Jrob78

Most Fluke style baits are soft like regular plastic baits.

Zillion J Dream

Wesley Strader Aaron Martens Todd Faircloth Bradley Roy Edwin Evers

Me too

My favorite non-flipping straight shank for smaller worms is the Roboworm Rebarb hooks.

I use the Loctite Gel Super Glue, works great, has a small applicator that fits in the hole and is much easier than 2 part epoxy.

Shimano/Loomis Conquest

I'm sure that rod will work but it's a fast action rod so you might want to keep your drag loose for a little extra give.

I use a 7' MM composite and a 7'2" MHF glass rod for sq bills. One has a 5:1 and one has a 6:1 reel. Sq bills are versatile and can really be fished on many different rods with any gear ratio reel, I just prefer glass and a slower reel.

Tie a loop on the end of the line and hook that loop on the hook keeper or reel handle.

yes

I don't throw it a ton either but I use a light swimbait rod when I do. 7'11" mod fast 1-4oz with a Curado 300e 6.2:1 with 20lb mono. I've thrown it on a heavy flipping stick but I like the swimbait rod better. Several companies make A-rig specific rods and several companies make swimbait rods in that weight class that aren't crazy expensive. Heavy flipping sticks and 10XD cranking rods probably work but rods meant for that heavy weight are going to handle it better. Any reel that will hold 100yds of heavy mono should work.

Looks like you are on your own OP.

Yeah, contact Kistler, I have no idea what their warranty is but that is where I would start.

You can put a new tip on it, Fuji sells kits that you can buy at a lot of stores or any rod builder in your area can help you. I'm not sure what size you will need though. Breaking off any of the tip will likely greatly change how the rod fishes, it isn't going to be the same rod it was before the break.

This is the only way to do it, in my opinion.

I agree with using a backer, Tatsu is expensive and you don't need to fill the reel completely with it. Other than that, just be careful tying your knots and be gentle when picking backlashes, try not to get any kinks in it.

Generally fluorocarbon but in the summer sometimes I throw a floater and will use mono.

Edwin Evers won the last BPT event on Conroe and closed it out with an 8 pounder caught on a drop shot, the only drop shot fish he caught all week. Watch any tournament on the Great Lakes or St. Lawrence river and check out the giant smallies they catch on drop shots.

I got mine when I turned 21 and have carried daily since, almost 20 years. I've never needed it but there have been times I was really glad I had it. I didn't plan on carrying every day but once I got it I realized you never know when something bad might happen and I felt naked without it. It also made me much more aware of my surroundings and more likely to avoid iffy situations. It was one of the best decisions I ever made.

Since you are going to be building several rods you should think about buying a few of the NFC blanks now while they're on sale. Don't expect to get them any time soon, I'm at 5 weeks so far, but the price is so good it's worth the wait, imo. You can start on something else from another company until the NFC's come in.

It would screw down more if the reel foot was smaller, that doesn't necessarily mean it is a bad fit and won't work.

Some reels have slightly different size reel feet, as long as it is snug and doesn't move it should be fine.

The Dobyns swimbait rods are very popular and they make great rods in general. Okuma also makes some very nice swimbait rods that don't break the bank. I have 1 of the older model 7'6"HF Guide Select swimbait rods that I like a lot.