Banned User

I'm new to jigs, threw'em a bunch the beginning of the season, until the weeds made it impossible. Never got hit on the fall the hop or the bounce, but a slow drag bagged me a few late spring/early summer bass. I got real excited about that, then the weeds came in. All the weeds Every weed I can't let anything make contact with the bottom anywhere I fish, but it's pushed me to use a top water bladed jig (buzzbait) which has been productive up until the last few outings (I think I blew up my own spot haha, not many spots to shore fish around here) But I'm sold on the jig when the waters clear up towards the fall, at least i hope they produce for me.

At First Uptons looked good, until I found out it's not a fishing lure, it's a fish catheter, looks painful. I'll stick with ol' monster and have some SK anaconda to try.

My buddy is new to fishing, I got him totally hooked the past few years. I ended up moving across state essentially and we only get to fish together a few times a year now, or really get together at all. The last time we fished together we each caught a few, and at one point he pulled a bass in between some bushes over the bank. Maybe a pound or so, and to put it back he just launched it over the bushes. I absolutely freaked on'em! He's my friend, so I can freely say "whatbthe fudge are you thinking you moron, why would you do that? Is that what your kids do so you think it's okay, just punt a fish like that into the water? Could you imagine doing a belly flop on that same scale you idiot! Next time get as close as you can and as softly as possible get the fish back in, sometimes a little throw is just how it has to be, but don't shot put the d**n thing" If I saw him kayaking at me holding a big bass out of the water I mightve whacked'em with my paddle and reminded him he's now destroyed the chance of one of his kids (or any kid) catching that awesome bass. Here's a related question @ALL how do you prevent a bass from thrashing when holding by the jaw? I was weighing a chunky bass a few weeks ago that started thrashing pretty good once clipped to the grippers and scale. I tried to tell'em to stop, and apologized as I unclipped him and let's go. Same, good call

They do what they're told we'll haha @rangerjockey I'm pretty sure they market the zbone as one step up in carbon material over the helium. But regardless I can build a $500 rod myself for anywhere between $150-2 $200 depending on my Configuration, add a hundred bucks for ti guides on just okay sale (little rich for my blood) It's all about timing for sales and all that

As long as you pay for shipping, but I bet I'd get it right the first time. Knowing how you fish and from what I've seen of your posts I already know what I'd recommend for a build, so long as my memory serves me correctly haha.

This is exactly what I had in mind when I grabbed the zillion sv tw on sale (218). I found that 1 tick more on the brakes actually causes a longer cast, greater line control, no fluff, smooth cast, far cast. It absolutely zings buzzbaits, any further and hook sets would just be hook gentle tugs out of a fishes mouth. @FryDog62 I can't even imagine casting a 3/8oz buzzbait further than I am now, and I'd hate to see this thing cast a lipless and get hit on landing. I'd recommend finding a cream that has MSM in it, it's practically a miracle drug. That and arnica oil, but definitely the msm. Sometimes you can find the two together. Rub on your elbow a few times a day and you'll eventually forget which elbow even hurt. I'm happy to share more about it if anybody is curious, I happened to spend some time a while back researching it for mine and my dad's aches and pains.

Kistler is the reason I build rods now, rods that are unbelievable! They were using North Fork Composites for blanks and charging 500 bucks, same blank (if you time it on sale) is like 80 bucks. Look at their custom rod options, they charge like 150 bucks extra on top of the component cost upgrading from EVA to go to carbon fiber grips... I'm pretty sure the blank I have from them is after NFC, and hear their NFC days were the glory days. But that 150 dollar upcharge is disgusting for carbon fiber grips sold around 12-24 dollars. I'll givem the blank is bonkers sensitive, but they're gouging right there without a doubt 100%. For budget options I did well enough with Zebco from Wally World until I knew better, but anything not contact they're probably just as fine.

This makes me question my existence... I'm be back for the rest

@Alex Ball thanks for sharing man. How do you measure sensitivity? When you say accuracy of specs, as compared to what standard? You mention an industry standard, what is that because I've only ever seen absolute chaos, even within brand and rod line. You're first measurement of load is very interesting, could you share screenshots? Action, technically, is supposed to represent how quickly a rod will snap back to straight, and not anything to do with the bend (the confusion is the absolute correlation between the two). I don't often share my fantasies with people, but I share that one with you. Accuracy and consistency across brands... impossible. Intentional. Consistency leads to informed consumers and less sales when anglers are "searching for the perfect _______ rod." Have you looked into building your own rods? Ever heard of the Common Cents System? Kistler makes a killer rod, I had to learn not to set my hook into every blade of grass I felt. 7ft Hmh xf, yup that's a heavy medium heavy not their light medium heavy, they've already made a greater attempt at accuracy than any other brands since everybody's MH might be 1/4-3/4 or even 3/8-1...

@Alex Ball what is your scoring system for rods and reels? And how did you measure that 35% flex in that rod?

Will breach its dorsal like a shark? Fishing a pond the other day and just in between 2 lengthy patches of weeds there was a clearing for about 30 yards about 15-20ft across. Right by the weeds I spy a good size fin pop up and disappear, I think 10ftish depth. Also, on a lake in ME at night I hear these small splashes sometimes, and when i hear it I hear a hundred all around. Not rapidly, but it keeps happening. I know there's bass, lake trout, landlocked salmon,and then the typical littler fish. Being night I can never see it, and by the time I light where I heard it that 2ft area is empty. I'd say about 7-15 ft depth very clear water. What fish behave these ways?

@Mr. Aquarium 1 3/8 oz is definitely a beefy lure, is your normal bass gear a mhf rated up to 3/4 or xhmf rated up to 1 1/2? I have a heavy fast and heavy mf, both rated up to 1 oz, I figure 14-20 pound mono? I see some dudes throwing 65 brain for plops on heavy/xheavy flippin sticks. That's why I was askin, everybody got a different perspective and approach and I was wondering what works for you. I hear those launch so a 100 size reel probably too small ya think? I've only got a couple I think , WP 90s and one BPS ploppo that's I think 1 oz or so

@Mr. Aquarium what set up do you throw those big ploppers on? I been having luck at night with a buzzbait, but might give the plop a go

Ah okay, just trying to figure out which coast you were from... south coast it is. How'd you end up in Iowa if you don't mind me askin?

Sometimes I'm that guy, I'll be honest. But I'll be the most honest friend you have... probably why I don't have a lot of friends... I'm certainly intrigued, I'm new to enjoying that amaretto flavor. Was weird to me before, but it grows on ya. Where in Iowa did you ocean fish?

Can we be friends? @TOXIC what is a spotted cow chaser? @DitchPanda amaretto sour? I think I just found my new favorite thread here I'm usually a something and soda kinda guy, fireball and cream soda is like a liquid cinnamon bun. Or a shot of fireball and rum chatta.. breakfast in a shot glass baby Tonight we're trying the summertime natty ice strawberry lemonade and some white claw surge.

@bulldog1935 wish my Zillion had some blue on it, looks dope man. These cats were right, I took it to a spot just to try this out. Was crazy windy. I literally said wow 3 times after adjusting. Casted a 3/8 skirted buzzbait on medium mf, maybe slow side of fast. The wind was a beast, couple manageable nests, but surprisingly handled the wind very well. My only available position was directly into the wind and this is why I wowed, first cast after adjusting was a perfectly placed cast to the backside of a dock, I didn't think I'd ever get it that close without hitting it. A few more casts and a small step to the side I casted clean past the dock, wow. I can't remember exactly what the third one was, but we're talking hours ago so it's a miracle I remembered any of it at all. I'm hoping the wind dies down tomorrow so I can really get a feel on this thing, but so far I'm impressed. Depending on which fluoro you use, a few really well done YouTube vids show some fluro more stretchy than some mono. His point is all over the place people say it's stretchless and invisible, neither claims are true. And in some cases aren't even just hyperbole, just false.

I think another example, maybe more fitting or at least more understood in the angling community, might be having some wiggle in the reel. Many people can that slop, and don't like it, call it a sign of low tolerances in manufacturing. I'd apply that sentiment here as well, @PhishLI' s explanation certainly makes sense to me and if zero is zero then why go below? If the fall rate at zero and the fall rate at negative 12 are the same why introduce wiggle which introduces more variables as the reel rocks side to side. This isn't to say that zero is absolutely no wiggle, it very well may be that a mm further of a turn is terminal velocity, but that may bring a .2mm wiggle - is that acceptable? Preferable? Perfect? Regardless it's reasonable, so I'll try to do some casts as is and tighten it up for comparison sake. Appreciate everybody taking the time to share their thoughts

Simultaneously encouraging and disheartening, I need to move

It's an honor even sharing internet space with you Katie, if you're still looking to adopt an older son I'm still available and I've updated my resume to include homemade pizza skills, small engine repair, and rides on my bike

@GReb how was it set from the factory for you, I think @Darth-Baiter made it sound like his was tighter than mine. Mine very clearly clicks when I rock it back and forth hbu? Thanks for the update @Darth-BaiterI'm excited to break mine too

I ain't worried Worried about hurtin no bass, I keep every one I catch anyway so it don't matter

100%, quoting often adds clarity and specificity. I'm sure there's those who do use it more like a tag, but quoting helps give everybody the same point of reference when multiple people are saying related but different things. I hear you on tidying up the threads, but quoting is a very useful tool too.

Thanks for the input yall So now for my first impressions, at one point I literally said out loud "WOW" I was casting a 3/8oz buzzbait on 12# big game, testing the waters with the breaks and checking that distance everyone was talking about. I was already impressed thinking more distance might actuality be a negative for hook sets. I dialed it up one click and it actuality casted farther, probably because it handled the line that much more consistently. Flew with ease. @PhishLI I left the spool tension rather loose how it was, why do you say breaks and spool play shouldn't interface? ths for the drag I hooked a fish and loosed the drag... then loosed it more... rod stayed loaded and no line taken. Playing around the fish jumped and spit the hook but that was the cost of business, the price for learning the reel. Then I checked the drag by hand and it pulled off easy. I wonder if loosening the drag while there's tension doesn't take affect because the drag is already doin its thing or something. By hand I can easily feel variation in resistance, not just on and off. But adjusting with a fish loading the rod does feel like that, but that was one fish. Idk if it kept casting to the right or if it was just my buzzbait, it kept reeling to the side quite a bit. Smooth as butter operation, and so quiet night fishing was hard to time the thumb on landing. It was dark and I only got a couple fish, first one I didn't fudge with the drag, and third one was hooked close to the eye so he didn't put up much fight. I'm hoping to put some more time on it today or tomorrow, will be back with another update. @GReb with your 2 Zillions that need no adjusting, how is the spool tension set on those?

I just got my open box zillion from Midway, spool definitely wiggles. I'll leave it and see how it goes, my Tat sv103 had some wiggle but I'm pretty sure not that much, quite a bit of play here. Anybody have any numbers to put to those casting comparisons? Aside from distance, how's the performance and feel compare? Greater control? And do you feel like it's lacking in distance or just not quite up to the max distance standard of the Curado? Keep messing with that drag and let me know what you think, I'm gonna try to too and see what happens. I'm thinking 12 or 15 pound big game for my buzzbaits (leaning towards 12), this has become my go to lure this season. Will probably throw some spinners with it too.