Fat Ika

@FishTank @Dangerfield - Heck Yeah. I use my 2021 Zillion SV more than the Steez SV, probably cuz the Steez is on a lighter setup that is not fish as much. I use the Zillion on my dedicated t-rig rod as well.

I was on the bank the other day fishing a local pond while the wife was having fun with the dog. Late spawn/early post-spawn in my parts. I was frogging, and out of the corner of the humanoid eye I saw that big swirl we as bass anglers get all excited about. I had 3 other rods with me. 2 casting - 3/16 oz flipping jig & 5" senko on whatever nylon line cant remember. Soaked both by the swirl. I'm talking unpressured/dirty water stupid/dumb fish pond fishing. The last rod attempt was with a spinning rod 15# braid to 8# copoly leader. I pitched a t-rigged 3" senko and soaked for 8-10 seconds, before "big ole tired of spawning Betty" picked it up and didn't move. Did I not feel the bite on casting gear? Did I not give the fish time to reset after the bank-spooking swirl I saw? Or was it, the less intimating bait? Could I fish the weightless 3" senko on BFS or a med/light casting setup? Sure. In that situation I didn't need a spinning rod to pitch a 3" senko 5 yards. Could we fish light neds, small hair jigs, small spys, dropshots etc on bfs casting? Yeah, but not with the casting distance, feel, and the control you get with a spinning rod....IMO of course.

@Darth-Baiter IMO. Eating healthy all the time and mitigating any type of environmental stressors is always going to be primary with warding of future health issues. Formal exercise usually leads to injuries overtime since there's so much misinformation regarding exercise, and we as humans like to challenge ourselves without really listening to the body. I would just stick to listening to your body and doing natural physical activity as many people mentioned such as just walking to lake, fishing, activities of daily living, and very very smart resistance training cardio. Basically, just listen to the body's intuition, which can be challenging without learning from past consequences/wisdom. This advise comes from years of professional experience working with all populations on biomechanical/neuromuscular function. Doesn't mean I'm right. It's complicated and no one is an expert........... even with a lifetime the correct education, coaching, practical application, and other areas that can be defined under medical/health experience.

@LrgmouthShad As you know, everyone comes from different circumstances. For me personally, as long as I do not have an obligation that is primary to leisure and I can physically fish without creating a medical emergency, I'm fishing with an effortlessly focused mindset. These days, I prepare for the conditions and efficiency prep to quickly catch fish, as I might have to leave the water if the body provides excessive warning signs. I'll fish through pain with a focused positive mindset, but obviously not through a physically dysfunctioned state that indicates a potential medical emergency.

@Steve Goldy Maybe weightless t-rigged stickbait. If weightless and need distance and a decent sink rate, I like Roboworm 4.5" ned. Owner JHook, Owner J-Light (for easier hook penetration if that hook can handle the gear and cover), or Gammy G-Finesse Hybrid Worm Hook. 30# Suffix G-Core 131. It's expensive, but it has superior casting distance/line management if that's a pain point for you. Maybe whatever nylon line you like for a leader if a leader is needed. I'll experiment for 1/32 - 3/16 oz unpegged bullet if weighting this texas rigged stickbait. 7'2 - 7'6" Med/Hvy or Heavy rod. 3.5-4" tube on a Trokar or Eagle Claw Tube Flipping Hook. Same line. Same rod. If I need to be weedless and want a tiny/streamlined bait so they eat it faster to prevent getting too wrapped up in cover prior to the hookset, I use a unpegged t-rigged SK Rage Baby Menace, 3" Roborm Ned, or some similar small profile plastic. Same line and rod.

T-rigged 3" ned roboworm. Has some decent weight for a 3" stickbait. Sometimes I'll add a 1/32 bullet weight for a increased casting and fall rate.

I’m not sure what the general consensus would be for wanting a very slow reel for jerkbaiting. I personally like a slower reel to prevent ripping a thin wire treble out of a fish’s mouth, especially when they nip/swipe and barely get one rear hook point in them. Some prefer a faster gear ratio to pick up potential slack for specific scenarios. IMO, someone’s gear ratio preference for jerkbaiting is specific to the situation and how you want to play the fish after hookup in that specific situation.

All Dobyns unless I'm hiking through the woods on some river. All Dobyns, unless they don't make the application I'm looking for............which for now, appears to be just the lack of moderate graphite or composite spinning rods.

Yeah. I don't throw anything else on a shakey head aside from the zmans. I'm sure you're being sarcastic, as it's no secret. ? Anything that helps fellow fishermen aside from more fishing pressure on local lakes.

Zoom Mag ultravibe speedworm mag finesse worm mag trick worm finesse worm ol monster Zman Mag Fattyz Fattyz Bang Stickz Hula Sticks Nishine Namazu GrandeBass Airtail Rattler Stickbaits - Senkos, Gamblers, Powerbait Maxscent

Interesting to hear everyone's experience and they're all valid. I personally had the same issue when I started fishing in the 90s. Tons of success mostly sticking with t-rigged plastics and finesse plastic techniques. Then you watch KVD burn a spinnerbait and squarebill when you're an inexperienced youngster without any help aside from reading mags and your own personal experience. Had no idea when to throw reaction baits, but I was content just going back to simple soft plastic presentations regardless of conditions and gaining back confidence in power plastic or finesse plastic fishing. In order to get your confidence back, I would just commit to what your original confidence is with plastics, be slow methodical and patient on both looking and feeling for the bite. It's fun when the power bite is on, but if the water levels are low/no wind, I personally find myself just committing to plastics.

Agreed. The best days you're dialed in on a pattern quick and feel confident to commit with success. Others, you start out without success, slowly figure it out after a few different strategies. Then others, you struggle, get perplexed, over think it or switch presentations too much.......... and goosehead.

I second that or 3rd or 4th.......... Seems like a few people listed 1 or the other. Easy shiner and Spark shad. Swing fats too. Hazedong 3" for casting/swimming dropshots.......I have no patience to thread a 3" hazedong on a ball head. I like 3.5" Bass Assassin Boss Shiners for a keitech swing fat alternative for weedless/owner beast/flashy swimmer/trailer applications I don't want to waste a brittle swing fat impact on. Some different colors.

hair jig, blade bait, ned, drop shot, jerkbait, hand warmers or line de-icer

Just experience with Tatulas and Vanfords. No experience with FL. No spinning reel will eliminate nylon line issues, but I have don't use Tatulas with straight nylon line anymore. IME, less issues with line management with Vanford.

The Whipsnake will handle light spinning finesse. I would add a 3 power medium for heavier spinning applications. Champ 703, 733, or 763.........whatever length you're comfortable with. If your never vertical dropping, I personally would go with a 733 or 736....or if you want a 7' for target cast spinning and a longer 1 for distance. Hope my opinions/text communication makes sense.

What type of water/structure and what region of the country?

Powell Endurance Spinning 7'2" Med Composite/Glass - Jerkbaits, small cranks, potato chip cranks, poppers. Only non-custom 7'2" composite spinning rod I could find.

Nice! Is he going to start a merch company? I'd buy the heck out his apparel!

Tatsu, Sniper, Assassin, Shooter, Abrasx, Invisx, Gamma. Out of all those, Sniper & Assassin worked for me the best and I stuck with that for years..........good line management and abrasion resistance. Stopped using Assassin due to too much kink breakage and knot slippage with smaller diameter Assassin. Still use Sniper, but I'm really enjoying this past year with Daiwa Samurai. For me, the biggest advantage again, Samurai seems to be more resistance to kink breakage from casting accidents/backlashes.

Who knows, but everyone's input are all valid considerations. IMO, the strongest variable as many others stated, is your technique with casting approach and how you're working the bait. I have zero experience with Florida fishing, but your choice of a finesse worm sounds like a great last resort to me.

I'd be in that camp, but I now have the luxury of easily ned rigging on hard bottom. Never again around grass/soft bottom and I'm not a fan of using offset neds or ripping exposed hook neds in grass, even though it can be deadly.

A-Rig & plus 1 Ounce swimbaits....anything over an ounce. Shoulders, back and neck are destroyed. I need to fish the path of least resistance or else I won't even be able to be on the water. Also, my days of frogging/flipping heavy cover are over.

@Mobasser @Munkin - For confidence, wait until the water's in at least the low 60's. Yes, you can catch them in colder water, but it's not going to be an easy bite....either is the low 60s. If in relatively clear water, I wouldn't throw them unless you've got major light intensity breakup from sun position, cloud cover, wind. Throw early, late.....if high sun, I do not throw unless there's at least 10 MPH. Late Pre-Spawn, Post-Spawn, Summer - Mid-Fall they're killer, at least in the midwest. Clear water regardless of light intensity/wind I only throw natural colors with Zako type trailers. In muddy water, you can obviously throw louder colors and more obnoxious trailers such as a rage bug or similar flappy creature. Not to say that won't work in some clear water conditions. Just like any reaction bait, you could write a novel on all the variables. I'm just speaking from personal experience in the midwest where minnows, craws & bream species are the common forage. I have no experience with man made lakes, shad lakes and anything outside the midwest. So much more to cover, but from 2005-2010, I randomly caught fish on a chatter without any pattern recognition and had no confidence. I was throwing them in the wrong places and probably throwing them in blue bird glass calm conditions. Find a grass flat, low light and wind to build your confidence. @Mobasser @Munkin - For confidence, wait until the water's in at least the low 60's. Yes, you can catch them in colder water, but it's not going to be an easy bite....either is the low 60s. If in relatively clear water, I wouldn't throw them unless you've got major light intensity breakup from sun position, cloud cover, wind. Throw early, late.....if high sun, I do not throw unless there's at least 10 MPH. Late Pre-Spawn, Post-Spawn, Summer - Mid-Fall they're killer, at least in the midwest. Clear water regardless of light intensity/wind I only throw natural colors with Zako type trailers. In muddy water, you can obviously throw louder colors and more obnoxious trailers such as a rage bug or similar flappy creature. Not to say that won't work in some clear water conditions. Just like any reaction bait, you could write a novel on all the variables. I'm just speaking from personal experience in the midwest where minnows, craws & bream species are the common forage. I have no experience with man made lakes, shad lakes and anything outside the midwest. So much more to cover, but from 2005-2010, I randomly caught fish on a chatter without any pattern recognition and had no confidence. I was throwing them in the wrong places and probably throwing them in blue bird glass calm conditions. Find a grass flat, low light and wind to build your confidence.

I use the 742 Champ Extreme casting for most finesse swimbaits as well. Extremely pleased on ballheads with thin/sharp gammys, but I had issues with my favorite Coolbaits underspin (stouter hook)............I think it's probably my fault as my reaction and hooksets are not that great with finesse swimbaiting for smallies. I'll have to try my Champ 792 spinning for those too this coming year..............that rod does mostly nothing aside from limited hair jig action. I'm going to try it out with spybaits this year well.......have never thrown a spybait in my life.