10,000 lakes Bassin

Do any of you use a Tokyo rig in stops like this?

I’ve had fun recently flipping and pitching around lay downs and clumps of weeds. My only concern is about the bottom. I fish lakes with muddy, mucky, weed covered bottoms. It’s pretty easy for me to picture my t-rig just disappearing into the slop. Is a t-rig still effective in these spots? Is this a time to break out the ol Tokyo rig? Or does flipping just not work in these areas?

Would these 5 rods cover almost everything except big swimbaits which I don’t even own and super tinny finesse? If not what am I missing? 7’4 heavy fast with 50lb braid: for frogs big jigs, punching 7’3 medium heavy fast with 40lb braid to a leader: for fishing jigs, t-rigs and other stuff around grass. 7’0 medium heavy with 15 or 17lb fluoro: for jigs and t-rigs in open water and spinnerbaits and chatterbaits 7’0 medium regular with 12lb fluoro: crankbaits, jerkbaits 7’0 medium fast spinning rod with 10lb braid to a leader: finesse stuff and light treble hook top water, just take the leader off Let me know if I’m way off on anything or my line choices are bad

Is a frog rod something I might want to spend a little less on because I wouldn’t need as much sensitivity as a bottom contact rod?

I definitely wouldn’t mind using a MH for frogs because I could use it for lots of other stuff also, and it would probably be easier on my arm after a long day. Would 40lb Braid be a good choice for that setup? I’ve hear some guys use lighter braid because it cuts through pads better

The MH is good for frogs even in thick vegetation? I was thinking about picking up that exact rod, but to run with 30 or 40 pound braid to a leader, and have it be my t-rig and jig rod around grass.

Im looking to get a rod i can use for frogs, swim jigs in super heavy cover, and maybe punching occasionally. I was looking at the st croix bass x 7’4 heavy fast, and the Daiwa tatula 7’4 heavy fast or 7’1 heavy fast. It’s about a $40 difference in price, so how much am I going to get for that extra 40 bucks, and if I go with the bass x will I always be wishing I had spent a little more? Are there any other rods around that price point that I should be looking at? I don’t think I’ll spend above $170

Thanks for the warning

How long were they in the sun?

I was talking about Matt lol

I recently watched a video where the guy was saying that he figured out specific trailers that paired with specific swim jigs to give the most action, and that it had to be that exact combo or it wouldn’t work. Is that bs? Can I not just throw any paddle tail on the back?

Do you use the 3/0 or 5/0 underpins for 4in baits?

So I don’t need to be afraid of fishing too shallow? Also what size crush city and owner do you use? Also would a swimjg work in the same areas? And do you ever look for them in the new growth? Sorry for all the questions lol

Thanks for the info! What do you mean by rotted weeds? Just last years dead cattails and bulrushes? Should I just be throwing trigs and jigs into the rushes and hopping them out? Chatterbaits around the edges? Will they hit top water? Thanks! So how are you finding the hard bitten areas, especially in weedy northern lakes? Are you looking for gaps in the pads and bullrushes? Will they be right in the middle of the new growth? I fish out of a sit-in style kayak so I’m very low to the water making it hard to see the bottom unless it’s right under me. Also what depth should I be focusing?

This is the first year that I’ve been able to fish early enough in the year to catch some of the prespawn and the whole spawn, so I apologize if my questions seem stupid The water temps are 60-70 degrees on the lakes near me so I assume the spawn is going on. What’s a good way to find and target these prespawn/spawning fish? Lots of the small lakes I fish are pretty much like a bowl, with not much structure, so is the best way to fish them just covering a lot of water? What about the lakes that have more bottom contours? ( I should mention that I don’t have electronics). I fish clear northern lakes so how deep should I be focusing? And what are the main baits I should have tied on? Basically whats the best way to approach a lake this time of year?

Has anyone here used the Daiwa exceler LT? If so would you recommend it?

So is it good to approach a new lake by starting up shallow and working your way out deep till you find them?

What main techniques do you not use braid to a leader for?

Oh you lived in bemidji? That’s where I am I’d love to hear some of your old spots if ya don’t mind 😉

I should also clarify what I mean by power fishing is stuff like heavy jigs t-rigs and frogs, not just regular moving baits and jigs if that makes sense. This is a way that I’ve never fished, and I don’t see to many people up here fishing like that. We don’t have much matted vegetation around here so I’ll probably be manly fishing lily pads and bull rushes and maybe some cattails.

But even when it’s sunny and calm some will be up shallow under lily pads etc?

I’m thinking about picking up a tracker 1542 Jon boat and building a casting deck on the front. My one concern is stability. I know wider is better for stability, will 42in boat be stable enough for me? I’m a smaller guy, I’ll be fishing by myself most the time. I plan on going on smaller lakes and trying to stay out of the wind if it’s bad.

When I’m using braid should I be using a heavy wire hook 90% of the time to keep the hook from bending?

Also what should determine whether I go and look for them up shallow with a jig or frog, or try to find them on the outside weed lines during the summer?

Yeah they’re just coming up to spawn in my neck of the woods