Saul2Paul

I was fishing a 3 inch white grub on a 1/8 ounce head and hooked into goliath. I couldn't tell you if it was a smallie or a larry, as he barely broke the surface for just a second, but that was one huge ticked off bass. I got it about 10 feet from the shore when he fought me with such force that the botton part of the reel slot on my Lightning Rod broke and my reel went flying off. I tried to grab the line and pull with my rod but 12 pound mono just snapped. I wanted to cry!

Title

Plastics. My baitcasters handle spinners, cranks, topwaters, etc. I've been in some situations where I need to use smaller plastics, weightless, etc.

I did things backwards -- I started fishing with a baitcaster. I pretty much always just throw spinners, cranks, senkos, TR and CR worms, poppers, buzzbaits. I've been in quite a few situations lately, though, where I need spinning tackle. I already know my rod -- a Lightning Rod -- but my question is, what should the reel be rated at? 6-10 pounds or 8-12?

The thumb bar slides up and down freely and loosely when the flipping switch is off.

I've had the reel for 2 months - it never used to do this, but over the past couple of weeks it's been either sticking or locking. I've tried WD40 and that seems to work for a very short period of time, but then it goes back to screwing up. I'd say 75% of the time it either sticks or locks. What could the issue be and how can I fix it?

2 bags worth LOL It was weightless on a TR ribbon tails with 1/8 oz TR.

You did the right thing. I kind of doubt the guy was catching bass to feed his family. Catfish and the little guys - like bluegill - would be more sensible. I personally always catch and release bass. Back in June I was fishing my usual spot and these 2 guys were catching bass under 10-12 inches by the dozens. They ended up leaving with 2 large coolers full. I was ticked! I should have done something in hindsight, but I failed... I mean, these punks put out a minnow trap earlier and came back and used them to catch all of these little guys. They didn't catch one single fish of keepable size.

I don't know if this is a common technique used for fishing senkos - or even worms - but it's been brilliant for me, and I began doing it out of frustration! Alright, so a few days ago I was out at the river getting skunked. I had tried everything: spinners, cranks, worms rigged in every which way, senkos, poppers, etc. I went back to a senko as my last bait before I called it a day, and once again, nothing. On my last cast I let my senko fall to the bottom. No strike. I wiggled the senko after a few seconds. Nothing. I engaged the reel, let the senko sit again, wiggled it after a second. Nothing. I said screw it and out of frustration began to reel at a steady, moderate pace to get my line out of the water to go home. Just to screw around I began to lift the senko a considerable distance, while never breaking the surface nor my reeling-in. I would then let it fall a bit, lift it, let it fall -- think a heart monitor, up and down while reeling in, but long steady sweeps up and down. I got a strike... A nice smallie. I threw my senko back out, no strike, but instead of screwing around on the bottom again I began the long and steady sweeps up and down as I brought the senko back to me. I got strike after strike at all depths doing this. I ended the day with 9 bass after being skunked for the majority of the day. The next day I went to the lake and immediately began this technique again to see if it would actually be something that would consistently work. I got quite a few strikes off the cast and sink, but when I didn't, I began the up and down sweeps and got a tons of strikes. After a bit I went to a Berkley Power Worm with a 1/8 oz weight and did the same thing. If nothing off the cast, up and down sweeps -- even worked with this bait. I ended the day with 23 fish. Today I was back at the river fishing senkos and power worms and caught 16 more. A total of 48 fish in 3 days with up and down sweeps and slow to moderate and steady retrieve. Heck, I might look like a fool because every knows this technique or something, but I never see it or hear mention of it. I see talk of side to side sweeps, hops and skips, wiggling, but never long up and down sweeps. Sometimes I would go from the bottom and lift all the way to about a foot below the surface, let it fall back down, and repeat... Some of my best strikes came that way.

I'm buying a new rod in a couple hours. I'm looking at the Berkley Lightning Rods (Casting). I want the MH rod, but I have a question about the lure rating. Online and at Wal-Mart the lure rating for a 7' MH casting rod is 1/2-1 oz. However, I found the same rod at another place that specializes in outdoor stuff and the exact same rod has a lure rating of 1/4-1 1/2 oz. The Shock rod is rated at 1/2-1 1/2 oz, but this is NOT the Shock, It's the regular Lightning Rod. What's the deal???