NorcalBassin

Merry Christmas BR... I hope all of you have been able to enjoy this special day with your families or doing something you enjoy.

I always appreciate the security escort down to the end of the driveway...

I haven't thrown both but as a long term Loomis user I'd say if you fish 1/4-3/8 oz bladed jigs in open water the 862 would be great, but if you throw 1/2 oz and/or around grass or cover the 883 is what you'll want to go with.

If you like longer rods the 765 is an excellent all around crankbait rod and the same goes for the 806 for deep cranks. I have the Champion XP's and they're on sale right now at TW (plus an additional 10% off if you buy a gift card first and then purchase the rod after you get the codes).

For glides the Fury 806 is tough to beat at that price point and the Cardiff pairs nicely with that rod.

Couldn't pass up a 70* December day so I went out for a quick solo trip. Water temp 58* and it seemed like all they wanted was a jerkbait. This one had been eating well. Even caught a couple trout on the jb.

That's a pretty epic way to finish out the last month of the year. Congrats!

Clear Lake in April with either a full or new moon assuming they have a decent winter. Get a VRBO/AirBnB on the lake and you don't have to bother with launching every day, you have convenient 24 hour access to the water if you want to night fish, and you can likely pick off some nice fish around your own dock at your convenience.

That does change it up a bit and I'd lean towards the 842 for those baits. The SC M/F and 843 would also work well if you're around a lot of grass or wood, but if it's relatively open water the 842 should be great. I went a bit off the deep end with high end Loomis rods and have the 842, 843, 852, 893, 894, and 903 models and that 842 is one of my favorites.

Stradic or Vanford would both be great on that XP. The silver/blue on the Stradic would match nicely with the Champion, and if you don't care about that stuff you can't lose with the Vanford.

I have a 903 NRX+ and a buddy has a 903 Conquest I spent some time with, and I don't see any reason to spend the extra money on a Conquest unless someone just likes the looks of it more or prefers to have the flagship model.

I have the 842 GLX and 7' M/F Legend Extreme (prior gen), and for the 3/8 oz range I'd recommend the St Croix due to its heavier action in comparison. My 842/Alde combo pretty much always has a 1/4 oz head with a 2.8/3.3 Keitech tied on, but it's a very versatile rod that can do a lot of 1/4-3/8 oz things well. You could get away with using it for the 3/8 range, but if that's your usual weight and you want a Loomis I'd recommend checking out the 843 (IMO it feels more similar to the Legend M/F). All 3 of those rods are excellent and you'll likely love whichever one you go with.

A couple years ago I caught my PB on a wacky rig. Had been throwing a big swimbait most of the morning with no luck, switched to a wacky rig, and BOOM.

Here's a more recent one that looks like what you're referencing. (edit addition) Probably the one you're looking for from 2011 with 120k views.

x2!

The Hook Up Tackle has started their BF 20% off sale. Typical brand exclusions apply but you can get some good deals on a lot of JDM tackle and swimbaits if you're interested. https://thehookuptackle.com/ code: TheHookUp

So sorry for your loss Catt.

Foggy start to the day. Good news... water level finally starting to come up and is just 170' from full. Pops with the first one of the day. Lots of feisty spots but nothing >2lbs. LM weren't participating. Small Keitechs, tubes, and neko rigs all produced. Even though they were on the small side we can't complain about catching quite a few in November.

The hook up tackle just restocked and you can get 15% off right now with their Veterans Day sale (code USA). It's a great rat. https://thehookuptackle.com/products/pb-rat-2-piece

What a great trip with photos to match!

Thoughts and prayers for his family. Truly admired his skills and the way he went about his business. Lost a great one today.

Spent the night in Boise on our way back from a trip to Montana and could not pass up the opportunity to visit this place for breakfast. They also have bacon bloody Mary's that I really wanted to try (a few sips), but since it was just me and my 16 y.o. daughter I didn't want to make the wrong impression before heading out for our 10 hour drive home. We'll definitely be back!

Congrats on another epic trip south of the border!

Clear water just gives you more visual drawing power, so you should be good from that standpoint. Lots of thoughts on retrieves, but a safe starting point would be something like 5-10 handle turns, then twitch twitch with the rod tip or reel handle, then resume 5-10 handle turns, etc. Also twitch and briefly pause near key structure.

Lol, don't think that thought hasn't been crossing my mind every few hours. ?