ClackerBuzz

can't comment on either rod but i can suggest not using braid. braid cuts like butter when backlashing big baits. nothing worse than hearing the crack of a backlash and watching ur $50+ lure sail off into the sunset. i bought a set up and i'm looking forward to casting them more during high percentage windows (spring/fall and night fishing).

I kill it fishing them weightless on the bottom like senko's (and settled down on top of weeds) with VERY light twitches here and there (almost just reeling up slack). the slow/dead stick bite is virtually always on so i start there and experiment/increase speed from there (and its best in summer). next would be light switches like walking the dog keeping the fluke in the strike zone a long time while gently darting side to side; add pauses here and there so its a 'dying fish' that starts to sink to bottom but gets another rally again. then try adding long sweeps during the dog. the subsurface fluke bite, topwater action, or jerkbait/fluke bite window is smaller (good dusk or dawn, and in cooler water ie spring/fall; or when they are busting on shad etc). i always give it a try, even in summer, but don't have as much success as slow action. spring/fall is the exception i like RoLo suggestion for weighed flukes: "An unweighted Gamakatsu 4/0 Superline hook weighs 21 grains. That's perfect for the decent rate I prefer (about 2 ft in 5 secs)." x2 this guys philosophy from another site: "IMO, time of day dictates more HOW you fish them than anything else. I will throw one any time of the day, however I will tend to fish low and slow during the day, higher and faster in both morning and evening."

#1 its summer so set down the fast moving reaction baits for now ie spinnerbaits, crankbaits, swimjigs etc. the power bite will turn back on in sept/oct. BUT the exception is dusk, dawn and night fishing. experienced anglers can still get bite with them but for now focus on slower/finesse presentations (soft plastics, drop shot, shaky head etc) #2 you might be fishing soft plastics too fast. bring a case of patience. go weightless. cast and dead stick them. after 30 sec give a very light twitch (sometimes don't even use ur rod. just reeling in the slack twitches enough to initiate a bite). #3 crankbaits are all about the deflection. you gotta bounce them off a log, rock, stump etc. MANY reactions lures are like this. this does not make for good shore fishing b/c you will loose so many lures. its much better from a kayak b/c you can cast and bounce off the nasty cover that lands you fish and still paddle over to free when snagged. are you fishing from shore or boat? what state ru in? fill out ur profile and you will get lots more responses. are you fishing streams, ponds, small or med size lakes? private or heavily pressured public waters? this is a great read. don't worry so much about the exact soft plastic or rod/reel set up. just slow drag with patience.... and relocate up stream often. http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/13845-guaranteed-to-catch-bass/ good luck and feel free to ask more questions/ update the thread

i love experimenting with diff retrieves. every new/creative trick leads to more hooked bass. many on this site swear by trying 7+ different retrieves during 1 cast. and make sure you note which one you got bite on to duplicate. sounds like the technique you needed to land that hawg was a reel, reel, reel, sweep!

you'll love it.

i like yellow or white b/c you can easily see ur line run sideways during those sneeky bites. (matched w/ fluoro leader)

its dinner

do you pick out backlashes often? if so ur whole length of line is compromised. sorry to hear about the lost fish. you'll get'm next time

haha never saw that coming! stop "fishing" with them. u have to be putting way too much action on them. just cast out, sink and dead stick'm. and relocate water often.

I recommend the pendulum effect for guys that are constantly gut hooking fish...and to complete beginners. the pendulum won't dramatically effect ur catch ratio. its much better to have tension on ur line when learning how to fish. you will 'feel' ie hook more fish. hooked fish dramatically help you learn how to detect the many different styles/types of bites. this will advance you much faster than keeping tons of slack and missing bites.

here's my home made one. works every time. i've since removed the 4/0 treble. it wasn't necessary and only tangled everything up. i'm gonna upgrade to a chalk line in the future.

i live in the city so i need to hide, transport and protect all together. i use an old, plain rod tube (not one that has *** written all over it). i also use rod gloves b/c it keeps the lines from tangling and they slide in/out very easily. i can slide 4 baitcasters in one tube. i taped 2 tubes together and slide 2 spinning set ups into the second tube. funny part is the 2 tubes together lay perfect on my arm rest (honda accord) so i just rest my elbow on them. and the tubes go thru the hole/hatch into the trunk. had an old rubbermaid in the trunk that just happened to be the right height to support all the reels and/or cork handles while in the trunk (similar concept as Goose52 but not near as COOL as his box!).

tighten down ur drag. yes you may shave 15 ft off ur farthest cast but avoiding backlashes means more time fishing. i loosened mine after mastering my righty cast. but i was still getting lashes when casting leffty b/c of a jarring swing w/ an abrupt ending. more drag fixed it. and it helps with the 'spinnerbait into the wind' learning curve. also switch to braid. the 'waxy' coating makes it easy to pick out and it doesn't backlash near as easy. and the sensitivity sucks

x2. i wrap it around a stick free/clear of my rod/reel like i'm water skiing

be careful b/c 30lb braid will EASILY snap the tip of an 8lb rated rod if you are trying to 'un-snag' a lure using the rod (and snags are twice as common if ur bank fishing). wrap the braid around a stick (not ur hand b/c it will cut u) and pull directly back. most time the braid has the power to bend the hooks out and u can get ur lure back

i'd go much lighter on the weight. 1/8 is standard down to 20 ft. 1/4 oz if deeper. i use 1/32 and/or 1/16oz in heavily pressured ponds/lakes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsTG34mywK0 don't over work the bait: http://www.bassresource.com/mike-iaconelli-fishing/dropshot-tips.html good luck!!!

i haven't met a lure's paint job yet that can withstand 8 hr of bouncing off rocks. i know a guy who fishes Luck Craft pointers. he touches the chipped paint with care like a fresh wound after each fish. funny part it the paint chipped from the bass's teeth. high end lure run truer and suspend better so i think its most important for jerkbaits. and doesn't matter when it comes to jigs, spinners, chatters, lipless, cranks. most times a bass will hit any brand/color lure or even style if ur in the right location and deflect off the right cover

seems like you took a step back in rods? I know alot of guys here love Avid's. why the 'downgrade' to a BPS?

x2. i'd drag a kayak back there. you be able to get much better angles and access to deeper water ie a date with a big girl

a hat signed by Bluebasser86. better story for people on the street.

x2 for gammy weedless and mend it, mend it and mend it. i put my soft plastics away after they get tore up from fish. at the end of the week pull out the Mend-it and fuse them all back. like new. stuff is amazing and easily saves me $100+ every season. (yes super glue and a lighter work but they make the plastic hard and not 'wacky')

x2. but i think color is second to vibration. i'm on vacation in asheville and was killing it on chatterbaits three days ago (i had to deflect it off a rock to initiate a strike; they wouldn't touch it just chucking and winding in open water; slow rolling and bouncing off rocks/cover was the key). the water is so thick and muddy that i knew the heavy thumb of a metal blade was in order. they loved the blue/black chatter. after i lost that....they loved the white/chartreuse too. the water cleared after the rain "slowed" down two days ago and they took a jig bouncing the same way. that bite turned off yesterday and nada since. i did get a few bites slow dragging a weightless senko. you still had to drag it into a rock but they wouldn't commit. today i'm going to try a 1/4oz tube.

type the name of any local reservoirs near you in the thread search bar. chances are there are reports and pix guys have posted. and use google maps for small ponds off the beat and path

settle on a line and knot...then practice tying in front of the tv. then test it off the water. if ur using braid wrap it around a stick (NOT ur hand) and pull lure till it slips or snaps. same with mono/fluoro and connection knots. seeing ur line snap BEFORE ur knot slips OR breaks will give you tons of confidences to hit the water again.

ur both right. ideal, no. possible, yes. frogging with a short/stout rod in open/close water is easy and possible. but i wouldn't want to bomb a frog 60ft into a lily pad field and try to haul out a 5lb+ girl. MH to crank is possible but not ideal. cranking stick are great b/c they load slowly giving the fish time to take the lure in...and absorb shock to keep the treble hooks from unbuttoning during a fight. with a MH you'd need to pause 1-2 seconds to let him have it and don't put ANY pressure on the fish during the fight or ur rip the trebles out (loose drag too). if you like cranking just buy the right rod.