T-Billy

You're on a roll with that thing. You're gonna turn into Jimmie Houston if y'aint careful.

Have you tried a spinnerbait? They have a reputation for catching larger than average fish. ?

Keep the line laying across your index finger. Easy to do with either spinning or casting.

Congratulations!!!

Lew's Super Duty. Small, comfortable to palm, long casting, good line capacity, tough as nails.

I've used X9 and still use Infinity. Both are smoother than 832, but neither holds up as well to heavy cover. 832 is king there for it's abrasion resistance, while being much smoother than a 4 carrier. 131 is a little smoother than Infinity, and handles better thanks to the gore fiber, but to me it's not a night and day difference. Not enough to justify the cost difference for me. It adds up with as many rods as I use braid on. I'm happy with Infinity for chucking and winding, and 832 for flippin, foggin etc. If price isn't an issue, 131 is the best braid that I've tried.

Same deal here in OH. They've moved up only to be pushed back out by cold fronts several times. What a difference a day makes. I took a skunking today. Same conditions, totally different fish behavior. Only saw two quality fish up shallow, and not nearly as many bucks cruising. I fished from 15"-15', grass, wood, rock, clay, moving baits, bottom contact...... Couldn't buy a bite other than a couple redears. Couldn't believe it after what I saw yesterday.

I'll recommend 832 for what you mentioned using it for. It's not the smoothest/quietest 8 strand out there, but it's quiet enough, and offers great handling and abrasion resistance at a good price point. If your set on a super quiet braid, 131 is outstanding.

LOL. I will be, starting next week. Last night was a recon mission. It's about to be on, when the bass come off the beds.

Good luck tomorrow @Cbump.

Yeah, I caught a couple today that had been fanning beds. I also saw several pairs cruising and circling small areas together. I didn't see any beds, but it's about to go down. Water was 65-67 before the sun came up, highs in the 80's lows in the 60's this coming week, and a full moon on the way. I'll be pitching the Sweet Craw all day tomorrow and Sunday. For sure. When she nosed down on it the first time, I thought for sure it was about to be game on, but she was just teasing me. Hopefully she'll bed right there. We'll see tomorrow I reckon.

Got out about 2am to see if the night bite was getting going. Not quite yet. I only managed a dink LM and a nice eater saugeye. Also got mugged twice by muskie. They got me for a chatterbait and a jig. Here's the first floater of the year @gimruis. Once the sun got up there were tons of bass shallow. They're finally gonna spawn. They're running a bit late this year. Saw several really nice fish, and one giant, 6+ for sure, but they weren't being very cooperative. It was slick calm, with about 6' visibility. The fish were super spooky. Best one I could manage was this 3.59#. I got the biggin to nose down on my bait a couple times, but she wouldn't pick it up. She wasn't on a bed, but she was acting like she was. She didn't want to leave a spot in the middle of a big laydown. I'll check and see if she's there tomorrow morning. Fingers crossed.

Congrats on the PB @ScottW!!! That's a dandy!!!

I bought a couple several years ago. They got "geary" pretty fast. I wasn't impressed. You'd be better off buying a Lew's in the same price range IMO.

Thanks, Fishlegs. Here's a December lake monster just for you.

Braid does tend to backlash less IME. Braid is often easier to pick out, but not always. Sometimes it'll dig into itself when backlashing and can be a real bugger to pick out. I've never had braid get damaged from a backlash. I've had pike and muskie cut 50# 832 like a hot knife through butter. It's pretty abrasion resistant, but it's easily cut.

One of the reasons I'm a heavy cover junky. The ability to trigger that reaction strike when they're holed up just chillin, and not really looking to eat. I'm kicked back in my recliner right now, just finished dinner, not the least bit hungry, but...... Drop a Ho Ho in my lap, guess what's gonna happen to it. It works the same with them.

I wanna catch 450 bass a day out of heavy cover like @ol'crickety!!!

I make 'em. Ultra Molds Sweet Craw 3.5". The lack of a hook slot really helps them hold the point of a flippin hook, and keep it from becoming exposed when fishing it deep in the jungle. It also has thick claws that give it a great gliding/spiraling action on the fall. I go through hundreds each year, and the ability to remelt allows me to make them for pennies each.

My #1 flippin/punchin bait. #2 ain't even close.

Welcome to the STRAIGHTBRAIDBRIGADE Katie!!! ? It can sometimes make a huge difference for sure. I think the effect the line type and diameter has on the action of the lure can make as much, if not more difference than its visibility. When it comes to catching those schoolers, matching the hatch may be the key.

The Bama rig was certainly a game changer for me in November/December - March/April.

That's the general concensus I know, and it dies off for me mid 50's, but I'm gonna spend some time with it on deep structure, at night, later this summer to see if maybe there's a bite window for it there too. The night bite is about to get hot here very soon. It'll be all about weeds through June and july, but going into August that always slows down and lots of fish move to rock structure. I'm gonna try rollin a rig around on deep rock when that goes down this year. Might be a waste of time, might be a game changer. Only one way to find out.

Katie, in those weedy waters you fish, bass won't shy away from braid period. Froggin, swimbaits, T-rigs, senkos/flukes, PLOPPERS..... 40 or 50# Sufix 832 will serve you well for all sorts of things.

X9 is nice for moving baits that are fished up in the water column. It's smooth but it isn't very abrasion resistant IME. 832 is king for bottom contact, and fishing heavy cover.