softwateronly

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

I've neglected my spinning rigs for a couple years, but I used the avid m/f and ml/f for just about everything back in the day, including chatterbaits. There should be plenty of backbone there for you. I'd easily go 3/8oz if the trailer isn't too bulky. scott

Best of the weekend! From the pier at the in-laws, I chucked it maybe 35yds and it's still only about 7' deep. Came on 7" flush w/ a 3/8oz free rig, had a bit of a belly on her, I'm thinking she was an early spawner and also an earlier recovery. scott

I have a CNQ904mbr and regularly throw over 1.25oz. I think the true rating could be more like 1.5oz. So I'd follow @MickD's advice and feel it out. You'll know if it's too much and it won't damage anything if you take it easy while learning the limits. scott

In a clear water fishery, post spawn/bluegill spawn, I mix and match more frequently. Mostly in the bluegill family because I believe they're on the menu; gp, black and blue, watermelon, light purples, blues, oranges, and pinks. The rest of the year I lean more toward the @A-Jay and @PaulVE64 method of nearly invisible. scott

Mono can get damaged by long exposure to UV. Being that it's 8 hours and windows kill most of it, I'm sure you'll be fine. scott

This thread was in my head, 3 bites, 1 fish. The 2 bites I missed were just vicious, like they were trying to murder it with their mouth closed. But it was nice to get one on it after my last comment. scott

Sounds like you're talking about Matt Allen, and when you read the statement it sounds ridiculous. But I've found his pairings to be the best, D walker and big EZ are my favorites, swammers are really good too. scott

I also have a 755, and use it for large worms in heavy cover. Also a great swim jig rod in heavy cover. Yes it costs more, but it's very enjoyable to fish, hope it works for you too. scott

It's too soft for me to want to frog with. The way I know how to fish frogs needs a rod to get to the backbone quicker. scott

Feels good to get back on the water, spent the last 8 weeks out of town for work. Saturday first light was one of those epic feeding frenzies for about 20 minutes. A bluegill crank down was getting bit on every cast. After that, a weightless 7" fluke, jig, and free rig were picking them off. I had a handful over 20" and another in the 18-20" range, one of them could easily have been my lake pb if she wasn't all spawned out, though the pics don't really show it. scott

I haven't given it enough time for a definitive answer, but it hasn't produced for me yet. A few hits, no fish. scott

I use a Major Craft Days 692 M/F for those ranges and techniques. Topwater, jerks, jigs, spoons, and free rigs are all effective and this rod ably casts 1/8oz with a diawa alphas 800s. The 2 piece makes it free shipping from Japan (digitaka) and comes in around $130. I'm continually impressed by the sensitivity, action, and build quality for that price. scott

I like the owner twistlock light, but availability is spotty and I don't love the angle of the wire at the eye. I feel like some baits have a hard time getting the plastic out of the way to open up the bite. By eye the Makisasu looks similar in shape to Gammy g-finesse worm hooks which has become one of my favorites. Anyone use the Makisasu? Would you classify it as medium wire? 3/0 on 10lb floro? Adjustable weight effective at holding it's position over time? Ultimately I'm looking at all size ranges for fluke style and creature style baits and interested in sizing. Thanks! scott If someone could kindly move this to the proper section because I'm slow in the head today. Thanks. scott

I'm up to 6 Major Craft rods now, and all of them punch way above their cost. scott

I don't know but I really enjoyed my '18 7'3MH model till I snapped it last fall. The 6'11M+ is my personal favorite of the older series, but they've all been awesome. scott

I agree with @fin. Some popppers/swimbaits put a bright color on the top of the head (pink, chartreuse, etc) you can do that with nail polish or a marker and it makes a surprising amount of difference. scott

Don't forget that zebra mussels can attach themselves to weeds. That type of fraying looks a lot like a zebra cut to me. Maybe your water now has them? scott ps - I haven't used that leader before so I could be totally wrong.

For 2 rods only, I'd choose; Major Craft Days 360 6'10 M/RF w/ Alphas 800s PE 1.2 MB Tequila Bacarac 7' XH/R w/ Zillion HD PP 50lb w/ various leaders. I feel like I could fish every single bait I'm confident in relatively effectively. Deep cranks and large worms would be pushing my comfort level with it though. 3 rods, I'd add in Expride 7'7 H/MF w/ a 22 Bantam PP 30lb Now I feel like I could do everything, from spybaits to 7" flutter spoons, jerkbaits to glides, mid strolling to punching, and all the jigs. scott

@casts_by_flyNext you need the magdraft freestyle and some 8/0 (3/8 & 3/4oz) beast hooks. You can bang it through the cover when they won't come up in the column for it. A heavy jig rod is usually all you need and for me it seems to extend the magdraft bite well into June. scott

I’ve always fished this way. Since getting back into it as an adult, I spend a vast majority of my time on bodies of water that I’ve known for years. I’ve built up enough time on the water and learned enough from others to find fish relatively consistently. I did travel down to TX in early Feb of 21 to fish an impoundment and definitely struggled to find offshore fish. But I also came away from 5 days of fishing with 2 PB’s. Maps, birds, and the fish themselves told me where they were. There are definite cons to fishing this way, but I think it’s just as important to realize it’s also quite a rush and satisfying to figure it out on your own. One day I’ll leave this strange club of having a boat but no electronics and am not sure if it will always be for the better. scott

I'm a huge fan. Braid to leader for most everything, straight braid for frogging. Clear water and long casts, braid gives me much more confidence and success in my hooksets and bite detection. I definitely prefer 8 strand pe 1 and 1.5 varivas, but have no problem running out my 30 & 50lb pp super slick on most of my setups till I run out. Line management has become 2nd nature and I'm able to fish hassle free in the dark of night with just an average thumb. Since it's all a system, I have moved to preferring mostly mod/fast, reg/fast, and mbr type actions. Feels like the best of both worlds. scott

Not what you asked for, but I use those laundry bags for delicates. Pretty cheap and durable, they dry out quickly if they get wet, and I can see well enough of what category of baits I have in there. I'm a couple years in and still sticking with it. scott

Alright time for a flutter spoon! scott