Luke Barnes

Thanks! Granted I dont need to worry about the drag because i have it cinched all the way down, but for geara most definitely!

Interesting. I recently got a SLX XT that is a mix of aluminum and magnesium. Ive yet to fish it yet due to being sent the wrong rod. But it's very light weight and way more solid than the graphite reels I have. I can't remember what the side plates are made of though.

Very good info. I recently got an SLX XT and should have the rod today. It definitely doesnt feel as free spooling as my Lews but its smoother. I was going to fish it for a day before tinkering any. Now i know netter what to look at. What grease is best for the gears? Im guessing use grease over oil because the grease will stick and not fling off??

I was shipped a 6'10 M EF SLX rod by mistake and i was suprised how much backbone it had. I think it could handle dock skipping pretty well. I actually really want one now for a spinnerbait/chatterbait/swim jig rod. I think the extra fast tip made all the difference.

I really debated one for a long time as a frog rod but ended up going with a Shimano SLX 7'2 H. But 2 days ago I finally got to hold an Aird-X and they felt really nice and were a great looking rod. Much better than I had anticipated and I think would have been a great rod too, but I basically got the SLX rod for free so couldnt pass it up.

I have a Tracker Topper 14 and have two seats in Swiveleze pedestals. I bought a cheapo rivet gun to rivet the base to the seat platform but am worried about the aluminum being too thin and them pulling out. How has everyone mounted seat bases to aluminum?

Ive been eyeballing them because I want some weedless prerigged soft swimbaits. I had a LiveTarget or was it Lunkerhunt, soft segmented swimbait that the hook tucked into the top fin that I really liked but lost it on a terrible cast into cat tails.

My favorite swim jig I dont actually know the brand. I got it in a subscription lure box and cant remember, but it has a very nice pointed head. I use Berkley Power Swimmer paddletails and really like it and have caught alot of bass on it.

Ive had the best luck swimming it just under the surface over grass. I rig it with a paddle tail as well. If I reach a hole or an edge of the grass I slow it down and let it sink some and flare the skirt.

Ive had a blowup on a frog and caught one and lost it two feet from me on a frog and that's been it. But..... My frog rod should be here tomorrow so I'm throwing topwater, especially frogs, like crazy once I get the time to get back out.

I have a bag of Gambler Ace and SK Ocho. Ive thrown the Ocho on a weightless t-rig and that's it. Dont yell at me, but ive never fished a wacky rig, so no idea how the action is on them.

I always leave them on and never noticed any rust. The only thing i won't leave on a book is a Gulp Minnow.

I asked this in another thread with no replies. I have Finesse Ted's, Ticklerz, and TRD Crawz I want to try, but have never used a mojo rig so was wanting input as well. Also I need to buy some smaller EWG hooks. Like 1 or 1/0.

3 or 4/0 offset round bend worm hooks. I almost exclusively use Eagle Claw Laser Sharp hooks because they are plenty sharp at a good price. If I'm throwing Flukes or craws I go to the same but in EWG. May bump up to 5/0 if I'm fishing a fluke and want it to sink faster.

Big hugs with big trailers may weed out the dinks. Catch rate will go down but they should be decent bass.

Ive got a pack of Rage Menace I bought for my regular chatterbaits I will try on the jackhammer for sure. I got a gift card for fathers day so I picked up a pack of Zakos in Electric Shad. They look amazing, color and shape. But $8 a pack and they dont last long, not sure I would spend my actual money. So I'm going to do a test with the Zako, Razor Shadz, and Rage Menace, Barkley Powerswimmer, and SK Rage Swimmer. Maybe I should do my first you tube fishing video!?!?!

I got a gift certificate and they were on sale so I picked up a Jackhammer and a pack of Zman Razor Shadz for trailers but when I got them in the razor shadz look really big and bulky and long so I dont know how well they would do. What's everyone running for trailers? I see the Yamamoto Zako that Brett Hite designed to be a trailer for it and have seen people use paddletails. But what's everyone having the most success with?

Today I made it out to beat the bank of a small lake with a buddy. I had my swim jig tied on and a squarebill, and of course i brought my ned rig setup along. Caught 8 bass! All on the swim jig im happy to say. After about 30 minutes i figured out a pattern they ambush it right before a grass line when reeled towards the surface. I'm a believer. It came through the grass really well. I think my flipping jigs would have gotten more gunk on them for sure. But still probably would have worked if i had the right colors in them. I dragged and popped it, but they wanted it swimming right at the edge of the grass line.

Yeah i just wish they would overnight me the correct rod to make up for it. Also i bought some Sunline braid when i bought the combo and its said shipping label created on the 16th and that's it. No updates on tracking, it shows the USPS hasnt even received it yet.

EOk thanks for the input. I think I'm going to tie on a swim jig just because I like the color the best for where I'm going tomorrow. I dont have any shad colors in a non swim head jig. But if they dont like the color I'll go to a Pro Model with a Rage Craw and swim and drag that. Anyone popped or dragged a chatterbait? It's just a jig with a blade but I wonder if the blade interferes with bottom contact.

Got it sent off today and they said the right rod will be sent Monday. So more waiting.

I get the head shape on a swim jig is more pointed to swim through cover better. But i have some Strike King Pro Model jigs that I do traditional jigging with, but would they be just as effective throwing a paddle tail soft swimbait on it and swimming it? What about bottom jigging with an actual swim jig? Better yet, bottom jigging with a chatterbait? I just hate fishing an area then retying a different lure and fishing the same section again. If one of them will do it all that would be so much easier. Like make a pass jigging, then make a pass swimming.

I'm so ready! I should have my frog rod in by Tuesday and got some new frogs to try out, so I'm super ready!

I called them and they emailed me a return label, I dont have a printer, and told me that once I drop it off at the post office to call them and they will send the correct rod out. I don't feel good about that. They messed up and aren't making it easy to get the correct rod.

And...... They sent me the wrong got dang rod!! I took it out of the tube and thought man, that looks way shorter than 7'2. Flipped it over and its a 6'10 M/XF!!! So have to return it and get a the right one sent to me. The reel was correct and I love it just holding it!