galyonj

6lb YZH is the same diameter (.01±.0004) as a lot of 10lb lines and probably has the same real-world tensile strength as a lot of 12lb lines. lol

Have you tried just going weightless on your texas rig? If you're catching on wacky, I'd be willing to bet your lure's falling too fast, regardless how long you wait before you move it once it's on the bottom.

To add to this, if the OP were to choke up on the rod a bit (hand at or in front of the reel instead of behind it), he'd be better able to control the rod tip, which leads to more confident hooksets and better control of the fish once hooked.

Over the summer I did quite a bit of research in prep for a (now indefinitely postponed) move to Oregon. One of the things I learned was, apparently, salmon anglers on the Columbia river system just hate smallmouth bass because they believe that smallmouth predation is the reason that salmon fishing is on the decline. You two (and other locals) would probably be the experts here, but I have serious doubts that aquatic species numbers decline so severely simply due to predation by other aquatic species. Fish have eaten other fish ever since the second fish hatched, and they seem to do just fine by themselves. I think it's far more likely that any decline in fishing is due to a combination of overfishing/poor fishing practices and poor management. I hate people sometimes.

I had no idea, but am richer for the knowledge. AFAIK they haven't made it up the Tennesee River. I thought about going out for a sesh when it was nice yesterday, but decided to work through the day instead. Might get to go tomorrow. Haven't looked that far ahead yet.

I was today years old when I learned that tilapia get that big.

Nah, that sounds about right for fishing it around the rubble and garbage that litter the bottom of TVA waterways. Letting anything small sit on the bottom here is a good recipe for losing that lure. The most successful day I've had fishing it was on sandy-bottom stretches of the French Broad. And even then, that rig spent more time yoyoing off the bottom than it did sitting there.

I don't watch him a bunch, but I really love his data-driven approach. I also feel like I'm not in a position to really draw much benefit from his analysis given that I primarily fish from the bank.

I guess I've only ever let one fishing trip be ruined, so to speak. Last summer I was fishing before work and, on my very first cast, the squarebill I was throwing hit the tip of my favorite rod (which, coincidentally, was also the most expensive piece of fishing gear I'd ever bought to that point) laying behind where I was sitting on the dock. Snapped it right off below the second guide*. I was gutted -- didn't even clear the birdsnest on my crankbait rod. Just reeled it in, picked up my stuff, and left to go to the office. * I fixed it not long after, but I never had any confidence in the rod after that. It snapped again trying to get unsnagged a few weeks later and is now leaning in the "fishing junk" corner of my office at home.

Got my finesse rod and an ultralight spooled with hi-viz (15lb and 8lb, respectively). Absolutely love it on there, and I've brought in a couple fish that I never would have known I had if not for it being easy to see the line moving. I have moss green Sufix on my jig rod, and that's mostly because it's just what I found at the store when I needed it and I didn't have the patience to make an order. The only rod I don't have spooled with braid is my crankbait rod, and I've thought a lot about doing that one too. Might do when it's time to respool. I use leaders, though. Knock on wood, but I've never had a leader knot break with a fish on.

That's true, I've seen your graph.

I haven't used brown much, but I've had pretty good sessions throwing a chart w/ black back squarebill at various times of the year.

I don't know how much coffee is enough. All I know is that I haven't had it yet. Hopefully in the next little bit I'll be useful for more than keeping this seat warm. I'm living vicariously through you all right now in terms of fishing gear. The mistress is overdue for some TLC, so I'm waiting on wheel hubs, knock sensors, and brake consumables.

Oh! That makes way more sense - and I clearly have not had enough coffee yet.

Did...you just buy a $200 jerkbait?

My favorite trick is to lock the windows and then act like I smell something wrong with the car so that my passengers start sniffing.

Probably you're right. At any rate I'm showing my tournament ignorance.

I'm far from a pro at...anything, but I think it would greatly impress me if my backseater BIL approached me and we worked out a plan for the day. Let me know what you're confident in, what you think you ought to bring, and together we figure out a way to make sure we're both contributing to the sack by working you through the options. I guess what impresses me is people not letting their ego get in the way of success.

I thought about it after I posted yesterday and that's all I could come up with as well. Like you, I'm not sure how comfortable I'd be trying to bring a bass in with a line-tie that's LEGO connected to the rest of the lure. lol I think it's more likely that the image DSG and/or Berkley chose to represent the product is just not good at representing the product in context of the text description. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

My biggest skirted jig fish did exactly that. I never even knew I had something on until I tried to drag the lure a few more inches; I have no idea how long it'd been sitting there with that thing in its mouth. This was during a cold snap last winter with air temperature in the low 30s. Bass are hard-pressed to turn down what looks an easy snack.

What, is it a kit? How are the line tie and bill interchangeable when one example doesn't even have a slot for the bill? Edit: I don't mean to sound like I'm giving you a hard time, I'm just thoroughly confused by this listing.

I think, with jerkbaits, your tempo is at least as important as lure coloration.

Where was that said?

Ripstops are pretty fire. I didn't think I'd like them as much as I do.