softwateronly

Nice! Don't need more combos right now, but look forward to your review. scott

It'll work, but over time line twist will blow you up. The swivel eyelet is key to not having to worry about it. I still have non-swiveling for my heavy weights, if I check on it enough, not a problem. scott

This is the most subversive bait monkey post ever and I hate it. I have tangential overlap with most everyone, but few direct correlates. scott

@BlackwaterPark10 since you're not getting much out of this thread, I just wanna pass along that I found them thru hogfarmer years ago, in case TW limits you. I know they're "Cali" colors but kush and delta dark purple look very Florida in hand. Lube juice is something I need to investigate for up here. scott

You're gonna have to get a steez if you want a steez, meaning msrp, wait for a sale, buy used. If you want "steez like for cheaper and new" what better place than the same company, same specs, similar blank construction? With love, you're over thinking this. scott

@BlackwaterPark10 I've had some big days on the 8.5" wormser, but didn't really throw them last year. I do have a bag of the 10" stick in kush, but still haven't broken my personal "no stickbait" phase. The wormser is dense and durable. I think they're worth a try. scott

I was a big fan pre 2010, then I got a couple orders with really terrible tentacle cuts and moved on. Sounds like they're back to quality? They really were a bang for the buck company at one point. If I ever drop shot again, the smoke Eerie darter will be purchased. scott

Sweet! If you fish it when it's cold out, the cork foregrip on the zillion is a huge bonus to me. The Steez metal locknut sucks the blood right out of my ring finger. Too much surface contact, the MB P5's have a better design imo for also being metal. The steez ags is already 4-5 years old. I'd bet there's a lot of trickle down design/materials in the Zillion, maybe even upgrades; just "lesser" guides. The Steez power pitch felt a little tip heavy and I wasn't sold on it with a 6oz reel. I moved over to a bantam, high 7oz reel, and fell in love with the feel. If you're getting a new reel for the zillion rod, maybe play around with reels you have to make sure you're not like me. scott

There's a good chance that the diawa peeps tried to make a zillion blank with the same action as the power pitch. That review might tell you everything. scott

If you swim jigs often, I think a 7:1 speed is the right balance between line pick up when dragging and not overworking the swim. scott

I've been interested in the phenix feather 7'3XH as a 7'2 H expride comparison. The feathers in MH/ML are very sensitive with similar tips but softer mids compared to my exprides. Just to muddy your waters. scott Also the Okuma X 7'3H has tons of love here and on TW reviews

Swim? Crawl? Mid column? Bottom? I tried a bunch of retrieves here, but they really only wanted the fast jump/glide to the bottom. scott

I haven't caught a 8" magdraft or glidebait fish since fall of 23. I missed all the spring cold water time in 24, but have been chucking since last fall. Two hits but no hookup on the magdraft, likely small fish, and no hits and no visible follows on the glide. Chop style glides still get bit at least. scott

@Dwight Hottle When they were on bait in the harbor in late march, I saw remnants puked up that were definitely over 6". Didn't have my larger hair jigs with me, but a 5" deps death adder and a 5" geecrack revival shad on a 1/2oz 2/0 scrounger head with bill pulled off ripped and tightlined did a great job mimicking the alewives or shiners that were there as long as it was a pro blue or white/silver. What a great bite, quickly becoming a favorite way to fish for them. scott

@10,000 lakes Bassin I've only used and have the 904. I'm positive the 4 power is the right choice, but length will be fine either way. If you usually like 7'4 rods, the 904 sounds right to me. scott

Strong swirling current, 7+mph at times, and 20+ fow makes me want some heavier jig options. I'm also gonna go broke with all the rubble, rocks, and zebras. You still liking the 3/4oz dobyns football jigs? Can I set them at distance on 10lb floro (braid to leader, but 25' of leader)? Do you know what size 604 is in there? I'd be looking at no weed guard too, since they don't offer much help in this situation. Today was one tank of a smallie, and 3 sacrificed jigs. scott

@Craigholland Here's my favorite jig rods and NRX+ peers; Diawa Steez AGS 7'2 H/F Power Pitch - MSRP $500+ Major Craft Day's 360 6'6 MH/F - MSRP $335 shipped The steez handles 3/4oz and up better than the MC, but for 1/4-5/8oz I prefer the Days 360 now. But the best bang for the buck I've tried is the older 2019 series MC Days. The 692M/F and 69MH/RF can be had for $145/$175 shipped to your door. These compare well to the poison adrena 6'11M+/F, slotting right on either side of it in power and equal in my hands in terms of sensitivity and action. scott

Another day on the magic rock, five fish, nine eyes, and this time armed with @WRB and @Siebert Outdoorscustom jig. I think this bag would squeak past 20lb if you believe my guess. scott

If we could all be this kid! He'll be chasing this dragon for life!!!! https://chicago.suntimes.com/outdoors/2025/04/03/young-fisherman-catches-and-releases-likely-illinois-record-smallmouth-bass scott

I don't know specifically, but here's my experience. I have 2 solid tip rods, and to my surprise I actually find them really good at certain moving baits. I fish twitch baits and small swimming spoons mid column with more reel bumps, burn/pause than actually twitch and the softness in the tip section is a good bite indicator and also a shock absorber if you fish the rod at a slight angle to your cast. I also have a "high end" bottom contact rod with a solid tip that is my favorite tail spin rod. Most bites are tightlining and the tip has good cushion/indicator while the rest of the M+ rod helps control a fish at the end of a long cast. Neither of these cases are straight reeling though. If you wanna do that, the tip might be engaged the whole time and it could feel overloaded during the retrieve. I've also heard about the fragility of a solid tip, to me, they are equal in delicateness to a thin graphite tip because I've now broken 2 graphite tips and zero solid tips. scott

I love a jig bite the most; it has everything...thumps, weird, swimming away, weightless, etc. Taking 2nd place and increasing in my applications isn't a bait, but the retrieve itself. In my head I call it tight lining or reel ripping and I've found it very successful with hair jigs, spoons, ball head jigs and straight tail worms, tail spins, and scroungers. Playing with weight and water resistance to get the correct rof can get you rewarded with the most satisfying "thunk" that allows you to immediately slam home into their upper lip. It's fun, it's active, and often it'll trigger fish that aren't up for chasing. That fast to slow(er) seems to trick their lizard brain. scott Below is a 5/8oz jig fished that way. I was next to someone for 3.5hrs on the rocks and it produced 5/6 fish caught. It was almost the only thing that worked.

The most success and the most durable (not elastech) on a swim jig has been the river2sea d-walker. Silverside in 100mm with it cut just behind the eyes will probably stay with you till you lose the jig on a snag or something with teeth. Has a great wag and body roll, makes the swim jig skirt dance. You'll get 4 of them for $5. scott

Now I got that brown bass fever! Heck of a day, congrats on the tanks!! scott

I'm sure it does; I just can't shake the upper midwest walleye angler feel. Next thing you know, I'm gonna have 2 outboards on my boat. scott

I don't know anything like you're looking for, but want to plug the SK rocket shad if you don't use it. Hook and system is garbage, but mod it, I like a short assist hook so far, and it catches. I burn it, mid column yo-yo, swim it, and slow roll the bottom when they're keyed in on little shad and it gets big bites. I'm all in on 3/8 and 1/2, haven't tried the 1/4 yet. scott