softwateronly

@Rockhopper if you’re unaware and interested in lmb health post release, there’s been studies that conclude we can damage a bass’s jaw by holding them horizontal without supporting their weight with our other hand. The best practice for continued catch and release angling is one hand vertical or two hand weight supported horizontal. Nice catches! scott

I agree with Tom, here’s a major craft rod I’ve been very happy with from a reputable jdm website. $126 is a steal for the quality in my opinion. https://www.digitaka.com/item/29/6/5/4573236260310 scott

2 more votes for digitaka and asian portal fishing. Nothing but trouble free for multiple orders over the last 4 years. scott

I'm still new to spoons, but assist hooks and maybe counter intuitively changing to a single hook has benefited me. But yes, still not a great landing ratio. scott

Playing around with this the last couple times out. One bite is all I've managed so far, been trying the "dirting" action. A med-slow cadence of half reel turns and rod pops, 7/16oz weight. I'm thinking I'm 15-18' down on a 25' flat based on what it takes to return to the bottom when paused. I don't know if I've been putting it in front of fish yet, but open to advice on techniques to try. scott

I fish and enjoy a lot of longer rods, 7'5-7'9, but one my newer setups is a 6'6 MH/F MC bottom contact rod. I was slightly nervous at first since it's from overseas and difficult to return, but it is an absolute assassin with jigs and worms. A nice short tip that can finagle a bait through cover with precision and deliver a quick hookset, is definitely changing my mind. scott

I don't know the answer but a handful here put me on varivas, and the pe1.5 on an alphas 800S is a perfect match for me. Manages, casts, and has proven to be consistent and strong. scott

If you fish braid, you can turn the question around and ask why is a 200 sized reel ever needed. 150 for cranks, 300 for swimbaits, and 70 for everything else. scott

SDJ as well. scott

@A-Jay Is it you or the Zona/Van Dam live episode that found this lake? scott

Steez AGS Power Pitch 1/4-1.5oz delivers what it claims. scott

The 3 rods I have that could do it in the order I think they'd be best at it; Steez AGS 7'2H Power Pitch Dobyns Xtasy 755 Expride 7'3XH scott

I'll third the Decoy KG and Ryugi Infiniti hooks. They have a lot of similarities with the Gammy G-Finesse but in smaller sizes. scott

@August For the future, fg knots are the only way to deal with the TWS on diawa and make it a viable option. Like @PhishLI it can sometimes catch while reeling it in, but I've only found that to happen on my tat 200 w/ 65lb pp to 20lb mono. The TWS w/lighter braids and leaders has yet to hiccup for me. The tat300 with the same line combo as the 200 is as smooth as the lighter setups. With what you're looking at buying, I think the CT is a great choice. scott

I've spent most of the last 2 week playing jighead minnow games. It's been a blast, 3"- 7" straight tail "worms" and I'm catching in open water, mid column through the weed tops, and even dragging/shaking uphill through the slop. I can't believe these #1-1/0 open hooks can get through most everything clean. It's been all ML-MH casting gear, but spinning would be easier for some of it. Owner range roller and gammy horizon LG heads and lots of experimentation with straight tails. Spunk shad, jerky j's, raid rollers, and deathadders were the main ones. I've hooked and landed; LM, SM, northern, crappie, walleyes, and shell crackers. scott

My trolling motor is fried for over 2 years now. I bought more rods/reels so I can try everything from my anchor position. I should no tbe trusted with this question. scott

The scott canterbery compact flipping is my choice if you ever want to downsize your profile. scott

I think the fat ika is worth trying, reverse rigging your fluke might be nice to backslide in and poop style and bull flat baits should work as well. But I think what you did would have been fine, I think there just weren't many active fish. scott The free rig is really coming alive for me the last year and a half. I think the separation, any separation, allows for the speed change. I think that is the trigger, fast down, then that deceleration to a little slow glide to the bottom. In my mind, that's what gets them to come over and investigate. scott

I will certainly leave or not bother with sub 3lb fish if that’s all I’m catching or seeing. My water has enough 17”+ bass that I don’t skunk very often. But mid July to mid September is when I need to improve the most, especially in the daytime. I’m gonna say that makes me a 6.5. scott

My last 5 rods have been MC. They punch way above their weight in terms of cost. I’m gonna buy the Days 6’9MH/RF next. The 2 piece ships from digitaka for $135. I have the 6’9M and the 7’ swimbait rod from that series and love them. scott

I think all your assumptions are the same as mine, I somewhat break it down into dark/light, flash/no flash. The more aggressive the fish are, the more toward light and flash I move. I fish Michiana as well, don't overlook 6-7" flukes. They don't scare away the 1.5lbers and they tend to get the 3lb+ fish's attention better. Also, nail weights and or free rigs can help you fish deeper weedlines more effectively. Here's 2 from last weekend... scott

Like they need any help! scott

The TB is well balanced so all the reels felt balanced, the tat 200 included. The small trigger on the TB feels best with the zillion platform, my extra medium size hands, and the way I palm my reel. The rod feels like it needs a lob cast @ 3oz to me. The chad shad throws great except for the cartwheeling that happens, especially because I tend to sidearm it. scott

Fished the ghost perch on that rod this morning for only an hour, the slow chopped/twitched got nothing, but burned got followed right to the boat. She was a tank! Didn't bite, but even the follow is exciting. So don't forget to burn, slow swim, and chop it. Get that reel and get to throwing! Oh, last year this was a tremendous bright moon, night bait. I've paired it with a tat 200, bantam, and zillion hd, the zillion hasn't come off once I tried it. Good luck! scott

@TNcreekfishing This jig has treated me really well.... https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/catpage-BALLHDPILLH.html?from=basres scott