T-Billy

40# braid. No leader.

The most majestic dumpster divers out there. ?

Can't comment on the Daiwa, but that ark blank is very good. I'd recommend spending the extra $29 and getting the Tharp Series version of it for the Fuji guides. Mine has taken beating after beating with zero issues.

Fish easily find neds at night. No need for rattles on jigs IMO. That said, fishing with confidence is important. You fish better when you believe in what your doing, so if rattles give you confidence, by all means use 'em.

That's a dandy. Congrats.

I'll recommend the 7'4" Mag Heavy Invoker for those heavy jigs. It's also outstanding for pitching 3/8 and up, and frogging. It's one of my favorite Ark blanks. Quoted so I could read the comments in the chart. They're over under the ads in the OP in my android browser. Nice write up. I don't frog a lot but I bought two Ark Lancer pro 7'2" H during last falls BOGO sale, and like them for that task.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. ?

In this situation, I keep reeling until the rod tip loads, then sweep into them. My hook and land percentage with paddletails is very high. They hit these things very aggressively and often from behind, knocking slack in the line. Letting them turn with it, and come tight, results in better hookups IMO. They tend to hold onto these soft baits well, and don't often hit-n-spit them. So... I think the way you were originally doing it is best.

^This^ The other options are learn to tie a good leader knot, or don't use braid. The Alberto with an extra wrap or two though the loop before cinching has never failed me. It's also easy to tie with just a bit of practice. I don't use leaders much, but I will sometimes use a short mono leader when fishing deep rock, just to make breaking off easier.

Hello coldfront. Nice to see you. You ended a drought in more ways than one. Best trip since catching my PB muskie back in March. Caught 12 or 13. Not sure. Once I run out of fingers all bets are off. Fish still aren't moving onto the weed flats. Everything's running behind this year. That bite is usually on by the first week of June. I found some quality fish by running a chatterbait down the outside edge of milfoil beds on steep shale/clay banks though. After sunrise it was all about pitching the pine laydowns again. I fished from 2 till 10:30am. 3.06# 3.18# 3.06# 2.83# I had three others over 2# and had another 3 something come off mid air while boat flipping it. I also tied into a lake monster in a deep pine top. Dunno if it was the muskie or flathead variety, but I'd wager flathead by the way it was pulling. Straightened out a 4/0 6th Sense OX flippin hook trying to winch it up out of that tree top. Twas an epic tug o' war.

I caught a pair of 1.5# LM in 3.5hrs of night fishing, then took a skunking after the lights came on yesterday morning. Brutal. We're getting our first rain in a while right now. Nothing heavy, just showers. It's gonna continue through the night, along with 6-10mph winds. I'm gonna get after them about 2am. Hopfully this mild front will jump start 'em.

Now it's time for you to do this... 59!!! AGAIN!! ?

I don't think the fish care. Faded green doesn't matter either, if anything it's less visible, and blends in with the environment better than new.

^THIS^ My favorite way to fish them is with a pegged 1/8 oz, just SLOW rolling them around shallow laydowns and weeds. The strike is always violent, and you usually get to see it.

Bass Herpies Slimeplex 1. It's usually transmitted on Friday and Saturday nights, sometime after midnight. ? Silly comments are all I have to offer. The post spawn funk has me in a major slump. I can't catch anything worth mentioning day or night lately. Some much needed rain coming in tonight, I'll be out there in it winding a chatterbait around. Hopefully the low pressure and showers will get 'em chewing.

There'd be no skinny dipping, that's for sure!!! I'll vote warmouth too. They're as crazy as they are beautiful. Kinda like a couple of my ex girlfriends.

I do the same but finish by wrapping the tag through the loop twice before cinching. Never had one fail.

He has good taste in music.

Prayers for a successful surgery and quick recovery for your wife Alex. I saw a new fawn yesterday, still wobbly on its legs. Right in the middle of my lane coming around a sharp turn. Lucky I was able to get slowed down enough for it to get out of the way. First I've seen this year.

Forget the leaders. #STRAIGHTBRAIDBRIGADE!!! It won't cost you bites and you won't have to worry about breaking off fish.

I think it's gonna usher in the new ice age all the scientists said was imminent back when I was in school, creating more ice fishing opportunities.

Caught some nighttime basses on a chatterbait last weekend under the full moon. That bite's only gonna get better as we get further into June. My favorite setup is gonna be a Zillion HD on a Ark Invoker 7'4" H MF for the next couple months until the sun comes up. I have four of these rigs for a reason. They're OUTSTANDING for single hook moving baits. After daybreak, it's gonna be all about pitching into the nastiest stuff I can find with an Invoker 7'6" XH F, with a Lew's SP and 50# 832. These two setups will see more action from now till October than everything else combined.

Green lenses make the black lateral line and tail fin tip on LM stick out like a sore thumb, and as you stated, good for bright or cloudy conditions.

Ark Invoker Pro 7'4" Mag H is outstanding for the weights you mentioned. It's light for it's power, well balanced, and sensitive. Also a great frogging rod. You can buy two of them with your budget. You can easily spend more and get less rod. It's my favorite all around pitching rod. Enough tip to pitch 3/8, plenty of power to drive home a big flippin hook and drag em out of the jungle.