Bass Rutten

That’s it, thank you!

Can someone ID this old discontinued (I think) Rapala minnow bait? Sharpie for size comparison, about 7” and probably around 1-1.25oz

Most braids actually test out at 50-100% higher than it’s listed rating if my memory serves me well. I just buy based on the diameter that performs best for a given application.

I’m ok with it, we need the rain in a bad way up here.

Maxscent generals are in stock in a lot of places, cutting a big one in half makes two lil’ ones if my math is correct.

Welp, my off-the-shelf rod days may be numbered, I finally took the plunge into custom rod world. A 7'0" mod-fast swimbait stick built on a thrasher raw 73 saltwater blank, rated 1-3oz, styling cues taken from the Shimano Exprides that I love the look of. Had it built specifically for pitching & tight quarter casting rats, wakes, & glides around cover, docks, slips, etc. Should've done this years ago, I'm over the moon that the rod that's been in my head for years is now in my hands... And her new partner in crime zillion hd...

When did they start selling their blanks again? I thought they stopped doing that a while back.

Haha that’s kinda how i feel right now, I’m torn because I’ve gradually but surely became a power fisherman at heart over the years. Good to hear, I recall reading of this hook sticking and landing large fish without bending out, hence this post, hopefully they hold up to bubbashotting, gonna grab a few packs and give it a go to ease my way into finesse.

I’m looking to incorporate the dropshot into my repertoire due to this years unusually tough bite (drought, low water), weedless rigged preferably due to the heavy vegetation that occupies the local waters here most of the year. I’ve toyed with dropshotting in the past never too seriously but I heard through the grapevine that the owner downshot hook is “the one” for this application due to it’s design and extra length. 1st question: what’s the best size of this particular hook for the trick worm (6.5”), and what size for smaller 4” baits like finesse worms and dream shot style baits. 2nd question: Is fishing the dropshot in vegetation trying to fit a square peg in a round hole? Would also like to hear about your weedless dropshot setup (bubba shot included)… tips, tricks, rod, reel, line, hook, lures, etc.

Been going out during the middle of the day to see if I can put a daytime pattern together, well the pattern that emerged is not the one I expected, I've been catching northern pike up in shallow vegetation throwing 7" senkos and 4.8 keitechs on weedless flashy swimmer hooks. Summer pike really put up a dog of a fight, a 31 incher I caught recently was one of the hardest pulling fish I've encountered in years, it weighed in just over 6 lbs, boy was she fired up and angry!

I fish the speed worm on swim jigs, you could remove the skirt but I like it with the skirt, never rolls and comes through the jungle better than bullet weights, should work for most worms.

Citrusy? Shock top is very refreshing after a long hot day on the water.

My only bait specific rod would be my 7’ kage m/f spinning rod, the perfect rod for the amazing trick worm. I almost always start with a slider/shakey head or neko rig, then move on to wacky, flick shake, mojo/split-shot, or drop shot as needed.

That’s only part of the equation, tests have shown that red and green are the only two colors they can distinguish, but that does not at all imply they are attracted to those colors. I’ve always been of the belief that how dark or light (contrast) a lure is plays a much bigger factor than color.

Clinch, not improved clinch. In fact the trilene is also known as the double clinch knot.

You'll love the st croix 7' ml for light plastics. My first "real" rod purchase was a st croix premier 2pc 7' med-light about 25 years ago and that thing seen many places and caught many fish over it's 15 years of service (it's now retired). The st croix ml is a touch stouter than a lot of manufacturers med-light actions, a ml+ if you will, and very versatile... shakey head, split-shot, drop-shot, weightless, wacky, jerkbaits, small cranks, live bait, pan-fishing. If I could make only one recommendation for that rod it would be to drop the 15 and go to 10lb braid. I think you'll have to go up to the premier series to get a split handle though, they run about $160.00

To put a spin on a Bruce Lee quote... "I fear not the man who has cast 10,000 lures once, but I fear the man who has cast 1 lure 10,000 times" ?

I second the fanny pack, I often go bank beating with one rod, a small handful of lures, fish grippers, scale, measuring tape, and pliers and get it all in there. Cargo pants should be able to easily hold some plastics and hooks in the side leg pockets.

Jwr stands for jig worm rod and are designed to excel at bottom contact presentations obviously. The mbr’s are known for being on the moderate side of fast and excel at chuck n wind lures like spinner baits, chatter baits, swimjigs etc. but can also do bottom contact.

^1^ Easy on the eyes, not on the ears.

Who makes that gill wake, the 2nd photo from the top? (pm if you'd like)

The kink gives the worm a more tail up attitude and a slightly more vertical drop as well as a better hookup ratio, all advantages, that’s why the pros do it. I only want a straight and more streamlined horizontal presentation when trying to slither through vegetation, aka the slider rig.

It's probably the xf tip combined with the extra length that's making it a bit harder for you. I find that the action/taper of a rod has as much if not more to do with skipping ease and accuracy than the length.

The expride is the only one that will handle that lures weight and even though it’s technically a mod fast it’s still very stout and probably too stiff for a treble hook lure especially with braid, with mono it might be doable. I use my xh expride with copoly for weedless rigged beast hook and jig hook swimbaits. Only one way to find out if it works for you, tie one on and send it.

Never had issues with fluoro with the trilene and fishin’ fool knot (very underrated and overlooked imo), basically a uni with an extra pass through the eye.