fishindad

Hey Mike, Thanks, and I never would take what you or anyone writes as misunderstanding. I also use straight fluoro and have myself been very slow to adapt to using braid with a leader. Mostly because my eyes are 58 years old and I hadn't found a good reliable knot. I will speak for the majority of fishermen and women and say that we are on a limited budget, no? We all know the virtues of braid; lasts forever (relative to nylon), little to no stretch, etc, etc. And most importantly (for me) it isn't ruined by a backlash like FC. I fish in windy conditions most of the time and I admit my thumb is not at the level of KVD so I have lost my share of lures and fish due to FC breaking at a pinch point due to a backlash. I feel that once the commitment is made to use all braid, with and without a leader, anglers will more easily adjust their equipment (i.e. rods) and hooksets as needed so the landing rate is equal to or higher than with mono or FC. I fish very clear water of the Great Lakes/MI. I almost never see stained water like many folks do in other parts of the country. Yet I really believe we give fish too much credit when it comes to line visibility (or invisibility). For reaction baits I do not think fish shy away from a bait due to "seeing line" or split ring, snap, etc attached. Maybe for subtle finesse deadsticking in ultra clear water it could make a difference in terms of fish rejecting a bait. I wasn't honestly saying anyone who chooses not to fish braid plus leader cannot tie knots or doesn't retie. I was speaking for myself in that I was rejecting the whole braid plus leader concept because I had not found a trustworthy knot and was lazy and didn't retie as often as I should (honestly, who does, lol?). I use straight braid on my heavy grass rods. But that's a no-brainer. But I now use braid on my spinning rods, except one dropshot rod, which has straight Sniper because I am doing a year-long test to see if I get any more or less bites fishing a dropshot for smallies with 832 w/ Sniper leader vs the straight Sniper. To date I have not seen any difference in actual bites. The difficulty for me with this 'experiment' is having to adjust (slightly) my response time and hooksets, as well as how much pressure I can get away with before popping the hook (on the braid setup). I also believe typical XF action rods (as my DS rods are) are not the best for fishing with braid; those are designed for use with mono or FC only. This is a topic that goes round and round. At least it has with me. I guess what I wanted to say originally is I go through more line and thus more $$ by fishing straight FC, of which I was a true believer as being the best choice overall. I still may go back tom that. But I have to give braid/FC leader the 'old college try' and commit to one or two seasons of using braid with various FC leaders. So far my results show this as being overall superior. My end goal is to make my bass fishing as simple as possible while maximizing results = fish landed. I don't want 20 setups on deck each with a different main line choice. At this point, I honestly believe I could catch as many or more bass using a single GLX MBR843 (as an example) with 20 lb. 832 and switching out FC leaders from 8-17 lb test and be able to fish every lure in my tackle box, effectively. That's as simple as it gets.

I agree with all the above. Given the significantly improved fishing lines today, especially fluorocarbon, it is a spot on rating. Even with the adjustment for cost as RW mentions. Back when YZH was originally released, I think the only fluorocarbon available in the US was Berkley or Stren '100%', both of which no one uses any more (or should). I believe that soon everyone will see that braid plus a fluorcarbon leader is the way to go for almost all applications. I see no advantage to using straight fluorcarbon ($$$) any more unless one does not tie a good main line to leader knot and doesn't routinely re-tie (I do after each outing). Though I still am testing that theory out for slack line fishing and am not yet convinced. Also agree with RW that Tatsu is the gold standard for FC, just happens to be about the most expensive FC also.

DX701SF/Ci4 2500/6lb. fluoro DX702SF/Ci4 2500/8lb. fluoro I also will use 14lb. YGK braid to fluoro leader once the weeds get thicker.

I respect where you're coming from but I sort of think the opposite in that if I were a pro angler (i.e. with sponsors), I would simply use the lines of my sponsor - easy, peazy. To me, and I'm guessing to a lot of us, a lot of the fun is on trying out all the various lines, reels, rods, lures, etc. until we find the one that best suits our needs as bass fishermen. There is absolutely a very significant difference in fishing line (be it mono, fluoro, braid) characteristics! I fish for fun as well. I haven't yet tried Tatsu but the way I see it, for all the coin I've dropped on various fishing lines (and rods, reels, boat, lures, etc), I owe it to myself to try it out given the positive reviews by some very well-respected anglers. Other than the cost, you never read or hear anything negative about Tatsu. Line and hooks are the two most critical things that determine whether one hooks and lands a big fish. And since I am not a professional angler, I want to give myself every possible advantage in case when those 5 and 6lb smallie decide to bite.

Thanks, Glenn! Now there's no excuse for me not to give Tatsu a shot.

I use Sniper as well but will probably switch to actual leader material one day.

I own and use two Ci4 2500's (1st gen). Are they overrated? To me, not any more than hundreds of other products on the market. It's all in the eye and hand of the beholder. The reels do exactly what I needed and wanted - smooth (enough for me) operation while being the lightest 2500 spinning reel at that time. For the record I'm a Daiwa spinning reel advocate. As Brian states, no need to bash something because you feel you didn't get your money's worth. I personally can't stand folks who post negative things in general. If you want to sing praises for your Pflueger spinning reels, then do that instead. To your comment about line slap, I think this is ridiculous because all spinning reels are fixed spool and there's probably no difference in design between manufacturer, I would guess to the millimeter. Your comment about it being head and shoulders above your other reels, it's about $50 more in price than the Supreme. PS: Ask JVD and Chris Zaldain, both Ci4 spinning reel users, if the reels are overrated.

This. What's more sensitive and transmits vibration better, an uncooked spaghetti noodle or a cooked one? Obviously the stiffer, uncooked one. With regard to the cost of a rod, specifically the $400 vs $50 comment, this is false in the sense the more expensive rod typically has a higher modulus (stiffer grade) blank material. Is that difference perceptible? That's where the grey area lies. Elite pros probably don't care or need the $400 rod to catch fish consistently. But that doesn't mean they cannot feel the difference between an NRX and an Ugly Stik. I would state that high end rods also use better quality guides, cork, bling, etc. which don't quite affect a rod's sensitivity as much as the blank's material, action, and power. I agree there is a point of diminishing returns (as in all products) but unless you've actually fished with a $400 rod side-by-side vs. a $50 rod, you cannot make such foolish blanket statements. I agree with T9 that a rod's action and power do influence a rod's vibration transmission. It's just a matter of degree and what you can feel through to your hands and what you can afford.

Brandon, I also recommend the Falcon. Their "Trap Caster" is one of the best treble hook rods I have used, which includes Dobyns CB704 and CB705 (a close second). It may be a bit long (7 foot) for jerkbaits but it works fine in my hands and I've boated many big St Clair smallies this Spring already with it. And it is an awesome crankbait/spinnerbait/swim jig rod as well. Once you try it, I"m sure you'll agree.

DX702 is a great DS stick. To be honest, I use a casting rod for all these presentations you listed, except maybe wacky worms (i.e. Flickshake). If you want to stay with Dobyns, the 742 or 743 would be the ticket. If you want to stick with a spinning rod, the St Croix LE med fast is an excellent choice.

I've got both rods and dropshot a ton. If just for DS the DX702 is the one. If shakyhead and DS the St Croix would be a better choice. The giudes on just about any $100+ rod will last a lifetime so not sure why you are worried about that.

Great choice, that's a sweet combo.

I'm not trying to convince you not to buy a long (over 7 foot) spinning rod for bass fishing unless you really need it. That said, if you fish from shore then a long rod helps make longer casts away from the bank. If you fish large bodies of water with clear water (like any of the Great Lakes or connecting waters) then it does help to bomb casts away from the boat to cover more water. And as mentioned, longer rods will better protect light line than a shorter rod with the same power and action. Some reasons not to use a long spinning rod: Storage can be an issue (if it's a one piece). It's easier to snag your buddy's hat on a backcast, lol. They tend to be tip heavy just like any other rod unless the handle is lengthened accordingly.

Agree 100% with this. Preach on, brother John!!

I don't own one but I know Falcon has a Jason Christie frog rod in the Cara line. I think it's 6'11" same action as the Amistad stick. I've read lots of guys who use the Amistad for frogs also. Oops: sorry didn't see Tander's reply.

FF, I'm from your neck of the woods (SE Mich) so I know what you speak of regarding no local Dobyns retailers. That said, I fish with Falcon Cara baitcasters and Dobyns Extreme spin rods. Have owned 6 or 7 DX at one point but am now down to three. I can tell you with no hesitation that Dobyns is as top-notch of a fishing rod company as any of the USA shops including St. Croix, Falcon, and Loomis - all of which I have dealt with - I still own and fish a couple high end rods (GLX, Legend Extreme). But being based on the West Coast, their rods are more popular with West Coast anglers and more retailers carrying their rods are out that way. I've got to agree with the other posters that what you are wanting to do would not go over at most other retail companies. You probably know of people or have seen people trying to do just such thing - buy an item on sale and return it trying to get full MSRP in exchange. I know you are not trying to scam Dobyns but if you look at it from their point of view, they wouldn't be in business very long if they did what you're asking them to do. I say fish the rod for an entire season and then make up your mind to sell it or not. If it's the rod I have (DX702SF) it is an awesome dropshot rod and I've gone through many high end DS rods at that price point. Pair it with a Ci4 2500 and 7 lb. Sniper and it's the ultimate smallie weapon.

Good decision. We all like getting new tackle and trying out new toys. But, don't get the mindset that your fishing success depends on the brand of rod you use or the price tag. You will know when a particular rod feels "just right" in your hands. And don't think you need an NRX/K2/Legend Xtreme to be a good bass fisherman. If that were the case, every pro on tour would fish with them. Rods and reels are just tools.

My vote goes to Falcon Bucoo. Made in US, very light and sensitive for the price point and I fish mainly Legend Extreme, GLX, Dobyns DX, Falcon Cara. If I was your age and a student, and interested in tournaments fishing, I would get the Bucoo Amistad, Trap Caster, Swim Jig, and Finesse Jig rods - all for under $500. That would cover everything bass with the exception of one finesse spinning outfit.

One of the most difficult decisions is figuring out 'wants' vs. 'needs'. Asking hard core bass fishers how many rods 'should' one own is a loaded question. I see you live and fish in SoCal. So, having fished some of those waters here's what I would suggest you'll need: Dropshot/finesse/light line setup, ML power Swimbait/heavy cover combo, H power Reaction bait setup for rip baits, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, M power All-around/all purpose combo like a 7 ft MH fast action rod If you fish mostly open water and deep water without much cover then you may not need the that H pitching setup. You can throw smaller swimbaits with the MH rod or your present baitcasting combo.

Raul has the right idea though I would suggest something a bit better. This trick is from Don Iovino, a West Coast pioneer who helped promote and develop many finesse techniques with hand poured plastics. Instead of a toothpick, use a short section of 60 lb. test mono and push it through the hook eye then clip off the protruding ends. You can vary the thickness of the mono (can fluoro too) depending on the hook size. This holds the hook in place and doesn't interfere with hooksets and more importantly, doesn't tear up the nose of the plastic like the toothpick after the hookset. There's a good video Don has that has many more details for finesse fishing with soft plastics: http://www.iovino.com/index.php/videos/finesse-fishing-for-bass.html Not sure if there's a DVD version but you can contact him directly - he's a great guy.

I get that. Nothing wrong with spinning gear as lots of folks use it for jerkbaits. But in terms of heavier weight and larger size ripbaits, I'd go with at least 10 lb. line (maybe more), which to me is the upper limit as far as line management on a spinning reel - unless you're using braid with leader.

I fish Dobyns spinning rods but not the Savvy or for jerkbaits - I use the 701 and 702 for dropshotting and the 742 for everything else. For those weights though, especially 7/16th oz., I would definitely use at least a medium power rod (and a baitcaster, but that's my preference).

G. Loomis MBR782.

This. I have (as have others here) fished long enough with braid, FC and mono to state that because of the higher density of FC, it is the line to use when slack line sensitivity is needed. But, each line has unique, superior qualities that excel in certain situations. If you're looking for a single line (not braid with leader) to use for all bass fishing situations then I would choose a copolymer.

Don't have that rod but do fish a ML **** and it is noticeably more powerful than it's rating. For 1/4oz. T-rigs, I will recommend the 6'10" MH Falcon Cara Finesse jig rod. Awesome rod!