GetFishorDieTryin

So your using circle hooks already? If you gut hook a fish and its bleeding, removing the hook can cause more damage then leaving it in. Try using lighter wire hooks and smashing your barbs to reduce injuries.

It depends what kind of rods you like because there are a good amount of solid options at that price point. 13s Omen Black line has a rod for just about anything including cranking rods and so far I really like the ones Ive used especially the 7'2 MH MF. The replacement program and customer service is great. The Tatulas are at the top or just a bit over $150 and theyre worth every $. Some people don't like them, but SCs Mojo Bass rods are great for the money.

I think Favorite makes some nice rods. No 2 lines have felt the same to me and the majority of them I wasn't crazy about. Quality aside you have to look at the YouTubers who essentially put Favorite in the game. Many cut ties with the brand because the business practices were shady at best. One YTer sold hundreds through his link and when he asked for a discount he had to haggle to get 10% off after making the company $1000s off of one video a week prior. I would have terminated my sponsorship as well with any business that greedy. If you want a decent rod for the money, check out 13 Fishing. They have excellent customer service and most of the rods are at the top of the list when it comes to value at their respective price points.

It does to an extent. I have a 4400SS that when I was 11 or 12, its been up and down the east coast several times for the 7 or 8 years I always used it. I remember dunking that reel in the surf to get the sand off of it after dropping it. Other then being rinsed off it was never properly serviced, being that young with no one in my family who fished I was afraid to do a deep clean. That reel still works which is more then I can say for others that didn't see a fraction of the abuse. My Gen 1 Stradic Ci4 saw thousands of fish, but was maintained well. It still works but it pops and clicks like some kind of primitive bushman dialect. I cant get the parts I need to get it back to in good order.

Let the fish tell you what they want. I usually start a moderate pace and ill slow down or change it up if I cant get bit. Some days they wont hit unless you pause and let the bait fall for a few seconds. Theres a reason why finesse swimbaiting has blown up recently. It takes some time to really get the feel for, but once you get proficient its incredibly effective.

Picassos insert and polished weights have been really good for me. For flipping I don't mind inserts, even ones that absorb vibration because Im not dragging them like a FB jig or C rig.

Theyre really good at imitating bunker in the fall and shad in the spring. I don't use them for LMB, I throw them for stripers and they have much smaller mouths in comparison. The big drawback with them is the casting distance, especially in wind.

I think one of the best baits for numbers is a little swimbait like a 3 or 3.5" keitech on the lightest head you can get away with. They're really good for figuring out where the fish are and what kind of mood they're in. When you find a concentration of fish then throw a bigger bait to see if there's a better fish in the area.

I love my 20Met, but the DCs come in really handy when Im throwing flatsides on really windy days.

I use 15lb InvizX for what your describing and its worked really well. I do use 12lb from time to time and it works also, but you have to be careful with it. I have way more confidence in 12lb mono then 12 FC for breaking strength.

If you maintain spinning reels they work for a long time, but they have more components that wear out compared to casting reels. When it comes to saltwater casting gear can be really vulnerable to corrosion because of the nature of the spool. However, there are a considerable amount of Abu's and Internationals because they have been taken care of.

For me its the opposite. Summers flew by as kid and now the weeks seem to crawl by. I much rather it be cold then hot. I love fishing all winter, when the water freezes it sucks but if that happens I fish spillways or tidal water.

Tough to see the girth in the pics, I would guess about 4lbs. Its got a big head, in March that fish might 5 or close to it. Either way nice fish.

The water is shallow around here and when it gets that hot the better fish are going to be in the areas with a higher oxygen saturation. Dams, spillways and anywhere the water has some movement is a good place to start.

It depends on the style/brand of the hook. #1-#1/0 VMC nekos will work for 5"-6" stick baits.

Ive used braid to tie blue bent bundles and its strong as ever after months of sun exposure. You can tell when a braid is starting wear out, it starts to get a frayed "ropey" look. If your not fishing around hard cover like concrete or rocks constantly you should be able to get at least 6 or 8 months of heavy fishing before that line loses any strength. If your sure it isn't the knot slipping, either your tungsten has a bur where it should be polished or one of your guide inserts is cracked and is cutting the line. Take a Q tip or cotton ball and run it around the eye. The cotton should catch on cracks that hard to see.

I had used some of the Rig'n hooks a while ago. From what I remember they were a fairly heavy wire hook. I used them for flippin/pitchin cover craws and they worked pretty well. As long as your happy with the fall rate and have a rod heavy enough to set it, use them. You dont have to use EWGs, as long as the bend is big enough for the bait to stay out the way your good.

Small hair jigs (#2, 1/16oz heads and smaller) work really well from winter until the prespawn is well underway. Im sure they continue to work into the spawn, but at that point I feel like I can do better with something more aggressive. Ive heard that they're kind like a flatside in that they work well in both extremes of temp. I dont like to use them this time of year because of they don't do well with slime and grass.

Look at the SLX XT

That reel looks like its spent a few seasons hard seasons in an aluminum boat. I would guess shes setting the reel down to handle fish and it taken a few tumbles. No reels stays pristine for ever and I somewhat understand where people are coming from when they say they buy reels to fish with them not baby them. Rash is 1 thing, but the gouges in the spool lip will certainly damage line. I taught my neices and nephews to treat the reel like they would they're phone no matter the cost or condition of the reel. If they don't like it they get to use the spongebob rod. Id get a spongebob outfit until she learns to care for her gear.

JDM version uses AL main

Noice...How do you like the Cashion? The reviews on them really vary.

Big Game?

I like spinning gear for lighter SHs, but I use braid to leader. You have to stay fairly light with FC on spinning gear to avoid headaches. Lighter FC doesnt do so well around cover.

#1 VMC Neko/ Weedless Neko or 1/0 Owner Sniper Neko/weedless Sniper Neko 2/0-3/0 Mosquito hooks work really well too.