TheBaitMonkey

LMAO, an expensive offseason - I think this forum is single handedly keeping the Japanese economy moving!

Looking at getting one of these - how have you been liking it?

I’d be down! I’m up in Grayslake

Oooh I’m gonna have to try this same technique with the wife! We only have so many casts left this year, shoot it was snowing for us Monday morning.

Nice ones! I’ll have to check that bait out I’ve had a lot of success on a boogie back this year and that looks similar.

Welcome from Lake County!

Well… I cracked, a new Zillion HD has been ordered. You guys can take my monkey sobriety chip back. You guys have me pumped to try the HD. I have the new Zillion and really have been enjoying it a lot more than my Metanium MGL. It’s just so smooth plus it isn’t as finicky. I was out over the weekend and the Zillion made it look easy bomb casting crankbaits and jerkbaits into 10-15mph winds while the Metanium struggled unless I really thumbed it/adjusted it.

Are there dead spots in the Triza? I’m looking for a travel finesse/dropshot rod for Great Lake smallmouth fishing since bringing full sized higher end rods with little kids in the car has been stressful.

Does anyone else have these rods? I’m looking into the Ageha but I haven’t been able to find much outside of a few videos from Ben at The Hook Up Tackle talking about them and would like some more user experience.

Me earlier: “I should be set on reels for a while after a few recent JDM deals.” Opens Bass Resource after fishing for a couple hours with a new JDM Zillion I just got on Thursday. 5 minutes after jumping on Bass Resource - quickly opens a new Digitaka tab to check out the Zillion HD. ? It’s a sickness.

Nice one! What’d you get it on? I’ve been thinking about going over to the Waukegan Harbor sometime soon to give it a try. I haven’t been in a long time but I have a cousin that goes there once a month or so that has a lot of luck based on the pics he sends me.

So far I really like it. It’s buttery smooth, casts well, has a really good drag. Plus, I mean it’s sexy as hell! I’d recommend it

Of all the rods I own I think the only one I for sure would replace is my Megabass Orochi EMTF. I’ve used a lot of cranking rods and this one has that “it” factor to me. Plus I caught my PB with it so that gives it bonus points.

Does the HD have the clicking drag too? I tried finding info online about that but couldn’t find it. That’s a hell of a haul, happy birthday!

It’s hog snatchin’ season! Hopefully will get another tomorrow, gonna go out instead of watching another dreadful Bears game. Tight lines this weekend. ?

Well… the currency exchange rate got another victim. I picked this Excense up from Asian Portal Fishing the other week. Then the bait monkey whispered into my ear again last night in a moment of weakness saying “wouldn’t it be sweet throwing jerkbaits on a smooth new Zillion with a clicking drag for catching some fall smallies in Sturgeon Bay?” Soon after JLS had my order. I’m looking forward to the mystery gift! The deals are too good to pass up!

The little guy looks like he’s having a blast!

They have the Megabass ones for sure I’m uncertain on the others. That was my first time to the store, I was pretty blown away by the selection

I was able to get out on the kayak this morning and ran into this big mama throwing a wake bait over the top of some submerged grass. Tight lines this weekend! I need to pick up some of those crawlers. I saw some at Anglers International the other week but couldn't quite pull the trigger. You have me sold!

Has anyone had any luck catching smallmouth in the Des Plaines River in the northern Chicago suburbs? Maybe the better question - does anyone have any smallmouth spots near the northern burbs? Starting to get that itch to catch some smallies... I may have to head up to WI to Nagawicka.

I was able to sneak out the other night after getting the kids to sleep and ran into a new PB! 6lbs 3oz at a little lake by my house. I found an offshore weedline in about 10ft of water on my portable fish finder and she wacked my crankbait as I was paralleling it. Tight lines this weekend!

For me it's mostly a numbers bait but that can also vary based on the plastic you choose. I'll use an 1/8 oz weight often times (heavier if you're fishing deeper) and will use all different types of plastics, I really like beavers with it or items that are a little wider like a Deps Bull Flat. If you want to catch some big ones on it toss on a Magnum Ol' Monster (Rage Tail Anaconda ?) or one of your favorite magnum worms, I bet it would work. If you want to stick with Zman I'd try a palmetto bug. Glenn has a good video on it here --

Toss on a 10”-12” ribbon tail worm or magnum trick worm on a 5/0 cover shot hook with a 3/16 - 1/4 oz dropshot weight and toss it along the edges of the dock if it is a little weedy. That’s been my ticket along with big swimbaits recently. Often times I’ll be able to see them following the swimbait since they’re curious then I’ll follow up with the magnum worm later on to get ‘em to commit. I don’t think the bass are used to seeing big worms often, especially on a dropshot hovering right in their face.

Big bait! It was on an 8” Magdraft. I caught a 4lber not too long before this on the Gantaral too. This was on Sunday evening after all of the storms, the big girls were hungry!