softwateronly

Maybe add a skirt to 6th sense divine ned football head? I picked some up on bf, hook is small but seems stout enough. I'm planning on using it on the great lakes with a keitech spider grub and zmn crawz/pro craws for smallies. https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/6th_Sense_Divine_Ned_Rig_Weedless_Football_Heads_4pk/descpage-6DNRF.html scott

Here's a fun one.... scott

I've thrown the MB deep 6 and r2s dd crank in "cold water speed cranking" conditions and caught fish. I don't crank much so I throw it on a mod fast heavy graphite with a 7:1 reel. Without electronics, I never really know if I'm on a school, but in the cold I anchor up and fancast the crank first, usually doing 2-3 passes along breaklines and up/down breaks with slightly different angles. Usually, I move to a blade bait, small swimbait, or hair jig. I can understand losing confidence in this technique, with how infrequent I get bit and the wear and tear throwing it. I barely have confidence in it and it has given me 2 of my heaviest 5 bass ever, including a northern strain pb. I definitely have not dialed it in, but I also have to keep trying because of my past luck. scott

I think op is talking about those tiny hook keitech jigs. That might change the equation, because that hook should easily be set by a 743, though it might be the limit. scott

There’s lots of good interviews/pod casts where Gary himself talks about his 1-6 power rating. Once it makes sense, I find his rods to be really consistently labeled. They might be heavier but their improved balance usually makes them feel lighter in real world applications. I like St Croix, but didn’t love the mojo series. I think champions are a worthy upgrade. scott youtube hellabass dobyns. Should find a lengthy stream.

Certain materials cut thru braid like it’s not even there. Zebra mussels, northern pike teeth, gill plates, etc. If braid isn’t compromised it’s very strong for its diameter but…. Could one guide be referring to using casting reels while the other isn’t? Is one guide setting you up with a 4000 size spinning reel? They might both be correct. I’m a fan of braid to leader and would personally go 50lb to 20lb mono if using my own gear. scott

The blade bait really is fantastic the less you do. My favorite exception is when I’m hung up and finally pop free only to get hung up again on a fish? scott

They'll never understand!

I have no idea but work is boring right now. Low sun angle, pushes the body shadow in front of the bait and unites the silhouette of the body and blades into one mass, possibly providing a more natural presentation. Also, underwater shadows would extend in this direction allowing for the bass to be in the shade but not under cover, this might position them with a wider viewing angle and extend the time available for them to react to a fast moving bait. scott

The one that really hit for me was a preacher jig, specifically the outcast chicken jig in bluegill. In summer it did what I heard it would do, generate strikes on deep water breaks. Usually, hard bottom areas between grass patches in 18-25’. As I gained confidence and threw it more, I also realized it was really effective bringing it downhill in that 8-15’ range. I had to tight line it a bit more to run the weed tops, but I was also able to pop it free much easier than anticipated if I let it get down and in the weeds more than desired. Frequently I’d get that lovely thunk right after I freed it or the next time I went to move it. I think it was something those fish rarely saw and they liked it. I picked up a 1/2oz this year to give me a better opportunity to have it sit on top of the shallow weeds instead of burying to see if this could get even better. scott

Moving from shore only to a yak opens up so much more water. If you can afford it, move it, and launch it on water that is safe for small craft, it seems like a no brainer to me. This specific yak? I have no idea, but if you wanna upgrade later, $400 is about as low as any yak gets so you wouldn't lose much reselling. scott

I have a bantam on each and thought they were both very comfortable last season. I don't remember a difference. scott

I do have both in the A model. I love throwing lots of single hook swimbaits, mostly weedless, in the 5-7" range and heavy swimjigs, 3/4-1oz, w/ 4-6" paddletail trailers. I got the 7'3 first because it's also my frog rod, but I loved it so much I went in on a 7'6 when it was on sale. They balance really well, I have paired mine with a bantam, but think I'm moving the 7'6 to a tat 200 this year. The power/action between the two seems very similar, except there's a bit more tip in the 7'6 and my casting distance is better with it fully loaded. I've pushed these rods to 2.5oz and they cast well with a decent quasi lob cast. Personally, I can't work a frog the way I like on a 7'6, so both works for me. Punching, pitching, 6"+ swimbaits, and heavy a-rigs, all slightly preferred on the 7'6. Frogs, swimjigs, and casting heavy grass jigs all slightly preferred on the 7'3. scott

I have a ML from black friday, but haven't spent anytime catching with it yet. With a shallow spool alpha, pe .8, the ML lets me cast an 1/8 hair jig about 20-25yds. 3/16 seems like it loads the rod significantly better. These are listed weights, I haven't broken out the scale. Even with the ML, I'm slightly nervous about setting texposed hooks on a long cast. I'm hoping it delivers on texposed and feel confident with open hook and light weed guard neds/ballheads/jigs. scott

I completely agree with @PressuredFishing If it's safe and you're comfortable, I've found the biggest fish get going the earliest. After the ice comes off, waiting for the turnover is about as long as I would wait if i had the option. scott

Haven't used it. Slow sink works well enough for me because I wanna run the top of the weeds. I could choose which weedline to target. I'd hope the fast sink would stay down better but I don't know. I haven't found the lure successful enough to have 2, but maybe I need to work it deeper. I'll weight what I own first. scott

Yeah, sure did. I'm curious too. scott

I have a Loco and hyperjerk finesse in my last Tw order of 22, should have hands on it soon. Happy to see you're happy with it. Gambler has thrown a few of those bags in my orders from 21 & 22. Maybe it's the back up packaging with supply chain issues, I don't know. scott

Because of the power of a silhouette I'd guess they can see double the distance when looking up. scott

No not really. I only have a 6" slow sink and it runs at speed in the top 1.5ft of the water column. Suspend dots or strips, heavier gauge hooks, wrap lead wire on hook shanks, nishine outer weights, etc can all be used to create a moderate/fast sink. Heavy mono also has buoyancy, maybe floro or sinking braid would help. In some ways, a slow sink is the most versatile. scott

I do have it and absolutely love it, in fact I've never had anything else tied on this rod other than a jig. I throw 3/8-3/4oz on it, and live between 5/8-3/4oz June thru September. I'm fishing my jigs primarily by casting 25-35yds parallel or 30 degree angles to weedlines in 12-20 feet. For most of the time I have a DJ Tour level no jack or a scott canterbury flippin jig on 50lb braid. In certain parts of my lake the clear water allows for some truly gnarly underwater jungles. The power pitch has a soft and forgiving tip, but the transition to power is there for me to pop/snap free if I cant shake it out. It's been a perfect blend of power and tip, and I don't recall ever being shook off of a bass I hooked. I think the ratings on the rod are accurate. I assume a 3/4oz no jack jig and trailer weighs a bit over an ounce, and I'm able to present it accurately and comfortably in very heavy cover. The Steez rods that I've fished are some of my favorites, and I now have 2 dedicated to bottom contact. I bought them used and am outside the warranty, but I think the ags fragility has been addressed and fish them like any other rod. Both the power pitch and the sensor are ever so slightly tip heavy. The power pitch with a Bantam XG is a perfect match balance wise. scott

I haven't fished the Rebellions but looking at the ratings, the 7'9H would probably feel good with a 3 dummy/3 hook set up, no blades, and 1/8oz heads and probably up to a 3/8-1/2oz center head only. I throw my light a rigs on either a expride 7'7H or Dobyns 755. You add blades and or heavier center head, the rod might feel too loaded while fishing. scott

Got the canoe in late morning and dodged what was left of the broken ice sheets. Not gonna say fishing was great but got my first January bass ever... scott

I have a few years throwing it now, and I agree with @AlabamaSpothunter. 7'5-7'9 is my preferred length. Casting distance and any rod pumps are much more effective with a little more rod. scott

I have 30lb PP super slick on both my 71's. Works well for me. Also, I think there's plenty of people pitching with that reel. It's a low capacity spool but not particularly finesse. scott