So I’ve been through several and I mean several setups looking for a bottom contact rod/reel. Right now I’ve got a Steez AGS Bottom Contact rod with a Steez A and a ZPI PG spool and 15# Tatsu.  It’s sensitive, light, comfortable,  strong, and awesome. I can cast a lure to the moon and feel a fish breath. It’s versatile and has a wonderful tip. 
 

But I’ve come to realize I don’t like dragging a jig or c-rig across the bottom. I feel like I should enjoy/have a combo dedicated to this type of fishing. I kayak, so 99% open water. No weeds/mats where I fish.
 

I’ve got a Zbone MH mod fast rod that can handle bottom contact just fine. It’s lighter, just as sensitive but can’t handle as large as lures- up to 3/4. It’s rated to an ounce, but Trey pulled newer rods down to 3/4 which is probably more realistic.

 

So after all that- reckon I’m more inclined to finesse fishing. I’ll admit I’m a gear junkie but I also limit what setups I take out (less is more) as simplicity and versatility are important to me. 

Catching all fish on 3/8 top water, smaller shakey heads, Ned rigs, T rigs. Maybe I just went too big the last couple of years.

 

Am I missing fish? Possibly. Just chucking a larger lure doesn’t excite me.

 

Hi, my name is Scrapiron and I’m a finesse fisherman.

I had a similar episode (on the other end of the spectrum) when I started taking the senko more seriously.

 

Up until then, it was a desperation bait. If alllll else failed, I’d go senko. If I missed something I thought was big, I’d rig a senko on my fluke rod and throw it over...I like to power fish and if I could get away with it all the time, it’s all I would ever do. Dragging bores me, finesse fishing makes me fidget and I’ve yet to purchase anything related to the ned rig. So the senko is kind of a compromise I guess. 
 

It’s not like I had a “that’s it” moment either. I just started throwing it more often and before you know it, I had an nrx/metanium setup solely dedicated to senkos.

 

But it did force me to reevaluate my approach. There are days when I ONLY take senko fish now and I realize they would’ve been skunks in years past. 
 

So I guess if there’s any true common ground, it’s that having an option or two outside of your normal wheelhouse is a good thing. 

8 hours ago, Manifestgtr said:

I had a similar episode (on the other end of the spectrum) when I started taking the senko more seriously.

 

Up until then, it was a desperation bait. If alllll else failed, I’d go senko. If I missed something I thought was big, I’d rig a senko on my fluke rod and throw it over...I like to power fish and if I could get away with it all the time, it’s all I would ever do. Dragging bores me, finesse fishing makes me fidget and I’ve yet to purchase anything related to the ned rig. So the senko is kind of a compromise I guess. 
 

It’s not like I had a “that’s it” moment either. I just started throwing it more often and before you know it, I had an nrx/metanium setup solely dedicated to senkos.

 

But it did force me to reevaluate my approach. There are days when I ONLY take senko fish now and I realize they would’ve been skunks in years past. 
 

So I guess if there’s any true common ground, it’s that having an option or two outside of your normal wheelhouse is a good thing. 

Maybe I need to revisit the senko as well. I only ever throw it in the spawn anymore. 

I am in the same boat, kind of. I love using plastics to catch fish, but I can only get them if it's weightless. I've spent countless hours fishing t-rigs and never caught a thing. I can literally cut the line and pull the sinker off, then catch a fish on the same bait. I don't know if it's because KS bass are tiny compared to other states, but I usually go as light as possible. Not always fun with the 30mph+ wind we get every day.