GetFishorDieTryin

I used to use the Gami wacky hooks and they work. I found the longer shank neko style hooks to have a slightly better hookup ratio, but the biggest reason I went to the neko is because of where it hooks the fish. Both the VMC and Owner neko stick em in the roof of the mouth 9 of 10 times. I dont get that kind of placement with the Gami wacky.

Used to the OG Fireline dig into the spool on my Penn SS reels. 3 things have changed that. 1) I use reels with far better line management. 2) OG Fireline was flat which caused it to dig. The introduction of the 1st gen PP, which was much rounder, really helped. 3) My dad didnt fish, so being 10 years old I had to learn how to manage line through trial and error. I suspect your issue to be a combination of several factors. First off, your drag doesn't need to be that tight. I get by with 5lbs going for much bigger fish on surfcasting gear. You should be able to get by with 2-3lb in the vast majority of situations. If there any gaps in the top or bottom of the spool, its not a digging issue its a line stacking issue that you need to attempt to remedy with spacers. If you really are winding it on tight enough and you still have digging issues, then it could be a line recovery issue. You want to avoid recovering slack line at all costs. Just lifting the rod tip or pinching the line between your fingers to add tension should make a big difference. I dont know what line you are using, but you could try a different brand. If you are currently using a light wispy line like Jbraid go to 832. If youre using a wiry braid, try something a little more limp.

Buddy of mine has 1 that I used for a few hours. Put about 12 fish on it and pitching senkos around laydowns. It felt like it had plenty of power and I kinda liked the knobs, but other then that I couldnt see why my buddy paid anywhere close to retail for it. Thats why it's gonna be a no for me dog,

Im not fanatical when it comes to spinnerbaits, but I do really well with them when I have the right conditions. I feel like I might be able to pump a 3/8 in 10-12' with some efficiency. If Im tryin to bottom trace in water deeper then 8' I think staying with 3/8 would hurt me more then help. Even using 12 lb FC, inner layer skirt trimmed and a twin straight tail as a trailer that 3/8, Im still going to have make considerable effort to keep that bait from rising on the last half of the cast. I could use a 5/8 and just slow down a bit and drop my rod tip as I work the bait closer.

I used to use Blue label for everything, but TBH its not necessary the vast majority of the time. The only time I use it anymore in FW is to get a bait down in the water column on lightest weight possible or if Im using really light/small baits. I get by with Red Label or InvizX fine, and I think I actually prefer the Red Label. You just have to be mindful tying knots and check the line for abrasion after every fish.

13 Omen Black, Phenix Maxim, Ark Tharp

The older M power triumphs were essentially a MH and the new ones are closer to their older style ML (1/8-1/2) which is still available in the older and mostly inshore lines, like Avid Inshore Legend Inshore and so on. Although Im a fan of SC they seem to be going with that lighter in power and slower action throughout their FW lines and Im not too keen on that. They have improved the balance of the rods, but in some cases the sensitivity just isnt even close to what it should be on certain models. As far as the triumph goes, its a decent blank with budget guides and decent cork. The quality of the Mexican made rods has improved dramatically since they started with the 1st gen mojo bass line. While the triumphs are decent rods I would implore you to look elsewhere. They cost a little more $, but a Tatula will blow a Triumph out of the water in every category.

Locally the lakes are small around here so taking a few casts on those do nothing banks while passing them doesn't take much time out of the day. I found that I don't catch many fish doing that, but the ones I do catch are generally better fish. More times than not, ill eventually find there is a little piece of cover that I couldn't see on my graph. It could be a partially buried lily root or something unnatural like an old minnow trap or even a brick.

WDYM by small cranks?

Regal 2500 or 3000 and 13 Fishing Fate Black or Ark Catalyzer. If youre going to throw lighter stuff a ML would work or a M for heavier baits

Hard to beat a double tail grub any time of the year. A Jackall Chunk Craw is a good option too. If you want a lot of movement try Riots Tantrum. For a dead action Arizona Custom Baits Limit Out Craw would fit perfect. Did well with BB crickets earlier in the winter and late fall. TRD hogz, tiny chunks, so many options.

Yo yoing taps and jigs in the stumps early, gives way to cranks, heavier traps, spinnerbaits and swimjigs. I fish swimjigs to find lanes where I can throw a crank confidently without hanging it. Spinnerbaits will work too, but I find that I need a little wind or stain in the water for them to work well. Chatterbaits work great, but they snag too often on deflection which spooks the bigger fish. T rigged tubes and jigs can work well too, just be mindful that the root systems can be washed out. If the jig falls into the hole it can be hard to get the out at times. Look for isolated stumps or lily roots, even on featureless banks. For whatever reason it seems like the better fish really prefer that isolated cover.

I thought I remember hearing on a YT vid that Daiwa had found that a shallow wider spool will cast farther then a narrow spool. Dude was comparing the newest Alphas BFS spool to an Aldebaran BFS spool, and was explaining how Daiwas theory was a little different from Shimanos.

I really like TCB for spinning gear far more then 832. I actually broke brand new #15 TCB 10" above the an Alberto knot I had gloved up to tighten. Not sure what happened, but thats the only unforeseen issue Ive had with it. After heavy use it loses its shape and strength, but by that time the line has frayed so bad any failures should be on the angler for neglecting to trim the mainline or flip the spool. If its on my main spinning reel which sees use all year in FW+SW it lasts roughly a year.

Bubbling Shaker and Robo Alive Shad

The cork helps a whole lot IMO. I do wish they would have changed the reel seat on the casting models. Im not a fan of how it bows out towards the rear grip .

I love my Tatula, I really think there's a strong argument that its the best all around value at its price point. The elites felt really nice, but according to a Daiwa the blanks are the same and the elite represents and upgrade in the guide train and that goes for both elite models. I would have gone for the Elite had they not been so hideous. The prototypes look a little better, I like the flatter grey over the chrome silver of the current model, but the grey to black fade looks like something you would see on a rack at wal mart.

It depends on the characteristics and qualities of the line. Thicker wiry braids like OG PP or V2 (to an extent) take a longer time to get "ropey," where a more forgiving wispy line like J braid or TCB fray a little faster. IME 4 carrier braids don't seem to resist it a little longer, but once they do start to fray the strength of the line is significantly compromised where a good 8 carrier doesn't seem to have the same kind of loss of breaking strength. Again in my experience the coated lines seem to more susceptible to fraying. It doesn't take long for that coating, whether its just a waxy film or Teflon to completely wear off and once that happens it doesn't take long to notice the outer fibers starting to fray.

What makes Tranx different is its durability and power. Its a reel with no unnecessary frills, just good corrosion resistant BBs where it needs them and a smooth sealed drag. That formula just happened to make it a good big swimbait reel, which made it a very marketable reel. Since Tranx was building a following among the FW crown they came out with the smaller model 200 and now the 150. Ive had only had personal experience with the 200 throwing 1oz darters at blues and bass off of the jetty, which it did great. Im not the best person to ask about which one would be better, but for deep cranking I would go with the 200. I wouldnt be surprised if the 150 is essentially a Curado with some of Tranx tech. The 200 has a power handle, and I would think the 150 would as well, but I really dont know.

Theyre just good solid reels with exceptional torque for their size.

I would go with with #6, but you could get away with #4 if you're careful. Mosquito Lite hooks would work really well. I usually use 1/8 swagger closed eye cylinder DS weights. If you need to go lighter, then go with Reins TG slim DS sinkers. As for a baits I really like Roboworms 3". Just about anything will work, you're only limited by you're imagination.

I could see the 1st gen DCs having some issues for sure, sucks to have a good reel like that with a bad braking system. I have an SLX DC, and while its not the end all some people make them out to be, theyre good reels for chucking and winding. Casting or pitching short distances, the idc4 system doesnt have the air time to work. Im curious to see how that SLX 70 DC with the MGL spool does.

Thats an OG US made Torque the best spinners Penn has ever made. The US Torques are built so well and the fact that they dont make them anymore means that the people who want them will pay top dollar, especially for the gold models. The discontinued gold VSs are selling for the same price and people are buying them.

I cant see this new Hyper Marketing edition Tatula being anything under 300$ if the main is AL. Even if the main is that BS zinc Daiwa has no problem asking top $ for it, just look at Saltist MQ, a 300$+ spinner with a cast zinc main. Theyre really doing a number on the USDM reels. Yep, Ballistic and Procyon LT are no longer made, which is weird because they still make the old Saltist spinners.

Thats what I do with most of my 1/4 jigs (if they dont come like that already) which make up the majority. Most of the bigger fish caught on swim jigs are fry guarders and it seems like the best way to catch them is to bring the jig in slow and high in the last hour of light.