AlabamaSpothunter

I want the big one Megabass Vatalion 190 Swimbait - Tackle Warehouse I want both really lol

Baitwrx had a 50% winters end sale a week ago or so, Armor Shad and Picasso A Rig weren't on sale but those are starting lineup members. Caught a 7.1 on the Picasso A Rig last week along with close to 20 other fish, and when I was at home trying to get it re bent perfectly, a dang arm broke off. While 20 fish including a toad is pretty good, these baits are $22 without any rigging. If this one breaks as quickly, I'm a Yum Flash Mob Jr. man exclusively. Got a HogFarmer rig for $22 at the local funstore a week or two ago, haven't fish it yet. It has much nicer hardware than the cheap Yums, but man the Yums hammer the fish and are on sale at my Academy for $12.97 for everything including high end swimbodies. It's a steal for that price when a fully rigged is gonna run you $30-35 Buzzers are for my mission this summer of 60+ nights buzzin for a white whale. Live Magic Shad and Scottsboro swimbaits are staples, been waiting to try that Arashi 18 in that weird color, for $15 it was a no brainer. Lastly look at how cool those little 3.2 swimbaits are. Only color they had, but for $2 why not. I think you can take out a mylar insert for less flash. Be interesting to see if the action sucks which might be the case. Why else would nobody be making such a great threadfin imitator shaped soft plastic.

Makes a lot of sense, and I think this is why reels are fun, and rods are anxiety riddled purchases for me....warranty, and how's it gonna actually fish after I've sunk several hundred into it are always in my mind when buying a rod. When I buy a Daiwa or occasional Shimano, I never worry a bit about either.

Dang I want one of those MB Vatalions badly. Minimaxs are dynamite.

Haha, exact opposite yet it's my opinion that the rod is the most important aspect to landing quality fish. Daiwa reels make me super giddy...goes back to being a kid

Beautiful, those are some high quality Spots. Your sig line is quite appropriate, great story and great day! Now my head is HUGE......getting a writing compliment from a savant writer ☺️

Your arrogant narrator 4-5 days ago: "I'm finally tapping into the secret truth of the Bass fishing universe" "She's coming any cast, what are you going to do when you catch her" Two days of brutal wind and deep fish, your now humbled narrator: "what the heck am I'm wasting so much time and effort for, you suck" "Just don't lose a bait at this point and go home" "my hands are freezing, what am I doing out here" There will never be anything as rewarding and as equally frustrating as Bass fishing. It's an exercise in sheer madness, it's a disease, it's a drug, it's a complete journey through one own's ego. 5 hours being blown around like a top for 4 fish in the 40s. Back to back days where the fish beat me down. Thankfully the Flashback Mini fooled three, and a runt hit the A-rig. They might just win for a third day in a row, I'll have to find out though lol ? I'm blessed to have caught 4 or 1 fish in all reality, I'm blessed to be fishing, that's all that matter. We're all so blessed to catch these amazing creatures that have colors Crayola couldn't dream of.

Thanks for the info!

Dang Bob, didn't know you had FFS. Add it to the list of stuff I'm jealous over, right behind rural property, and a pond ? How do you like it? Have you caught fish because of it?

I already broke it sadly, but I bought a Shimano SLX 7 M Fast "do it all" rod from Academy in August on clearance for $50 normally $100. The rod was a true gem at full price and then some. They have the new updated ones out now for $100 IIrc., and would imagine they are as good if not better then the version I bought. Take a look at those, you might be able to catch a sale on one and then get it sub $100 as well.

Can you clarify exactly what would be the wrong way? I always heard that you make sure to hold the fish perfectly vertical, and if horizontal support the rear of the fish. Is there more to that, or is that the proper way?

You must remember that ratings are unique pretty much to every rod maker. Company A's Moderate could be basically the same as Company B's Moderate Fast. My Moderate Fast has a glass tip. I bet ska4fun is using a graphite blank?

Might only be three, but it's a beauty brother! Just keep reminding yourself it's not you, it's the fish......I still vividly remember your 7.8 you posted not too long ago off the 110jr. Literally lunch................break, I bet you ate them like sushi ?

I used Gorilla Super Glue on a similar bait and tail. Caught several 5lb fish on the bait since, and thrown it a bunch, tail is still there. I'd just glue it with super glue. As a general rule, the cheaper the super glue, the better imho. That cheap stuff at the dollar store is fantastic. You want the stuff that dries super fast, the longer drying ones require more optimal drying conditions to get a good set on the glue.

That honey badger video on youtube is so funny, can't post here but if you want a laugh it's there. I'd agree wholeheartedly, I'm equally impressed by the angler who gets up and keeps going after 2 fish in 22 outings, as I am the person who's catching 200 fish in 22 outings. You can't control the fish, but you can control your attitude and motivation which is incredibly hard when the bite it tough.

yeah, to me moderate is like a pure dedicated crankbait rod, whereas a mod-fast can still run those trebles fantastically, but equally have a bit more ability to drive a heavier guage single hook on a moving bait like an A-Rig, or Chatterbait.

1. Size/profile 2. noise/method of attraction . . . 3. nuanced color selection That's my order of importance when picking a bait. When I'm looking for a Shad bait, I want it first and foremost to be the size Shad I think the big Bass or whatever is targeting at that time of year. "Gizzard Shad" "GG Threadfin" "Sexy Shad" "4k Shad" "Shad Scales" etc. are all names from various companies who offer different shades of Shad colored baits. To me outside of the flash qualities, color isn't nearly as important. Now for night fishing I'm much more into color selection. Blacks, Pinks, Purples, and mixes of those three far out produce other colors in my experience.

Yeah that nails it. My rod is a H-Mod Fast. The more I fish it, the more I appreciate having a forgiving rod for these baits. I'm already so keyed up fishing these big baits that you swing for the fences when they bite, then the addrenline kicks in because a fish actually just bit such a big bait and you go to cranking like a mad man which Tactical Bassin actually recommends shortening the fight. Honestly if you invest the 3-4hrs time in dedicated material they have on this subject you'll know everything they do. They were a goldmine in getting me jumpstarted, and investing in this style of fishing has really paid off thus far.

Any of the various rods made for big swimbaits and A-rigs. The rod imho is easily the most important aspect to fishing these baits, you can use lighter line, smaller sized reel, but the rod is paramount for a variety of reasons.

To me there is a huge disadvantage throwing a 2-3oz hard swimbait or A-rig on that rod. It's the last rod I'd want in that role. Big swimbait/a-rigs rods have a huge parabolic component to them. If you are throwing single hooked big swimbaits, creeping them on the bottom, rock on with that XH, but if it's got trebles, or is moving constantly, XH is a big no go in my opinion. Let me also add though that all rods are different on ratings, and every rod is a law unto itself. Don't let opinions on the internet influence the decision you already made. Go fish that nice new rod, the rest will work itself out.

I'm so sick and tired of life getting in the way of fishing ? You'd kill it with FFS, but you likely wouldn't catch bigger Muskies ? Thanks Katie! I think about you when it blows like this and I'm crying out there with a TM ?

56 gun safe, yeah we're friends ?

Even when exchange rates normalize, I don't ever see myself buying reels from anybody but Digitaka. Folks rave about JPL just like Digitaka.....they ruin you in terms of prices, shipping, and overall hassle free transactions. I bought that Zillion from Digitaka, and was very close to buying that Steez but am just gonna wait until a new SV TW Steez comes out. That HD is built for pigs.