BrianMDTX

The prep work for hunting and fishing is one of my greatest pleasures. But man! You need a label printer to make that truly profesh! lol

I thought I learned a lot and improved my deer hunting (especially bowhunting) on hunting forums. I’ve learned more on BR since I joined in May 2020 than I have in decades. The wealth of knowledge passed on to others on this site is incalculable. To the OP: you are as right about fishing as I’ve always felt about bowhunting. It’s not “what I do”, it’s “what I am”.

I have a feeling I know what it is. And...why he’s not saying it!

Bass REALLY get hungry after a Cali 420! That’s when you break out the Cool Ranch Senkos!

Dunk it? No. A little quick rinse bad for a reel? Anyone fish in the rain?

True. Personally, I think picking up the line on my index finger on a spinning rod and reel will instantly transmit a faint strike I'd likely not feel on a baitcaster. Different rigs. Different applications.

Wow. They’re out. Every other place I checked says “not available to ship”. I just bought a Aird X 701MFS on Amazon this morning (with a Amazon gift card). Just checked. Delivery says Arriving August 24. Good thing I don’t need it! Everybody and their mother must be buying fishing tackle!!!!

I just bought an Aird X casting rod. Check Sportsman’s Guide.

Beautiful boat. One question...you live near me? ?

Never backreeled. Likely never will. But, as stated above: I probably do that 5-10 a day. I could live without AR, but I wouldn't want to!

That could be it. In a current, you likely may not see line movement as easily as you can on flat water, and by the time you know a bass is on the line, it's had time to swallow it.

Yeah. If you guthook a crankbait, something's not right!

The side ties can be used as trailers in a pinch.

Have to admit. The one is chartreuse!

Congrats!

Truth be told, if I had to fish with that the rest of my life, I’d be ok with that.

What size and type hook are you using? I don’t know if smallies take a WR differently as there none where I fish. If they aren’t taking it on the drop, when are they hitting on it?

So far (knock on wood), I’ve only gut-hooked one bass with a WR. That was with a #1 circle hook. I’ve since switched solely to a 1/0 octopus hook and have not had a problem. But...I tend to cast a weightless Senko WR no more than 20’-30’ (mostly closer than that), so I do not have a large amount of slack line to reel in. If you’re bombing a Senko WR a long way and a bass takes it in as soon as it sinks, by the time you reel in all that slack I’m sure it increases the chance of gut-hooking regardless of hook type.

Or try a copolymer leader.

You gave it 8.2. But only 6.8 from the Soviet judge! (Gotta be over 40 to get that reference lol)

Good enough! I was asking as I equate the cost of equipment for fishing as I do to bowhunting and archery, with which I have much more experience. I have and do own some top-of-the-line bows, arrows, components, etc. But truth be told, an archer of the class of say, for example, fellow ex-Marylander Jesse Broadwater, would outshoot me every day of the week and twice on Sunday with a cheap Walmart special bow no matter what I’m shooting...because he’s that good. When you can put 90 out of 90 arrows in a spot the size of a dime at 20 yards, you’re good. No matter what you’re shooting. I’m thinking rods (and reels) are similar. I’m sure many anglers spend $$$ on upper end equipment to better themselves, but most probably lack the skill to fully utilize whatever increases in sensitivity, etc. that equipment offers to its fullest potential. And I’ve had a few G&T’s...so forgive my ramblings lol.

I can cast a weightless 5” Senko WR a lo-o-ng way. If I was fishing in cover so thick I needed weight to get a Senko to sink, I’d think it’s too nasty for a WR.

Or Yo Zuri Hybrid. I spool 12 lb YZH on my baitcasters and 8 lb on my finesse spinning rigs.

I was talking to a fishing buddy about this today. Man, I am NO expert, but I bet in the past two months I have caught bass out of my local pond that most have no clue are there. Why? That’s easy. They bomb lures as far as they can cast without any true reason for doing so, other than they can. Most use crankbaits and reel them in fast and cast again, and again, and again, to the same spots. Once again, with no plan of attack. 15-30 minutes later, with no fish, and they’re done. I’ve only witnessed one angler catch several bass. Out of a yak, tossing a small floating Rapala and methodically casting to heavy cover. Almost all were dinks, but he caught 7-8 bass. Most anglers want to cast and reel, cast and reel, cast and reel...because they get bored fast. Fishing a TR on the bottom can be boring...until your bait gets hammered. The truth is, most who fish are looking for a big bass right off the bat. They really aren’t interested in learning how to fish. They just want to catch them. I see the same in deer hunting. Walk in, climb in a stand, and after 45 minutes they want to move as “this stand sucks”. Too bad 15 minutes later a beauty of a 135-class ten point just slipped past that stand at 18 yards. Face it- you can’t teach patience.

I would say a 5” weightless Senko wacky rig. But I use spinning gear for that. If he is insistent on using a baitcaster, a weightless 5” Senko TR is a great teacher. Enough weight to cast accurately without risking backlashes, generates strikes and easy to fish. Why is he so insistent on using a BC? Does he feel that’s what “real” bass anglers use? Because I’m willing to bet that the majority of bass anglers have never used a baitcaster, or very infrequently.