T-Billy

Bill, Rowland, Al, and my Grandpa Sweasey, who got me hooked on fishing at the age of four. It's been an ever evolving lifelong addiction since that first outing on his dock. A big part of who I am is because of that man. I owe him a lot, and still miss him terribly, even though he's been gone for 36 years.

Around 100 days a year. 8 hours minimum. Usually 10-12. I feel like I don't get to fish enough.

I have tried the Vicious. I prefer the 832 and Fins braids. Fade doesn't matter to the fish one bit.

Moving baits. Spinnerbaits, crankbaits, chatterbaits, etc. The Fins is a smooth 8 carrier braid. It handles well, and is quiet through the guides. The 832 isn't super smooth for an 8 carrier braid, but it handles great, and is the most abrasion resistant braid I've found. I think that gore fiber lives up to Sufix hype.

First, CONGRATS ON AN AWESOME DAY!!! Way to put it on 'em!!! Second, when the time comes to buy more braid, Sufix 832 and Fins XS Big Game are both outstanding lines at a reasonable price. I've tried a bunch, and these are my "go to's". I like 832 for bottom contact, and the Fins for chuck'n and wind'n. Sounds like it's time to find a new brand.

Yeah, for sure. Bright sun, mid 80's, light winds. Perfect recipe for a terrible muskie trip, but they were chewing. No telling how many of those follows I could have converted with a little more wind. Could have been a crazy 3.5hrs. No heartbreaks there though. They were all low to mid 30's.

I had to hang around the house this morning while my new garage door was being installed, so I didn't get to the lake until 11:30. I fished until 3:00. It was on like Donkey Kong with the 30 somethings. 39", 36" and 31" pictured. I also lost another high 30's and caught a mid 20's dink. Six other aggressive follows, but they're really skittish with the clear water, and I couldn't quite close the deal with them. All ate in the 8. I was BURNING a Llungen 22 Short over grass in 10'-13'. Same deal as when I was hammering them last August. I don't know why I was sticking my tongue out in the pic of the 36". Musta been thinking of @gimruis!!! 😜

Always looking for quality, but the baits I throw also catch quantity. I don't mind wading through a bunch of smaller fish in search of a big bite, but they're not what I'm looking for.

Snelled flippin rig, 50# braid. As others have mentioned, start at the outside and work into the thick of it.

It ain't but 33", but anytime one of these over 30" goes into the net, it's a successful day in my book. Had three other follows, all around this size. They're finally chasing, but the water's pretty clear, so they're pretty skittish coming into the 8. This fish hit mid retrieve as I was burning a double 8 over some milfoil that's within a foot of the surface so, I got to see the bite. It came rocketing up out of the weeds and absolutely smoked the spinner. I also put about a dozen LM in the boat before daylight. Nothing over 2#. There's some fish to be had pre-dawn, but last week's cool front has the gills in a holding pattern. The night bite won't really heat up until they hit the beds. Should go down in the next week or two.

I had a pair of them run by me yesterday, WOT within 20', racing to their first spot, while I was fishing with my wife. Fortunately for that first guy, he buzzed the post Jesus Tim. The pre Jesus Tim would have launched that Medussa with it's pair of 7/0 trebles at his head. I hate fishing weekends.

👍I've been running Lexa HD's since last August when I started chasing muskie outside of A-rig season, and I've been very happy with them. I decided it was time to give a Tranx a try just for comparisons sake. I really like it as well. It palms really well and casts light baits a bit better than the Lexa 400 while not giving up nearly as much line capacity as dropping to a Lexa 300. You really cant go wrong with either brand IMO. Daiwa seems to overrate the rod power on them IMO. It could just be my perception though. They're all moderate action rods so the tips are soft, and don't really start getting into the backbone until mid blank. That's a good thing for fighting fish on trebles, but not so much for pulling baits around the 8. I tend to favor one power up from what I think I should need with these rods. I have zero issues with the build quality at their price point though.

Sorry to hear. Prayers for your quick healing.

My muskie guide buddy steered me away from those Chaos rods when I started buying muskie gear. I've been very happy with my Daiwa Prorex muskie rods. They're also telescopic, have Fuji O-ring guides, and the VERY comfortable Fuji palming reel seat. They offer 8'6" models in MH, H, and XH. The 8'6" XH is my favorite for muskie glides and rubber in the 3-10 oz range. I recently bought a 401 Tranx myself. I've been very happy with it so far.

I have a KK Zephyr bfs reel. It's very smooth for it's price tag, and will keep up with my curado bfs in casting distance, but the spool to frame gap is too big, and allows any line under 8# mono to get in there and bind up. I also recently bought two KK Rovers for live bait muskie rigs. So far they've been flawless and I think they're a lot of reel for the money. They're basically a Chinese built ambassadeur with a bait clicker for $50-$60.

For sure. The 8 is a big deal, you have to develop a technique to it. Long 9' and 9.5" rods really help with making good 8's. They allow you to make wide turns more easily, and make bigger depth changes when coming through the straights. I like to pull the bait fast and down coming into the straights, then come up high and slow it down through the corners. The bites usually come at the apex of the turns.

A couple more toothy slimers bellied up to the bar for T-Billy's all you can eat crappie breakfast this morning. First was a nice thick 40.5", second was an anorexic 46.5" old timer. The poor thing was so skinny I felt kinda bad for catching it. A bit later I moved to a big flat and pulled this 37" off the weed edge with a crappie colored double 8 spinner. It was an awesome bite. It came in hot and chased around the 8 three full laps then finally smashed it on an outside turn right at the surface. A fired up muskie on a foot of line sure is a hoot!!! The smallest fish was the highlight today. Felt good to get one on an artificial. It's been awhile.

Gorgeous pike A-Jay. Congrats brother.

Hold my beer. I got this.

You said it's legal. I say go for it if you don't have a moral issue with it. I certainly don't. Who gives a crap what other people think? I can count the people on this planet who's opinion truly matters to me on both hands, and have a couple fingers left. I'd recommend making a quick strike rig like muskie guys use for suckers, but use stout mono. No need for wire with bass. Looking forward to pics of your results. 😉

I'm a bass bustin, muskie maulin, crappie killin, saugeye slayin, SON OF A GUN BABY!!!

Congrats on getting back out and catching some fish. Prayers for continued improvement with your health.

I can't speak to the Champ, but I have the Kaden 744c and it would serve you well for what you describe plus a bunch of other stuff, senkos, Trigs, spinnerbaits, buzzbaits... It's a very versatile rod.

44 Easter Sundays ago I caught my first LM on a Big-O from my uncles pond. 18.5" - 3.5#. Been hooked ever since. I've been hooked on fishing since my Grandpa first took me when I was four, but that first bass really lit a fire that's still burning more than four decades later, and that memory is still vivid in my mind.