CrashVector

I dunno...I can see the benefit of high grade, don't get me wrong. Maybe I'm just used to the "cheap as hell" grade cork that came on my cheaper combos lol

Excellent...might hafta order some!

I don't eschew technology...I use a down view sonar unit to find brush piles for crappie. I just think livescope goes too far for tournaments.

Previously uncatchable fish are easily caught when you can sit there and watch them react to a lure. Personally, I think livescope should be banned in fishing tournaments.

Livescope, etc is ruining fishing in my opinion.

It's the middle of summer. The bite is tough everywhere right now. With that much grass, by this time of year, a lot of it is in decline, which eats up the oxygen in the water as well. You have to search out the spots with healthy grass, deeper areas, or areas with current. This time of year, I really like the 4" powerbait pit boss on a 3/0 EWG with a 1/8oz pegged weight. Bama bug color. Pitch it right along healthy weed edges, or cast it parallel to them and work it back slow in short hops...and hang on to your rod.

It's basically a Texas rig with an unpegged weight.

This.

Green pumpkin, green pumpkin goby, and green pumpkin magic are the only three colors I use.

I haven't bought any bc a few reviews says it stiffens the cork and makes it less springy...what's your take? That's the cork on a Fantasista premier..it's almost TOO smooth imo

I buy the 1/10oz ned heads, cut the hooks off, and glue em in. Then, I rig the lure with a rigging hook on the opposite end. So instead of leading with the weight, I lead it with the hook.

I know what you mean about that. To remedy it, I always spray on some of the real magic stuff. It's basically just silicone. See...that's not bad at all. The high grade cork on modern rods looks like blonde colored foam its so smooth

Am I the only person here who actually prefers the lower grade cork? The higher grades look, well, plain. They're really light colored and smooth. The lower grades seem to have more personality AND seem to have more texture, which means grippy when they get wet. Plus, I kind of like the look of the more rustic cork. If I could do it easily, I'd probably swap out all my premium grade cork handles for the lower grade stuff.

Yeah those Fantasista rods are $300 rods for $160. Helluva deal. Don't think anyone would be foolish enough to claim that the Fantasista line isn't an excellent rod. The sensitivity is only a tad bit less than the Zenon series.

Beaver style lures are my #1 favorites in ALL water conditions.

I tried those exact heads. While they won't snag, they are anything BUT weedless. I ended up throwing them away after the third time I tried to use em. They hooked every piece of weed, slime, and grass that came within 3 feet. I'd cast out and have half a pound of trash nearly every cast. The hook is great. The weight ...not so much.

Bass require lots of oxygen. 3-5 decent fish, if you want them alive, you'd have to keep your aerator running. In my kayak, I fill a 48qt ice chest with water, add livewell treatment that helps them recover from stress, and I keep two bubblers going the whole time.

I'd go with the M/XF for the techniques you are describing. I looked at each rod, the issue *I* have is they don't tell you the modulus/type of the graphite used. The only "spec" listed is SCIII which isn't that great imo. For spinning finesse, I want 36 ton graphite at a minimum. I don't buy from manufacturers who use "proprietary nomenclature" to describe their materials. I want to know what I am paying for without all the gimmicky label stuff.

For the record, soft bottoms won't ruin your bite detection. It'll make your lure feel "mushy" when you are working it, but bites will still feel the same. If anything, there will be even more contrast between "oh..that was a rock" and "that was a fish" because the bottom is so soft. The lake I bank fish is nothing but muck on the bottom.

Are there better rods than the sierra? Sure. Is the sierra good enough for what you're doing? Sure. You'd probably be better served throwing Texas rigs on a MH/F or M/F rod though. Im a finesse fisherman. 95% of my bass fishing is using finesse techniques, and the Texas rig is my favorite. Creature baits, stick baits, worms, etc. I've found about the ideal weight for light cover is right about the 1/8-3/8 weight range. My favorite rod for this is a MH/xtra fast casting rod. I also use lots of MH or M spinning rods...all with fast actions.

Abu Garcia Veritas tournament edition spinning rod in MH/F. 1/4oz - 3/4oz lure rating. $180. I love mine, and use it to fling weightless plastics and jigs similar to what you are looking for.

If you're looking for inexpensive combos, I highly recommend these: https://www.abugarcia.com/collections/rod-reel-combos/products/max-x-black-baitcast-combo-1285789 Not top of the line by any means, but they'll get the job done.

I like how he mocks other golfers' sense of "proper"

Bass fishing: Palomar Panfish: improved clinch

Nice! Let us know how it works out!