Cody28

I live on the central basin of Lake Erie and have been a long time largemouth fisherman, but am just now trying to figure out smallie fishing (I know its weird given my location). On a big lake like Erie where should I be looking this time of year? I hear fall is great smallie fishing, but I am honestly lost. Do they come back up river like the steelhead? Shallow off the piers like walleye? Backs of the creeks chasing bait like their green cousins? Somewhere else entirely?

Swim jigs and finesse jigs often have really light weed guards so 12 lb works fine, but I would never drop below 15 for anything else.

In my opinion I would swap the two combos around. I think the spinning rod would be better suited for the t-rigged plastics and use the baitcaster for jigs. 1. I find it easier to detect bites through the reel/line on a baitcaster which is important when they hit the jig on the fall, which fish often do. It is very hard to feel the bite on loose line, close the bail, and then set the hook like a spinning rod makes you do. 2. Line management and keeping connected to the bait on retrieve is crucial for jigs which is much more efficiently done on a baitcaster. 3. Your wrist/hand is in a stronger position l on a baitcaster making it much more comfortable setting hard through the thick hook/weed guard of a jig. 4. The gear ratio of your baitcaster is most likely faster which helps, especially if you're swimming a jig all day (Idk your set up though). 5. Typically I use jigs that are heavier than my t-rigs and baitcasters handle heavier lures so much better. Overall it is going to depend on your fishing style, but this is how I look at it. Hope it helps.

I live on Lake Erie and often fish a hand shaped lagoon/marina that has plenty of largemouth most of the year. There are lots of lilly pads, docks, and overhanging trees, but the bottom composition is just mud. For the past couple weeks the bass moved off of the dying lilly pads and under the docks. Now the dock skipping bite has gone cold and there have been giant bait balls pushed up in the far back fingers of the lagoon. They're very little minnow like bait fish and definitely being chased by something, as you can see them flying all over the place and getting hit up out of the water. I have tried sticking near these bait balls, but have had no luck. I've ran spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, mid diving cranks, whopper ploppers, and jerkbaits through the bait balls without even a nibble. Is there anything else that works better for this specific situation? Im starting to wonder if it is a different species that has them pinned up and the bass are elsewhere? Any advice is appreciated.

Any of the St. Croix ML spinning rods will do the trick. St. croix is known for being very parabolic with an overpowered butt end. I use the Premier ML fast for this sort of application and it is plenty parabolic. Honestly any medium fast rods will work as well especially if you're willing to use stretchy lines like mono or seaguar invisx flurocarbon.

I think you're right on the money about profile. I had a fish blow up on smaller baitfish maybe 6 inches from my frog. I saw the splash and watched the little baitfish go flying. All I could do was shake my head.

I haven't gotten to try the full contact finesse out, but maybe that will be next on the wish list. Thats super interesting that your Mojo had a stiffer tip though. I have the newer generation Mojo Jig & Bait and its tip is wayyy softer than the tip on my Marshal.

I have used all three of these recently and this is the best advice by far. The spinnerbait rod is ideal if you like soft tips, but "the grunt" is also great for spinnerbaits. Im using "the marshall" for jigs as its much more stiff than "the grunt"

Just to update everyone, I went out a few days in a row and no luck on any type of frog what so ever. Plenty on subsurface moving baits tho. No point in using a hammer to remove a screw.

I second this, the buzz is typically my third option after the plopper and sprinker frog when looking for this style of bait.

I am generalizing a lot here, but buzzbaits are used when the fish are super aggressive where as ploppers work better when a slower presentation is required because they can stop and float. I think of ploppers as a finesse buzzbait. Very similar baits, but imo the buzzbait is much more niche. It shines during a very small period of time because the fish must be hyper aggressive to chase it down. I personally see this right around 60-65 deg water temp in my area (Ohio), but the plopper will work then too. Working either of these baits fast can be used to pick off the aggressive fish of the bunch whenever its topwater season, but that tactic is not always the most effective. The dumbest fish in the bunch will typically bite first in most cases.

I actually just tied on a teckel sprinker frog the other day, which is what got me thinking about this in the first place

Heavy rods are almost never about the size of the fish. It's more about driving home the two giant flipping hooks in an average frog. A medium heavy can be used, but you have to be aware of what size/type of frog you use with it.

I know down south a hollow belly frog is a very effective lure during the fall, but I never hear this in Ohio. Everyone seems to be throwing topwater, but never a frog. Is there reason for this? Anyone in the midwest/north half of the country find success on a fall frog bite? When do you typically throw them during the fall if so?

I would 110% go heavy for frogs. You are basically setting the hook with 2 beefy flipping hooks. A lot of people go extra heavy even. I used to use my MH and it was a disaster compared to my 7'3" heavy set up I use now. There are plenty 7'0" heavy rods out here and you dont need to go expensive. No sensitivity required to see a fish blow up or slurp down your frog. Most rods set up for dock skipping seem to fit the bill for you.

I haven't handled that victory rod, I have only heard good things. I would really consider the Spinnerbait Rod in the mojo bass line up though. It's tip is super soft and whippy. It handles 1/4 oz. no problem. I believe its rated 1/4 to 3/4 oz. I have never tried any lighter because 3/16 in anything is where I switch to spinning gear.

How many and what rods (power/action) are most local tournament guys running? Anything you recommend adding? For me currently I use... 7’3” HF Lew’s TP1x (Frogs) 7’3” MHF St. Croix Victory “The Marshall” (Swim Jigs / Flipping Jigs) 7’1” MHF St. Croix Mojo Bass "Jig & Bait" (T-Rig / Spinnerbait / Buzz-bait / All Purpose) 7’0” MHMF St. Croix Mojo Bass "Spinnerbait" (Bladed Jigs) 6’8” MXF St. Croix Mojo Bass "Topwater" (Fluke / Jerk-bait / walking top-waters) 6’11” MM Lew’s TP1x (squarebills / lipless) 7 ft. MF Lew’s Mach Crush Spinning Rod (shakey head / wacky rig) 7 ft. MLF St. Croix Premier Spinning Rod (ned rig / dropshot)

I often suggest this rod for chatterbaits as well, but my favorite rod is the St. Croix Mojo Bass Spinnerbait rod. Very very soft whippy tip which helps woth moving baits, but then a good solid backbone. It is a mod-fast rod for $140. If you wanna step up to $200, I hear the 7'1" MHF St. Croix Victory is very good for the job, as it is not nearly as stiff as other St. Croix models.

Thats crazy! When Im having a tough time I switch to a jackhammer and then it usually gets bit. Different waters different tactics I guess.

I did see that P2 pinion gear when researching, but haven't heard anyone say they noticed it making a difference one way or another. The hypermag does feel like its becoming dated, but its hard to pass on the deal. Thanks for the input still not sure what I will do haha

I need the left hand model and they're sold out ?

I personally like 15 lb Invisx just to add a hair more stretch and I sometimes fish the stealth blade jackhammer in clear water situation, but I could see it working great with braid too. That mod-fast tip gives a lot of forgiveness.

Is it the 6 pin break vs 4? Aluminum over Magnesium? Any specific reason?

I recently got a St. Croix Victory "The Marshall" for T-tigs and jigs. I am looking for a casting reel to pair it with and not sure which to buy. I love the way the Lew's SLP frame fits in my hand on this rod but not sure which to buy. I can get a Hypermag 7.5:1 for $200 or the 8:1 for $250 right now, but also looking at the new Lew's Custom Pro ($260). Any advice between these two reels or any other Lew's reels you like? Any advice on magnesium reels? I have never owned one. Are they weaker than aluminum? Stronger? All I know is they are lighter. Any advice is appreciated. Additional: I have many Lew's LFS reels and love them but they don't feel right in the hand on this rod.

Absolute best rod I have found for this is the St. Croix Mojo Bass spinnerbait rod. Runs about $140. Normally I would not recommend a spinnerbait rod because many are too fast and stiff in the tip but this one is a 7 foot medium-heavy moderate-fast rod. It is a super soft tip and then good backbone. Perfect rod for spinerbaits as well, but people often like stiffer rods than this one.