AlabamaSpothunter

So I guess I've narrowed it down to these two.....went by the local shop and was surprised the warranty has changed, now it's $130 to replace a rod. Changing things and loyalties for sure. He said none of the rods they carry offer those old school policies, and this shop only has high end stuff. This is the Loomis G. Loomis IMX Pro Technique-Specific Casting Rods - Tackle Warehouse It's $365 locally Somebody on here the other night recommended this rod by Alpha Angler which is significantly cheaper, and has stellar reviews. Alpha Angler ChatterBound - 7'2" Medium-Heavy S-Glass Composite If I'm understanding the differences b/t the two.......the Loomis is all composite, while the Alpha Angler is a blend. Seems to me the blended rod could be used for cranks, and some other things while the composite Loomis might be a true niche rod?

I don't think you did anything wrong, however I always like to give other anglers a wide birth. Not even so much to not fish waters they are headed towards fishing, but simply because I know I like to solitude of fishing and would appreciate others giving me the same wide berth.

Extremely dynamic weather the last week.....like going from 30.10 to 29.73 over a 24hr period, and back up, and back down. I'm having lots of difficulty finding numbers of fish, but I continue to get lucky with the quality fish. Fished for 3 hours today, from 330-630pm. Very overcast day that ended with a pretty sunset and moderate cloud cover. Still quite hot, but my lake's avg. temp seems to have fallen about 4-5 degrees in the last week. Caught 6 including an exceptionally healthy 5lb 14oz fish. Super feisty for a LGM this time of year as well. So close to being a 6lber. Next nicest was b/t 1-2lbs. The 4 others were small Spots. The 7" Black Grape Roboworm on a 1/8th Tungsten/ Gama EWG 3/0 T-Rig took the big girl along with the other LGM, and two of the Spots. Another Spot came on a Chatterbait, and one came on a Scrounger Head with Magic Shad being trolled in-between spots. Oh yeah, check out the huge Gizzard Shad I found that was about to die.....looks like a bird or something got it. This lake doesn't have lots of Gizzards, and this is easily the biggest one I've ever seen. I imagine a big Bass would hammer it. It was about 8" for reference. Last pic is a threadfin pod holding right above the main lake channel that almost filled my 9" screen......I mean if I were a Bass I'd never eat anything but those things. Oddly it seems I only catch 1-2lb fish around these huge bait balls.

So you say they were biting ehhh? Dang nice Spot!

I think you're confusing a jig for catching hawgs ? Catching fish that size on my Steez setup makes me smile ear to ear for about an hour or two.

"6 Pound Bass's team" ?

Somebody woke up with the new division lead after being 10.5 back and trailed all season. Imagine what it must feel like to be a Met fan ?

Wow Lynn has amazing strength, more than I could ever imagine possessing. Both of you guys do, and keep up the fight! Thanks for the update, and better news as well.

I watched the last Duckling get sucked down by a monster Bass one morning.....I was in shock lol

Trying to catch dinner I assume? ?

People that know more than me on here have recently answered this question.....you want one of the models with an H in it for heavy baits like that. The AI vs Brass gear thing seems to be way overblown by many, that wouldn't be my concern for not selecting the SV TW vs the TW HD. Again, I've read here the HD is the better option for heavier baits like you throw.

Given this is your setup, I'd be throwing 6" Roboworms You can't throw many of the baits I'd recommend well or at all with a spinning setup like that. You need at least one baitcaster setup with something like a 6.3:1 ratio, and a good MH 6'6" and above rod, and need to be using at min. 12lb test on it. 14-15lb would be ideal to cover a wider range of techniques and lures. Sounds like you are just getting started out, if so just enjoy the process. Everybody's lakes are different, but if you keep fishing yours long enough, you'll improve without question. Time on water is all that ever matters in fishing.

They stock them monthly below the Smith Lake Dam, and it supports a year round 1/4mile stream for rainbows to live in. Magical place. As you noted, the best time to go is when they stock them, further out you get, the more the "meat hunters" have come in a fished them out. Bumping power bait on the bottom, or using night crawlers up top on a bobber. Also little spinners, all the things you mentioned. Perhaps the best tasting freshwater fish imho.

I seemed to make a number of people quite emotional over my reply, I'm a crazy coming out of the woodwork, I'm a PETA type, don't know how to cook, etc. All things I've never posted. I'm not alone in the fact I don't enjoy eating Bass. I also get some like them. Some people eat Carp too. I do take "all your crappy ponds" you fish as a true insult, but I'll take the highroad. I live within an hour drive in every direction of a major reservoir known for world class Bass fishing. Find a better trophy Bass fishery than Lake Guntersville? Find a better Trophy Smallmouth fishery than Lake Pickwick, and the rest of the TVA waters? Find a better trophy Spotted Bass fishery than the Coosa, and Lay Lake? I don't fish crappy little ponds, I fish well known lakes with proud Bass fishing histories. Most importantly my home lake which is private is the furthest thing from a crappy little pond than you could imagine. It's electric only, zero industry surrounds it, little to no fishing pressure. Pristine, clean, deep, hundreds of acres, and is able to maintain a fantastic population of Alabama Bass which is exceptionally rare for a lake of this size.

Buying Loomis is a big deal because my local store is one of Loomis's biggest dealers and has a no questions asked warranty policy. Gives me great security when I lay down good money for a rod. That said I need to go in and ask about other rods they may offer similar warranties on. Knock on wood I don't break them often, but breaking a $300-700 rods and eating it is a tough pill to swallow

HAHA, imagine a rod with a built IR laser tip. I think I'd have to go with a dual/binoc setup, like two PVS14s on a lightweight bump or skateboarding helmet. That's like a $10k setup lol

I'm was still at 85 degree water the last time out as well, but I think that's rapidily coming to an end with all the rain that's fell this last week, plus what's coming starting tom. Highs are going to be in the mid 80s over the next 5 days IIrc. I'm pumped, the number of bigger fish I've been catching hasn't been reduced, but the numbers certainly have over the last 4-6 weeks. I caught my biggest of the year on 8/4, but since then outside of a 6lb, and several 5lb fish, the fishing has been slow. My guess it's about to heat up big time for our latitude. I saw that same stunningly beautiful sunset this afternoon as well. It's already raining though again.

When I was last into this sport as heavily as I am, GLX was the top of the line, moreover I got a few special edition models. I've been fishing them on GLX Mag Bass rods, and a lot is to be desired. I wish I could stick with Loomis, but I'll look into the one you recommend. 250 isn't anything to sneeze at. Thanks, and sorry to hijack OPs thread

From the Loomis lineup, what's the best chatterbait rod? I take it that you don't think a NRX or Conquest is worth the squeeze for CBs?

My other big hobby is 2A.....and for years I've been going back and forth between buying GenIII NV, or a nice FLIR monocular. Now that I'm back into fishing so heavily, I'm thinking the GenIII stuff makes more sense haha. Wonder if anybody fishes under NODs. I mean you hunt/shoot under them, why not fish under them.

Dang I just found the right hand 6.3 model for $210 doing what you guys said above. That would have to be my pick, as I'm seriously pondering buying it myself. It's silver though, and the ones on Digitaka IIrc were slate type colored.

If you like eating Bass, more power to you.....I never aimed my post at offending anyone, rather just sharing my personal thoughts on a matter I feel passionate about. There should be an understood "you" in this thread in regards to culling to maintain a healthy Bass fishery as well. Only as a kid did I fish small ponds with that problem.....mainly Golf course ponds. Lastly I'm a salt and fresh water fisherman......I keep every snapper, grouper, cobia, and a few other species I'm legally allowed to. I'm not a PETA type obviously, I just believe in only killing what you eat. To me I would never eat a Bass outside of an emergency situation.....I'd much rather catch Bream or a smaller catfish for that purpose anyways.

The making of shows were the best ones in my book, and specifically the dude who spent TWO YEARS of his life in some of the worst conditions on Earth to capture images and footage of Snow Leopards, and then he ended up getting one of the most epic/iconic hunting sequences in wildlife photography history. Every human should have to watch that series.

Did you ever gun for the Alabama Bass record like you did for the LGM one? Also what's your assessment about Bullard's Bar currently as a trophy Spotted Bass fishery? Has it suffered the same fate as the LGM lakes? Thanks for knowledge in advance! Hired a guide for a day to get skunked on Steelhead when I was out there.....so apparently the State isn't doing good at cold water species either.

Maybe there is a place or two that is pulling water then? Both are fantastic places to catch fish.