kevinmyfsu

I've been using Seaguar Basix. Mostly bank fishing here, and many places I fish feature heavy cover, so I will absolutely switch to straight braid at times. I've got a bunch of 1/0 and #1s so I'll do a little experimenting and see how it goes. Appreciate all the great feedback! Thanks everyone, grateful for all the advice!

Any tips on how you know when you're at 5# of force? I suppose I could tie a 5# weight to the line? I'm probably overthinking this

So let me pick your brain a bit on this. I'm still relatively new to fishing, and setting drag correctly is not something I ever focused on. I generally just set it as tight as it will go. Should I be doing something differently? I normally fish 50# braid with a 10-15lb leader, conditions depending. Also, fishing with baitcaster mostly, 3/16 weight (or lighter). Sounds like maybe I need to play around with lighter braid?

Just bought some of the finesse hooks, looking forward to trying them out. I've been using just standard Gam EWGs for the most part.

Hey folks! Wanted to try and get some feedback on an issue I'm having. I've been having a lot of luck on free rigged small baits, such as the mid sized rage bug, the baby rage menace grub, the 3.5in xzone adrenaline craw, etc. My only issue is that the size hooks I'm using, a #1 EWG, keeps bending out. I can use a 1/0 in a pinch, and if I do I go superline, and that's been a tremendous improvement. However, could anyone recommend a sturdy #1 EWG? I've never seen a superline #1 and not sure it exists.

Yea, you're gonna want a rod rated for heavier lures if you try and go any larger than an swaver 168. But you can throw a lot on a 200 as well. Have a Tat200 and a 300. Personally, I kinda like the 200 more (with the HD spool). I also have this disease. Stay strong, brother.

Recently had some luck with spinnerbaits at night in northern FL. Even in shallow ponds, a heavy 3/4oz Single Colorado blade will clean up. Even when it's d**n near freezing out. Highly recommend the 4x4 Nighttime Spinnerbait.

First rule of swimbaits is that you don't need more than one or two. The second rule is that the first rule is nonsense. Recommendations depend on forage. For sunfish/bluegill, which is all I have around me, the Baitsanity Explorer Gill (check out the extra tail options for different action). If you like big baits but don't enjoy a glide, you might checkout but wakes and multijoint swimmers like the Bucca shad. Recommend joining Swimbait Universe on Facebook or Swimbait Underground forums, lots of good advice and info there.

This is similar to what I'm doing with the Albright. I finish the knot then tie some half hitches at the end in an effort to cushion the fluorocarbon. I replace my leader every time I come back from a trip, and often times while I'm on the water. The Albright seems to be a good balance between difficulty and strength. I'm still trying the FG but I always end up with a mess. I was able to tie a blood knot recently, but only with some lengths of rope. I figure if I practice with that enough, I should eventually be able to tie it with actual line, lol.

I've used uni to uni, Albright and FG. The latter two I have fewer issues with. ATM I'm using 65# promix braid to 20# abrazx. Line rarely snaps on me. I have this problem with heavy swimbaits. I use 50# to 15# for my conventional lures without issue

Nah, you're good. And that's definitely a consideration. Here's what happens, best guess. This normally happens on heavier lures like big swimbaits (2oz+). It's never the first cast. It's usually like the 25th or something. Just lobbing it out without using any real force, and all of a sudden I'm left with nothing but some unwound braid at the end. So, either the knot is actually breaking, or it's coming untied. That may be due to the heavy weight or maybe the way I'm casting. Hitting the guides seems to be part of it as well.

Yea, it's not the fish that does it. It's the cast. It's always the cast (for me).

Hey folks, got a kind of general question here. For those of you who use braid to fluorocarbon setups, what's your strategy for minimizing knot damage as it runs through the guides? I tie low profile knots like the Albright or FG, but that still doesn't help when it hits the guides. I know I can use a shorter leader, and often I do. But especially when fishing super pressured water, I will use up to 6 foot leader. Do I just need to retie that knot more often? Any tips are appreciated, please move post if this belongs somewhere else

Drop. Shot. No wind, crystal clear water, slightly overcast and 68 degrees. Fish skinny from spawn, one assumes. 4.3 lbs

So, I tend to use a drop shot both ways. For example, there's a stretch of bank I fish that I know holds many decent fish on and around bluegill beds. When I first get there, I ALWAYS throw a DS first, because this is a highly pressured area and because the fish KNOW I'm there. Subtlety is key. However, if I get no takers on the DS, I'll start switching to less subtle methods like dragging a jig or pitching a senko. Go to more intrusive methods from there. Important to point out, however, that I'm exclusively a bank angler ATM. No electronics, just your senses.

Dang, now if I can just find a TAT200HL on sale...

Wow guys, thank you so much for the info!! Lots to consider.

Hey everyone, I'm hoping to get some advice. I've been bank fishing for quite a while and had some really solid success, but hitting the same few yards of bank week after week is getting a bit old. I'm looking to buy my first kayak, preferably something relatively inexpensive (happy to buy pre-owned). I'm not looking to put anything fancy on it, no motor or pedal system for now. Just want something I can throw two or three rods into and take to one of the boat launches in my area (we have many productive lakes, ponds and rivers in my area, but most are accessible only via watercraft of some type). I'm in North Florida, so it needs to be able to survive at least a glancing blow by a gator or two. Anyone have any ideas or can point me towards a model in particular? The other thing I need advice on is how to adapt my arsenal for a kayak. All of my rods are over 7', so I'm thinking that will require some adjustments. Any other info is welcome!

Literally yesterday, nice 3.2 on a 1/2oz Berkley Power Blade, 5" Googan Dart trailer in natural. Conditions were overcast, mid-50s with about 13-15mph wind, crystal clear water, drainage pond with max depth of 4-5 feet. Not sure how it acquired the wound.

Jealous doesn't even begin to touch it.

I routinely throw 3.3s on Keitech Round Ball head jigs - 3/16 oz 3/0. That is *perfect* for pairing with the 3.3, imo.

I'm glad I'm not alone, lol. While I'm not 0, I'm d**n near - maybe 5 total.

Tbh I use a crank bait rod for the 6". 13 Fishing Black Defy gen 2, I think, rated up to 1.5oz. You should be ok just be careful about bombing long casts.

Man, ain't that the truth. Especially when you start talking about stuff like the Baitsanity super slow sink, I start to wonder whether these categories really make sense.

What's fascinating to me is that I can't get a fish to even look at an underspin right now, lol.