QUAKEnSHAKE

I agree that there are better rods for less as well IMO. My LTB did not impress me either when compared to my other rods that cost less. In areas that matter to me weight balance my perceived sensitivity LTB falls short for a $240 stick and is surpassed by some $100- $150 rods I have. Premieres I have are outperformed by other rods Ive bought in the $60-$100 range. Ive felt for a while that Croix has been caught up to and bettered at times based on use of multiple brands and price points of rods. This doesnt mean their rods are bad I just dont hold them at the higher standard I once held them.

spinning 8' ML/M 10# PPS8S 7'6" M/F 6# Nanofil. 99.9% wacky rigged

Dont know about them but wallyworld has them for $85-109 so a bit less than list. Walmart also has the Helios for less than C3-40X lists. I got a Helios for $110 Cant tell you anything about them Ive only practice cast mine a few times. http://www.walmart.com/ip/19341889?action=product_interest&action_type=title&placement_id=irs_top&strategy=PWVUB&visitor_id=DdGqup4N36THyDLdIxEUQ0&category=&client_guid=5b999f16-645d-49d5-81ee-e0c27473b81a&customer_id_enc=&config_id=2&parent_item_id=19341889&guid=796394b5-2374-472e-bb66-c7163e2bc1c4&bucket_id=irsbucketdefault&beacon_version=1.0.0&findingMethod=p13n&productRedirect=true

Ill use 8' ML/M, 7'6" M/F spinning for 3/8 under. Use 7'6" ML/MF, 7' M/F & 7' MH/F casting for 1/4-3/8-1/2 hair jigs. Havent used trailers ever. If you have pike in your waters well pike like them too.

Its not the size of your crank box that matters its how you work the cranks inside.

Any weight lure 1/4-3/4oz I threw with my BB1 Pro I could throw farther with better control on my CI4. The control isnt bad but just not as good took more thumb(which in turn hurts distance) to keep it in check. On the high end not huge difference but clearly 15'-20' when trying to cast past certain distant objects. I wound up having a few issues with the Pro so it went back.

What Raul said. Cent or mag the greatest factor to distance will be the operators skill. Now the DC system from what I read is very beneficial but have no first hand experience with that type.

I wonder given the opportunity to enter the event, with the following scenario,if he would. KVD you have to choose just one rod and one reel and one lure and will be allowed to compete. Whats it going to be? I think he would jump at the opportunity.

If you had to pick just one floater and one hook size what would you pick?

Quantum Smoke rod 7', Medium power / Fast action, 1/4-3/4 lure rating 3.4oz Shimano Core 50MG7 7:1 ratio 5.5oz Power Pro Super8Slick 20# The rod has a very wide range going below 1/4 quite well (1/8) and handling 3/4 rated lipless cranks that actually weigh a bit more. The reel can also handle any lure in the rods range as well.

They have 2-1/2" square bill Crankin Rap CCR05 http://www.rapala.com/rapala/lures/all-other-lures/crankin-rapandreg/Crankin+Rap.html

its catches like this that skew my avg

Weightless.

Same here you can just notice how in pic. There is a slot that the point can ride in when rigged correctly for little more weedless. Mend-it or solder iron comes in handy to repair them to get more use. Also in pic you can see how well JJ's Magic Chartreuse works on the skirt. Too (see 2nd pic) Ive bough Ika skirts now to replace worn out skirts to put on the Hydra bodies. I had been swapping parts from each. They have a slower fall rate than Ikas and a bit more fluid skirt movement. Ill skip them under branches but mostly throw out far if they hit bottom hop twitch drag them back. Ive begun to use them on weed mats and top of thick slop as well. I work it like a frog but when I get to little holes it will fall through and get blasted this way at times just different approach. I also get better hook-ups than with frogs.

Found that online and only got about 15 minutes in and stopped watching

Straight braid no leader used here.

I have a 9yo son and wouldnt hesitate to allow him to stand/move in a 1436 or wider jon boat. We've been in smaller 12' when he was younger and let him stand move about. But yes in general get the longest widest boat that suits your needs.

I have/used the exact set-up of Tatula 7'M/F OmenBlack with 3/8oz jig rage craw trailer and would say pass on the combo. One, dont think the rod/reel work together well with the different balance of the reel on the skinny handle of the rod. Always had a feeling of the reel wanting to fall/twist to the handle side. Two, 3/8oz jig seemed too much for the rod especially with fluoro. To me the tip's power is too soft. Three, The combo is getting up there in overall weight, now to some that doesnt matter but letting you know its not all that lightweight at nearly 13oz. Other combos in the same price range performance range can be 3-4 ounces lighter. Thats quite a difference over a days use. The rod M/F can do the 1/8 well but would put different reel on it. If really wanting the Tat and 3/8oz jig go different rod or higher power you may like the feel.

Dont know what prices are like in your area for jon boats so will just comment for my area. Something like a 14' jon boat, trailer and 10-20hp motor is 500-700 used. Ive had one like this and fished it in 300acre lake and smaller with up to 4 people in it and fairly good size river. By myself or one other person quite fine with it no unsafe feeling at all. I put a floor in the front of mine to stand/fish off of. Fish out of other 14' size v bottom boats as well with 2-3 people not an issue. Ha just checked craigslist Rockford 14'jon,trailer,25hp johnson $650 so prices havent changed much.

Ill fess up and say I didnt just type all that out. It was a quick copy and paste from spreadsheet thats why there are some oddball items listed

FAT IKA 10.91 0.384 PALM TREE 11.149 0.3932 FLAPPIN HOG 12.526 0.4418 DAMIKI HYDRA 4" 12.18 0.429 DAMIKI HYDRA 3" 7.093 0.2502 KEITECH SALTY CORE TUBE 13.525 0.47715 4.25" SK CAFFEINE SHAD 7.736 0.2727 SK RT ANACONDA 14.504 0.5116 OKCEECHOBEE CR SK RT 10" THUMPER 15.368 0.54205 GREEN PUMPKIN ZOOM SUPER FLUKE 8.485 0.29925 FROGS FLIP 'N' THE BIRD 15.46 0.544 REDWING BLK BIRD IOBEE FROG 15.46 0.54535 BLUEGILL DAHLBERG FROG 16.32 0.5757 BROWN SPRO GREEN TREE 17.037 0.60095 GREEN TREE SPRO MIDNIGHT BLACK 15.187 0.5357 MIDNIGHT BLACK SPRO POPPER LEOPARD 13.952 0.49215 LEOPARD KOPPERS GREEN FROG 18.653 0.65795 GREEN KOPPERS BROWN FROG 19.211 0.67765 BROWN BOOYAH PAD CRASHER 15.273 0.53875 AQUA BOOYAH PAD CRASHER JR 8.81 0.31085 SWAMP RIVER2SEA BULLY WA 55 11.061 0.39025 COOT LIPLESS CRANKS KOPPERS LT CRAWFISH 1/2 15.395 0.54295 RED BLACK XCALIBER XR75 23.21 0.8187 GOLD BLACK XR75 22.888 0.80735 CHROME BLUE OB XR50 5/8 16.657 0.58755 GOLD BLACK XR50 5/8 16.802 0.5927 CHROME BLUE XR50 REAL GILL 5/8 17.05 0.60145 RAYBURN GOLD SPRO ARUKUSHAD JR 3/8 10.806 0.3812 MAGIC SHAD STR KING RES 3/4 24.649 0.86945 BLUE CHROME SK RES 1/2 17.469 0.6162 ORANGE CRAW SK RES 1/2 17.038 0.60255 CHROME BLACK SK RES 1/2 17.063 0.60185 BLEED BLU CHR SK RES 1/2 17.18 0.6061 BLEED BLU CHR RAP RPR-6 1/2 14.95 0.52735 CHROME BLUE RAP RPR-6 5/16 8.939 0.31535 CHROME BLUE RAP RPR-6 14.938 0.52685 RED CRAWDAD RAP CNR-6 13.75 0.4851 SILVER BLUE RAP CNR-6 13.696 0.4831 SILVER BLUE RAP RATTLIN RAP 15.546 0.54835 BLUEGILL YZ RATTL N VIBE 5/8 16.927 0.5971 RED CRAW CRANKBAITS SK BITSY MINO BABY BASS 2.336 0.0823 RAP MFR-3 FIRETIGER 4.29 0.1513 RAP ULC-3 SILVER BLUE 4.294 0.1514 RAP DT-10 BLUEGILL 3/5 16.267 0.5738 BOMBER B04 FOXY SHAD 5.907 0.2083 REB S TEENY R TEN SHAD 3.844 0.1356 REB FROG-R LEOPARD 9.02 0.318 BOMBER B04 FOXY SHAD 5.907 0.2083 KVD 1.0 BLK BK CHART 7.38 0.26 KVD 1.5 SEXY SHAD 11.412 0.40255 KVD 1.5 BLUEGILL 11.703 0.41275 KVD 2.5 BLK BK CHART 18.346 0.64715 MAT KINCHOU CRO SHI 1/4 6.629 0.2338 STM ARASHI FLAT 7 7/16 12.572 0.44345 RED CRAW STM ARASHI SQR 3I 1/2 14.393 0.5077 WAKASAGI STM ARASHI SQR 5 5/8 19.719 0.6956 HOT BLUE SHAD SPINNERBAITS BYH PND MAGIC CRAW 3/16 9.757 0.34415 SK ROCKET SHAD CHAR 12.447 0.43905 SK RS CHAR/ORANGE 1/4 6.83 0.2409 SK REYE MINI KING 1/8 7.523 0.2653 TRMNTR STAINLES WHT 3/8 19.524 0.68865 WAR EAGLE WHT GD 3/4 23.75 0.83775 WAR EAGLE WHT-CHAR 3/8 19.919 0.70265 REEL RATIO IPT abu 5600 c4 6.3 30 curado 50E 6.4 25 core 50mg7 7 28 tatula 100hs 7.3 30.5 bb1 pro 7.1 31 BNT3048 clear smoke brake weights BNT4063 core spool BNT4220 chronarch knobs RD 7834 BAIL SPRING US $0.99 RD10752 BS GUIDE SUP BNT4827 MET XG 96MM $13 BNT4611 4612 COVER SCREW BNT2200 HANDLE NUT BNT2120 2121 2122 2123 BNT4041 CORE DRAG STAR tatula bearings knobs 4 4x7x2.5 level wind 2 4x7x2.5 spool 3 3x10x4--3x8x4--8x12x3.5 handle 1 8x12x3.5 FASTENAL #007 SKU 66801 5/32ID 9/32OD $3.69/100

I like variety and will buy different brands to try them out. Offhand I think I have around 10 brands of senko style baits 10 brands of lipless cranks 10 brands of frogs 5-8 brands of spinnerbaits I just got 3 more brands of stick baits Flat Dawg,Megastick,Keitech salty stick to try out. Oh as for which ones I take on any given outing just a spur of the moment or whatever is the newest, nearly always have senkos though. Ill challenge myself certain days and only take one specific lure say 3/8oz white spinnerbait and thats it. Next day only Palm Trees.

Especially true when using stretchy lines like mono or fluorocarbon.

2 o-rings crossed so hook sticks out

I have two spinning set-ups A 7'6" Med/Fast SC Legend Elite, Pflueger SupremeXT w/6#Nanofil--used to catch PB An 8' ML/Mod SC Avid, Stradic 1000 w/10# PPS8S The Avid is more fun to use actually my favorite rod for senkos.