GetFishorDieTryin

No difference at all, you keep the line taught, barb or no barb. Its the pressure that keeps the hook pinned. A barb is like a secondary safety measure, it will help in a certain situation, but its not something you should depend on to make a difference. Say you get a new car that has airbags where you're old one didn't. That added safety feature shouldn't change the way you drive.

This is a common issue when people their first traditional surf rod, most of which are mod or mod/F. If you try to arm cast like you're throwing a weightless worm on a 7ft FW bass rod, all your going to do is get discouraged at the poor distance and wear yourself out. You have to learn how to load the blank on the back swing and unload on the release. If you cant find any videos tutorials on casting swimbait rods, there are loads of tutorials for surf casting, the principles are the same.

I'm sure they're others, but first to mind is an Easy Shiner. Even in frigid water that tail will swim at the slowest of speeds, because of the super soft plastic. The trade off is they aren't very durable. Keitech makes so many colors you're bound to find one that matches the bait. MBs Spark Shad will swim at a slow speed as well. Beast Coast makes super soft swimbaits as well.

I just responded to the question asked without reading the entire thread. Hope you have better luck with the uni uni.

White turns to brown pretty fast I dont flip the spool until it gets ropey. With hard use, usually lasts roughly a year.

For line that light you go 6 wraps for FC and at least 7 for PE. I do recommend you learn the Alberto. When tied and trimmed correctly its a superior knot.

Ive got dozens of MB, Duo, LC, and other top brands and none of them have been a true suspend out of the box. So far the baits that are a true suspend out of the box have been 2 of the older RC STX JBs. Having said that my favorites are still Duo and MB. In the winter you need a true suspend or super slow sink, and its pain to get it right, but its worth it. Once the water warms up a bait that takes 10 seconds to rise or sink a couple inches isn't necessary.

Check out Riots Tantrum

Not out west, but have done well in quarries in the east that have 10'+ viz.

Molix Kento Jig Jackall Chunk Craw

As a kid they checked my tackle bag after the X ray. They said the hooks looked like hypodermic needles. I was 11 YO and by myself, I guess they thought I was a drug mule, before they actually searched the bag.

The Cabelas around me still carries Daiwa

I like to at least 1 of these, wind, clouds, slightly reduced viz. I cant think of a day where Ive beat them down on a SB and not had at least 1 of those going for me. I dont think you need necessarily need a stain, but it helps IMO. Any kind of surface disruption with lower viz helps distort the bait along with the boat. It may only buy you an extra second or 2 as the fish is following the bait to you're feet, but sometimes thats all it takes, along 1 last aggressive reel twitch or stop and start to get that fish to commit.

IMO it's the best time for a SqB. Limited algae, aggressive fish and often some stain to the water. I really like to fish them in pads that are just starting grow. You get em snagged on the stem or leaf and tear em out. It works really well in places that have limited cover or grass.

I like to use them in colder muddy water. You can slow roll a 1/2oz bait in 18" of water without hitting the bottom. Zorro makes a long and short arm single col. I replace the band with wire, makes the skirt puff out a little.

I don't think Avid X sold like they had hoped. The Avid X line was geared towards the anglers who favored the newer style grips and lengths, kind of like the original Mojo Bass compared to the premier line. It's just the easiest line to drop.

You know if Avail has a 90mm that would fit a 20 Met?

I have a 7'1 M F Muse that I really like. I use it for just about anything that's too light for a MH. Its got a lightish tip, but not whippy. Its rated like a typical M power 1/4-5/8 but the rating is accurate. It can throw 3/16, but to really get the rod to load you need 1/4 oz. If you break a 13 rod they replace it with the cost of shipping. The Omen Black 3s are on sale right now and they share the same blank as the Muse. Ark probably has a great M power rod for the money, but I havent had any experience with anything but their 7'3 MH.

The 3x VMCs I use a ridiculously heavy for S/LMB IMO, I use them on surf plugs. I dont think the 3x Mustys are nearly as thick, dia wise, although I imagine they could be comparable strength wise.

If you're really concerned about back lashes, go with an SV or DC. Don't forget to take into account that the rod is just as important. You can have the nicest combo on the planet, but if you try to use baits that are too light, you wont have a good experience. Try to zero in on a weight range weight of the baits you plan to throw and find a rod that can load with weight on the lower end of the scale.

I think Zebco has a product that may interest you...

My OP perfectly conveys the point I was trying to get across. If anything I would remove the "likely" from "leaving fish behind."

IMO if you're fishing wood and not losing any chatterbaits, you're likely leaving fish behind. You can use creature baits, chatterbaits with brush guards, a softer rod along with mono or FC instead of braid, but in the end if you're effectively covering wood, losing baits frequently is a certainty.

I dont have any Daiwas for that reason, they just dont feel as good in my hand as a Shimano. Having said that, had the JDM zillion had a brass main I would have bought one. If you decide to get rid of it let me know.

I used a triple palomar years ago chunking for big stripers. I dont bait fish much anymore and when I do I use a standard palomar on terminal tackle and have put it to the test, without any failures. Really in the end it comes down if you are tying the knot correctly and the confidence you have in the knot.