softwateronly

I have 50lb pp maxcuatro on my frog reel now. It's noisy but slices thru the slop. It might cost a bit more, but this is the beginning of my 4th season with the spool and it seems just fine. scott

I had some bad experiences with spiderwire 20-ish years ago and at least in my head I attribute that to it's relative flatness compared to 19.5-ish years ago power pro. I switched to jdm pe (for other reasons) and have zero dig in compared to the very infrequent pp v2. I think its related. scott

I do think it can be true. Roundness is part of the premium with high quality braid. scott

Heck of a trip! Well done. The wind has been whipping in my world as well, makes for different tactics when it's fishable. The 3" shad shape worm has been my best producer this spring, and I've really done damage with a leaderless downshot/jika rig ticking bottom in 18-22' fow. scott

@gim lots of good advice, much of it I needed to hear. My only adds are 2 times of year that I think you have ignored are key big fish times. First is ice out till spawn; since MN just made it legal, it's time to put in the time. The second is the window when your water takes the biggest temp crashes in the fall. In my water, the best for me is the big crash down to 60 ish, usually in October; and then if things are normal, there will be another cold snap that usually sends the water from the mid 50's to the high 40's in a short amount of time. I think the big girls get careless as their prey is stressed out by the environment and easy pickings. Hopefully you can time it up and not miss any of hunting season. scott

@casts_by_fly hits on the main points for me and I have 2 additional; Setting the hook at the end of a 40yd cast in deeper water means my thinner, no stretch braid cuts thru the water and imparts more of the force generated by my reel sweep set, resulting in more fish caught. Also, high quality pe line lasts darn near forever. scott

^^^ This works best for me too.^^^ One thing that has changed for me using lighter gear and longer casts is I've found it more important to not stop reeling until you've completely swept plus another turn or two. I also keep my drag tight, not locked down, but 50 ish percent of breaking strength, I prefer little to no slip on the entire reel down/sweep and reel motion. After I've folded the rod, I then back off the drag. scott

Please get yourself some tubes and preferably some in the 2.5-2.75" range. My tube success is almost strictly dragging and swimming so jamming a 1/0 90 degree ballhead of weights between 5-12g covers me up to 20' fow with current. I also really like the jika rig for holding bottom and getting through everything, the hook size, weight, and soft plastics are all flexible and really open up a lot of options. scott

Congrats! She's a beast! scott

I do have the SaltyStage KR-X Prototype Boat Casting XXBC 732mml which is a bit longer than you want, but the light tip to mid to powerful butt section sounds exactly like the action you're describing. It has a very long back handle, making it fish more like a 7 footer. Today I caught a 5.75 smallie in deep current with it using a 1/0 wide gap hook with a 3/4oz weight on my jika rig. Presenting a 2.75" bait on a small hook with heavy weights is what got me here and it works flawlessly for me. Abu Garcia JPSaltyStage KR-X Prototype Boat Casting（ソルティーステージ プロトタイプ ボ...●新設計「Triarchy Force製法」採用の Nanoカーボンブランク　（100%　国産カーボン仕様）「TAF(Triarchy Force)製法」により、ブランクスの「素材」・「設計」・「製法」の全てを見直し。ロッドの基本性能「強度、重量、感度」を徹底的に追求し、性能を向上させるブランクス設計の革新を行っています。　・CPCブランクス（カーボン100%設計）　・DPH構造（超薄倍密度プライ scott

I'm continuing my state advantage in IL and an almost dishonorable mention for MI. Chgo smallie from this morning which I'm very happy to have landed, but I lost a beast about an hour before, a definite pb and possible thread ender: 5.75lb / 7.19 x 100 = 79.97 Inland MI largie on 5/4: 5.75 / 11.94 x 100 = 48.16

I don't have ffs, but I have brought up debris from the bottom in 15 fow and caught lots of fish on it as well. Nishine Erie Darter MD 115. Colors are limited on TW, but hologram smelt is pretty. scott

When I've done well with larger baits for smallies, it is strictly a match the hatch type situation. I'm mostly shore fishing lake michigan, and a vast majority of the time I'm in the 2.5-3.5" presentations. Small gobies, craws, shiners and perch seem to dominate most of the time. But early spring seems to put big prespawn smallies and schools of bigger shiners/alewives in the same water, and the big girls most certainly take advantage. A 7" big wig hair jig and a 5" damiki armor shad swam just off the bottom were my ticket this year during that window. It feels like it's currently over, but might just be on hiatus. I'll keep it nearby and a watchful eye on the birds to tell me if it's back on. scott

Huge fan of the Scottsboro Pro series sniper head, great hook for anything less than a 7" bait in my opinion. And 2 sleeper trailers are a geecrack revival 5" shad worm, tightest wiggle, s-like swim and a deps deathadder, very similar, slightly less durable. I do better with heavier heads working just off the bottom and it has become a really effective bait for me at time hen I used to throw a vibrating jig, especially colder water situations. scott

I'm not a successful c-rig fisherman, but I will vouch for 16lb shooter. That is tough line that I would not worry about at all. It's my choice for my braid to leader jig/worm setups in a heavy grass/zebra mussel lake. scott

Yes, it's one of two that I own. Curious if that's why the sensor was so high on your list. There's a new MC Days 360 that should be released any day now that is a solid tip and has my attention. D360C - S69MH/RF https://www.majorcraft.co.jp/rod/days360/bait/ The Days 360 6'6MH has become my favorite jig rod, the Days360 S69MH sounds like a baby between the days 610M and the 6'6MH which if it is, will certainly find place in my hands because I'm such a fan of those rods. The K2 was just pure luck that I came across @FellowAnglers1 post about it and he was cool with me placing the order. Copy on the c14 reel seat. The MC rods are really perfect for me. The Abu's are called prototype, but they are in fact production runs. Honestly, I did not have a favorable view of Abu prior. What I had seen, touched, or read about just felt like they were coasting on their reputation. @bulldog1935 recommended Kurodai, and I'm glad I listened because I was wrong. North-One TackleAbu Garcia SALTY STAGE PT KURODAI XKRC-73MLS-BF Baitcasti...Abu Garcia SALTY STAGE PT KURODAI XKRC-73MLS-BF Baitcasting Rod Condition: Brand NewJapan Domestic Model. Length (cm): 7 feet 3 inches/221 Section: 2 Closed Length (cm): 113.2 Weight (g): 80 Tip DiameShortly after I also grabbed the 7'9L Kurodai and they have revolutionized my lightweight fishing as I have enjoyed not messing around with any spinning tackle the last 3ish years. Here is the one I just purchased and hope to put on some fish by Monday afternoon. The literature is slightly misleading, says 7-35g online, but the rod itself says 3.5-40g. Either should be at your door under $325 even with tariffs. 釣具の総合メーカー ピュア・フィッシング・ジャパンSaltyStage KR-X Prototype Boat Casting（ソルティーステージ プロトタイプ ボ...釣具の総合メーカー　ピュア・フィッシング・ジャパンの製品紹介ページです。AbuGarcia・SaltyStage KR-X Prototype Boat Casting（ソルティーステージ プロトタイプ ボートキャスティング）の紹介をしています。North-One TackleAbu Garcia SALTY STAGE PT BOAT CASTING XBCC-732MML Baitca...Abu Garcia SALTY STAGE PT BOAT CASTING XBCC-732MML Baitcasting Rod Condition: Brand NewJapan Domestic Model. Lure Type: BC Section: 2 Length: 7 feet 3 inches/221.0cm Closed Length (cm): 114.2 Weight ( What I meant by "what I know now," is just that the jdm rods in the $250-350 range have completely skewed my perception of quality vs price. The Steez does not standout in any meaningful way when taking into account the extra $2-300. I was fortunate to find a used one, happy I did as I really enjoy fishing with it, but will not replace it at msrp. This goes for the K2 as well. scott

@NathanDLTH I have the Sensor and a few other rods that are similar in ways. What are you wanting to do? shakey heads, t-rigs, and finesse jigs? Mostly in grass or rock? Is it the solid tip? -Phenix K2 714MH/F You can keep a watch at amazon, phenix randomly heavily discounts. My K2 was at $204 last fall instead of $550 or whatever crazy price and a Phenix MH plays much more like a diawa M/M+ -2018 Poison Adrena 6'11M+/F This rod is older and hard to find, but still compares very favorably -Major Craft Days360 6'10M/RF Different style tip, similar/equal sensitivity, mid and backbone. Should deliver to your door under $400 now and closer to $300 if you can wait and hunt the jdm sites. -Major Craft Days 692 M/F. Looks like it could be at your door for $190. It is just an amazing value and I do the exact same baits as the sensor. I think the blank might even suit me better, but I do prefer the guide train on the sensor and believe that's why it's just a little more sensitive in hand. But the reality is that there is no functional difference, I can still discern everything my bait is doing, and it costs a 1/3 the price. My clear choice for a sensor replacement when considering price. The 1 piece is a different blank, so it has to be the 2-piece to compare. Like @bulldog1935 said, I have 3 Abu Garcia Prototype salt rods. 2 in the BFS 1.5g-15/20g and my newest is 3.5g-40g. I haven't been able to use it yet, but should compare well in most ways. $250 ish. Abu Garcia Salty Stage Prototype KR-X XBCC-732MML/RF I stash rigs at our inland lake, in-laws lake, and travel some from the city back and forth. This is my justification for having so many that kinda overlap. I bought my sensor used and paid around $300 just a few months after it's release, and knowing what I know now, I also wouldn't pay msrp and I really really like the rod. scott

Congrats!!! That's an incredible fish and achievement. Every anniversary of the catch, you need to casually slip it into one of your posts, for funzies. scott

@Dwight Hottle I'm taking advantage of what I'm positive is an artificial state record. . There's no way people haven't caught bigger than 7lb 3 ounce out of this giant goby infested lake. scott

Here's my IL submission.... 5.25 / 7.19 * 100 = 73.02 Lucky no one in my state certifies their big catches. scott

San Diego Jam has taken over all my terminal knots. Foolproof, very tough, and easy. 5-ish wraps for thick line, 7-8 for 16lb and under. scott

@FishTank and @Bluebasser86 Until late last year I never would have thought of those colors as being useful, but since I realized that footballs are a great swim jig option I can totally see pink/white entering my bag. Is that your plans or is this a dragging thing? scott

@SJS I'm on my 3rd season using BFS and some longer 2 piece salt rods for black porgy//rock fish mainly to extend casting distance for my shore bound smallmouths in the city. It has been fantastic for what I want to do, but I had to modify my hookset. I find it necessary to incorporate a reeling sweep set to drive the hook home. I don't reel down and then swing, it's reel down to tension, keep reeling, then stay reeling while I lift and turn. My drag is still pretty tight, 5-6ish pounds, until I'm fully loaded up and fighting the fish, only then do I back off a quick 1/4-1/2 turn of the drag. This combined with most reputable modern thin/medium wire hooks and braid to leader has given me a fantastic hook up ratio. @WRB-2.0 was instrumental in teaching me to use the reel more in my hooksetting. scott Got this one the other day about 40 yards out in 15 fow on a 7'9 L rod with a 10g underspin, she was just a few shiners short of 5lbs...

I'm somewhat in the same boat. I have a few large Gammy G-finesse hybrid worm hooks, like 5/0-8/0, that work well, but I think I'd like to give the BKK Motherfluker a shot. I deal with weeds, but often I'm throwing soft jerks over the top so an open hook would open up more rig options and probably a better hookup ratio. There's also the owner range roller xl in 5/0 and mustad ultrapoint in 6/0. scott

The thing that comes to mind is heavier line needs less wraps. I'm 7-8 wraps on 10-16lb and 5-6 on anything heavier. When seated properly I clip the tag end with about an 1/8" left to help not get hung up on weeds. scott