softwateronly

I love a good jdm shopping trip as much as the next guy, but want to let you know that copperstate carries decoy's worm27 ringed hook if that's of interest. Decoy hyper minis, ryugi black bean and LT offset, zappu pin shot and deps soft plastics would find a way into my cart if I was going overseas today.

scott

I'd be stumped as well.  The SDJ, single version, has literally never failed me.  I'm hard pressed to think how it could be your problem.  I know you said multiple baits, but is there a way that the tatsu isn't playing nice with the line thru inserts?  Maybe an edge or burr is on the harder plastic?  Maybe even a rod guide has been damaged that isn't readily visible.  
 
scott

This is me, for the last handful of summers, but with only a flasher and no trolling motor.  Here's what "works" for me.
 
First, the bad news;  I don't run into schools of 4-6lb bass except for a magic week in late November when the gizzards are struggling with the temp drop.  And this magic spot is structure; a narrow funnel from 18' to a large open 25' deep flat.  They sit right on the bottom, looking up for the migration.  Which also means, my success is also dependent on me throwing uphill.  
 
Second; also not great news, I think in summer the 4-6lb open water bass (my lakes' biggest bass) are at most in smaller groups of 3-5 bass and where I've found them seems to have little to no relation to structure.  The caveat is I think these are my main targets when I fish shallow (8-12' weedlines) at night, so their open water areas during the day are not that far from interesting structure/cover that they cruise at night.  As an example, a productive point that tapers off at 23' will sometimes have a group of bass hanging out 75 yds away in 25' fow.  The food chain is healthy, so in general, they don't need to make long commutes.
 
So these guesses/observations and blind casting luck have shown me a few areas to cast to during the day for these fish.  I tend to need bigger baits to get their attention, but obviously not always.  Some favorites, large scroungers, 1.25oz and 7" armour shad or jerky j, baca burrito, 5 or 6" doesn't seem to matter that much so I use the 5 more often now because I have more gear options, 6.5"-8" flutter spoons, the 7" nichols larry spoon being my current favorite, and a 3/4oz chicken jig in bluegill.  My theory is that these bass are feeding mostly on crappie/bream that are schooled up chilling or eating fry or young shad.  So watch your lakes panfish fisherman.  You see older dudes with bobbers over the abyss, remember that spot!
 
Third up, are truly pelagic summer schoolies that follow shad.  I literally need blow ups or birds to show me where to start.  My lake is only 300 acres, and broken up into 3 "bays" of somewhat equal acreage and depth with one bigger and deeper.  I do better on the 2 smaller ones in general.  Topwater is a blast but falls apart pretty quickly.  The 77 showerblows is my fave, but it doesn't take long before they don't want to come all the way up.  If the surface is roiling, it's topwater time, but usually it's more sporadic. 
 
  This is when I try a whole mess of actions to entice a bite; small flutter spoons, swimming spoons, even tightlining jigging spoons, 3/8-1/2oz finesse scroungers, tailspinners, br head and fish, 2-3" 3/8-1/2oz hair jigs, twitch baits, and jighead minnows.  These fish seem to get really dialed in on both profile, action and maybe most importantly rof; in some ways these bass can be the most picky.  I will have rods laying everywhere with options, it gets messy and long casts are everything.  These schoolies are almost always grouped by size, less than 2lbs, 2-3lbs, and sometimes 3-4lbs.  This is probably just a reflection of the population distribution, but I think there's not enough of bigger shad/shiners schooled up to make it worth it for bigger bass to chase all day.  So my bait profiles are often in the 2-3.5" range.  Another thing, as the surface activity slows down, the school of bass seem to move less too.  Meaning you can work the last known area for awhile and still find/catch.  I'm sure your electronics would tell you, but without them this is my best practice.  Morning seems to be best, and any shade line that extends over the color line is also worth concentrating on.  Not a big fish presentaion for me, but it gives me space and fish when my favorite shallow structure is blown up by pleasure boats and terribly inconsiderate boaters.
 
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

I deal with zebra mussels which are similar in their destructive tendencies toward braid.  My solution is a longer floro leader, 15'+, specifically sunline shooter in 10 and 14lb.  The mussels still win at times, but usually I can get my lure back and trim the shredded leader.  I also fight fish differently on when I let them dig and when I turn them.  I haven't found any braid that takes shell edges well and there is no meaningful or discernible difference in braid diameter that I've experienced.
 
scott

This is difficult my friend, all these are personal choices.  Here's how it would play out for me, but I'm guessing because I've never held most of what you have.  I also fish braid to leader as a preference that many dislike.
 
Daiwa Tatula SV TW 150 (2024 model) Daiwa Tatula BF70 BF Daiwa Tatula SV TW 70 Daiwa Tatula Elite  
Rod 1: 6’8”  Mf  Lew’s TP2 Spinning Rod (6-12 lb. line & 1/8 to 1/2 oz. lures) Shimano Vanford, but I haven't thrown spinning gear in 2+ years. 15lb braid to 8lb sniper.  Finesse plastics, free rig, wacky, weightless, jig n minnow, etc Rod 2: 7’5”  MHf  Megabass Levante Braillist Casting Rod (8-20 lb. line & 3/8 to 1 oz. lures) Daiwa Tatula SV TW 150 (2024 model) 30lb braid to 16lb sniper.  This would be my main worm/jig rod and also throw texas rigged swimbaits in the 4-6" range Rod 3: 7’2”  MHmf  Evergreen Combat Stick Casting Rod (10-20 lb. line & 3/8 to 1-1/4 oz. lures) Daiwa Tatula Elite 30lb braid to 12 or 16lb sniper.  Spinnerbaits, swim jigs, open hook swimbaits, scroungers, etc.  Moving single hook applications primarily.  Probably a decent trap/spook rod too, if so I'd move to mono leader for topwater.  Should be good for most bigger mid depth cranks or squarebills.  Rod 4: 7’8”  XHmf  Evergreen Combat Stick Casting Rod (40-80 lb. braid & 1/2 to 4 oz. lures) Money not an issue; JDM Zillion HD, cheaper tatula 200.  65lb braid to 25lb floro/mono.  All treble hook 5-8" swimbaits or open hook swimbaits and large flutter spoons, probably staying under 3oz.  Could also crank your 20+ divers, though the 65lb braid isn't ideal diameter so expect less depth. Rod 5: Your suggested crankbait rod (and reel)  I'd go 6'10 ish M/RF or M/F (1/8-3/4oz) here for finesse plastics, shakey head, jerk baits, small spoons, topwater, squarebills, flukes, etc and pair it with the Daiwa Tatula BF70 BF, PE 1.5 to 10lb sniper And all of it is subject to change once I fished it.  I'd then have the tat 70 in the wings for another M or MH RF/MF that compliments or slots in around the gaps of the MH combat stick and the not yet determined rod.
 
scott

Not good, not good at all.  Almost everyone got me for something, and always enough for free shipping.
 
scott

You seem to have everything covered.  Maybe a longer bc rod; ie EMTF or Braillist, if you stay in the MB lineup, though I've never tried them.  I fish braid to leader and would probably lean toward the EMTF, traps, blade baits, finesse jigs, free rigs, spoons, etc.  
 
scott

It's worked in MI too...
 
scott
 
 
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The 22 Bantam is one of my favorite reels, and though I no longer have a 734, when I did, the 18 bantam was right at home on there.  One of my favorite things about dobyns rods, is that a 6-8oz reel feels nearly identical.  Allows for a lot of reel swapping with other rod companies less interested in balance.
 
scott

I almost have all those rods and baits.  6" magdraft is probably gonna be best on the EX7'2H.  You could throw it on the DC734, but you'd have to really really lean into a bite, a DC735 would also work great.  A 6" magdraft freestyle should definitely be thrown on your EX7'3XH.  It's the perfect rods for 6-7" beast hook, weedless soft baits, imo.  Swaver 168 would be perfect for the 7'2H.  The chad shad and gill are gonna be best on the EX7'3XH.  I throw over 2oz very frequently with that rod, you'll be fine.  They're both heavy enough where you might wanna make sure you sidearm lob it early till you get the feel of the rod.
 
I have "real" swimbait rods, but I end up usually preferring heavy jig rods for certain lures, ie a magdraft and 168 I never tie on to my large reel rigs.  
 
scott

Do your wraps. I’m usually 16-20. I like 2 half hitches next. Then set the knot!  I like a couple quick pops on it, then I torque down and really pull. You’ll see the knot change color as it bites. Next, trim the floro as close as possible, this is the number one source of a knot unraveling over time. Nail clippers are my favorite. Then I do 2-3 more half hitches and a 4 turn rizzuto to finish. Burn or not burn hasn’t affected me yet and I never put nail Polish on it. I think you’ll see there’s really nothing to it as you gain confidence tying them. Best of luck on the swimbait hunt!
 
scott

Something that worked for me is breaking a body of water down to a manageable chunk that I could work over 4-5 times in a row, and continually come back to as I expanded patterns and learned more.  I fish small lakes compared to most on here, like 75 acres and 325 acres, so I can only guess how daunting figuring out some big water can be.  I picked a section that had the geography and depth to support the spawn and the closest deep water to that area and spent time on it.  Over a short period of time I learned there can be a lot of dead water.  Over a longer period of time, I learned that the water I thought was dead is in fact holding fish but they are not always active.  Spending time on this smaller chunk of water over years has given me insights into the ebbs and flows of seasons, water temps, water levels, fishing pressure, fish migration, and even bite windows.  If you have electronics, finding the shad would be my priority.  If you don't, structure, cover, and bird watching would guide me the most.
 
scott
 
 

Mine have.  I'm a fan of keeping them in their clamshells.
 
scott

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

It's mid 30's and raining today, my least favorite weather.  These gloves are the real deal!  Thanks @T-Billy for a great rec.  These are also gonna make work a little more comfortable this winter.
 
scott

I have the 7'3" MH/RF, 6'11M+/F, 7'2"H/F.  I can say that fast should be ruled out for sure.  I find the 7'3"MH/RF does everything pretty well.  I haven't really thrown many trebles on it yet.  I'm about to bring it on a trip where it will serve as my squarebill rod, so I believe it will be good.  Blade baits, swim jigs, chatterbaits, spinnerbaits, underspins, T-rigs, and jigs have all treated me well on that rod.  
 
scott