DEPS_250

What weighs more, a normal strength stock hook in a bigger size or an aftermarket smaller size hook in 1-2x strength? In other words, will a larger stock hook weigh about the same as a thicker gauge hook in a smaller size ? For example, will a Owner Stinger ST-36 in size 2 weigh about the same or more than a stock hook in size 1 or 1/0? I like to upgrade stock treble hooks all the time on my swimbaits and hardbaits. Just recently, I have started tinkering with sink rates on my swimbaits in order to get them to sink just how I like for the depth I am trying to fish. This usually means adding storm suspenstrips under the belly of the bait or adding weight to the front treble hook. I don't like the look of adding weights to the front hook though. Therefore I was thinking maybe I could just upgrade the front hook to a bigger size hook and than upgrade the back hook to a smaller size hook and still achieve the same thing as having a weight on the front hook right? That way, I can have a cleaner looking bait/hook.

Tackle Warehouse is having a clearance sale on the Ritual Angling Team Lintner Punch rod. I was thinking about pulling the trigger on this rod and I was hoping it can pull double duty and be able to fish swimbaits also. I am planning on using it for some glide baits and hardbaits in the 1-4oz/4-7" size range. The specs look great on paper and it looks like it can handle doing double duty as both a punch rod and a small swimbait rod. It has the right length, taper/action and ounce range that I am looking for in order to fish smaller glide baits and hardbaits. 1. Does anyone know if the rod can fish up to 4oz comfortably? What weights are in its 'wheel house'? Its rated 1-2 1/2oz but I was wondering if it can handle heavier weights than its rated for and if anyone in here has taken the rod to its maximum weight range. 2. Does the rod have a parabolic enough bend for fishing hardbaits with treble hooks in order to keep fish pinned? Its rated as a moderate fast but I was wondering if the rating is 'spot on' or is it off. I am hoping the action and taper will be soft/slow enough to fish hardbaits and glide baits. I do like to fish braid to a leader, so I am hoping the moderate fast rating is either spot on or just slightly under/slower than a moderate fast.

Are gear sets universally compatible within the same make and model? In other words, Is it possible to swap out gear sets from left to right and right to left at will, as long as both reels are the same make and model with no negative effects/repercussions? I have a Daiwa Tatula 150 in the 7.3 gear ratio and it is also a left handed retrieve version. Current Daiwa Tatula 150 Models: Right - 5.5, 6.3 and 7.3 Left - 6.3 and 7.3. *No 5.5 in left hand* Unfortunately, Daiwa never made a Tatula 150 in a 5.5 and in a left handed version. I was looking to buy the Tatula 150 5.5 gear set from Daiwa and I was wondering if the 5.5 gear set that is from a right handed Tatula 150 will work inside of my left handed Tatula 150. I want a lower gear ratio Tatula 150 for fishing crankbaits and swimbaits. Unfortunately, I don't like fishing right hand retrieve and prefer left hand if at all possible. I also want to stay within the same make and model and do not want to switch to a different reel make and model. With that said, the swap should still work since reel manufacturers simply 'reverse or mirror' the main gear from a right hand model over to a left hand model anyways correct? If the main gear is mirrored/reversed, does that mean I only need to buy the main gear or will I have to eventually buy the pinion gear also in order for the swap to work?

On the other hand, does this also ring true to a places in the south like Florida and Louisiana where there is no ice and snow too just like California. Florida is not all that different from California in climate and they both have very similar climates and latitudes. I would think that even a place like Florida, topwater fishing should be...'all day, everyday, all year long' too right? I mean, I consider Florida to be BASS PARADISE as far as climate/environment is concerned, since its so warm and wet like a jungle. I figured the bass fishing here should be relatively good and topwater fishing to be very easy and do-able any time of the year correct? Any Florida bass anglers want to help give me some info and knowledge as to what topwater fishing is like in a typical year let alone a typical winter in Florida where there is no ice and snow just like California?

I happen to love topwater. I also happen to live in Southern California right on the coast, where our winters are very mild and there is no ice and no snow, except for higher elevations/mountainous areas of course and to some degree, higher latitudes i.e. NorCal (more alpine-ish) vs SoCal (more desert-ish). With that said...do the same rules, restrictions, guidelines, theories and principles that apply to topwater in more colder/northern areas of the country that get a 'true'/cold winter, also apply to me too? I have always been confused about topwater bass fishing in southern california vs topwater bass fishing in other parts of the country, since most bass fishing articles/tips/websites on topwater techniques, always seem to lean heavily towards a northern/mid west/east coast bass audience, who are always faced with a 'true' winter. I fish urban ponds/lakes that sit at or are very close to sea level where the winters are very mild and warm and that will never see ice and snow. Therefore, it always struck me as 'odd' since these articles/websites/tips always seemed to 'help' the northern/mid west/east coast bass anglers, while never mentioning southern california or places where it is warmer and where there is not a 'true' winter. I always felt confused, lost and left out. Like they don't care about us at all. Therefore, my theory with topwater fishing around here has always been that since the winter is so warm and mild, topwater fishing should be...'all day, every day, all year' and that the more 'traditional' rules/theories/principles I always hear about topwater fishing can be 'thrown out the window' because they only apply to guys experiencing a true winter anyways...right? Is it safe to say bass anglers here in southern california 'have it good' than since we can fish topwater all day, everyday, all year long? Am I correct in thinking like this and does it ring pretty true? I am hoping there are other guys in here from CA that have fished in southern california extensively for a long time and can chime in and give me their experiences about topwater techniques/theories/princples and rules and how they apply to a place like this where the winters are very warm and mild. I am hoping @WRB will see this reply and chime in with his extensive knowledge of bass fishing in southern california.

I know for a fact that a longer rod is going to pickup more line than a shorter rod when moving the rod and therefore will make the bait get to me quicker. What I would like to know is...Will a longer rod also pickup more line compared to a shorter rod when the rod is kept 'stationary' and not moving? In other words, if the rod is kept stationary and not moving, will the same reel with the same gear ratio pickup more line per handle turn on an 8' rod vs a 7' rod?

How do I post in the fishing flea market? I don't see a create a new topic button anywhere on the fishing flea market page anywhere. The fishing flea market tab is greyed out under the create new content button also. I am guessing my account is too new and I am 'locked out' from posting on there correct? What do you need to do in order to be able to post in the fishing flea market?

I could just fish 'very short' leaders (~6 foot-ish) and have my leader knot sit outside in front of my reel right? Than that way, I can fish whatever leader knot I like, even if its thick and bulky. I like tying the Uni to Uni knot the most since its easy but its gets too big and bulky in 20+lb mono/fluoro line sizes.

Albertos, Albrights and Uni to Uni knots are not going to work for me. I have already tried them out and they will not fit through my line guide. I like to fish big swimbaits with heavy line. These knots are too big and thick with 15-25lb mono/fluoro and will not pass through the T-Wing system line guide. I wish Daiwa would make the T-Wing line guide a tad bit bigger for people who like to fish heavier baits and heavier lines using leader knots. Than that way, I might not even have to use the FG knot at all and could just get away with a Uni to Uni knot.

I like to fish braid to a leader for all of my swimbaits. I am currently using Daiwa J braid x8 grand tied to a 15-25lb mono/fluoro leader with an FG knot. The problem is...I am finding that I am getting a lot of braid slippage when tying the FG knot with the Daiwa J braid x8 grand. Seems to me like the 8 strand braid is too round, too smooth and too soft. I think the roundness, smoothness and softness is causing my braid to slip and is therefore 'not digging/biting' into the mono/fluoro properly in order for the FG knot to work and perform to its maximum potential/strength. I have tried almost every leader knot there is. I like the FG knot the most. Its the thinnest and does not interfere with the line guide in my reel. I like using Daiwa reels with the T-Wing system and almost every other leader knot that I have tried with 15-25lb test lines, always interferes with the T-Wing system. The FG knot is the only knot that is thin enough to go through the T-Wing system in the heavier lb test lines. Should I stop using the 8 strand Daiwa J braid and switch over to a 4 strand braid? 4 strand braids are 'known' for having way more abrasion resistance than an 8 strand braid. 4 strand braids are also known for being less round, more stiff and feeling a lot more coarse. Therefore would the stiffness, coarseness and less roundness of a 4 strand braid actually aid/help in letting the braid 'dig/bite' into the mono/fluoro properly and therefore eliminate and/or mitigate the braid from slipping when tying an FG knot?

Does anyone in here know if Daiwa J braid x8 grand is supposed to float or sink? This website states that Daiwa J braid x8 grand is supposed to sink fast. 'Low diameter round profile for faster sink rate and less belly'. I like to fish braid to a leader for swimbait fishing. This is my current main line and I have fished this line a few times now. I can honestly say that it does not sink as fast as what is stated on the website I referenced. Or at the very least, it does not sink as fast as what I would like for my style of fishing. It seems to sink very slow and I feel like I am getting a bow in my braided line since the fluorocarbon leader is sinking faster than the braid. I feel like its messing up the action on my swimbaits/glidebaits. Should I upgrade to a sinking braid instead since I like to fish braid to a leader? I did some research a few days ago and came across 2 braids that I feel would be very good choices to pair up with a fluorocarbon leader. They are Lunkerhunt Sinking Braid and Spiderwire Ultracast Fluoro-Braid. Would switching to a sinking braid be more beneficial for swimbait fishing? I mean, it makes perfect sense to pair a sinking braid with a fluorocarbon leader if your planning to go with the braid to leader route. On a side note, does anyone in here have any experiences or reviews for Lunkerhunt Sinking Braid and/or Spiderwire Ultracast Fluoro-Braid? Do they really sink like a fluorocarbon? Would they make a good candidate for swimbait fishing with braid to a leader? I really like the Daiwa J braid x8 grand. I just wish it would sink faster than what I am currently experiencing since I like to fish a lot of swimbaits that require imparting action and therefore I feel like a braid that sinks fast would probably be more beneficial.

I would caution against using straight braid on jigs. Very hard to break off when you get snagged/hungup. Jigs are meant to be used on the bottom and most of the time, that means rocks. Its much easier to break off a jig on 12lb fluorocarbon than it is on 40lb test braid. One time, I got hung up fishing a jig on straight braid and had to cut off half my spool. Went to try and break it off with my hands but just couldn't do it. The braid was too strong and my knot was too strong. Had to cut it at the water to try and save as much line as possible and I still ended up losing over half the braid on my spool. Ended my fishing day real quick since I was only fishing 1 rod and reel that day. Unless the conditions/cover warrant straight braid, 90% of the time, I fish braid to a fluorocarbon leader. If I get snagged or hung up and need to break off, I only lose 5-6 feet of leader and my jig. No more losing half my spool and having to quit fishing for the day and no more losing expensive braid. Win Win. The only situations I can think of that would warrant straight braid for jig fishing would be if your fishing somewhere that is VERY HEAVY in vegetation (i.e. weeds, grass, tules, milfoil, hydrilla etc). Since I live in CA, there is only 2 places that I would ever think of fishing straight braid on a jig...clear lake and the CA delta. Any other place, braid to fluorocarbon. My 2 cents.

On a side note...How do you edit a post? I can't find the edit button/tab/icon anywhere on the site?

I thought so too, at least until about a week ago. I bought a high end japanese bait from TW and tested it out in brackish water thinking it should hold up against some saltwater use. Boy, was I wrong! The next day, I took a look at the bait and the hooks and split rings all rusted up! I have to change out the hooks now! You would think a high end 40 dollar japanese bait would come with premium hardware and hooks! On a side note... Does anyone know if the Owner Stinger treble hooks are safe for saltwater use? Description says corrosion resistant finish. It also states that it is suitable for inshore fishing. I want to use some of my freshwater swimbaits in saltwater for calico bass, sand bass, rockfish, barracuda and yellowtail fishing on cattle/charter boats for deep sea/island fishing in SoCal. I should be fine as far as rust/corrosion is concerned, as long as I make sure I outfit my freshwater swimbaits with Owner stinger treble hooks right...? If not, will I need to change out the hooks on my freshwater swimbaits to saltwater approved hooks?

I was just looking/reading up on the Owner ST-56 just now. I think they might be overkill no? I mean, if I was fishing straight braid with no leader and a very fast action rod with huge amounts of backbone with little parabolic bend to it, than yeah, I should be upgrading to the Owner ST-56. I like to fish cheap mono/flurorocarbon that I use as leaders and these lines usually have a good amount of stretch to them. My Swimbait rods are also pretty soft and parabolic with a good amount of bend all along the blank and into the butt section. I am thinking a setup with braid to a very stretchy leader combined with a very parabolic rod, should be enough to at least mitigate/lessen 30-40% or approximately 1/3 of the strength (i.e. of a straight braid setup) needed to bend out/fail a 1X or Owner ST-36 hooks. Therefore, I am thinking I can get by with just the ST-36's or no? On the other hand, I do have a 'heavy handed' fishing style and I do like to horse my fish in. Therefore why I illuded to the Owner ST-41.

I am planning on upgrading the treble hooks on all of my hardbait swimbaits. I like to fish 40-65lb braid to a 15-30lb Mono/Fluorocarbon leader depending on the style and size/weight of the bait. I also fish with swimbait rods that have a moderate fast taper with a good amount of parabolic bend to them for most of my treble hook swimbaits. With that said... 1. Is the number of (X) strength nomenclature/standard the same across the industry no matter which manufacturer/brand of hook? Therefore, is one manufacturer's (X) designation supposed to be the 'same' strength as another manufacturer's equal (X) designation. For example, would a 2X Owner, a 2X Gamakatsu and a 2X Mustad be the same strengths? Or is there no standard and therefore you would have to do your own testing and/or go with what others have tried and tested already as far as strength goes? 2. Butch Brown is one of my swimbait idols and he does not upgrade treble hooks at all on any of his baits. He fishes his swimbaits with stock hardware all the time and he catches big fish. Therefore, is it even necessary to upgrade your treble hooks at all? 3. Will a 1X strength treble hook be enough for most bass fishing applications/scenarios...? Braid does not have any stretch and is known for bending out weak/sub-standard hooks. Even though I like fishing with a braid main line, the mono/fluoro leader combined with a moderate amount of parabolic bend in my swimbait rod should be enough to not bend out 1X hooks on big fish right? 4. On the other hand, I do fish in CA and our bass are known to be bigger than usual. The lakes I like to fish have some pretty nice sized stripers in them and there is always a good chance of hooking a big striper when fishing with big swimbaits in the lakes I fish. Typically, 5-10lb stripers are the most common with the usual teener mixed in here and there. Though, there is always the chance for a big 20lb+ striper also. In this case, should I upgrade to the 2X treble hooks instead? 5. Is doubling up on split rings necessary for most big swimbaits/hardbaits? Do most guys do this for the added strength/insurance or is it mainly for the extra freedom of movement against the fish having leverage when trying to dislodge the hook? If my bait has swiveling hook hangers already, than I do not need to double up on split rings correct? I am planning on fishing big baits this year to break my current PB and also for a chance at some big land/lake locked stripers, therefore the chances of hooking a big bass or hooking a big striper are higher and therefore I was concerned with upgrading my hooks. I was thinking of going with Owner Stinger ST-36 hooks for first for my swimbait hook upgrade. If these fail or bend on me, I was thinking I might have to upgrade to the Owner ST-41 or the Gamakatsu 2X hooks.