gulfcaptain

I tried the suspend dots, they don't like to stick to the rubber and I ended up using them like a nail weight at one point folding them over and inserting them into the bait that way. For those to work I think it would have taken almost 8 of them to make a difference. Nail weights are the best if you have them but if not you have to improvise for the weight.

The bucco 7'MH is a great all around rod. Fishes all of what you outlined really well although if you're fishing in really heavy cover with a frog might want to look at a heavier rod. I have 2 and have used them for light duty punching (3/8 to 1/2oz) and frog fishing, but fished a pond with heavy grass and the first fish I hooked was a nice 4lb right when it hit the water. Rod didn't really have enough to pull that fish out at the end of the cast (probably 120ft away). Had to go get a heavier rod. But all around it's a great rod for most applications.

I like the above technique, just make sure if you're worried about it ripping a bit of petroleum jelly on the front of the swivel will help it pull through a bit easier also.

If it's the 8" bait, it doesn't have the new top/bottom hook slot. I put a 1/0 Mustad 1X 2X Short Shank ultra grip treble on mine. As long as you weight it between the 2 finlets on the bottom...fill you sink up or bathtub up to check it and insert the weight. Give it the float test and see how it balances out. Adjust as needed till it's level and slowly sinks or suspends. I prefer mine to slowly sink a bit tail heavy. Only because when you see a dying fish it always seems to sink tail first at a slight angle. The newer Gen 2 line thru's have hook placement where it can either be rigged tophook or bottom. If you get it were it sinks how you want, you can put a dab of Superglue or if you have it Mend-It.

Well take some side cutters (aka dikes) and cut off the end of the bullet weight and insert it into the bait between the two lower fins.

You got any1/8 oz worm weights? Make a hole and insert the weight. If it sinks to fast, clip off a piece of it and try again.

You're going to ned a heavier set up period. Weather punching or trying to frog fish. But I would skip the leader and fish straight braid and once you get bit work on slowly pulling the fish out of the grass. Sounds like you need to invest in a frog and punch rod for next year.

You like the D-Bomb, put it on a SK structure swing head or Biffle head (any swing football jighead) and slow drag/wind it keeping bottom contact. Started using this approach in certain lake/ponds I fish that have heavy pressured fish and not a lot of structure. Works great and gives the fish a new look as well as being able to stop and fish points of interest and still have it weedless but also cover water like a crankbait.

Like speedbead said, a heavier hook as well as a 1/16th nail weight right between the 2 lower finlets will cause it to sink. You can also alter how much weight you want to use and make it suspend just under the surface. This works good when they are following but have problems commiting. Fish this and a Huddleston and the fish seem to come in closer for the line thru then the hudd. The fact you can stop it and it suspends while they are following it causes them to come in closer, then quickly swim it and you can get a reaction strike out of them. Pull it about 4ft and stop it again. If they pursue and don't eat it when its moving, if they are truely interested the moment it stops they will swim up and inhale it. Or they will irritate you and nip at the tale and then swim away.

Caught a bass I lost when I was 16. It hit a roostertail and broke me off on some standing timber. Couple days later hooked a bass on the same color roostertail and when i landed it, my other rootertail was in the other side of it's mouth. When I lost the fish I thought it was much bigger. To my suprise it was only 2lbs, but I swear it when it broke me off it was atleast 5+.

Watched a 250+ pound black sea bass inhale a passengers 10lb class yellowtail about 10ft below the water at San Clemente Island. That was cool.

Thank you Tom, that pretty much answered the question he was asking.

I think it would be an interesting tournament for sure and see who can overcome not having their array of electronics. Just old school fishing. That would level the playing field for sure.

this is about right. Always looking online for other places to purchase, but 99% has come from TW. Free overnight shipping and great selection as well as customer service. May go to BPS if I need a new reel (do like their carbonlites) or other odd ball piece of tackle.

BPS Crankin Sticks are pretty good and you can get a few baits if you want to hit that $120 mark Think they are about $80 and have the action for crankbait fishing.

So from that posted article, I see a lot of "wining". We could have won but we didn't use it and it's not fair. But if they take a vote and most vote no then it's no for their tournament via their rules. I think they should ban all electronics except a trolling motor and an old school flasher. Lets see who the best fisherman are then without being able to "video game" fish.

You have to remember that it is wire. The flash mob jr will break due to wire fatigue. The SK titanium arms are flexible and should last longer but are a bit bulkier. From personal experience, the Yellow Hammer seems to be quite durable and produces.

Um, no trolling motor on the front. And where is the 9" touch screen display?

It's worth as much as you can get someone to pay for it or you are willing to pay for it.

I'm going to have to agree and side with J Francho. Those who understand how to use them catch fish with them. I have caught a lot of fish with them. It's a tool for a certain job. Have I had one hook foul a fish? Yep, That fish had all 3 hooks in it.....2 of the baits were in it's mouth and one on the side. Did it try to eat the whole rig, I think so. But it wasn't snagged and was hooked no worse then what I've seen with crankbait or jerkbait fish. This post started out with the discussion of more tournaments banning the use of it. Like I said before, their tournament, their rules. Stop bashing the umbrella rig because it works for those who know when and how to fish it. They put time and effort into using it and understand when to pull it out and get the job done. If it's allowed in a Tournament and you choose not to fish it and get spanked by the guy who has mastered it. You lost and he won. He pulled more weight in within that tournaments rules regarding what can be used and what can't.

Straight braid or a small topshot of FC.

Hey Ken always said make sure you have the right rod for the job, well now there's no excuse. Does look like a nice rod though. Be nice to get a set of hands on one and see how it feels.

What's a hoard of money? THIS is subjective to what each of us consider hoards........if you work and have a bit of extra money aside to pay for your fishing equipment your dedicated and passionate...... if you work and spend all your check to pay for your fishing equipment....your either living at home with mommy or have a problem.....If you spend hoards....paycheck and run up and max out a credit card.....then that above piece of advice is great......because you are a dumb*** and need someone to pull your head out of your well you know. As for me, I like to think of myself as passionate. A small percentage of what I spend on fishing equipment is offset by the amount I no longer spend at the bar. Suprised on what $40 of tackle can buy and how few drinks or how long that lasts when you go drinking.

Thank you Raul. And for those that don't know, yes it is illeagel in certain states where you can only fish one baited hook, thus fish 4 dummy baits and one single hooked bait. Not really the bait you want to throw then since they have 4 other options so that's why Booya came up with their bait idea with small grubs and blades so you can attach a bait behind.

You have a map that shows area where they are generally located. That is where I would fan cast and work. You have a fishing rod and a crankbait will do wonders as well as a jig to let you know what's down there. If I could get a map like that of the ponds I fish in S. Cal I would probably be able to zero in on the fish A LOT quicker since I know the depth contours of where they should be at certain times and fish those higher percentage areas more thoroughly and eliminate less productive waters.