Kenny Yi

we need an NSFW (not-safe-for-work) tag ? thankful for single hooks...

The only time i'll ever use a Palomar knot is for a drop shot. Tie the knot with a long tag end, feed the tag end back through the eye of the hook, pull the tag end so that the knot also passes through the eye of the hook (don't use too thick of a line, it could damage the knot by jamming it through the eye), now the hook sits perfectly perpendicular to the line.

Those are all great choices, I love my Curado DC because it simplifies the braking process for me, but it is a little expensive for a starting reel. I've heard the Tatulas are very forgiving and have great castability as well. Each reel should have line capacities on their product descriptions. Casting a baitcaster is about fluid motion. As @WRB said, a whip cast is not favorable for baitcasters. A proper cast requires the rod to be loaded properly with weight/momentum from the bait and the angler.

If i had a deck... ? Co-angler Gear If I could only bring 5 rods... = *** Baitcasters: Dedicated finesse jig setup*** Dedicated swim jig setup*** Weightless/weightless or weighted fluke setup*** Chatterbait/spinnerbait/crankbait setup*** Frog/maybe heavy texas rig setup Spinning: Neko/wacky/nose-hooked fluke setup Dropshot setup***

So would it make more sense to use a magnum size (7 inch) for skipping with a baitcaster? Heavier bait, larger surface area to skip, may even get better quality fish... I can get an average of 8-10 skips on my 3/8th oz finesse jigs (with rage bug so maybe 1/2 ounce total), since it has a decent amount of weight and it has a flat bottom from the rage bug, my thinking is that a magnum fluke will achieve more of those principals than the super fluke.

which one is best for skipping (overhangs, docks, rocks, shopping carts, etc.)? I just got an SLX DC 150HG for skipping and casting weightless lures, went to try it out and practice my weightless skipping. I was using zoom flukes, but was having a little trouble since they don't seem very dense, causing them to be a little troublesome to load the rod and they also seemed like they didn't have enough weight to continue the momentum... the hook was a Gamakatsu Superline Screw Lock 4/0 (tried the 1/8th oz weighted version also but found the weight impeded the bounces). I've seen TackleJunky81 skip a Strike King Caffeine Shad (it kind of looked like a magnum version but that may just my mistake) in his Curado DC skipping review, and it clearly had enough weight to get good skips (he also had a front weighted screw lock hook). should I change/upsize the bait, get a different hook, or is there some technique (minus using a spinning rod) that I'm missing?

always trim my finesse jig skirts and weedguards. trailers have the ends cut off for smaller profile. i superglue trailers to my jigs (finesse, swim, bladed, flipping, etc). whenever i missed a fish on a hookset, the trailer would always be hanging on the bottom of the hook, typically for jigs that don't have good trailer keepers. i have some cut-up nails that i use as nail weights for neko rigs. i've considered doing G'Man's weedguard modification where he puts a cut-up piece of the plastic tubing that protects spinnerbait hooks onto the weedguard and supergluing for extra stiffness.

Trying to learn how to cast a baitcaster with fluoro is like trying to learn how to drive at 16 years old with a ferrari, not like it can't be done but that's a lot of money and unknown variables at risk. Use that 17# mono (in comparison, it could be the 10 year old civic) just in case a bad backlash or any other bad thing happens, the cost isn't so bad.

I use Randy, along with other professional anglers like G-man and Hack, to just gather knowledge, while being completely open-minded. I don't have to do everything that those guys do and I don't, I just pick and choose what I want to apply. One thing i find interesting is the comparison of Randy to Swindle, two polar opposites. They have opposite hookset styles (Randy is tight, G-man is slack), color styles (Randy is all about finding the specific color, while G-man encourages simple), Randy is always trying to innovate with "secret rigging techniques" and different jig types (almost to a fault where he "over-innovates") and Swindle is all about KISS (one single jig for all across the country), and many other things. However, it's also cool to see how they also have advice that is nearly identical to each other's. Both encourage fluorocarbon, both are shallow water anglers, both talk about hardships as a professional angler, they both use YouTube as a platform. I personally don't have enough energy nor do i care enough to be a hater like those in the comments. I think it's so cool to see how such differing styles can still lead to a successful career in bass fishing and I will always tune in to their videos.

late may/early june: dropshot with a zoom finesse worm (green pkin/chart tail) ballhead finesse jig with rage bug trailer (green pkin) neko rig with a zoom trick worm (watermelon red) can't seem to get a bite on any moving baits

tightliner, but i do swing fast like a slackliner.

menace is my favorite moving bait trailer, my finesse jigs always have a rage bug (better skipping, tighter action, my favorite overall "on-the-fall" profile), bigger jigs get a rage craw.

we can only hope he's okay, at least he swam off on his own... fish grippers are the solution

welcome to your newest lifelong addiction... congrats on the catches!

wow! never seen one before, looks like a largemouth with brown coloring instead of green, beautiful!

whenever I pitch, I always use fluorocarbon. not because of line shyness, but because of it's abrasion resistance. braid is good for grass because it can "saw" through the grass, but with that same concept it can be difficult for wood (it can get stuck) and it snaps easily in rocks. I don't personally think line shyness matters too much, since braid is already thin. my weightless system is 10-12# fluorocarbon on a MH rod SLX reel, i can wrench fish outta cover and still get good castability.

I use straight fluorocarbon on baitcasters just for it's abrasion resistance and manageability. It does have memory, but I don't use lures that are light enough for it to matter. I also dont like tying connection knots or casting them through casting rod guides, so veeerrrryyy rarely braid to FC leader for baitcasters. However, it takes some decent experience with a baitcaster to use FC as a mainline. I started out with mono, then mono/braid, and now some mono/braid and lots of fluoro. I think this progression is best.

I actually do this method with my baitcasting reels, ie braid backing to fluoro mainline my spinning reels will get a decently long leader 10-15 feet, the knot doesn't affect the spinning reel. my baitcasting reels will rarely get a leader. if I do use a FC leader on the few braid setups I have, it'll be for a flipping setup, where the knot never enters the rod guide. more often then "knot", straight FC or straight braid.

1. you don't want loops, so yes pull them out. when I fish with a jig, I want the bait to fall with semi-slack line. once it hits the bottom, I can lift my rod tip to make the line taught and remove any slack in the reel. 2. there does need to be some tension on the spool, you can either use loose drag or apply pressure with your thumb (be careful not to press hard). sooner or later, you'll get all the loops out. When reeling in slack, try pinching the line close to the first rod guide to keep an even tension. Adjust your brakes accordingly: if you notice the loops appear during the cast, adjust your magnetic/centrifugal brakes on the side plate. if you notice the loops appear when the bait lands, increase your spool tension OR MORE IMPORTANTLY feather the spool with your thumb during the cast.

try it! they both should do fine. like you said, the rebel crick hopper can mimic those cicadas well, which may add more bites. as long as it spits water like any popper should, it can catch fish.

my line strength, hook diameter, and rod power is never for the fish, it's for where the fish can hide. heavier the cover, the heavier the gear

I'm Shimano biased (all my favorite casting and spinning reels are Shimanos), so ofc I would recommend any MGL for lighter lures, heck even the base SLX is good for throwing weightless senkos. But, I do know that the T-wing system and light spool on Daiwas is superb for lighter lures, as well.

That was exactly my process of learning! I have so many lures that I don't use anymore because I found my style. I still have the experience and techniques should I ever need to use those lures again, but if I'm spending 4 hours then I'll bring what I like and what I know works.

3/8th is best all-around imo. Can be used on both the boat and the bank. Heavier jigs are better from a boat, since the jig is worked down the slope, vice versa for lighter jigs. 3/8th is also my preferred skipping and casting weight. as G-Man once said "if I could have one lure to catch fish across the country, it would be a Buckeye 3/8 oz Ballin' Out jig"

Curado DC, I've heard the Daiwa Tatula SV is a good one as well