Big Bait Fishing

i feel the same way is that there alot better rods for the money , mojo's are down right clunky compared to the other sub $100 dollar rods that have come out recently ....

i feel that in any bass fishermans arsenal , a bait caster is a pretty mandatory thing to have and to master . i used spinning rigs for along time and used it for everything , now i use baitcasters for 90% of my fishing , using spinning rigs for primarily just drop shotting and smaller weightless plastics . tell your friend to put in the time and patience and master the baitcaster , he will be a happy camper in no time

i would think that with even how thin 20# power pro is , that on a 1000 size reel i would use 15 # PP . why are you gonna use such a small reel , if i were you i would get a 2500 size reel then spool it with 6 lb. P-line CXX or if you really want to use braid , go with the 20 lb. power pro , that way you can put a bunch on there , just my opinion ....

i believe that P-line does not make a 8 lb. braid , what i think it is is that your thinking of 30 lb. braid that has the diameter of 8 lb. mono . a very good braid size for light flipping , frogging in grass , carolina rigs , etc.. it goes good with a 10-12 lb. test mono or floro leader tied with a uni-to-uni knot . i use 30 lb. braid for pretty much throwing frogs and other top water baits . that Spectrex iv is some nice braid , pretty much the same as Power pro and Izorline spectra braid ....

good deal , just sell the citica and put it towards another reel , maybe a Core 50mg

Are they now the company that makes 'The Prince?' I heard it is one heck of a bucktail rod. it was bought by dreamcattcher lures , they are no longer connected to Fig rods , i don't know about the "prince" rods , but he has changed the formula of the blanks and are supposed to be pretty much like the old "tooth tamer" series was before all of the breakage issues . alot of musky guys like them . the guy who bought the company "name" makes musky lures so i wouldn't think he is gonna make swimbait rods but you can always use them for it , tho they are designed for muskies . if i were you i'd be looking at different rods like i said before , to me it's a crap shoot that they will hold up (the original fig rig rods ). to the original poster , what is your budget and what are you looking for in a swimbait rod and what baits are you planning on throwing with it ?? i might be able to give you some suggestions

correct me if i'm wrong but i think that company went out of buissness . they had alot of problems in manufacturing their rods leading to failures . i'm pretty sure someone else bought the name because they make some great musky rods ( tooth tamer's ). so if you were to personaly ask me , i would tell you to get a different rod ......

i checked those reels out at a bass tackle show a few months back (bass-a-thon)and those are some sweet reels !! i was skeptical too when i saw how it was built , but they feel solid . a very nice reel , i might get one soon . anyway , don't be fooled by the neck bolts on this thing , i think you will like the reel .

if your looking for a good , strong ,and manageable line for a spinning set-up , i would highly suggest using P-line CXX in 6# . another person also recommended it and he is dead on with this line cause it is very strong and is all i spool on 2500 size reels . i use it for drop shotting , weightless plastics , and very small crankbaits (for crappie). i actually use it for trout fishing also , i use power bait dough on a treble with just a split shot to get the bait down . this line is very versatile and the moss green color makes it blend in with most water , enough so that 6# line does not shy away trout , much less bass !!!

when you are dealing with swimbaits that small (under 3 oz. ) , most flipping sticks will be fine . when you need the moderate taper on a swim bait rod is when you are using bigger baits and the mod. taper will allow the rod to load up and help you cast big baits a long ways . also if you are throwing big swimbaits , you are gonna need a stout rod to throw them , so by having a moderate taper , you will be able to fight a fish better and not injure the fish by tearing it's mouth up . anyhow , i guess none of that pertains to you if you are gonna be using baits under 3 oz. , cause they will fish just fine on a flipping stick ....

i have the 6" kicker trout , the 8" kicker trout , and the 5" kicker sunfish . as for the 6" trout , i have the wake/floater , these baits are excellent dead sticking baits especially when you are up current from them and they will sit there and slowly wag their tail ever so seductively for a bass to come up and crush !! as for burning them , these baits roll a bit to the side when burned . so i just primarily use it for dead sticking like i mentioned .....

Owner beast hooks are the best weighted hooks , period ...............

if i were you , i would go with the CX premium . CX is stronger than floroclear and is pretty much the same in it's sink rate but CX's strength puts it above floroclear , in my opinion

they are a thinner sized SIC ring that is more cupped to the frame inorder to hold up better , they are very good guides , i might use them on some casting rods i will have built after i get some swimbait rods made ... as for both the medium and the medium heavy having the same lure rating , the medium is 1/4-5/8 oz. and the medium heavy is 1/4-1 oz. here is a better list of specs for them - http://www.hookeduptackle.com/m8_view_item.html?m8:item=Okuma%20EVx%20Casting%201pc%20Rods

sorry , but that is one of the ugliest reels i have ever seen i would of tossed it back in the lake ;D ;D ;D

would be nice if they were longer (handle length ) i have a revo inshore , a revo toro , and a revo sx(w/a skeet reese handle) and would not go back to shorter handles , even if they look better than the straight ones !!!

get the Okuma EVX-A . it has the best components and one of the best warranties out there !! and to top it all off , it costs only $90.00

You make some really good points... unfortunately I don't know anyone who lives close to me or who is really good at custom building rods... and since I've never owned a custom rod or fished with a custom rod... I don't know what custom materials are really good... I've always used stock manufactured rods from the main rod companies... naturally as I got older and my finances improved over time... I finally could afford to upgrade and try higher end rods like GLoomis and St. Croix... but I'm afraid I have to admit that I'm a newbie when it comes to this custom rod stuff... but that is all about to change soon I hope... the BAIT MONKEY has put his foot down and is demanding that I try a few custom rods... ;D Thanks for the information... I can use all the helpful advice anyone has in this matter... and I need to do some research... So what is the better materials to look into... brands and such... research is the best thing you can do right now , take a look at http://www.acidrod.com/ and http://www.mudhole.com/ . look at the rod building section where they list guides , reel seats , thread wraps( to get an idea of colors ) and grips ( cork , eva , hypathalon , etc..) . as for me i'm gonna go with Fuji concept guides in either the SIC or alconite . for reel seats , i love the Fuji ACS reel seats , and for grips , i like EVA in a split grip .as for thread wraps , with a graphite colored blank , i like all black ( the rods i am gonna have built are gloss cobalt blue so i'm gonna go with the same shade blue) . you just have to look around at rods and handle as many as you can , you preferences are maybe alot different than mine , you just have to make sure of what you like and what is gonna work for you . for instance , as far as reel seats , i love the look of split reel seats (like on carrot stix) but they are not as comfortable to me as say the FUJI ACS reel seats , and yeah , they look good and feel very comfortable cause of the way i palm my reels . so for me it has to be the ACS reel seats and that's what i'll get on my rods . it is all a matter of WHAT WILL WORK FOR YOU AND YOU ALONE !!!!

i am looking into throwing bigger than average swimbaits soon (soon as this rod(s) get built) so with that being said , i am gonna get a St.Croix 8'6'' big dawg rod blank rated 4-10 oz. (4M86XHF ), i amtold that it is WAY underrated ( the guy throws 12-17 oz. baits on it with no problem ) and since i'll be throwing 12-15 oz. baits with it it is perfect even tho it's a little pricey . i am also gonna get the the other St.croix 8'6'' blank that is rated 2-6 oz. (4M86HF ) , this rod will be for medium sized baits (6"-8" baits) .

try to find a rod builder close to you is probably the first step . i am gonna have a few more swimbait rods built soon and want to actually see that every thing is exactly the way i want it ( these rods are kinda pricey , $260-$265 each just for the blanks ) so i want to be there to be in on the process !! but , if you chose to go with someone who is not local , be sure to go over EVERY DETAIL !!!!! make sure you are on the same page . if you are going to have a custom rod made , you want it custom made for YOU , not the builder so you have to convey that to him(or her) so you get exactly what you want . do alot of research as to what components you want , as in guides for instance , if you wants ALPS guides , make sure he will use ALPS guides and the kind you want and the color you choose . check into what grip materials you would like and how thick or narrow you want them , how long of handle , what kind of reel seat you want . i think you get the drift of what i'm saying . just be prepared for the questions that the builder is gonna ask you for each phase of the build ( he should be asking these questions , cause if they are not you should think twice about inlisting their services !!) try looking at C&M custom tackle and building supplies and also Mudhole.com for components ( guides , thread wrap , reel seats , grips , blanks , hook keepers , and decals ) hope you get the rod of your dreams ......

P-line CX premium 10-15 lb. line ....

the XL - for fishing open water where abrasion is not a concern. the XT- where abrasion is a concern.

i use the improved clinch knot for everything , yes, including braid , the only other knots i use are the uni-to-uni for joining two lines together (leaders) and the palomar , for drop-shotting .

i have fished these before , try using a slow retrieve , just fast enough to get the action you want . also use a weighted hook , i use Owner weighted beast hooks in 6/0 (for the 5.5" magic shad) . if you want to run the bait shallow , just use a WIDE gap ewg hook , the Owner beast hook (unweighted) is the best wide gap hook for the magic shad . hope this helped and welcome to the forum

i use this rig as a search tool , usually only get dinks to hit them . been using 4" flukes tho . seems they only like to run on top of the surface or only a foot or so below the surface. really want to upsize them and fish them deeper . gonna get some 7" super flukes and nail weight them or use a Owner weighted beast hook on them , should be good then . definitely a good set-up . i saw Tom Mann Jr. use them in a FLW tourn. and tried them some time later and am hooked on using them every time i go out ...... btw , i really twitch them alot on the retrieve making them swim franticly , as oposed to slow twitching and pausing(letting the fluke glide on the pause) as i would when using a single fluke .