JMac603

I like a St Croix 6'6" Avid MH spinning with straight mono.

Get the popcorn out, folks! I prefer mono as I don't care for how fluoro handles. But I'm sure I'm doing something wrong and I'm missing tons of fish because I use stretchy mono that doesn't sink and fish can see.

Zman Grubz on a ned head. Can swim it along in current or let it sit and the elaztech stands the jig head up and the tail flutters just sitting there in the current. I've done very well with this in rivers. I end up catching a lot of other species as well, though. Grubs are universally munched on.

I use bucktail 1/4oz frequently. Depends on the weather how I fish it - cold is a slow straight retrieve and warm I'll pop off the bottom and let it pendulum down. I find it does well when they're suspended post spawn and they chase it down like a tube. I throw these more than I do paddletails or swim jigs with plastic skirts. I fish them on a 7' M St Croix Avid 3K Tatula with #8 trilene mono. I'll throw a Gulp leech on the back sometimes but the jig does just fine on its own. Recently I've been enamored with very light maribou/hair jigs - 1/16 and 3/32 on long limber rods with light line. I've done VERY well this year on these and having a blast perfecting that rod and reel combo. So far it's a 7'6" ML TFO Resolve, a Tatula 4k, #10 daiwa 8 grand braid, and a #4 trilene xl mono 10' leader. I've never tried the heavier hair jigs others have mentioned. I rarely fish heavy tackle but that might be worth a go, too, at some point here.

I'm more annoyed by everyone having a camera and wanting to be a YouTuber since covid made them so much money.

St Croix Victory 7'10" "open water" rod. I use it for smaller swimbaits on 3/8" ball heads. #10 braid on a 4k size reel will launch em.

Aglia in line with the hair on the treble ??

I fished straight #6 mono on my 7'6" St Croix Avid and a 4k tatula. Wasn't really a fan of the distance I got. After thinking about it, I should've probably ran #4 for comparable diameter to fluoro. I feel like the small difference won't be a huge difference. Hooked into plenty of fish (first largie of the year) with no issues other than less casting distance.

I've never fished a ned mono only for fear of excessive gut hooks from light strikes and less sensitivity. The more I go back to fishing straight mono, I feel like I've been lied to about the sensitivity thing. Am I crazy? I'm going out this weekend and throwing a ned on straight mono now...

I don't know if I'd invest into the St Croix hair jig rods (I have the LTB and the Victory). I'm unfamiliar with the Flyssa but I'm unimpressed with the St Croixs. They handle fish just fine but just don't cast or balance as well as I'd hoped a 7'10". As far as reels - I really like MQ bodies. I like the Ballistics and dig the new Tatulas. I have the Certate in the 3k size but that's a perfect match for my ned/drop shot rod. I'd love to get into an Exist someday but little rich for me right now. I haven't tried straight mono yet but I'm also interested to see how that is. I'm also very anxious to spend more time with the Resolve bass rod as I enjoyed the balance and overall feel of that.

I use Daiwa reels. For hair jig I was using a regular Tatula 4k but picked up the new Tatula MQ 4k for it. I've been using #10 braid to 4-6lb mono leader but @Will Wetline has me wanting to try straight mono (i dont like fluoro) to see casting distance. First I'm going to fine THE rod (if theres ever such a thing) and then ill try changing lines.

All spinning with one casting. Spinning #10 braid to various mono leaders (#10-#4). Tube rod is #8 big game. Casting is #12 big game for cranking and spinner baits.

I feel the same way about the LTB. I got the TFO 7'6" ML Resolve in yesterday. Fished it tonight and was very pleased with the casting distance and how it handled a couple (smaller sub 2lb) smallies. I have some bias though as I'm a TFO fan boy so I need to give it more time to keep myself honest. Appreciate all the input and will be looking into a couple of the rods mentioned above. Specifically the Daiwa MLs.

My Nephew turned me on to these "Hey Dude" slip ons that are machine washable so I'm going to say they're safe to wade. They're like slippers and I'm in love so far.

I am referring to the light 1/16-1/8 oz feather/hair jigs. I've been using maribou and fox hair jigs. I lumped them together because it seems everyone always does. I've put some time in with the previously mentioned rods but haven't found "THE" rod yet for me. Maybe I'm searching for something that isn't there, but it's fun talking about and trying tips from you all for the time being to see if it's out there.

I see people say this regularly and they go on to say a 6'10" - 7' is better. Is 6"-8" really making that much of a difference? I get that it takes less movement from the rod with the added length, but THAT much difference? Genuine question here. I drop shot with a 7' rod so I'm not coming from a place of "but it works for me so that can't be true."

Couple from an Oneida trip last week. 4.7 was the best. Tough conditions but still had a blast. All caught on a black 1/8oz Brian's Custom hair jig.

No kidding...I've never considered trying that for this. I use straight mono for tubes so you won't get any guff from me for not using braid. I'll have to spool a reel for this and see how I do for distance. I tried the ultra light (6lb) braid and it's just too thin. I've been using 10lb to 6lb leader but if I can get plenty of distance without a connection knot, I'm game. Do you sell your jigs?

Straight fluoro?

I appreciate the feedback. I'd like to pick Mr. @Will Wetline brain about his jigs. Picked up some from Brian's Custom Tackle and they did me great this weekend. I'm obsessive about getting everything just right. I've been eyeing a Daiwa as I'm a big fan of their reels. I find the St Croix tip to be too whippy but I love when it loads down into the blank. I'm anxious to fish the 7'6" Resolve to see if it has a lighter tip than the Pro series does. My local Daiwa guy says he's having a tough time getting the 7'6"s so that'll give me time to fish the TFO.

Hey all. I've found myself enamored with hair jigs. I've tried a few rods now and haven't settled on one and wanted to see what you all use. I've got a 7'6" St Croix Avid ML that's a stand out, I'm trying the St Croix Legend Tournament 7'10" and enjoying it but not as much as I'd hoped, I've got a 7'6" TFO Pro Series ML that is a bit stiff for these light jigs, and I'm waiting on a TFO Resolve Bass 7'6" ML. I used a friends 7'6" TFO Tactical Elite and enjoyed it but I prefer cork grips. What are you all using?

I'm seeing trace chemicals in deep artesian wells here in NH. In parts per trillion, mind you, but they're there. I'm no bleeding heart, but it is disappointing.

Pollution. I hate the idea of losing plastic baits in water. I'm a well pump/water treatment installer so I know we'll be filtering chemicals associated with these plastics out of potable water at some point (if we aren't already with all these forever chemicals). I've tried to Biobaits and they just aren't THERE yet with them.

First one of the year here in NH from a couple weeks ago. Caught on a black hair jig. #3.1

I finesse fish 98% of the time. It's always #8-#10 Power Pro Super Slick to a copoly (yo-zuri typically) #4-#8 leader. If I'm throwing heavy I just use #15 Big Game and Froggin (which is only when I get that rare itch), I use #50 Power Pro. I'd rather catch numbers with the occasional big girl than throw big baits looking for big fish only. I did the big baits for big fish thing for a few season early on but realized quickly I'm just happy catching em and when a big one hits, fighting em out on a long spinning rod letting the drag tick. To each their own!