A-Rob

I just buy shimano now and never had a problem

I don't think it really matters....especially for us "power fishing" guys going for reaction strikes. I use green Maxima mono for my spinnerbait rod and it catches tons of fish for me and never breaks....so green should work for you to!

Through the winter I take my good plastics out of the bag and throw them in a plano box with some oily fish attractant. The only reason why I do this, is sometimes my plastics form a memory in the bags after a long time (long winter here!) and I will bust them open opening weekend and half of them will be ruined. I just do this for the guys that will ruin like my zoom super speed craws...senkos sit nicely in their package.

I use 6/0-7/0 EWG hooks on 10" worms I'll also use an oversized 5/0 straight shank on 9-10" worms (like a trokar flipping hook....only 100 dollars a hook!)

I like when they give me a weight rating. For example: 1/4 oz to 1/2 oz. That gives me a better idea of what techniques it would be good for as you are right a MH may be a H by a different brand. But if the rod is slated for 1-2 oz and it says MH, you know that's one stiff MH!

tie a senko on that upside down rod and go catch some big bass on light line! Enjoy the new rig bro!

One tip that helped me going into my first year of tournament fishing (as a co-angler) was unless you are the boater watch your rod size. It is tough to pitch or flip an 8 foot rod as the co-angler stuck at the back of the boat without clinking your jig off the gel-coat.... I agree the 7'6-8 foot rods is ideal for the technique, but I had to downsize to 7'2 to fit my arms and body (I'm 6'1) so that I could maneuver it around the boaters engine and hull with no damage done....also it fits in the back of my truck, where as an 7'6 won't. Boaters don't have that problem b/c their rod gets trailered!

I switched to from mono to braid and had an increased hook up ratio...especially frog fishing or pitching jigs. With tension on the line, I think everyone agrees no stretch and more transmitted "sensitivity". The nice thing with braid is if I'm fishing it on slack line it is so easy to see the line jump when the fish hits your bait (ie fishing a wacky senko in the grass, you will often see your braid running sideways). To me this is also "sensitive". I think mono has a purpose....but if you are using techniques demanding some feel like a jig in the grass, or watching your line on a wacky senko in the grass, braid can't be beat. I fished flouro all last year with my pitching gear....I kinda liked how it handled and my hook up ratio was decent to.....BUT I lose fish once in a while (rarely, but always at the wrong time) on flouro b/c of line failure or weak knot strength compared to braid or even mono. I'm going back to braid this summer for pitching, frogs, spinning tackle (with a flouro leader). I will still use flouro for my glass crankbait rod and my worm rod. Mono for spinnerbaits.

If you are moving your crankbait at a good clip it may not matter that much. KVD just won the classic on 20# flouro I think while tossing a 1.5 square bill. That's heavy line! I fish 15# in/around the grass and don't have a problem. I think you better change up based on confidence dude...just remember to loosen that drag, you don't want any heart breakers!

I like Yum's stuff except their worms have the seem right where I rig the hook and it ends up splitting along the seem on me somtimes....with that being said I like some of the Zoom and Culprit ribbon tails. Berkley power worms are always great but they cost more and you get less per pack, I'm not sure if that's always worth it to me.

Sometimes I grab cranks from the bargain bin that look good (color, shape, feel, whatever). I upgrade the hooks (usually up the size and quality) and see if they run the way I want them to. If they do they get thrown in the tackle box. I've got some bargain cranks that catch all my fish!

4" floating finesse worm, Strike king make them in the Elaztech group. They got nice action and don't get pecked apart by baitfish (perch in my area). I also use a hook for my drop shot rig.

when the water is really clear I throw my spinnerbaits in crankbait color or swim jig color or worm color. haha If I do fish spinnerbaits in clear water I like the wind to ripple the water a bit or overcast conditions. In clear water don't forget to burn that spinnerbait so the fish don't get a good look at it. Strike King makes a blue gill color spinnerbait I like in clear water.

I had it slip a bunch on me before....I added more wraps and it works fine. When tying braid to flouro leader I will do 10 wraps of the braid up and maybe 5 back down, I find that it makes a skinny long knot that slips less than if I had just done 6 turns. P.s. I loop the flouro and wrap the braid. Wrapping FLOURO too tightly can cause it to fatigue and won't cinch as nicely as the braid.

I think the curado (even the E7) is ranked at 11# of drag. The boys at tackle review (going by my memory) said it test at 12# of drag I think. Anyways, I have a couple of citicas and a curado E7 and I don't lose line when pulling them out of slop, bushes, whatever.

i use a curado e7, love it.

I think you lose some feel with the 2 piece. More importantly you lose strength that you would want for a flipping/pitching rod. I use a MH 1 piece 7+ foot rod for pitching. Don't do much flipping in my parts. The MH is enough in my area. But it all depends the cover on the lakes you fish. Some of the real nice rods have a heavy action that have a more limber tip (so its not a broomstick) and nice feel to it, that'd probably be an ideal rod if you are flipping to. Good luck dude!

If you find 12# fluoro is too much stretch, you can try increasing to 15# fluoro, should stretch a bit less on you. I use 15# fluoro with a glass rod. Works ok for me. I also use a light enough lipless crank that it tangles up in the weeds, but doesn't get too deep that I can't pull it out.

Don't forget to tie some mono backing on there! Especially if you are using braid as your functional line or just want to save some money from putting your good fluoro/mono all the way to the bottom. I put it through the holes on the spool with no problems ever. I back it and never go down to the spool again so the spool holes won't cut that line anyways with all the backing.

I use 15-20# test Power Pro or Spiderwire Stealth Camo Works good for me in heavy cover. If I'm in more open water or smallmouth fishing I attach a fluoro leader with a J-knot

I agree with everyone I drag or snap the football jig where there is rock or sand bottom with some light weeds. If it is real weedy than I go back to the grass jig.

Gambler Giggy Stick is good

I throw a white swim jig with a pearl/blue single tail grub as the tail. I just swim it during the retrieve, little shakes but just pretty steady. I got into that color cause a white spinnerbait is so deadly. I wanted something for when the water is to calm/clear for the spinner bait. Swim jig gets less tangled in weeds if you swim it through the thick stuff. It is great mimicking baitfish. I also have one that is green with some orange in it to mimick a perch.

Bass Crusher 1 Bass Crusher 2 haha jk, I'm not creative at all Nice colors bro!

Lizard for me to