Drewski73

I keep coming back to the yellow magic. Any color as long as its bone.

I recently purchased an abu garcia ike model 6'4" moderate for yellow magics, small sammys, and small rip baits. I absolutely adore it. Perfect tool for the application. Right in your price range as well.

The bass I fish for, seem to like yellow magics over anything else. After that, I have about the same luck with a Rico, KVD, PopR, etc. But that darn yellow magic sounds different to my ears, and apparently the fish as well. Id say it produces at least 2 to 1 for me. I also fish it more often, because I have a ton of confidence in it. I leave the yellow magics at home when Im trying out a new popper, to give it a fair shake.

I think you were close with "pitch and skip", but I think it sounds better as "flip and skip"!

I shouldve mentioned the 6lb Red Label as a leader, to 12lb Izorline braid.

I found one of the Phenix Recon 2 6'9" Lights at a shop here in Houston, and it went home with me. It felt perfect in my hands. Stradic FJ 1000 will be here tomorrow. Drop shot and ned rigs on 6lb red label. Im excited. Thanks for all the replies.

That $200 range is pretty much top end of my budget. Thanks for the replies so far.

Ive decided after using my shakey head set up all the time for drop shot, that I need a dedicated drop shot set up. Im really interested in the 3 rods Ive mentioned, but am open minded as well. Right now, the Recon 2 is what Im leaning towards. Anybody have experience good or bad with any of these? It needs to be that 4-10lb test range, and 6'9" to 7" long. Thanks Drew

I do a lot of that 20-30 FOW C-Rig stuff here in Texas. I use a Dobyns Champ 804C with a Curado 200D on it. 50lb braid for main line, 12lb mono leader in that depth it starts about 3 feet long and gets longer depending on the fish. 3/4oz is the lightest I throw on that rig. Up to 1.5oz in normal Texas wind in 30 FOW. Ill use anything from a 4" finesse worm to a 12" curl tail, or large lizard. 1/O to 4/O EWG lightwire hook depending on bait size. That being said my buddy fishes pre-made C-Rigs on whatever Rod he broke off last, and fishes whatever line is on that rod, to a 12" leader made out of whatever line is on that rod, to whatever hook is on the floor, with a zoom plum finesse worm, or a zoom plum finesse worm, and he KILLS THEM! So, either of those tactics may work for you!

The blind bites I get hopping my jigs, are usually around a target that is submerged. Ill try to pitch back to where I got a blind bite, and it seems like about 80% of the time, theres actually a stump or some brush submerged.

The skirt is actually called "Pumpkin Gold Orange" on the skirt dropdown menu. The head is called "Copper Black" on the head dropdown menu. Since it is a "Mata" series, it has the rubber skirt also, and the color of that skirt is "brown" on the rubber color dropdown menu at http://siebertoutdoors.com/Mata-Dredge-Brush-052.htm Thats the awesome thing about that site, you get to choose absolutely everything about your jigs, head, skirt color, wire tie, type of hook. Its seriously great! Theyre cheaper than a lot of other custom jigs, and Mikes customer service is 2nd to none. Albeit in all the orders Ive placed, there was only on mix up. Mike fixed it immediately, and sent me free jigs for my trouble.

No I was being a little tongue in cheek. Lost one when a fish got wrapped in a laydown and got rocked on the other! Constantly hooked up on that jig this afternoon.

I mean I tried this new head color, left the house with 2 of them 3 hours and 12 bass ago and theyre both gone. Youd think 2 jigs would last longer than that! 4 more ordered today... This is Mikes new Copper Black head. Thats a Pumpkin Brown Orange dredge mata with brown rubber. Looks great with a perfection paca punch! Thanks Siebert Outdoors!

Love GB rattlesnakes! Never used the megatail though.

I used mine with 50lb braid and 15lb flouro and it worked MUCH better. With 30 and 12 I think youll be ok with an Alberto knot.

I bought a Perfect Pitch to pitch 1/2 oz jigs with. With 65lb braid and 17lb flouro,using an alberto knot, pitching is impossible. Hangs up more than 50% of the time in the guides. That being said, I love the rod too much to sell, so it has become my frog rod/straight braid jig rod. Its a great rod imo. As good as my DX's in these hands.

Ive got 65lb on 2 reels and after 4 months it is so soft and supple. Really great line. Well worth the money for my needs.

Frogs,Toads, and Sexy Dawg Jrs in Bluegill are my three confidence topwaters.

Yeah, hwg handles are really great. Ive got 6 straight, and I need 3 more to be where I want to be. Theres such a huge difference now when I pick up a reel that has a short (Shimano) handle.

Pretend theres a snare drum 2 inches above the water. Start your rod about 2 inches above that imaginary drum and try to tap it with your rod tip, immediately returning the tip to where it started. Its not a "sweep" at all, merely a tap, returning slack into the line immediately. I can walk frogs as well as spooks. It just took more time to learn to walk the frog.

Id call Ron at Valley Sports, and ask for pricing on a Curado I 5.5. Thats what Ill be doing shortly.

Actually, the exact opposite is true in my experience. When wacky fishing, I always buy salted finese works, or trick worms. And senkos are absolutely loaded with salt. If youre fishing t-rig or shakey, then salt = bad, in my experience.

Lemon Juice has worked for me. Just make sure you dont have any line cuts!

I wear straight columbia. It fits me well, and I like how it looks. Ive been outdoors my whole life. Ive watched a buddy die from skin cancer. I dont want to die that way. Hat Buff Long Sleeves Gloves Pants I wear socks and Nike running shoes that are super comfy. Here in South East Texas, this type of stuff keeps you cooler than shorts and a t shirt. By cooler I mean you can go 11 minutes without wondering why you arent at home in your a/c compared to 6.

Yum 7.5" Ribbontail in Plum has been my worm this year. Honorable mention to both the Thumper and Recon by Rage tail, they are tied for 2nd.