MediumMouthBass

The S waver was only made to be a glide bait most people could afford, more for people kind of wanting to try it out but werent ready to spend tons of money on new gear.... Well thats what i think atleast. But its not that great, definitely doesnt live up to the River2Sea name like the Whopper Plopper does, the Savage Gear ones are good for the money and so are the 13 Fishing Glidesdale (RIP), i usually wont recommend anything from 13 Fishing for many reasons, but the 2 things from them i would are the Glidesdale and the Whipper Snapper jerkbait. Both are fantastic lures and of course they discontinued both.... I only have 4 (2 120's and 2 168's) but honestly am thinking about selling just because they underwhelm my expectations of what they should be.... You can still get some Glidesdale's for about $13-15 on some places that have remaining stock, if you like glide baits and want to stay on the budget side they are really great. Next step up is the Storm Arashi, i got a few on sale and they are really, really nice. I really want to try one of the SPRO KGB Chad Shads tho, but thats a bit too much for me to spend on something that a pike or pickerel will bite off after 10 minutes....

1 you dislike, 1 you cant stand using, and 1 no matter how many times you hear or see people talk about how great of a lure it is you just cant catch a bass on it. Dislike. The Texas rig, i know i know its one of the greatest things to catch a fish on since humans evolved from cavemen. Comes through wood and weeds great, can be skipped into almost any type of cover too. Can be fished at any depth and in any condition, and the soft plastic choices are overwhelming. But the fish in my lakes will go for a jig, Chatterbait, or lipless crank 10x more than any Texas rig.... Ive really tried, and tried way to much this season to get them to bite them more but each time i do, i know i probably couldve caught several bass already on the above baits. This year tho ive decided to start using tungsten weights, im really going to try to fish them lighter and slower and try to become better at fishing it. Cant Stand. The spinnerbait..... I know im not the only one either, i just dont get it. I have dozens and dozens, different blade combos, colors, weights.... Tried them for pike, bass, and pickerel and i just cant do it. After 10 minutes the line gets cut and something else gets tied on. No matter what i do i cant feel what its doing, idk if im reeling it to slow and its buried in weeds on the bottom, or maybe too fast and its no where near the bass.... But night time spinnerbaits i really like, i can actually feel what the lures doing and i can also catch bass on them. I bought some Terminator ones to try so if they dont work for me ill be selling off the rest of them. The Bass just dont want it. JERKBAITS!!!! i didnt catch a single bass on them the whole spring-summer last year.... Ive got enough of them to fill 5-6 3700 sized tackle trays but the bass wont bite them, ive tried shallow, deep, inbetween, cheap ones, expensive ones, suspending, floating, small, large, natural colors, bright colors, translucent ones too. Im thinking maybe the river smallies will be more inclined to bite them so thats my plan for them this year.

I fish all my treble hooked lipless crankbaits on a 7'3" MH fast rod, lost a few bass doing it when i started. Loosened the drag to where i can pull some line out of the reel and havent lost a bass on them yet, including some big ones. I also fish my smaller crankbaits on the Fast action rods too since my actual cranking rods lure ratings are a bit on the higher side and wouldnt throw them very well. Same thing, just loosen my drag and it does great. Single hooks a Fast or Moderate would both work, if you use a Fast action rod and start losing fish just try to back the drag off a bit. If you are using mono or a stretchy fluoro line you shouldnt have to loosen the drag that much either.

The reviews seem to be mixed, the guys on youtube are being very hype about the bait saying its the next big thing, where others are having them do 360's and moving in all kinds of weird ways when trying to retrieve them, mixed with some bad QC and a short durability life span. (edit) Actually i think it was their Hangover swimbait doing the 360's but still both have some bad customer reviews on durability, rigging, quality etc.... They look kind of weird too, and im a big 6th Sense fan. Ive got dozens of their lipless cranks and really like the Trace swimbaits....

Your best bet is to either take it to a rod builder and have them put some new guides or something on it to fresh it up, or search and try to find one used but in better condition. But that itself can be quite expensive either way and theres no guarantee the rod will last forever. Abu does have a newer Revo X casting combo but its way overpriced, $200 for a combo with a subpar reel.... Wow. But you might be able to find one of the newer rods for sale by themselves. Your best option would be keep fishing it till it breaks, it might take awhile. And when it does just try to find a rod that matches its material, power, action, and weight ratings.

@BrianMDTX they really are great reels, awhile ago lots of places had low or no stock of them so i thought they might have been discontinuing them. Im sure glad they didnt. For how much i paid for them i have never cleaned or oiled 1 of them, after years and years of use not 1 has failed. Only 1 doesnt work properly anymore because of how badly damaged it became after being dropped in rocks. The handle still turns but it feels like sandpaper and looks like it survived a shark attack.

In my experience its the rods with no guide inserts that get destroyed by braid. Like some Ugly Stiks, ive had it happen with light ned rig fishing using 10lb braid. Do you know what the rods components are?

I bought mine (US version) last year, just took it out of the box and spooled it up with line the past month. Used it twice so far and its an amazing reel. I was casting lipless crankbaits extremely far and weightless soft plastics farther than i thought i could with no backlashes. I can run the brakes very low too compared to my other Dawia reels and the spool makes it so easy and simple. I shouldve bought a second one before spending my yearly fishing budget but oh well.... That being said it did horribly for skipping, my Tatula SV TW can do it flawlessly but this reel i just couldnt do it. I tried the brakes low, mid, and even on the highest setting. No matter what i did it resulted in a bad backlash. Heard alot of great things about this reel for skipping so not sure what im doing differently with it. And yes i was thumbing the spool like i always do with skipping, might just try a different rod next time idk.

Abu Black Max casting combo (last gen before Max X) used to sell for around $50-60 at Walmart. The rods are alright but the reels were great, very comfortable and easy to learn on. Very versatile combo, for crankbaits, jerkbaits, soft plastics, topwater poppers.... I even did some punching and frogging in the weeds with braid on one of the reels and its still perfoming 100%. I bought 2 more of the reels for $30 each. If you dont need a frame made of aluminium these will exceed your expectations for how cheap they can be purchased. Next step up weve got a more refined combo, the Daiwa Aird X rod $55 paired with the Lews Classic Pro Speed Spool (can be purchased on sale between $40-50). The rod and reel are both black and gold and look great, i own 14 Aird X rods and prefer them to my $130 Dobyns or $275 St Croix among many $110 lews rods too. Ive thrown them in the back of the truck, thrown them on the ground, carried them together for miles with 3-5 rods hitting each other constantly, hit them into trees, ripped lures out of grass thousands of times, caught huge bass. All my PB bass from 4-10lbs were brought in by an Aird X rod and only 2 have been broken, only because the tail gate was shut on them but its only the top guides that need to be replaced. Fantastic rods for the money, and when Tackle Warehouse had the promo going on last year where they gave a certain discount for how many Aird X rods you bought, i got most of mine for $33. Now to the Lews Classic Pro Speed Spool SLP, for anyone that wants a budget reel this things amazing, it looks amazing. Compared to the LFS ($100 reel) this looks 10x better, Lews really shouldve made the LFS look like this reel instead. Casts great and far, braking is better than the Black Max and it just feels much more refined. If i had my LFS, SLX A, Fuego CT and this reel side by side and didnt know the costs, id think they were all in the same price range. And for spinning reels the Shimano Sienna $30 is all i need, i have so many of these reels. From the 1000 size for panfish and trout, 2000-2500 for bass, and 4000 for catfish and salmon. They arent the smoothest but they very durable and they work. Nowadays i prefer the Revros but the Sienna still has a place in my spinning gear lineup, i actually bought the Sedona $60 (on sale for $40) and it feels like half the reel as the Sienna, odd huh? And since i only buy my stuff on sale, i can also say my SLX i bought for $40 and LFS for $50 paired with a $33 Aird X rod have definitely made some great combos. Ive also got a Lews Carbon Fire combo i got used for really cheap, and they are always selling at DSG for about $30-40 per rod/reel anymore but ive been disappointed by it alot, feels very cheap. Doesnt cast very far and theres a new review on them each day about the reel destroying its internals or the rod snapping on a 2lber.

Depends, how big are the smallies in your river? Hook size can be anywhere from 4, 2, or 1. If i were using this method id probably use the same hook i use for wacky worms, VMC Neko hook. (comes in size 6-2/0 so you have alot of options) strong hook and tends to not gut hook the bass. And when using live bait for bass they tend to get gut hooked so reducing that as much as possible is why im recommending that hook. Or an aberdeen hook with a baitkeeper if you want to stay on the more budget side. But a shorter jig would probably work better if theres any current. And not sure if you have walleyes where you are fishing but if so youll probably be catching a few of them with those night crawlers.

Do what i did, research as many lakes/ponds within a certain radius (mine was i think 15 miles) yours may be 20 or 2000. My state (PA) almost always has some sort of fishing report where they shock or net alot of fish in various parts of a body of water, they do all sorts of measurements and weighing. They then type up a very long and detailed report of the bait fish, and bass-crappie-bluegill-trout ratio. And then i found the states depth chart they made of the lakes, now keep in mind most of the places i fish are very small, between 4-90 acres and the deepest ones might be 10' or 20'. The maps usually show where there are trees or rocks on the bottom too, not sure if its only my state that does this. Then theres the fishing apps where people post catches, that helped me narrow down what places would give me a better chance. Prespawn or sometime in the later winter-spring depending on if you are fishing Florida or somewhere else. Adds an even higher possibility of bigger bass catches, but they can be caught year round. It just might be more difficult. Florida has alot of big bass but from what ive heard the lakes can be very large, well atleast to me. Your best bet would be just to hire a guide, if that doesnt work i guess you can go to Texas or Mexico. I caught mine in Pennsylvania (10lbs) if i can do it here where a 4lb bass is considered a lifetime achievement you should have no problem doing it in Florida. I no longer believe the "big bass are only down south" motto ive been hearing daily on youtube, they can be in any state or climate. Btw I caught mine on a red translucent lipless crankbait (1/2oz Warpig) but i actually caught all my PB bass on it soooo. But it took me countless hours of research, deciding what lures to use, colors, weight etc.... Then months on the water to learn the place, and sorting through the 1-3lb bass for while to find where the big ones like to roam and the conditions they need to be there, but now i know the lake better than anywhere else i ever fished. I dont even need a fish finder when im fishing it, but i dont think you have that kind of spare time.

@born2climb youve got, swim jigs, football, arky, skipping, brush, finesse, among many other jig head styles/molds. Some do better in wood (like pitching into a sunken tree) others do better at coming through grass and weeds. There are so many different jig head types so many different ways of fishing a jig. Every jig is good and will catch bass, but what one produces the most depends on where you are fishing and what the bass want. Do you tend to fish more in the deeper/colder/rockier parts of the lake or the shallow/weedy/warmer parts? Ive tried alot of different types of jigs in many ponds and lakes near me, the swim jig rarely gets bit but i throw it alot because i enjoy fishing it, the bass in the weeds dont want a jig either (they would rather a frog or weightless texas rig) and the ones under the docks are usually smaller bass so i tend to stick to deeper water (around 8-15') and drag it/hop it over rocks and hard bottom. For me a football jig does this the best thats why i said its my top producer. Its caught me alot of bass and also some big bass too, but if i went to a different state to fish for the weekend i might do much better throwing a swim jig to towards the bank next to some wood, or punching a 1oz jig in the weeds. I like football styles the most for another reason too, i can drag it on the bottom, fish it like a swim jig and do the Alabama shake, pitch it into a tree, skip it under a dock, and even tho i tend to stick with 3/8-1/2oz i can make it much heavier if i wanted to just by adding a bulkier trailer, so if my kayak gets blown out above deeper water, no need to retie just put on a heavier trailer. I can do almost anything with them, its just not always in the ideal way. And being on a kayak with limited room i try to take only what i think ill need, its easier to take a few football jigs i can do anything with than 30 different jigs for 30 different reasons.

Siebert Grid Iron G2 in 3/8. Jigs produce quantity and quality bass for me but no jig produces more than the football head style. For the color, well i tie the skirts myself and have 2 favorites, one is blue, black, with purple, and the second is a mix of blues and greens to match the same color as the Strike King Okeechobee Craw trailers. I know you said one but i gotta add a 2nd just for finesse fishing, the Siebert Grid Iron Dock jig 1/4oz, again with a skirt i tied to match the trailer, tried to get it to look just like the Strike King Moon Juice Rage Menace ill use for a trailer.

I agree with you on the grip, its not even because its foam. Its just such an odd shape/feel to it even compared to my other Lews rods. Great rod tho, it would be nice if they changed the handle tho. The TP1X is the same price but the handle is so much better.

For ripping through or swimming through the weeds Swim Jig Chatterbait Lipless crankbait Swimming worm/Speed worm (senko with a paddle on the tail) fish it like a texas rig but cover water faster, like the name says just swim it throw the holes in the weeds Ribbon/curly tail worm For fishing above the weeds on the surface Buzzbait Toad Floating finesse worm Frog Other types of lures Texas rig Football jig Wacky worms (unless a weedless hook) get stuck in weeds alot, find the open holes in the weeds and pitch one in, by doing this i caught alot of bass one day last summer on a pond where it was 95% covered and had to drag the kayak over weeds for quite awhile. Oh and a Johnson silver minnow too.

Most people think spring is the best time of year for catching bass, whether quantity or quality, and it sure is, but i like to think of spring as the best time of the year for learning about bass and lures. On days the bites good use lures you wouldnt normally throw, pay attention to every thing you, the rod, the bait, the weather, etc did.... Get some confidence in those new techniques that will help you catch bass on them the rest of the year. For me on the days the bites almost non existent i either work on praticing casting, whether it be for getting as far distance as possible or just lowering the brakes and training the thumb to keep the line from backlashing, or put a tungsten weight on a texas rig/heavier football jig and drag the bottom to learn where the rocks, wood, and weeds are in that body of water. If Tuesday produces no bass atleast on Wednesday youll know where the structure and cover is and that will definitely help you for the rest of the year. Id suggest throwing a variety of lures you already have a bunch of but dont use much, but things like a lipless crankbait, Chatterbait, jerkbait, spinnerbait/buzzbait, texas rigged craw/creature bait, football jig, swim jig, smaller swimbaits like Keitechs on a jig, or larger boot/paddle tail 5-6" swimbaits, curly/ribbon tail worm, even a tube on a jig or texas rig would be something to try.... If they arent hitting a popper or plopper maybe try a toad if you still want to do something with topwater. If you want to go finesse a drop shot, ned rig, shakey head, tube jig yet again im mentioning, floating finesse worm might be something worth trying. But dont over work one spot with one lure too much, last year i caught so many bass on a red lipless crank in one area, the same lake now the bass wont even bite one in that area. But ive gotten some bass this week at the other spots of the same lake i didnt fish much last year.... Guess some bass are smarter than we originally thought.

My Original Chatterbaits get the same stuff as my Jackhammer's or Elite Evo's, 3.8, 4 and 5" is usually my go to sizes for trailers, the normal size Rage Menace (3.5") would work, but you would probably have to trim the skirt on the Chatterbait just a bit. The 4" Magnum Rage Menace would probably be the ideal size. The Baby Rage Menace (3") is way to small for anything other than a Mini Max, which is an excellent trailer for that one.

I might be the only one here this applies too from reading the older comments, but usually when i see a big V shape moving through the water just under the surface, its almost always a pickerel. On days the bass arent biting i start casting where the V shapes are and ill catch a few. Small ones are probably bugs or small fish like minnows

@ardeact The Max X combos have been on sale recently for $50 i think, the rods not so great but the reels about the same as the last gen Black Max. I prefer the Black Max actually but the Max X only real upgrade is its looks. Its only worth it if you like the design change better, other than that they are both great casting reels on a budget.

Midway has them on sale a few times a year, i got my 3 i think for $60 each last season, Omnia usually has something for rod or reel sales in the spring/summer too. If you can wait a bit you might be able to get one at a great price or 2 for the price of 1, if you need one now Tackle Warehouse, Midway, local stores, Omnia just to name a few.

@ardeact 30lb braid (using Power Pro for an example) is equivalent to 8lb mono, the rod and reel casting those lures (not sure if the spinners/beetle spins are the lighter panfish ones or larger bass ones) will have more affect on the distance than the line change.

Most MH actual cranking rods have higher lure ratings then most heavy rods, pay close attention to its ratings instead of its power. And most rods that do fantastic for deep diving cranks/chatterbaits would struggle with most square bills, keep that in mind. Unless you are throwing big massive square bills then that would probably be able to work. Most common square bill is the KVD 1.5 weighs 3/8oz, and the KVD 2.5 weighs 5/8oz. A 3/8oz Chatterbait weighs almost 1/2oz after trailer, and a 1/2oz weighs closer to 3/4oz. And deep crankbaits vary in weight depending on if they are Strike King, Berkley Spro, Storm, Rapala.... Most of their deep divers range between 3/8-1/2-5/8-3/4-1oz. If you plan on throwing lighter square bills like the 1.5 or ones in that size range you will probably want to get a different rod just for those, if you plan on using the 2.5's you can probably use the same rod for the deep cranks and chatterbaits. Try to find a rod in the 1/2-1oz range, give or take some weight depending on what the lures you will most commonly throw weigh. But for deep cranking ill usually go with a rod up to 1 1/2oz just because if im fishing 15-20' down im going to need a stronger rod, these crankbaits have alot of pull to them and put some stress on the gear, and thats before a bass bites one down that deep. If you really want to get into cranking i wouldnt spend all the money on the rod, the reels equally important, the Lews BB1 Pro is a amazing reel, made for cranking too. It has a deeper spool letting it have more line be able to be used, its meant to cast very far. When you are fishing deep cranks most of your casting distance isnt what you think it is, it takes quite alot of reeling that lure in to get it to its listed depth, well the farther you can cast the longer your crankbaits in the strike zone.

Put it on a paper towel and dab it on my neck, ears, shirt, arms and then dump most of it on my boots and legs up to my knees. Its kept me insect free for the past few years, even when walking through various tick infested woods. After reading about what most insect repellents contain id rather use something more natural that is also edible, im not a big fan of putting chemicals on my body whether it be sunscreen or insect repellent....

Walmart has 3600 and 3700 Planos usually for $5-6. Tray layout varies depending on choice.

I only use fluoro for leaders tied to braid when fishing ned rigs, only because i want the line as stiff and sensitive as possible. But i might just switch to YZH after fishing with it alot and it performing excellent for me. Ive caught bass in very clear water on braid, mono too. They arent line shy, we arent fishing for trout. I used to use fluoro on almost all my reels, spinning/casting. It got expensive and i was always breaking off line, getting backlashes, having to turn up the brakes=poor casting distance. Between the line memory, constant care it requires, i switched to mono. If you think spending $30 to fill your spool with fluoro and treat it with line conditioner every trip is worth it and will help you catch fish then thats great, ill stick with my very cheap Yo Zuri Hybrid, best of both worlds.