gulfcaptain

You will find a lot of people will suggest Shimano, Diawa, Lews, Quantum, ABU...etc....I'll throw in Fishing 13 just becaue they impressed me and now have 2 of theirs as well as some Quantums, Diawas, and a Shimano. Bottom line, look to see what you want. I use a lot of BPS Carbonlite's simply because they are nicely made, work well, and are light, not to mention priced well. Hit up a few stores, BPS, Gander Moutain, Acadamey, Cabelas, Dicks, etc and pick up the reels, hold them, put them on a rod in the store if you can so you can see how they feel. Asking that question you're going to get a lot of different answers. You are the one that's going to be fishing it, so you need to find what works best for you and any reel honestly between $130-200 is going to be a quality reel. You just need to decide which fits best for you. Also can fnd plenty of nice reels in the $80-120 range that are also quality, but most will come in with a weight of about 7.5oz on the lighter side and avg around 8.2oz compared to the upper range of what you're looking for that avg between 6.5oz to 7.5oz.

or atleast in a pre spawn pattern with some wanting to if the conditions are right.

Welcome to the swimbait world....def no magic bullet and you can't catch every fish you see. But great search bait in locating those larger fish and learning their locations.

Spro BBZ 4" shad, S-Weaver, Savage Gear Glide Swimmer. There's 3 normal sized swim/glide hard baits you can fish with regular MH action rod and most are under an ounce in weight.

Well I do have 2 now, lol, just don't always bring both and really like the looks of the new Diawa Swimbait rods or an IROD.....guess I should have one for the hudd, one for the line thru, ofcourse need one for the triple-trout....oh and then an XH for those 10oz baits....ok, gotta go make some online purchases for these new set ups.

I only take one rod when I'm dedicated to the swimbait bite....that way there isn't a reason for me to put it down and try something else. And during the summer I normally always have 2, may not fish both, but always have a frog/topwater and then my punch/pitching set up for the grass mats. Besides, it's hard to just pick one when I have so many.....lol

I know, it's just the way it sounded. It's all out of fun. Back to the OP, what is your question? Why we fish more then 1 rod?

There ya go, trying to stir the pot....didn't we just have a post about being civil? And to be honest, I have more then 7. Some of us regular folks take a few rods to fish with and the more into it you get, the more specialized you start to become with your rods and reels. The more techniques you learn the more rods you aquire to excel with those techniques. But as long as your catching fish, it doesn't matter, the rod doesn't catch the fish, the fisherman holding that rod does, weather he has 1 rod, or has 10 strapped to the front of his boat. I normally carry at least 3 when I'm bank fishing.....all for different applications just incase I need to adjust my presentation.

Yeah, but it's hard to get a 170ft crewboat up some of those cuts....lol, but you left off the flounder bite also.

So went today, and it was cold....62 outside, cloudy and the water had cooled to 68. (It's Southern California, 62 is cold....had to put pants and a sweatshirt on) I know it's cold because they stocked trout there while I was fishing....on the bright side, caught one on the swimbait. So not nearly as cold as everywhere else, I really feel your pain. Do not look fwd to going back to Louisiana next week. Hopefully it warms up, but looks like it's gonna be another cold winter for most.

Yep, they only work in CA, and only work on fish that eat stoked rainbow trout. Don't listen to those guys on Southern Trout Eater's. Thank's Speedbead, your ration of exported swimbaits will be headed your way soon.....sshhhh, don't tell those other guys.

Don't be so sure, big fish live where they find the best feed. Odds are she won't move far from that point, just out deeper. You're not the first or last person to ever get excited and pull the bait out of a big fishes mouth. Did it last fall on about an 8lber on the 68. Watched her role open up suck the bait in and I swung which quickly removed my bait from her open mouth.....Yep, user error sucks!!! Watch the water temps and if it doesn't drop too much go out and give it another shot. Worse case, may have to slow role that Huddleston out a little deeper.

I would order from West Marine and use their West Systems Epoxy 105 Resin as well as the 205 hardner either slow or fast cure depending on how long you want to wait. For coating and sealing if you're not in a rush, go with the slow cure, and for taping I'd use the fast. So short answer, order a larger amount of 105 resin and order 1 of each of the smaller hardening agents (205). Follow the guidelines, if you mix this stuff too hot, it will smoke and could ignite flamable materials if you try and throw it away while it's curing (if mixed too hot) When it says 5:1, normally the resin is in a bigger container and they have pumps available for them that accurately dispense the proper amount. 1 pump of each gives you the right ratio. I'd coat one side and let it rest. Then coat the other after that side has cured and dried.

Catt, being somewhat new to these forums, I have read many posts and responses from the long time members. ALL of you have pro's and con's on your views and experiences. But that's the best part. I get to see what point of view from South Eastern fisherman, see the views from the guys out West, up North...etc. See the discussion that incurs and learn or add points of view or questions that we may view viable to the discussion. There are times we all get a bit heated in our discussions....we're fisherman and most of us are pretty hard headed. And the good fisherman ALL may come off arragant because of our sef confidence. But from your list of members, each have their strong points and excel in the way they fish and techiques they use. ALL of which lend their time to posting and letting us learn bits of knowledge and experience we can take from each member where we are lacking and make us more productive and able to share with others that are up and coming in our great sport.

If it's only grass and weeds what is going to damage the braid? I know how hard to pull on fish and have no issues. I'm sorry said it before, I can pull 40+lb amberjacks out of offshore rigs in the Gulf of Mexico fishing 50 and 65lb braid. There isn't a bass alive that will will put up the fight these fish do. Lighter braid does mean you have to pay more attention to your line for wear....is that bad...I don't think so. Keeps me from loosing fish. Come on out to S.Cal and fish these city park lakes and try and fish the heavier line in highly pressured fishing waters. You have to get bit to catch fish, and I've seen people fish heavier line, they just don't seem to get the same amount of bites. Would I fish 30lb on the delta next to the rip rap, no I wouldn't. Would I fish 30lb flipping trees in Mexico....no I wouldn't. Would I fish 30lb in straight grass in most places....yep. As I said, technique will always win over brute force. I fish swimbaits on 40lb braid with 25lb mono or fc topshot....sorry the 25 will break before the 30lb braid will but still no issues pulling them out of the cover they hide in either. Hmmmm, maybe it's technique....just saying. Some people can finesse fish, others can't. Some know how hard they can pull on a fish and know the limits of their tackle, others over compensate. Have yet to loose a fish to a break off on a frog and used to use 20lb on the smaller frogs. People fish what they are comfortable fishing, some choose lighter and others choose heavier. Did a poll and the vast majority fish 50lb due to the comfort of the dia which is what they are used to fishing. I'm more comfortable with 6-10lb mono line sizes as that's what I grew up bass fishing with. But honestly, there is a big difference on how a frog fishes from 30lb to 50 or 65lb braid.

^^^^^Didn't even make it till someone else told you to wait till Black Friday....yeah we all know it's hard.

Denial, keep working on telling yourself that when you see that Black Friday Sale.

I fish 30lb all the time for punching and froging....... I can water ski 4lb fish just fine with 30lb braid and have pulled 6+ out of the weed mats punching. Technique and proper tackle will always trump straight brute force. If the only difference is line weight between same set-ups over powering the tackle will lead to it's failure way before the 30lb will break. You hook a 8lb fish or bigger and have to pull it out of the weeds, once you have it's head burried in the grass and coming they don't fight, just dead weight which can be slowly pulled in with constant pressure. If he has gotten some good fish out of 20lb, he has the technique and patience to be succesful with it. And some of the Deps frogs are $19 not $10.......lol j/k

Few of the ***'s.

I fish straight 30lb when I'm pitching or punching grass....no issues, biffle head dragged across the bottom....no issues, fished cranks....issues only with pulling the hook because I was new to fishing braid....learned to back the drag off. YOU have to have confidence in your presentation, otherwise you have taken yourself out of the game doubting your presentation and causing you to loose focus and end up frustrated. 20lb braid is = to 6lb. If you're worried about them seeing it....color 12 inch sections black with 12 inches inbetween. Now you have broken up outline of the braid.

I understood your take....you like fishing and enjoy fishing the finer fishing equipment because it makes you happy and by all means you should enjoy fishing with what you worked hard to purchase and aquire. I don't hate on people that enjoy fishing with nice equipment or choose to because they want to. Think the conversation ended up discussing that for most there isn't enough difference in midrange equipment and the higher dollar ones for most to make the jump and fish with. Some people like a fine wine, others like a cold beer. But some and I do say some, not all, look to buy the higher priced equipment thinking it will make them a better fisherman or do it to brag and show off what they have. I'm sure there are many that think my comment about saving $200 and buying 2 swimbaits was a joke, but honestly with taxes it would come out to about $220 for the two of them. We all purchase the equipment WE WANT which it the great part of this sport and we make it work for us. Weather it be a $39 reel or a $500 reel, it's all about what we want. The fish don't care and each of us is only as good as the amount of knowledge and skill we have and understand how to translate it into catching fish.

I have braid on all my rods, if needed, I'll put a 3-6ft topshot of fc or mono depending on what I'm fishing. Use 10lb pp to fish trout on UL tackle with 3lb fc leader....why....because it's easier to keep that 2-3ft leader in good shape and nick free instead of worrying about 30yrs of 3lb mono. Fished a dropshot for years with a fc leader tied to a swivel attached to braid. Thinking of actually trying the Hi Vis yellow next year for my flipping/punching needs as so it's easier to watch the line then moss green.

When the fish are on the frog bite, they are commited to destroying the bait. Have caught 4 up to 5 1/2lbs in the last couple days fishing the frog, and everyone has had the frog down their throat and inhaled the bait. I don't think they were worried about the 30lb braid it was attached to when they come up through the scattered grass to hit it. And I have had some that have hit the bait the minute it hit the water like they were watching it fly through the air and waiting....or I hit them on the head. Heavy line would make it tough to get them to walk as well I believe where braid has such low memory and limpness it lends itself to walking these baits nicely.

The short answer to your question of really needing braid to fish frogs.....YES. FC sinks and the dia you would need to really pull the fish out of the grass on longer casts would probably be unmanageable on most baitcasters. Could use mono, but then you're back to fishing 25+lb line to be able to pull the fish out of the grass. If you choose to fish a frog on 10yrd casts then you may get away with either FC or Mono on 20lb. But much easier to stick with braid where 30lb has the dia of 8lb mono/FC.

Maybe you scared the crap out of him and was thinking you were going to put him on a stringer and take him home destined for the deep fryer.