nittany Lion hat.

I was told some of my fishing woes were my hat...so I got a new one that hopefully has good juju.

Anyone have any time on the water with these? I made 5 casts and realized it isn't what I want or need. It seemed smooth enough but I can't think of an application where I need this kind of speed. Plus, I have never used a reel with only centrifugal brakes.

I agree on the whopper plopper but wholeheartedly disagree about the vision 110. It really does produce - I know you would never buy one but they work great.

I am known to throw 1/16 oz Ned rigs on my daiwa tatula sv's without any problems. The thing is, once you add he Ned worm it is closer to a 1/4 oz and flies better than a lot of 1/4 oz lures that I cast on baitcasters. When it comes to dropshot I just think that spinning rods work better for the technique and the longer awkward leaders.

So lately I have really been only fishing jigs. I am throwing them as deep into fallen trees and brush as I can and somehow have lost very few but decided to try some 3/4 oz ones and more trailers since those have been dwindling.

I pre-rig all my rods with terminal tackle but never thread a soft plastic on until I am ready to cast it. This is the way

Things haven't been getting any better as summer grinds on... Last 27 hours of Tournament fishing I have managed a whole 6 fish. Last 24 hours of fun fishing, only 7 fish. I have never had this much trouble getting a bite. I am banging my head against a wall. Last 2 man tournament had 25 boats and in 8 hours only had 2 boats get a limit. The bite right now is the toughest I have ever been through.