MediumMouthBass

Ive noticed Yamamoto going on sale alot so far this year. Not trying to hijack your post, but BPS through their spring classic is selling 5" Senkos for $5.68, and DSG is running their whole stock of Yamamoto on their buy 3 get 3 free deal. If you can talk to their online cs reps youd be able to get a pack of Senkos for $2.84

Its not discomfort. Its severe pain from pinching the line when launching heavier lures. All of that line digs into the finger, and your finger is the only thing keeping that lure from dropping to the ground. The pressure from that can only go to one place, the finger holding it. Anyone i talk to in person feels the same way, which is why i got nudged into baitcasters by all of them. They werent wrong, i love these reels, if it werent for my dislike against BFS i wouldnt even own a spinning combo. Including a big indent in my finger tip that remains long after the rod gets put down, but its worth mentioning it might just be the way i cast. I put 110% effort into every cast i make no matter what im using.

I only fish one brand soft plastic.... At a time😂 My adviser told me to diversify my investments, (he meant buying different brands fishing gear right?) Ive got around 20-50 different brands of baits from panfish-trout-bass-pike and each one brings their own unique thing, whether the shape, scent, water displacement, or action. Why be loyal to a company you owe nothing to? While limiting yourself in every way

The SLX isnt their best reel, its their best reel series for the money. (Same goes for Daiwa's Tatula line) SLX A $80-100. SLX XT $100-125. SLX 70 $125-150. SLX DC XT $180. Price points anyone can afford, paired with a nice fit and finish, along with quality and matching performance. The last gen SLX MGL 70 made many guys jump ship from the much more expensive Curados, it in my opinion is the best reel money can buy for under $200 in the American market. The SLX/Tatula lines will never be a Steez, Zillion, Metanium, Bantam, ETC, but thats not the point. The point is to give you a reel you can afford to buy many of, which for the above isnt doable for most bass fisherman. That has the tech, and features the bigger names do trickling down into them each year. The mid tier reels keep getting better upgrades, while the higher tiers arent getting cheaper, do the math. For most people a high end reel is too far past diminishing returns, because most people (myself included) just want a reliable reel, that casts far, and wont fail. Paying $200-300 for a reel because its lighter or smoother is a want, not a need. And its a need for the few not the many.

Dobyns Kaden 610 4CB is a really nice 110 and 110jr rod, these were on sale at a few places recently as low as $100-130. I plan on picking one up the next one. Or the Champion 704CB/705CB which is Garys favorite (cant remember the exact one though) For an unlimited budget the Expride takes the win over all else though.

I couldnt imagine doing this ever again, because this was me a few years ago. I love spinning rods for 3/8 and under jerkbaits, crankbaits, topwaters, and of course finesse techniques. But anything over 3/8oz is a pain, poor casting distance, beating up your fingers pinching the line on these heavy baits over and over again, not to mention you have to give it your all when you cast. A casting rod/reel is easier on the body, gets better distance, handles heavier baits and lures unbelievably better, and there is no line going under the spool spindle wrapping around it to worry about, nor the wind tangling it and making a mess that makes fixing a backlash look easy. I will never go back, ever Casting rods arent the issue, its the brand and model. I bought a Zillion reel, hated it. Felt to small, uncomfortable, made my hands hurt and cramp. Thought alot about selling it, now that im changing over all of my rods to higher end ones i decided to try it on one of them. Its now one of my favorite reels. Now that i know this anytime i pick up one of these rods (as i have 14 of them) i can feel the discomfort. Spinning combos are good for many things though, they have their advantages along with disadvantages compared to casting ones. However you will be limiting yourself going to spinning gear only, the same is true for the opposite. But if you dont fish anything that really requires a baitcaster going to all spinning should be fine for you.

The Zoom Mag fluke weighs around 3/4oz alone from what i could find, the Elaztech one feels much denser. I will be using 7/0-8/0 hooks when weightless and then 7/0-8/0 screw locks with a keel weight when going weighted. Im guessing (since my scale didnt come yet) the weight range will be from 3/4-1.5oz. The other magnum baits ill be using will range from 3/8-3/4 alone, and then 1/2-1.5oz as well when weighted. I know that a 7'3"ish H-F or XH-XF depending on brand would suite the lure weights, and setting the giant hooks on large plastics best, but the heavies i have at home feel like broomsticks and unless using the heaviest weighs wont load the rod, and cast very poorly. The MH's i have can load it, but its overloading it most of the time. And wont have enough backbone to set the very large hook buried in these huge chunks of plastic. I might just have to give up on the weightless part and just try to find a non broomstick heavy that can load them with lighter weights and heavier

Zoom 7" Magnum/Elaztech 7" flukes, 6" Ochos, 8-12" curly tail worms, 8" Bull Worm, magnum finesse worms, among other 6-12" giant chunks of plastic. Im currently building out my new lineup and am not sure what to do here, theres not much info on rods for these baits. Im guessing i would need a heavy-extra heavy rod just to set the very large and thick diameter hook that will be buried in plastic with these baits, but i dont think casting distance would be very good, or even decent. Sure some of these baits alone weigh 1/2-3/4 but the others might just be 3/8 and are not very aerodynamic, then theres also times i would be fishing them weightless. Adding more fuel to the poor casting fire. Is there any rod that will let me set the hook on these bigger baits but also let me get good distance on weightless ones?

@Texas Flood how is that BB1 Pro for Punching?

I carry a 3600 sized tackle bag (either Ozark Trail, or Okeechobee Fats), it can fit 3-4 3600 tackle trays. Ill fill it with 2 3600 trays full of lures, 10-/+ bags of soft plastics, 1 Flambeau 3003 mini tray on top for terminal tackle. Its small, easy to carry while holding 4-6 rods in one or both hands, all while being able to carry everything i need and then some. I carried around a grocery bag of plastics, and 3600-3700 trays by themselves for years, it was a mess. Stuff was falling out, unorganized, hard to pick up quickly and carry. The 3600 tackle bags are amazing. They also double as a great small boat/kayak soft plastic bag only. Ive got around 4 of them just for that depending on what lake im fishing.

I was forced into early medical retirement a few years ago, i had to leave the only thing ive ever known. I was only in my 20s at the time and felt like the earth was moving past me while i was standing still. I had some investments and money saved so i decided to try to enjoy life for awhile, travel, fish every chance i had, and start my own business doing something i love (has to do with fishing). Now im getting back on the horse, I was a little anxious because to start over id have to learn everything again, start at the bottom making the companies starting wage, and have to compete with every person looking for a career in the area. I cant imagine doing it at 60, im sorry you are going through this😌 There is hope though, especially for someone older. Everybody my age is getting fired, no one wants to hire them, work with them, or be around them. And i cant blame them, i feel the same way. This is leading to lots of companies and businesses looking to only hire older men and women, who are accountable, responsible, not afraid of talking to people, and have life experiences that will add value to their company. I dont know how it is around you, but near me the places are struggling to find workers. I applied to 3 places, the first one was very desperate to fill the position, the 2nd i walked in for a sales job and the manager from another location who was filling in really tried pushing me to apply for their store manager position instead, because they didnt get any applications. They wouldve hired a person on life support if they applied.... The 3rd was the one i wanted the most and will be starting this week, ill be starting at $16 but making $23-24 after commission. My one friend started a job filling bottles with beer at one of the local warehouses for $26 an hour too, Our states minimum wage is $7.25. These companies are very desperate for people today, not many are applying. And the majority that do, are antisocial, cant pass a drug test, show up late or not at all, put in the bare minimum, act entitled and ask for an absurd amount of money on their first week, take a professional workplace environment and cause a scene every chance they get to promote their opinions on the worlds issues. These companies are paying like never before to get a good candidate, because its getting very hard to find them. Glenn offered some good advice above, but ill add this. If you apply online make sure you go to the place in person as well. I keep hearing "i applied at 10-25-50-100 places online and never got a call or email". I decided to do something different, something old fashioned, i went into each place i was interested in, talked to the people, got a feel for the place (a few i turned around and ran within a minute) talked to several managers, handed in my resume, gave them my name. This will put you at the front of the line for most careers. Because nobody does this anymore, and i got told it at each place. Be different, stand out, be personable, and sell your experience to them. Show them that they need you. I know you will find your way, just stay positive, and do your best. Because thats all that we can do

Nearby i have about a dozen places to fish, majority of these lakes and ponds you might catch 10 bass for the whole year. Ive spent over a hundred trips to these places and its almost always 0 bass, a few panfish, and a pickerel or 2. A good day would be 4 bass, and thats rare. Not many in my family fished for bass so i had to teach myself, i too spent countless hours on youtube and here trying to learn, for awhile i thought the issue was me. Maybe i just wasnt good at fishing, or i wasnt working the lure right. I started to stop focusing on myself, and instead to the others around me. They were much more experience in bass fishing and were also catching nothing. I started to understand it wasnt me, but the very high pressured local lakes. So I tried new places to fish, the doors opened. I caught PB's i never thought possible, had days where i would pull in a bass every cast, and it gave me a deep level of confidence i never had the chance to get before. Sometimes you just have to realize and accept the places you fish arent good, and move on to somewhere else. If i didnt, i probably wouldnt be bass fishing now.

I use a regular Plano 3700 that costs $8-10. I have 6" Whales, 6" Daingerous and 7" ones too, along with some hollow body swimbaits and some 4.75"s too. I can fit 2 in each compartment with the Owner Beasts already rigged up to them. (Whales and Daingerous are Magdraft knockoffs if you arent familar with them) For hardbaits like the Savage glides, R2S S waves, various wake baits, 13 Glidesdales, and 6th Sense Trace swimbaits ill also use the same tray, (of course a different one since i separate hardbaits from soft, but id be able to put all the ones i like of each category in 1 tray if needed) most fit in perfectly. The ones that dont fit require the $5 Plano 3700 from Walmart that has double the width of storage at the bottom. Theres not much of a reason to worry about warping for me, because the Daingerous and Whales are a very thick and durable plastic, i store them upside down however to make sure there wont be an issue. For Magdraft style swimbaits theres no reason to go with a deep box since they fit great in a regular, and a deep takes up alot of space. However for glidebaits and hard swimbaits it would be better to go deep.

Dont have that rod, but i know that a 7'1" MH-XF rod specifically is excellent for spinnerbaits, jigs too. I plan on buying a Tatula with the same specs just for it.

In PA if it werent for a red lipless in the spring my largemouth PB wouldve maxed out at 3.25lbs. Instead it gave me about a dozen PB's. Rest of the year, nothing on red.

Any brand monofilament, i use it more for spinning reels where the line memory causes more chaos but it will work on casting reels too if you notice an issue. Take the spool out of the reel, put it in a plastic container full of hot water for a few minutes, when you take it out the line memory from it being on a spool in a box should be gone. Learned this from one of the guys at the tackle shops and its worked great for me since.

FishLab BBZ Bio Shad Wake. Comes in a 4" 3/4oz size ill throw on my regular bass gear, and then a big 6" thats 2-3/4oz. I really like the ones i have, good colors, good action, and they are pretty cheap, which is a huge plus in pickerel infested places.

Ive made a post about this during the week, every rod i see recommended on here and elsewhere almost always is only rated to 1.5oz. How are these guys not snapping their rods?

On a casting reel for people who dont have a trained thumb. Or on a spinning reel when using lures above 1/2oz, that stuff starts to hurt if not wearing a glove after awhile. But for the average bass fisherman, braid will outcast everything else. OP, i have a love/hate relationship with mono. Most mono ive used is junk, except for a small select few, Big Game comes to mind as the #1 mono ive used. Love the stuff, its dirt cheap, reliable, and hard to break. Yes it will be a mess, but throw the spool with the line on it in hot water for a few minutes and it will take the memory out of the line. I use Hybrid for 80% of my reels however ill throw Big Game on anything thats left with an empty spool. But i have to say braid is probably the best one on paper, it will last the longest, will give the best sensitivity and hooksets (aside from treble hooked baits), and no amount of grass or vegetation will stand in your way ever again. Its also dirt cheap too, although a little more expensive. And it will cast the best, regardless of if its on a spinning or casting reel. I have held out on braid for awhile, but im starting to add more of it to my moving and bottom bait combos.

Im a bit of a hypocrite by saying this, (as i wear my sun shirts any chance i get, even when im not fishing) but IMO sun shirts are only good for hot days when you need full coverage and a thin layer to prevent overheating. This time of year or fall ill just wear a flannel, coat, or 1/4 zip. Add some mineral based sunscreen to the face/neck/ears and throw a gaiter over the neck. If you think the UV rays will go through any of your warmer clothes just throw a sun shirt on under them. It will barely add any bulk, nor will it make you feel too warm. To my knowledge most if not all sun shirts are made for fishing in the heat and are very thin.

This is specific to the Aird X rod, the 7'MH or 7'3" MH Aird X are rated fast but are slightly more on the moderate fast side. Whereas the 2 piece Aird X is more parabolic and feels like an actual moderate fast rod.

The Japanese are very big on respect and honor, even the criminals value that severely. We might not be like they are in that respect, but we still take alot of pride in our work, and try our best for the most part. The American philosophy of corporate profits isnt the reason our cars dont last anymore (although it certainly plays a part) Ive spent alot of time in and out, and somewhere halfway between in the auto industry the last few years, having to spend lots of time researching and learning about different brands, models, etc... Countless hours talking to salesmen, store mangers, general managers, techs. And then thousands of hours on forums, groups, youtube, anything you can think of thats car related. The biggest reason our vehicles are junk now is because of the EPA. The EPA was given full control and they took it, our vehicles and appliances (because they ruined them too) are now complete piles of junk from their rules, regulations, and mandates. From forcing auto makers to keep reducing engine sizes, to going to horrible CVT transmissions, we are sacrificing any and all quality to save 1 MPG. Yes thats right, they will make a dumpster fire so the window sticker will say it gets 1 extra MPG. How does making sure each car ends up in a land fill within 3-6 years save the planet? Isnt that just polluting it more? Asian vehicles here arent any better, they are on the same track. If Hyundai builds 100 cars, 60 people love theirs and say its the best they have had, the other 40 will hate it and say its the worst car theyve owned. Stay far away from their dual cluth transmissions. Toyota on behalf of the EPA came out with new engines for the Tundra, Tacoma, and 4 Runner. The Tundras new engine is a nightmare, even though they claimed to fix the engines on the 24 model, guys are still having theirs blow under 10k. The updated Tacoma and 4 Runner are too new on the scene to get a good picture of it yet, but theres many who refuse to switch from their trusted 6 to a new unproven 4 cylinder that cant get out of its way. I own a turbo 4 cylinder, i love it, i do, but it has no place on anything other than a smaller car or hatchback. Toyota is also not doing good with their new reputation either. A few of their Corolla GR's (GR means Gazoo Racing, their performance division) have had some interesting stuff happen to them recently (like catching on fire). And it came out they track your speed at all times, if at any time you go over 80 or 85mph they void your warranty. The best part? With a GR purchase Toyota gives you a ticket or whatever to go to a free tack day, where you are pretty much guaranteed to go over 85mph. You can imagine the groups big into performance hatches arent too happy with them. Then on to Honda, (once again on Behalf of the EPA) switched their transmissions to a CVT, their numbers keep going down on reliability ratings. Problems left and right, lots of hate they are getting on the groups and forums in the car community. Nissan had the only remaining reliable old school V8 truck left on the market, they had no competition now that Ford, Chevy, and Dodge committed suicide the last few years with poor quality, constant recalls and law suits, pushing smaller engines, junk transmissions, filling every truck they made with glitchy tech no one asked for or wanted, and then making them so unaffordable to where they alienated most of their potential buyers. The Titan wasnt a truck, it was the truck. They just got rid of that..... Atleast Lexus is still is doing great, and Mazda is doing even better. After ditching Nissans CVT transmissions and starting to build their own automatics they came back like a phoenix rising through the ashes. Hearing many good things about them and only them now.

The stiffest/least parabolic rod i own is a 7'2" M-F rod, so id say thats a no for most rods brands as a whole. Theres several M-M rods on the market, but most are very flimsy and weak on the ratings. A cranking rod will help you alot on the water, from reduced strain on the body casting over and over again, to better hookup percentages, etc, etc. But these can get expensive, especially when you need 1 for light cranks, 1 for squarebills, and 1 for deep divers... The best alternatives ive found are 2 options. #1. Take any MH-F rod, use mono or hybrid for line, and loosen the drag. I fished all the crankbaits my heart desired for years when i didnt have a cranking rod. Didnt lose a single bass from 2-10lbs (although there were several before the drag got loosened). #2. This is the best alternative to a cranking rod, works great for lipless cranks, crankbaits, even lighter deep divers, chatterbaits, buzzbaits, and swimjigs. The 2 piece (its got to be a 2 piece to get the most parabolic action it can get) 7' MH F (its not a fast, its moderate-moderate fast) Aird X. It costs $25-55 depending on sales and keeps up with all my cranking rods.

Not Berkley Vanish. Stay away from this, even though its dirt cheap.

To add, OP i was just on Ebay looking for a Daiwa T3, 3 different JDM sellers had the same pictures of an old beat up reel. And no descriptions. Usually sellers might use one or a few stock photos (usually from the manufacturers website) but these sellers have about 10 pictures all of the same beat up poor condition reel. This is very odd for Ebay.