galyonj

FWIW, my newest rig is a 7'2" MH/F Lew's TP1 Black with a 6.8 LFS. I sometimes wish the gearing on the reel was a touch faster, but I have absolutely zero complaints about the reel or the rod. Lew's is putting out some pretty legit stuff.

I might be the odd man out here, but I don't use the hook keeper. I just hook it to the body on my reel.

I had the same issue with my BF order from Tackle Warehouse. One box came, but my rod rode around in a truck for 3 days before I gave up and had them hold it at the distribution center. Went and got it myself instead of waiting for it to get sent back or lost or whatever.

I had a dink choke a lipless a few weeks ago. Don't think I've ever had that happen before. Got it out by going up through the gill plate with the pliers on my Leatherman. Fish had no blood leaking out and swam off to fight another day.

If it's any consolation, every time I pick up a spinning rod I've got to fiddle with it for a while before I get my hand in a place where it feels natural. I usually end up with my pinky behind the reel foot for lack of anywhere better to put it.

I really think, a lot of the time, we give the fish too much credit. If it's vaguely food-sized, and/or it looks like an easy meal, and/or it's aggravating the fish in some way, that lure's gonna get bit if there's a bass around. Bass aren't gonna sit there and say "Well, I dunno what this fool's doing. Crawdads ain't even in season." Right on. I can absolutely see this being a nice trick to have in your back pocket if you're not 100% on what the bottom feels like, or you're like me and you're cheap so you don't have the most sensitive rod blanks.

I've never done this, but I like the idea a lot and I'm gonna try it when I go out later today.

Most important thing in this whole thread, because it ties all the other points together. Sometimes they don't even want a pop at all. Last jig bass I caught, I was just about deadsticking on the bottom – just rattling the tip every little while.

I'll go out on a limb and say that any water that contains bass is water in which a jig will work.

Sometimes you just gotta throw up your hands and admit there's no figuring it out. lol

Yeah, the bite this year sucked on the big water. We didn't even have a fall this year. It feels like it went from summer to winter and, ironically, my hook heated up once the water temps started dropping hard. I've no idea why, but I ain't gonna argue with it.

Yeah that's fair. I grew up fishing Loudon, and I've caught fish on Loudon this year, but dang, it's a tough bite. I think they see so much pressure all the time that they've got fish PTSD or something. GL on Norris tomorrow. It's been a long time since I was up there.

Man, that'd grind Knoxville to a halt for at least three days. I guess the trade-off for the rest of the country making fun of our inability to drive in the smallest bit of snow is that the water here never freezes, and the bite never truly dies.

Switched it up and went early instead of around lunchtime. Just as I was about to pack up to go to the office, this chunky two-pounder hit on a lipless. Tailwalking back to me in 40-some degree water. So much for lethargy.

Ned rigging is a finesse presentation, with a little hook and a very light jig head. This is a trout trick.

Try a direct link.

That catfish is beautiful.

Another dinky lunchbass. This one was 1lb 2oz, and I caught it dragging a @Siebert Outdoors jig with a Christie Craw that I dug out of the bottom of my backpack on it.

Oh, no question. The only way it could've been worse is if it had to be declared a superfund site.

I wouldn't a bit mind eating the fish I catch here locally, but I'm partial to the taste of fish that hasn't been marinating in Pennzoil its whole life. I love the fishing here, but the water is nasty.

Interesting. I would characterize the water I caught it in as "murky," at best. And I'm probably being real charitable with that. I've seen how wide the color variance can be with LMB, but nothing like this before.

Caught a funny lookin' dink yesterday afternoon. Everything I know to look for points to a largemouth, but the color's like nothing I've ever seen. I know a little about snakes and stuff, but not all that much about fish. Is it amelanistic, maybe?

The hi-viz seems like it stays a little better than the darker green in the 832, IME. Honestly, like you, I don't really care how long the color stays. It casts so well, especially for the price, that I don't see a lot of reason to switch up.

I ordered yesterday. So excited. I need some new jigs anyway.

Have mercy. I wish I could accidentally pin a football like that. Rude fish, though. Interrupting your testing sesh like that.