Teal

Jacob wheeler is a young guy that I'm a fan of.

Dang that's the size of fish I catch

I carry all the time

Be careful. I've seen alot of "good swimmers" not go home. Just please be careful, as much as I wanted to go after a 7inch bull shad last week, I left it there. My family is more important than a 50 dollar lure. Dont trying to down you, be like you said, if you are gonna do it, make sure conditions are right and that you have someone on boat with you. Be safe.

Awesome james! That clear water and Mats, looks like a lake we have here. Punching and frogging is always fun! Good luck brother, and thanks for posting!

It could be the time of year right now, bass should be post spawn and could have a small case of lock jaw. Look for that to turn around. The fact that you are catching decent fish and seeing fish is a good sign. Be patient with it, when it doubt, downsize, slow down and go with finesse style presentations. Heck I've been dealing with a case of lockjaw past week or so, some guys are finding feeding fish here, I'm not. I basically dropped back to punt. Started back with subtle jerkbaits and carolina rigged robo worms... just be patient, the more you go there, the better feel for the population, and what stage they are in.

^text book^

My most expensive combo is probably 700 together at retail value at the time...I didnt pay that. Dx 744 with a Core 50 reel. I pretty much have just looked for GOOD VALUE, and try to stat under a couple hundred for each. I've been blessed to find great 200$ reels for 140 and stay in the 179 range on rods for 115-150. I'm at a point now with amount of gear I have, the next updates I can do, one at a time and step up in quality. I'd love to own GLX, steeze or mega bass, with zillion reels, or highend shimanos, but I'll wait now. Next will be one unit at a time and if I have to pair it with one of my existing reels or rods for a bit, that is ok.

That's pretty sick man! Enjoy it! Next pics you post needs to be some fatties with a hole in the lip!

If I can't stand in the water, use lure retriever, or do the thing that I think is a sin, (use a rod tip to jostle it loose), I will leave it. I'm not swimming or diving for a lure, I've waded for a vision 110 or jackall blade.bade I'm fond of, but NOT DIVING OR SWIMMING FOR ONE.

It a darn good reel.i have 1 I got 6 years ago. It will last...but in also still have a Sahara that I love had a loooooong time.

I was all in on spiderwire...but when ingot some a couple years ago, it was different, not good at all...power pro, and daiwa j braid are good. Super slick 8 and suffice 832 are great lines...I just dont.like the way it feels. J braid is what I have now. I like it alot. No rod breakage due to braid, but I will note, for most applications you can loosen you drag a hair more than you usually.do. You still need to reel out slack, but you don't have to swing for the fence. I good stiff hook set is all you need. Some will say go with super line hooks, not a horrible idea, but you can still use medium of standard hooks too, just keep in mind that braid has near zero stretch. I use it for most of my set ups, including topwater and moving baits like, spinnerbaits and buzz baits. When I started using braid, I started with a rod that I used for Carolina rigs, then feel was amazing.

Same thing has happened me many times I've become a fan on dead sticking or leaving it there, if I toss it in a Bush before I pop it loose

I have a few that I like.. Zoom meathead Zoom finesse worm Zoom trick worm Zoom shakey head Zoom shakey tails Robo worm 4" or 6" Jackall flick shake Dimiki stringer Zoom centipede Kvd finesse worm

Thanks brother, means alot.

I'd go rod first. If you can up it to 150 for the rod you have alot of options (great options). Personally I'd go full on with the rod, and upgrade the reel down the rod under a different budget.

I recently bought a few, it catches fish. But heck, people spend that much on topwater baits and jerkbaits. Cost of good stuff I guess. I HATED it when megabass came out and it costed so much....then I fished them....crickets now All that being said, if yall are on lake Gaston nc/va and see man get out of his red Javelin and it looks like he is trying to free his lure from a stump...stop by and say hi to me.

Thanks man

I got plenty of room in my shop.

I hate would hate to know the number of fish I miss on the fall fishing straight braid. But with the vegetation heavy on one of my lakes, I just save the leader and go without it.

Well the 7' M might be more in line with what you do.

That's the thing guys, I wasnt slamming lews or any of the doyo reels... I like my lews reels...I've been a Lews advocate on here. I own 8 lews reels. 6 being the tournament pro. ( the old one) I knew they were made in Korea, I just didnt know that they were all in the same plant with other reels like some little cookie factory. I have owned Abu Revos as well as others. Heck, I still have 4 abu c4s I use for striper and catfishing as well as flounder fishing on the coast. I've got no problems with my lews. I've always purposely stayed away from certain brands and models... but no bashing. Just had shock to know that they were all made right there together...like dang... Buts it all good... gonna keep fishing with what I have, and maybe I'll start buying daiwa or shimano, or maybe I'll buy more lews in the future... who knows... all I can do is keep my eyes on the reviews and spend MY money wisely.

I'm with J.francho. but if you cant get 2, really think about what lures, size and weight if lures, and where you u will be fishing... Do you use spring gear, because that's what you like or do u fish mostly light and finesse lures? I'm in the 7'0 MH camp.

War eagle in 1/2 oz is what I throw most if the time. I'll go down to 1/4 some.

Hey guys I'm not swayed. It kinda made me a little upset. I had a bad moment. But I'm over it.