fishindad

Largemouth: gotta be weedless = 5” green pumpkin Senko for numbers and size. Frog, any color, for most fun. Smallies: green pumpkin or watermelon 4” tube for numbers and size. Again, topwater popper or prop bait for most exciting to fish.

I have and fish the Amistad but have not fished the Dobyns 745 (though I do own a few DX Extreme spinning rods). The Amistad is definitely the rod for what you're asking. Check out a YT clip of Jason Christie using it on Lake St Clair cracking a tube on a 3/4 oz. head and you'll see the action. IMO 1/2 and 3/4 is right in it's wheelhouse.

If I had to bring only 5 combos, it would depend on whether I’m targeting smallies or largemouth. Largies 6’10” MH for topwater poppers, props, walking baits 6’10 H for jigs, T rigs 7’2” MH for swim jigs, Keitech, Senkos 7’3” H for frogs, heavy cover 7’ ML for Ned, dropshot, wacky For smallies I’d swap the 7’3” H casting setup with a second ML spinning outfit: 7’4” ML for grubs, Ned, drop shot Of course I have duplicates and triplicates of the jig and soft plastic combos that always go with me.

I was faced with your decision last year. I’ve owned my boat and motor since 2003. It’s a 90 Merc and it was gradually losing top end and running sluggishly for a couple years before I took it to a certified Merc mechanic. Best 1200 I ever spent, the guy got my motor running like new and cleaned everything up, new cables, etc. Sure, I would have loved to buy a brand new rig but I’m 61, finally an empty nester, and have no debts and didn’t want to take on a monthly payment cuz when you add in all the bells and whistles (electronics, TM) I’d be in for at least $50k easy. Like the others said, just have the motor looked at before you pull the trigger on a new motor or boat package.

I have also been using FC lines, primarily Sniper, for about 10 years. On both spinning and baitcast gear. Here are my thoughts and experiences. 1. Regarding "invisibility", no way bass are more line-shy than for example, bonefish or trout. I feel there are zero advantages as far as FC's refractive index compared to quality, clear mono or copolymer lines. 2. Knot strength. As already mentioned, it sucks, plain and simple. Try as anyone might you'll never convince me FC lines have greater knot strength than mono/copoly, no matter how many "lab" tests I read. On the water - FC lines . break more easily and more frequently. And I make sure my knots are tied very well. 3. Handling. FC is way too high maintenance. I have 2 bottles of KVD and yet no FC I've used has ever come close to McCoy's Mean Green or Damyl Tectan (for example) , especially on spinning gear, for ease in handling = no coiling. Note: I live in MI so I fish a lot of cold weather/waters. 4. Cost. No-brainer. 5. Density. The one characteristic that FC has shown a distinct advantage in that it does noticeably sink faster, and is more sensitive than mono/copoly on slack lines. 6. Abrasion resistance. Again, fishing in zebra mussel-infested waters in Michigan, I do see greater abrasion resistance with FC vs mono. However, I'll bet there are copoly lines like P-Line CXX that equal or top FC in this regard. So for bottom contact I use straight FC for dragging tubes. I do like and use braid, specifically 832 and original PP. I'll use it for the same techniques as most - frog, punch, spinning. I used to use braid to leader but with my 61 y.o. vision, no way I'm taking the minutes to tie leaders on the water, in wind and rough waters. I am going to go back to straight mono on my dropshot rod and I'll bet I see no difference in bites or fish landed. Since the weight is what's dragging bottom I'll risk losing an additional weight or two. Trouble is, like a lot of you, I have plenty of filler spools of Sniper laying around. ?

Yup, the Falcon Cara Finesse jig rod is perfect. It’s a 6’10” MH with a fast tip. Perfect for topwaters, IMO. I’m sure the Expride is also a nice rod and should do well.

As you mentioned, using more than 10lb line with "finesse" small baits and hooks will probably yield significantly less bites. Does the line break at the lure connection, line-to-leader connection, or somewhere else? If I were you, after carefully examining your gear (tip top, line roller, guides, etc) with a Q-tip for nicks or scratches, I would ditch the braid plus leader and go to straight YZ hybrid or quality FC line like Sniper. Eliminate one knot/potential weak point. Properly tied leader knots will hold but rarely at 100% strength compared to no knot. Then use a simple Palomar knot at the lure/hook. If you still get breakoffs, then you either have a ton of toothy critters in your waters (we have pike and muskie) or something is wrong with your knot-tying skills. Eliminate one at a time until you figure out what the cause is.

Careful with the generalizations. I have never fished in Indiana but judging by the number of trailers with IN plates parked in the Erie and St Clair launch ramps, I'm guessing there aren't many lakes there with giant smallies lurking. And I'll take that bet and say that in 99% of the bass waters in the US, heavy (10lb and up) lines win. Just poll the FLW, MLF and BASS guys and see what they use.

This is a great thread because I love reading about others experiences and opinions. I grew up fishing light (6lb) line for smallies, mostly in Wisconsin's clear natural lakes. I never even owned a baitcaster for many years until I moved to Northern California and even then fished mostly ultra clear reservoirs like Folsom, Berryessa and Don Pedro. Just take a look at the Ned rig hook, dropshot hooks, Neko hooks, etc and it's easy to see they are made for 6 and 8 lb lines. You'll bend 'em out if you go any heavier. But often that's what's needed to get bites - finesse. Call me crazy but what I love is feeling the strike and setting the hook. Sure, fighting the fish is great but the longer it takes, the greater the chance they get off, especially lunkers. How many have lost big ones at the boat (or before)? Sickest feeling ever. So my opinion is go as heavy as you can get away with and with the advent of fluoro, no need to go to spider thin lines. Better chance of setting hooks, less chance of breakoffs, and able to use bigger baits. Yeah, small baits catch big fish but IMHO, bigger baits catch bigger fish. PS: I would love to fish Bluebasser's waters! Don't think I could pull off that all-camo outfit though?

Depends on the situation. Is it mainly open water or weed-choked water? Where I fish for smallies, zebra and quagga mussels will cut your line like nothing you've seen. And with fluorocarbon lines there's no need to go light line for invisibility. This coming from a finesse guy. These two smallies came on a tube with 14lb Sniper and MH rod last month. The only time I use light line (8lb and less) any more is dropshotting or Ned rig. Moving baits no way I'd use less than 12lb copoly or 20lb braid.

I've fished Falcons and Dobyns. Both make excellent rods. But between the Fury and the Lowrider, I vote Falcon all the way. Do yourself a favor and get your hands on the Amistad, 7'3" Heavy and you'll see why so many love it.

The latest website will show that the Cara and Jason Christie rods are the only ones with the "Made in USA" stickers. It's on the rod blanks as well. I only see the Bucoo SR listed. The early gen Bucoo line was made in the US. https://www.falconrods.com/ This is what I have been told as well. Built at Ark Rod in Harrison. Wish I lived closer, I'd drop in and see what's up!

Thanks, that's sort of what I've been reading that the Hammer rods fish lighter than their rating, as do the Falcons, to me. I'm set on Cara's for now but I'll make the move to Hammer rods if Falcon stops building the Cara here.

The new Expert series and the Lowriders are now made overseas in China. The Bucoo lineup used to be US made but moved overseas a couple years ago. Caras are still made in the US but I cannot find any shop (like TW) that doesn't have them backordered. My feeling is they may eventually outsource them as well. If you can locate a retailer that has them (Cara ST's) in stock it would be much appreciated!

Has anyone ever fished both Falcon Cara rods and Hammer rods? Reason I ask is Falcon seems to be moving their rod production overseas so I'm trying to find a US company that makes similar action rods - meaning more mod-fast than fast. Anyone familiar with Falcon will know what I mean. I use the Cara ST and T7's now but am worried they will eventually outsource the Caras. Anyone know how the Hammer rods compare?

I have fished both Sniper and Invisx side by side for smallmouth fishing on St Clair dragging and fishing tubes through rocks and zebra mussels for the past two seasons. My experience is like Mike L’s. Sniper beats Invisx in every category in the lines testing 10lb and up. Invisx has the edge on spinning gear in 6 and 8lb tests because it is slightly more manageable.

My experience mirrors FF’s. Almost all my notes are on that initial drop and lift and I rarely if ever get bit working it back to the boat. I fish clear natural lakes and rivers FWIW.

Your last two sentences are spot on. This topic has been discussed before and I cannot believe the mentality of so-called grown men thinking they own anything other than their egos and self-respect. The footage of KVD whining about Ike moving in about 5 cast lengths away was the worst display by someone considered to be the goat. Anything but professional in my eyes. If I had to choose one to fish with and have a beer it would be Ike all day. Ill use this metaphor to describe this entitled behavior of “owning” a spot. Say you and your buds go to a local college bar and start hitting on some cuties. Now if a guy moves in while you’re putting moves on, not cool and that’s how bar fights start. But, I don’t care how much game you think you have if you get up and walk away from some hottie, you better be a man and learn your lesson if some other dude moves in and takes her home cuz all’s fair and no one owns anything or anyone that’s not bought and paid for.

This. Love it for pitching 3/8 and 1/2 jigs to docks and in close quarters.

Awesome drop shot combo. Your 852 will be fine for the tubes, flukes, Senkos and finesse.

If you've never dropshotted, the only way to feel the difference is to try dropshotting for yourself with both an "all-purpose" finesse rod (typically F) and a dropshot-specific rod (typically XF). For the techniques you mentioned in your original post, you really don't want to use a rod designed for dropshot as they are typically built only for that one technique. Get yourself a 7 foot ML or M fast action rod and you'll be fine.

This is the best answer. Cranks have small trebles and spinner/chatterbaits have large single hooks.

Besides bass fishing, I play a little golf and used to be a serious age-group triathlete in the 80's. Look up speed golf in the Guinness Book of WR and you'll see some amazing feats. Guy in '82 played 18 holes regulation - one ball, running with two clubs (one each hand) - in just under 30 minutes! Another guy in NZ played 237 holes of golf, no cart, in 12 hours, logging 62 miles of running total! Guy was some ultramarathoner. Back to topic, not knowing the lake, for a 3-day Largemouth tournament I'd have a 6'10"MH rod, 7:1 reel, and 12 lb FC pitching a jig, T-rig, Senko, or Ika to every piece of cover or weedbed on the lake. For a smallie tourament I'd use a 7 foot M spinning rod and either dropshot plastics or throw a tube. Now if it was who could catch the most (not biggest) fish over 3 days it would be a Ned Rig on spinning gear. Boat wouldn't really matter as it just gets me from point A to point B. Wouldn't need a rod locker or storage compartments for tackle, lol!

Tom, I'm not totally disagreeing with your sentiments about FC lines. Like you, and many others here, I have lots of years of fishing experience with all 3 modern "types" of lines available to us. Could an angler get by with just monofilament line? You bet. The late Billy Westmoreland and Buck Perry (just to name two old timers) could fish the pants off anyone now using only mono (heck, those two only needing a single lure; hoss fly and spoonplug, respectively). But, and this is a big but, for all the headaches that come with FC lines, it does have significant, measureable qualities superior to mono or braid. One wouldn't use FC for topwater nor braid for cranking because they aren't the best choice for those respective presentations. Mono floats, FC not so much. Braid has little stretch, mono is like a rubber band, comparatively. As Mike L. alludes to, almost all the issues people (myself included) have with FC knots breaking or backlashes causing nicks and kinks - these are due to operator error, not the line itself. FC requires MUCH more care and accuracy when knot tying and casting. If one is a low maintenance person and rarely wants to retie, backlashes often, etc, then FC is not for you. A lot of the posts about FC vs mono are from novice or rookie anglers who have only used mono and think they can treat FC like mono. You can't, it's apples to oranges. But if you want to "up your game" and take advantage of all the qualities each type of line has to offer, one needs to put in the time on the water and learn "the hard way" by not treating all line the same as mono. Try convincing saltwater flats guys casting flies to bonefish and permit that FC leaders/tippets aren't getting them more fish, lol. A Mart was one of the first guys to introduce FC to the BASS Elite guys and look how that caught fire. You can bet the learning curve was the same for guys used to using mono all their careers but how many now fish with FC?? A Mart has years of on the water experience with FC so he was ahead of the game. Sorry, long post but bottom line is we each eventually figure out if it is "worth it" to fish FC (or braid). IMO, if one is willing to put in the time to learn, and pay attention to details, then FC can definitely help anglers put more fish in the boat. If it's too much hassle or cost, no harm no foul.

The fact is, this statement is an opinion. And it is always best to avoid generalizations with any statement. It is absolutely misleading to state that ALL monofilament lines have greater knot strength, more abrasion resistance, and equal stretch as ALL fluorocarbon lines. Purely opinion, to which everyone is entitled to. Some FC lines are more abrasion resistant than mono and some less. Some stretch more than, equal to, and less than mono. As far as knot strength, the only 'fact' is that a properly tied knot is stronger than an improperly tied knot; braid, mono, or FC. Therefore, the more knots you have to tie between you and your lure, the greater chance for failure. Like others, I firmly believe that FC is more sensitive than mono for slack line presentations and nothing beats braid for tight line sensitivity. Each type of line has its strengths and weaknesses. JMHO.