gulfcaptain

Home Depot or Lowes even should have it. Look and see if the 4200 is slow cure or fast cure. Now fast cure isn't fast, I believe it has a 24 till its cured as where the slow cure is a bit longer. Both clean up with Paint thinner or mineral spirits. If they don't have it order it online from a marine supplier.

If you're going to do this, use 3M's 4200 sealant. Take it from someone that works in the marine industry. It costs more but well worth it and ment for the job. It has the same qualities as 5200 sealant, only you can take things back apart. Used it to seal screw holes on sportfishing boats I worked on to keep the water from creeping into the wood, but yet I could remove the screw if needed in the future.

The 6'6" MH isn't bad either. I use it to fish tight spots with 1/4-3/8oz jigs and plastics.

I use the Improved clinch, but then I also add a half hitch at the end. The San Diego knot works well too which I tend to use more. I'm not a fan of the palomar, never have so my confidence in that knot is lacking and I can't tie it as quickly as the other two which I could do in my sleep. Also wetting the braid and pulling it tight slowly until its snug and then pull tight. And for connections, always the Albright.

Then I'd say go with the 7'MH Bucoo. I've fished just about everything on it and it performs great and it's Moderate Fast action lets you pretty much fish any way you would like. I've fished, jigs, worms, frogs, cranks, topwater, swimbaits (4" versions), and blade/spinnerbait/buzzbaits on this rod. It lends intself to be a great all around rod.

I have 7 of them myself. 2 of the 7'MH, 2 of the 7'M, 1 6'6"MH, 1 7'3"H, and a 7' in spinning. All micro, all great. Never had any real problems with the guides, the 7'M is a great crankbait rod. My buddies call it the buggy whip, just because it loads up and doubles, but for cranks it's great and light. The 7'MH as mentioned is a great trap rod or spinner/chatterbait, swimjig. I use the 7'3" as my frog rod and can pitch with it if needed. Just a great line of rods for a great price.

I agree with AJ, 6:3 to 6:6 are all around. But also look at the IPT for each reel. I have one that is 7:1 that has the same pick up as one that is 6:6. Find something that has a pick up between 25-28" per turn and you should be able to do anything you're looking to do.

One key thing everyone has left out, fish into the current. The fish will face into it, so your bait must come down with the current to be most productive. Yes you will catch fish the other way. I tend to make my bait profiles a bit smaller, use a lot of compact 3/8oz football jigs with 3" craw trailers, spinnerbaits in the 1/4oz-3/8oz, and shallow wakebait style cranks. Just remember, use the current to your advantage and fish up river back down to you if you can.

yep, make your own rod tube for about $20 in parts with abs.

That would make three of us.

T-rig and learn to fish a dropshot. Oh, and read EVERY article on this site. I have, some two or three times. Apply it to the types of fishing conditions you encounter. Not sure if you're bank fishing or by boat, but overthinking your game plan will cause you more problems then just going fishing and enjoying. Senkos work great just flylined or wacky rigged as well as t-rigged. Find someone that enjoys bass fishing that you can go fishing with, watch and learn from as well.

Try putting a snap on the eye or using a loop knot to give the bait more freedom to move. I did this with my 10" baits. Where did you purchase the baits, how old are they? I had to return 2 floaters that ended up being sinkers. But I purchase mine here in S.Cal from Performance Tackle in person. The bait may be weighted wrong from Triple Trout. Just some thoughts, and ideas.

What about a Robo Worm in Morning Dawn or Margrita Mutilator on a shakeyhead or on a dropshot? Or possibly underspins with a fluke or A nail weighted wacky rigged Senko. I'm from the West Coast, so I'd think out of the box and try a 168 S Weaver or some 4" size swimbaits as well (Kietech Swing Impact FAT 3.8 / 4.3 sizes)

I replace all my bait's hooks with the Mustad KVD 1X short 2X strong EWG trebles. I have a lot less fish loss once they hook up, and because of the hook design, I've had I believe one hook that bent out to where a regular treble would be. Let me catch the fish and then just replaced the hook. But if you already went with the Owner ST-36's, maybe check these out on the next run of treble swaps.

9ft isn't low, try 120ft below full pool. Now that's a bit low. Back to the OP, is the water still falling or has it stablized? Most fish will like stated pull back to the next best area. Find areas that are in the 5-6ft range (at full pool) with cover and contours, odds are thats where they probably shifted to.

I fish mine on 6lb FC leader with 10lb braid on a 6'10" finesse/dropshot rod.

Only frogs I have found that don't fill with water every few casts are the Snag Proof "Ish" frogs. Both have a different design and work well in open water. They will eventually get holes in them from and slowly take on water. The only opening is where the rubber legs come out of the back....DO NOT SUPERGLUE THIS AREA if you have these frogs. It makes them go from soft frogs to well a lot firmer frogs since the air in the body has nowhere to escape. Yes I learned this through trial and a big error. Only other one that has a high float low sink ratio is the Deps Slither Frog. But then it is also twice the cost of most at almost $20 a frog. But most frogs will up, just get used to squeezing them every few or every cast.

And use marine grade plywood and stainless steel screws (so they don't rust) as well as sealing the wood it before you install it. Atleast I would.

Tom is right, but not all PFD's will keep your head above water if you are unconscious and face down.. Type-III vests do not, only a type-II will right most and turn them face up( depending on the vest). If you're a/m vest is a type-III then it may or may not turn you face up (depending on your size and body type). And agree the life vest is only good if you wear it, and have it on right. That means snug and secure. It doesn't do much good if you slip out of it when you fall or hit the water. So when you are shopping for a life vest, make a note of what type it is marked(either II or III) as so you know what characteristics it will have no matter if it is a traditional vest or the newer a/m vests. Let me edit this, sorry had the two mixed up, a type-II are the ones that turn some unconscious wearers face up(depending on the vest) and the type-III do not. Corrections made to above statement.

I fish with Quantums and the 13 concepts. My buddies fish with Shimano and Diawa. Used to fish with Diawa.....yeah they have a service department that is close and so does Shimano. My friends have their reels in there often, have bering issues. But their service is top quality for the most part. I have no idea about Quantum or ***'s service since their reels have never had to be sent off to be serviced which was the reason I moved away from fishing Diawa. I'd rather have quality equipment at affordable prices (within that $150-$250 range) that holds up and doesn't need to be sent in. Diawa and Shimano have been around for years, have brand power which makes them so popular. People associate Quantum with Zebco from the old days. Sorry the EXO's and Tour MG's are not a Zebco 33 of the past. Even Shimano and Diawa make cheap model equipment and if I were to base my opinion on some of that crap it would not be fair to their quality upper equipment. Was another one that was hesitant about 13 fishings Concept reels. Well have the A's and C's, all are quality reels and well built and hold up extremely well. Of course this is only my opinion and experiences, but I'm not going to be going back to Diawa anytime soon nor pick up a Shimano because "they are the top shelf". That's just someone elses opinion just as I have mine.

I see you mentioned the Falcon Bucoo 7'H, if you can find the 7'3"H that rod is an excellent frog rod that will handle all the baits you mentioned and the Academy Ethos that Bluebasser mentioned would also be a great rod.

I'd have to agree with most everyone else when they say welcome to bass fishing. Sometimes the "goto" spot becomes the "WHAT THE F#@% HAPPENED" spot. It's just part of fishing. You may need to change your tactics and approach. Need to fnd that new presentation and bait that excites them and gets them fired back up. Don't worry you aren't the only one that has experienced that problem on here.

I'm happy.....The ones that aren't are just mad because their team won't have a 4 game headstart before Brady got to play. On a side note, there is no code of conduct with any penalties of what happens if they break the rule. NFL should move on, lay down a code of conduct about equipment and rules, fines, penalties that will be inforced if not followed. Should have fined the team, done this and set the mark for any future issues concerning improper ball inflatiion. The only ones that seem not to care are the Colts who admitted they had gotten beat 28 - 0 in the second half. I'm glad they fixed the psi problem. It could have been a close game otherwise since their first half stats weren't near as good as the second half. GO PAT's

I understand what you're saying. And my advice was on how to make the most of the hits and keeping them hooked. Now yes, there will be fish that hit a bait that will not load up the rod and try and pull it out of your hand. This is where time and experience comes into play when you understand WHAT the bait is doing and if it feels different. Still I don't swing, I turn the handle faster till I feel that pressure of that fish which then loads the rod and can set the hook. And don't worry about singling me out, this is what the forums are for. Discussion on topics asked and different views and ideas which then improve all of our techniques when we can take bits from everyone of us on here.

I have fished a lot of crankbaits this year, probably more then any other year. IF you choose to upgrade your hooks and go up a size, get the short shank hooks as so they don't tangle. I have read a lot of good advise as far as rods. Personally, I use several. All are made or have the action needed. Depending on the size of the baits you are throwing, I have found that Falcon's Bucoo 7'M rod which has a moderate action is excellent for baits up to the size of the KVD 1.5's. After that I move up to a MH BPS Crankin Stick, Falcon Bucoo 7'MH which has a Mod Fast action and excels in fishing lippless cranks. Also prefer the Quantum KVD Tour Cranking rods as well in the 7'4" and 7'10" MH's for deep diving and large square bills (8.0 size) I fish braid with leaders, but then have a soft drag. All baits get upgraded hooks in the Mustad Ultra 1X short 2X wide gap trebels. My advice, the slower more moderate action rods as well as fiberglass rods with a lighter drag, will yield more results. But also there is no hookset until that fish turns the other way. Keep turning the handle until it loads up the rod and turns then a short side sweep as mentioned is all you need. And yes keep pressure on that fish at all times (normally have the rod tip down) and the rod bent.