GetFishorDieTryin

If I were in your situation I would make sure my ML spinning rods are ready to roll. 2-3" grubs or little boot tailed swimbaits like Keitechs on the lightest head you can get away with from 1/32-1/16 should do well. I always liked Bluefox minnow spins, they're like an inline spinner except they have a bigger profile and they cast better.

Weedguards on a nedhead just seemed like a good idea when I first started throwing neds heavy winter-spring. They really dont work well at all IMO and I think they hurt the landing percentage especially with the smaller #2 and #1 light wire heads so I just wind up pulling the out. If you want to make your ned rig more snag resistant your better off with an EWG ned head. They work really well. They're over priced, but you save money in the long run if your anything like me, I lose lots of open hook ned heads.

There are a few different SJs that incorporate blades somehow. Most ride just behind the bend the hook, which I dont get because it would make it hard for the trailer to give the bait the right action. It looks like V&M has closest thing to the MB SJ. Instead of a wire they used a clevis shaped bracket which looks more rigid. You would probably have to trim the skirt so the blade could rotate freely.

Well I think professional tourney angling had a signifigant role in the development of faster reels because speed is the name of the game. When you look at most saltwater casting reels where torque is more important the ratios stayed lower for the most part.

Your talking about another 6 or 8 inches per 3 turns of the handle when going from a 6 to a 7. There's a difference, but its not night and day. Now going from a 6 to an 8 the difference is much more noticeable. The 7 is just about perfect for a do it all reel.

There are only 2 Tatula rods, the Tatula and Tatula Elite. For another $100 you get a Tatula Elite with AGS guides. According to Daiwa the Tatula and Tatula Elite/AGS use the same SVF X45 blanks in the Tatula line and the upgrades are mostly in the guides which go from Fazlite (Tatula), Alconite (Elite) AGS Elite (AGS). Theres a rod snob on YT called punchfishing that has some real in depth video on mostly high end gear. He goes into some detail about the diffeences of the Tatula and Tatula Elite, but doesnt include the Tatula AGS. I considered a the Tatula Elite but decided against it because the AGS guides are a little more fragile compared to other material guides. I remember the first selling point of the AGS guides is weight reduction and not sensitivity which is what I had thought the purpose of the guides were. I think one of the reasons Daiwa has different length rods for each Tatula line to make it harder to determine how much of an upgrade the AGS guides really are because they are the only rods I know of on the market that any accurate comparison can be made because the blanks are the same material just with different components. In no way am I trying to say your wrong or correct you, its just the info I got from contacting Diawa and researching the internet. The Tatula rod was changed a few years ago and I believe there were changes made so it can get confusing at times if I didn't check the date of the post or video when I was researching. Thanks for taking the time to answer I appreciate it. Tight Lines

I bought a 7' MH F SLX and although its not a terrible rod I just cant get into it. Its really tip heavy so if you want to fish something with the tip up its uncomfortable. The reels seat has hard edges on it which make it uncomfortable. The action of the is very stiff which helps with sensitivity, but casting distance is greatly hindered by it. I haven't had a ton of experience with the Furys, but as far all around rods go there great. They are slighter lighter in power and slower in action then the SC. That slower action makes them cast cast really well and allows you to use even the H actions for weightless senkos if you have to. That softer action doesnt translate vibration as well clean as a stiffer rod so I probably wouldnt buy a Fury for a bottom contact rod. The Bass X rods are great for the money, but I would suggest spending the extra $20 or $30 and upgrading to the Mojo Bass. The SC3 blanks are a considerable step up from the SC2 in terms of weight and sensitivity. The Mojo would be my pick for sure. Not to complicate things, but Phenix and 13 make some great budget rods as well.

Don't get too hung up on color. Sometimes you catch some more fish but the majority of the time black is a safe bet especially in that kind of water. Bama Bug, Junebug, Ok. Craw should get bit as well if you want to try something different. If you dont have any wind/clouds go to a swimjig instead of the ChB or SB. Take a second rod with a T rig on it and pitch to deepest cover you can fish in the day. That combo has worked really well for me when things get tough.

I could see throwing them bedfishing so you can see the bait well. Personally I would just throw a T rigged bait, if I was throwing a swimjig it I would throw white but that's just my preference.

GYCB used to make a couple decent harbaits. They had JBs called Tenku's (I think that's the right spelling) The colors were limited but the action was good and they caught fish. I wound up losing the 3 I had and it wasn't easy trying to find them. The last place that had any kind of substantial amount of GYCB hard baits without a crazy markup was dicks website and that was about 2 years ago. I think they had a bit of quality control issue as well because a few of the baits I had leaked pretty much out of the box so beware of that.

Do you think the AGS guides add enough sensitivity to nearly double the cost of the rod? Its the same blank as the standard Tatula, I think you get 1 more eye depending on rod model and that weird grey paintjob for another 30 or 40$. I think the SC3 in the Victory gives me more feedback then the Tatula. I like them both, but I actually think the Tatula is more versatile and if I had to pick the 7'1 ML Tatula or the 6'10 VIc it would be the Tatula for sure even though the Vic is more sensitive IMO.

It makes more sense to put more money into a bottom contact rod. For moving baits you don't need necessarily need a super sensitive rod. It also depends on if you just want an additional rod or need an additional rod to fill a gap in the line up. If you know for sure you want that X bites, just buy it because you are likely going to wind up buying anyway. Orochis arent easy to get either so take that into consideration.

You ever try EWG ned heads?

13 makes some good rods at the lower price points, but they're spinning reels haven't been very good at any price point. Penn has done great job in the past few years with the SpinFishers/Slammers and Conflicts, not so sure about the reels under the Fierce. Honestly it comes down to Shimano or Daiwa. I think you get more with a Daiwa overall until you spend $150 or more and then they're pretty even. The Regal is an awesome reel for $50, its close to 2 ounces heavier then the Sedona or Sahara which cost at least $20 more.

After the number of fry guarding fish in my area decreases I have to continually fish deeper and deeper into cover to catch fish better fish. I throw a chatterbait throughout the spawn, but once the fish move into cover(wood and or grass) I go from the chatterbait to a swim jig for covering banks and grass lines. Fish get lazy this time of year and just post up in cover and wait for something to hit them on the head and thats where pitchin or flippin a T rig comes in. Sometimes you have get it right in front of their face for them to hit so dont be afraid to throw that T rig or flippin jig into gnarly cover.

They both work, but the faster that rod recovers the lighter your drag needs to be with an XF especially XF rods under 7' when your using braid. I noticed I was losing way to many fish over 4lbs, it was about 1 in 4 average and it would always be at my feet. When I went to a F my landing ratio improved. I was using braid-leader so I would think going to FC or Mono would offset a faster rod and minimize tearing.

I doubt it, they sell loads of it. If this basic stuff is a replacement odds are its an improved version of Red Label.

The Omens are crisp rods, the XF recover fairly quick so slowing down most likely wont increase distance. Try a limp braid in the smallest dia you can get away with, like 8lb x9 or 10lb TCB. A wider spool like a 3 or 4k will help too. Adding a piece of plastic worm will give it more weight and add more body to it. The trick is you want to the right shape and plastic to give you the fall rate you want.

Yep, it happens a lot

There are a few good ones around and just like everywhere else right now stock is limited.

Yea they're good rods. I have a gen 1 that preordered and I its gone with me everywhere for about 10 years, you can tell when you look at it. I only stopped using this Feb when I smacked a bridge with it and cracked an eye. I have a bunch of SC MLs and they're super versatile rods. They may struggle with buzzbaits, but everything else they will do fine with.

They used to sell them like that, Arkie made them up until a few years ago at least. Legs can bind up skirts and vice versa. I'll shorten or remove real long legs if I think they are limiting that pulsing action when the jig hits the bottom.

Korkers will work, but you would have to take them off or change out the soul before you get back in the boat which really complicates things.

If your budget is around the $150 mark I would go with one of these 2 if it had to be under 7' SC Mojo 6'10 ML XF-Its the same price as premier but the blank the higher quality blank makes it lighter, more responsive, more sensitive and the XF makes it an accurate casting rod. 13 Omen Black 6'7 ML XF-This blank is superior to the SC2 in the Triumph/Premier and has similar performance to the SC3 blanks of the Mojo/Avid. I like the balance of the Omen over the Mojo/Avids. The handle shape and layout is more comfortable IMO and the rear locking nut secures the reel very well and doesn't back down ever, which happens from time to time with the Mojo. @ $120 awful hard to beat overall and you could upgrade from a Regal to an Exceler with a thread in handle that gives you a better connection to the main gear then the hex pin on the Regal.

I hardly ever use line clips and they're pretty much only good for braid. The first quality reels I got as a kid didnt have clips which got me into the habit of having 1 or 2 rubber bands on my wrist all the time.