BrianMDTX

Not sure exactly why that’s “neither”. If I’m reading charts correctly, 20# braid is equal to 6# mono as relates to diameter. 10# braid is equivalent to 2# mono. I’m not sure if a 6# leader is appropriate for 20# braid, but I’m pretty confident that a 2# leader is not. So what’s really the rule of thumb? Or is there none?

Question: should one attempt to match the diameters of the braid and leader (FC or mono), or the break strength? In other words, if I’m spooling a 10# or 20# braid on my spinning rod, what’s the correct size leader?

I know for a fact it was a green pumpkin green purple flake 5” Senko, as I have never caught a bass on a plastic worm until then. Sad, but true lol.

Depends on the walk. Some places I can fish from the bank 25’ or less from my truck. In those spots I’ll bring my full size tackle box and three rods set up for crankbaits, stickbaits and jigs/topwater. Other places that are a farther walk and down small paths I may only take a few lures in a small box and one rod. Truth be told, I’d rather have more than I’ll use than less than I need.

Beautiful fish, but the angler gives me the willies!

Sometimes it feels like that’s the truth!

I’d say 4 lbs. Now, as far as the size of bass and the size of ponds are concerned, who knows? Two weeks ago I caught this bass out of a pond I’d say is between 1.5 and 2 acres in size. At the time I had no scale (have one now), but did measure it at 22”. It’s my PB. Graphs online say it should be a shade over 6 lbs. I guess what I'm saying is that there are a lot of variables that affect the size of bass in a body of water, so the acreage of a pond is one variable but may or may not be the most important driver. Sounds like your pond may produce decent bass!

That’s a pretty bass! Good catch!

I ain’t knowed how “accurate” and scientific the tests would be considered, but I watched a couple of vids on YT testing fluoro leader vs fluoro mainline, and fluoro vs mono as far as abrasion resistance. The leader and mainline were basically a tie. The mono greatly surpassed the fluoro. Granted, it’s not really a lab-grade test, but it was interesting.

Setting up a spinning rod and going to try braid with a fluoro leader. As the purpose of a fluoro (or mono) leader is for visibility, what’s the preferred length? 6’? 12’? Getting a Daiwa Revros LT2500-XH. What do you recommend for sizes of braid and fluoro leader for casting soft plastics?

Yesterday was tough on the pond. Sunny and hot (90s) and very still. Nobody was catching much of anything. My first bass was 1.5 lbs, 15” on a weightless green pumpkin Senko Texas rig. The second was maybe 9” long. Switched over to a weightless green pumpkin wacky rig later in the afternoon. I went to the other side of the pond (accessed by a footpath in the woods so it’s tight and not much room to cast) and found a small hole where I could flip the Senko underneath branches overhanging the water by maybe 10”-12”. First cast, nothing. Second cast the wacky rig got whacked as soon as it hit the water. Almost 2 lbs (weighed 1.8 and 16”), but it was a fighter. Last catch of the day. That was my first catch on a wacky rig using an O ring. I don’t know if over the long run I may lose fish on strikes having the hook parallel to the stickbait vs perpendicular when hooking through the body, but the Senko and O ring were inches up the line and in perfect shape rather than ripped to shreds. I like that O ring rig!

I was a kid in the 60s and a teen in the 70s. C&R was basically unheard of, and if someone caught a 5 lb bass and let it go, other anglers would have thought they were insane. When I think back to all the 12”-14” bass my family, friends and I kept back then, I shake my head. A lot of things have changed in bass fishing since I was young. But I’d say the overall acceptance of C&R is probably the best change that has come about. You get the challenge of the strike and the catch, take a pic, weigh and measure it, and maybe someone else catches it when it’s a bit bigger. What a great concept.

Being born and raised in Maryland, I know Lefty Kreh. Well, not like I knew him personally lol. Yet I never saw this know before. I was in the Army, not the Navy. I stink at knots. That one is easy-peasy to tie!

Well, nice is in the eye of the beholder. No hits pretty much all day on wacky rigs. Just before leaving I found a bank with some overhanging trees and the water was clear with a sandy vs muck bottom. Second cast this bass hammered the 5” Senko as soon as it hit the water. Just a bit under two lbs but put up a great fight! And the Senko made it through unscathed!

It’s all good, I guess. Whatever works for the individual angler. At least I broke the ice this morning on the new rig. Shade over 1.5 lbs and 15”, but was a fighter. No hits on the wacky wig or weighted Texas rig with a 5” Senko. Switched to a weightless Senko Texas rig and nailed him on the second cast. And so far I’m liking the Yo Zuri hybrid line. Haven’t had one issue (knock on wood).

It would be a real hoot if an O ring that was on a broadhead that passed thru a buck or doe wound up helping to lure in and land a nice bass.

Not speaking from true experience, but an arrow saw (used to cut carbon arrow shafts) would likely do a great job cutting a rod.

Good question. I don’t know, but I will say my mfg in 1970 2052 is still smooth as silk and one of my favorite spinning reels. On a 5’ Cabela's Black Lightning ultralight rod, it had enough oomph to haul in this bass two weeks ago. It may not have been that high-end of a reel 50 years ago, but I love that reel!

Well...I returned the LH baitcaster and got a RH lol. Here’s what I think. Being right-handed, holding a spinning rod in my right hand for the cast feels natural, just as casting with a baitcasting rod in my right hand feels natural. Reeling just feels different. My best guess is that the handle on a spinning reel is below the level of the axis of the rod whereas on a baitcaster it is above the level of the axis of the rod, and somehow that makes a difference in how natural it feels when cranking the handle. I can crank a spinning reel very fast and smooth with my left hand, but it feels erratic and awkward doing so left-handed on a baitcaster. I did not think it would make that much of a difference, but to me, it did. It’s as if I’m off-balance.

I have one in my tackle box that’s at least 40 years old. Never caught a fish with it lol.

I just spooled some 12# Yo Zuri hybrid on my new baitcaster. Anxious to see how I like (or loathe) it tomorrow. I’ve never used anything other than mono, so I thought this would be a good starting point. I tied a Palomar knot on a 1/0 circle hook and actually found it easier to manipulate the line while tying the knot than I did with mono. That’s a good first impression.

I fished some wacky rigged Senkos (hooked through the body) recently, and was successful, but those Senkos took a beating. Wanted to try using O rings, but wasn’t sure if I should try HD, Lowe’s, etc. Then I remembered I have a hoard of 100 grain Rocky Mountain Revolution broadheads for bowhunting that use O rings to keep the blades closed until impact. I bought about 100 of them for $125.00 (that was a real steal), and they came with numerous packs of replacement O rings. Hmm-m-m...would they fit? Lucky day today!

And if you get skunked others will feel bad for you. In the first boat they’d sneer and laugh lol.

I agree. That’s a Big &@%# Hank almost anywhere! And...that was a good story! You had me hooked until the end! ?