T-Billy

I use a bead at night.

ATTA BOY!!! Congrats on the new rod, but more importantly, GET THAT KNOT TIED!!! You don't wanna let that girl get away!!! My wife gave me a funny look recently when two rod tubes showed up on the front porch on the same day. I told her I couldn't help it. I have a birth defect. I was born without a willpower. She told me to go buy one online like I buy everything else!!! ?

Take a look at ARK rods. Several series in your price range. I've been VERY impressed with my three Tharp series for $129. Those 40T Torray blanks are sweet, and Fuji K guides. That said, Dobyns warranty and replacement program is awesome. I broke a Sierra and sent the required rod piece in. I had my replacement Kaden on my porch four days after Dobyns recieved it, and the girls there were GREAT to deal with. Customer service doesn't get any better. Very happy with my Sierra and Kadens too, especially the Kadens.

I don't think there's a surefire way to prevent biteoffs short of steel/titanium or really heavy say 80lb+ flouro/mono leaders. It's funny, I've caught a bunch of musky up to 42" on a TRD Bug and 6# XT the last couple years. They won't leave it alone in cold water. If they pick it up off the bottom they just nip at it and I hook them right in the tip of their mouth. I land probably 2/3 of those fish. If they grab it up in the water column as I'm reeling it in, they generally bite me off instantly. Same deal with bigger baits. They tend to inhale the bait if it's up off the bottom, and I get bit off the majority of the time, regardless of the type of line I'm using. Pike and musky are crazy. I had a 40"+ musky rocket out from under my boat and grab my fluke as I was lifting it out of the water one day. The bait was a couple feet above the surface when it grabbed it. Like 2' of line out. Bout needed a change of drawers after that bite. ? That fight lasted about 3 seconds. It bit me off as it was tail walking away from me.

I had a magic shad rap years ago that out produced others by a large margin. I fished it until it broke in half. That was a sad day. I have no idea how many river smallies that thing caught. Enough that I had to change the hooks out a couple times. The bill was worn down visibly smaller by the time it broke but it kept producing.

Caught my PB largemouth after picking out a backlash. Stitching a TRD Bug on a 1/8 football jig is awesome for cold water smallies.

My favorite night fishing lake is surrounded by rocky hills. Lots of bats at night. The skeeters will eat you up at dusk and dawn, but while it's full dark and the bats are out, you don't get bit. I like 'em.

My wife had a bat get tangled up in her braid one night. They are indeed gruesome looking critters. Good to have around though. They eat lots of skeeters.

I've had pike and musky EASILY slice through 50# braid, and 25# mono and flouro.

Bass in the morning, bucks in the afternoon.

110 in Loon and Bone. And that's all I need!!!

Keitech fat 3.8 saved the day for me Monday. 3/0 1/8 oz swimbait hook slow rolled through shallow brush and hydrilla remnants. Biggest was 1.5#, but it fought off the skunk.

Something I don't think has been mentioned is budget rods are pretty much 7' and under. If you prefer longer rods, you have to step up a price point or two.

Ahhh......So they really are smarter than me. Whodathunkit. ?

Sluggo!!!

Not the most comfortable for me, but not uncomfortable, and it locks the rod into my hand like no other I've used. I'm good with it, especially considering all the other positives this series brings to the table. OUTSTANDING for it's price.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/165063516908?epid=26013746554&hash=item266e8d62ec:g:9ksAAOSwjaBgLNqr https://www.ebay.com/itm/324653998575?epid=25045746432&hash=item4b96e2e1ef:g:iD4AAOSw23Jgg-Wp

Rocks, wood, and docks once the weeds die off. TRD Bug on rock is where I generally start. Jerks and swimbaits over rock and weed stubble. Tubes, jigs, and T rigs if they're on wood. Tough right now, but the surface temp was 68 at Leesville yesterday. Better days are just around the corner. Afternoons are best once it cools into the 50's and the lakes turn over.

Solid year numbers wise, and from a learning standpoint. Haven't got a 5+ yet this year, but a handfull over 4 and lots of 3+. Not bad for OH public waters. I'll be fishing hard right up till ice over. Might get a big'un yet.

Not just moving baits. My bottom contact rods gotta have some tip too. They just fish better. I have a couple XF rods, but I only use them to collect dust and spider webs.

I caught my PB LM 6lb10oz on a Berkley lightning rod, and my PB SM 6lb4oz on a BPS Pro Qualifier. That ol 7' MH Lightning Rod probably put a literal ton of fish in the boat. It was my jig rod for several years, until I wrecked the stainless guides with flouro. They put aluminum oxide guides on them now. Outstanding rods for their price point. If I were to start with a clean slate today, I'd buy the full line of Ark Tharps + a ned rod and call it a day.

I agree. I haven't seen any signature series ugly sticks lately. Then there's the question, how sensitive does a rod really need to be? I personally feel no need to buy high end. Lots of choices out there in the $100 - $200 price range that will do anything I need a rod to do, built with with quality hardware, and plenty sensitive for bottom contact. I've been VERY impressed with the Ark Tharp series at $129.

I should add, the 6# is REALLY important with the bug. Going up to 8# gets me way less bites. I think it kills the action of that little bait. It's just a tiny little beaver, so it's all about the glide on the fall, and it's so soft and bouyant, those little flappers stand up and wave when its at rest. Another big plus is it's so light and soft, they will hold it a long time. I rarely feel a bite, they're just there when I go to move it again.