PTasker15

Lew's is soon to put out their priciest combo to date, the "MACH Jacked" Here's an article incase you don't know about them: https://www.lews.com/en/media/news/2023-press-releases/new-mach-jacked-combos They seem to be pretty decent as far as combos go. These rods are pretty comparible to the pre-existing Lew's TP1 Black rods, which are pretty decent rods. HM50 is also a pretty decent blank material. The TP1X is often used by High School Bass Teams in some tourneys and most user's seem to love it, and I know the TP1B is similar but made just a little better and has some more options than TP1X. So I'd argue to say the rod stands up to the price tag of a $260 combo by the description. Seems to have set of great quality ball bearings. The reel is similar to the Lew's KVD SLP and Lew's Tournament MP reels (which I believe also sport a MSB and 9+1BB), and would be around the same price too. That sounds VERY promising. Compared to the usual MH/F or M/F we usually get from a combo, different styles to pick from could make it pretty great if you want to quickly fill out a boat with gear. I'm not as acquainted with spinning as I am with LP Baitcasting, but that sounds decent as well. I'll let yall be the judge of that. MSRP for spinning is $250, so I'd hope its amazing. Again sounds great to have a variety of options. If I would have to guess, probably a 7' ML/F, 6'6 M/F, and 7'M/F as those are pretty popular lengths and powers. What do yall think about these new combos coming out?

I know and I pulled in a nearly 7 pounder this weekend on the 6lb mono. But the 6lb mono feels very skectchy when setting the hook on a texas rig or shakey head. Plus trying to keep that girl from running into weeds and brush was difficult, luckily she ran to open water and I worked her down after two minutes. Just thought It would be a bit simpler than braid-leader. I've done braid to leader for about a year and switched back to straight fluoro and mono. I retie often since I only have a couple rods which perform many tasks and having to retie my leader after 3 changes got pretty annoying. Plus the price of nicer braid and nicer fluoro as well is a bit cumbersome on my budget initially. Nearly $50. How's P-line? ever use it I might. I've had good experience with braid on spinning gear, but poor on casting. Plus as mentioned in my other reply, Nicer braid + fluoro would put a dent in my budget plus having to retie my leader sucked.

While I know I could use 8lb mono or something like 10/15 braid to leader, I would be interested in straight fluoro. I only throw sinking and moving baits like wacky, weightless texas/ very very lightweight texas, shakey head, small paddletail swimbaits, and small spinners. Would 8lb fluoro be good for working these? What's y'alls opinions on the matters.

Would 8lb fluoro work on a spinning rod? I've heard bad things about memory above 6 lb test. If it does, I would love to jump from the lowly 6lb test to a bit more trustful 8. Actually caught my PB yesterday on 6lb test. Talk about stressful when you got a torpedo shaped nearly 7lb bass hooked around a bunch of grass.

The MHF you are talking about is a spinning rod sadly. Looking for casting. They have a 7'2 MHF which is 1/4-1. Would that do it?

Unfortunately, I don't have any retailer near me that sells rods in my price range + technique. I'm looking at the Lew's TP1X 7'2 Medium heavy (1/4-1) or the Lew's Mach 2 in the same range. How do I know If they fish closer to medium heavy? Thank you, I will try this. As mentioned above. I want to stick with Lew's as its what I'm used to and those rods are in my price range. But, do you happen to know if the Daiwa Tatula XT is comparable to the regular tatula? Do you know how the stiffness, power of the rod compares to similar Lew's? Again I don't have stores near me that sell these so I can't test myself.

Most of my jigs are 3/8oz football or arkie style jigs, add a trailer and probably around 5/8 or 1/2 I would guess. Although would like to experiment with finesse jigs and 1/4oz jigs soon. 15lb Fluoro, might jump to 17 if I have any issues with this. I've been looking and asking around for a minute but can't seem to really find much of what is geared towards me, who is on the bank of a pond most of the time and bank of a lake if the conditions are good. So far I'm between a Medium-Heavy or Heavy, but still indecisive because of lure weights on them. I've seen some heavy rods that started out lighter than Medium-Heavy; sometimes even at 3/16 oz all the way to 1 1/2oz. Wouldn't that let me cover a wider range? Or would it be too heavy for what I'm trying to do? P.S- I know everyone has their preferences with knots, but what knots should I use with fluoro? I've always used palomar, but now using it as a mainline, I've sometimes noticed my knots won't fully sinch down and will take alot of pressure to do so? Sorta sketches me out having a half sinched knot, but has put up to a few (small) bass.

well now that I have a clear mind and some sleep, I have no idea why I wanted to throw chatters on the same thing as cranks. I don't know what I was thinking lol. Maybe I should try not asking questions on here while sleep deprived. Ill just move my question to just squarebills and lipless. My issue is that when I look at MH cranking rods, they are often rated for things like 1/2-1oz and 12-20lb or 15-30lb test. I wanted to use 10lb fluoro with again, 3/8-1/2 oz lures. I'm on tackle warehouse right now and the 2 closest rod s(in my budget) I have found is the Lew's Perfect Crankbait Series which has one that is 7 foot, Medium Power, Moderate action (closer to Mod. Fast when I've seen people use this rod) that is rated for 3/8oz to 1oz lures and 10-25lb test. There is also one that us 6 foot 8, "Medium Heavy", Moderate, but is rated for 1/4-3/4oz and asks for 15-30lb test. I'm thinking I ought to run with the 7' Medium/Mod.? Again I never throw over a 1/2oz as I have found ponds don't really leave me needing medium or deep divers.

I'd love to be able to test but the only fishing shops in our town is Wal-Mart and Academy, both of which have no moderate action rods in stock, and the closest bass pro, dicks, or any other retailer of higher quality rods to me is about 2 hours away. I'm pretty much stuck with online orders. Might I find better luck by going in the middle by using a Medium/ Mod. Fast? My chatterbaits are 3/8oz and I can find Medium rods rated up to 5/8oz. oh yeah, and lastly forgot to mention I throw alot of lipless, mostly 1/2oz. My squarebills are usually 3/8 but I spill into 1/2 and 5/8 sometimes. and as said, my chaterbaits are between either 3/8 and 1/2. At that rate, I'm still thinking a Medium Heavy Moderate rated for something like 1/4-5/8 might still be able to toss a squarebill a half decent distance and handle it well, but also handle a bladed jig and 1/2oz lipless?

assuming mono? I want to use fluoro and was told by a few people to get a moderate action rod so I can load up with the trebles and load up on the big jig hook.

I use mostly squarebills and bladed jigs, so I would assume a medium? I know alot of people who also use squarebills with a medium heavy? When would I use one and when the other if both have weight ranges that fit bladed jigs and crankbaits?

Would 40lb be a good place to meet in the middle?

Again, that's lew's. Their M is most companies ML, their MH is most Companies M, Their H is most companies MH, and so on.

and such heavy line should'nt damage my rod? Can I also use this for heavier T rigs, or should I tie leader? East Texas Baby. Lunkers up to 20lbs.

Lew's. They are often lighter than most companies, with a medium being something like 1/8-1/2.

casting my only issue with a much heavier braid/mono/fluoro is line diameter. My line has the diameter of 6lb test mono; wouldn't I lose some casting distance switching to 40 braid and a ton more switching to 15lb fluoro?

Have you tried the Tatula cranking rod too? Been also looking for a good med/mod.

Around $100. I'll also take stuff on sale around that price point.

Oh I mostly just mean things such as length, lure ranges, power, action. Although I'm willing to throw a small $100 on a rod.

I'm currently using a 6'10 Fast Action, Medium-Heavy rod that is rated for (3/16oz - 5/8oz). I use 20lb braid and 15/14lb leaders when needed. I'm going to get a new rod to replace this one as this one was a cheaper lew's combo. Wondering what to look in a rod for and if I should keep 20lb or jump up to 30. Most of my texas rigs weigh in around 1/4-3/8oz and most of my jigs are 3/8-1/2oz with trailers as well. I do fish bank most of the time, but I do find myself around some rip rap often as well as quite a bit of wood.

3 Weeks (6/3/23) This combo has seem tons of white bass and some good Largemouth too. White Bass portion 6lb mono, same as it always is. Used a few different lures, but mostly spoons between 1/4 - 3/8 oz and spinners around 1/6 oz. Handled them well, got some good casting distance. The reel retrieves line faster than I'm used to, so to keep a light spoon low in the water column, requires a slow retrieve. Regardless, both the rod and reel put of well to the white bass without any complaints. Also handled some 2-3lb catfish who decided shad was on the menu that week. Largemouth Bass Portion Recently put it up against something notable by tackling a trophy bluegill pond bass. A couple casts around with a 1/8oz Shakey head on that 6lb test and she just couldn't resist. Rod did most of the work on the hookset, and the light line had no issue shoving that shakey head through that basses mouth. Apparently this was the Olympic athlete of 2lbers as she pulled a crazy amount of drag, and probably jumped out of the water 7 or 8 times in the 2 minutes it took to land her. The reel handled her length runs amazingly for a cheaper reel. The drag was very smooth as she ran around and did not stutter. The once very heavy rod (as was said, very heavy and extremely thick for such a lighter power rod) came in handy with controlling her and keeping her away from the water fountain in the pond.

I use a 6'10 Medium Heavy, Fast action casting rod. Rated for 3/16oz to 3/4oz. Reel is a regular sized baitcasting reel, 15lbs drag and I think it's a 7.2:1 I use 20lb braid with a 15lb Fluoro leader. Might consider a bump up to 30lb but I don't run into too much cover and so far I can handle that cover well.

Thank you 3. My Black/Blue football jig just got tore up by a snapping turtle so I'll grab some more jigs and trailers while I'm out replacing my poor football. Tight lines.

Seeing what people have luck on around here as I'm getting into various jigs. Wondering what skirt colors might do me well in the variable stained water. Visibility anywhere from 1 foot to 4 foot. Water is brownish-mostly blue colored.

I appreciate the tiny guides for accuracy. I will say it's hard to move a finesse worm with an 1/8 oz weight and feel it but I am using 6lb mono. Reason being I'm seeing what this rod is all about before I chuck some 10/15lb braid with 6/8lb leaders on. This is a pretty strong rod so I might even throw some tiny jigs on it once I get this 6lb off. The reel is still pretty noisy. I gave a simple oiling which shushed it a little but still noisy. Grease is good and clean so something needs some heavy oil or everything needs more oil.