FryDog62

For those of you that fish specifically for smallmouth - do you change out the hooks on your Whopper Plopper when in smallie waters? I heard someone say to use the same hook size only thinner wire. Do you agree, is it necessary, and if so what specific brand, size, gauge, etc?

Ok, I bought some Vanish... tried it out for 4-5 hours. Skipping plastics under docks - figured that would test its tensile strength and knot holding abilities. Had several hang ups on dock posts, cables, etc - and no line or knot failure. Check that box! Down side was a surprise to me though... I could hardly see the line above water. I thought that is where the line was supposed to excel. You skip a Senko or slow sinking fluke/tube under a dock you have to sometimes be able to see the line moving before you feel a bite. But the line was very hard to see above the water line. Will stick to either hi viz braid/leader or with Sunline Flipping Fluorocarbon with the intermittent sections of clear and high viz. Really starting to like the Sunline product - sinks, abrasion resistant, and no leader knots to tie/break... Like the 16 lb for many applications, wish they made 8-12 lb version too for lighter plastics like weightless Senkos. Vanish is back off the reel. I tried again anyway --

Agreed but Sniper is low viz... wish they offered a higher viz option like their flipping line.

I noticed the symbol circled in the picture is "red" on my Link remote -- even after I charge the boat batteries and remote batteries over night. Red is usually not a good sign, yet I've never lost power to anything. It doesn't say what this means in the manual. Anyone know?

What's your most common weight you use when T-rigging in and around weeds for largemouth? I've usually been using 1/4 to 5/16 oz when throwing various plastics (Pit Boss, Rage Bug, etc), but am feeling the need to go heavier... Depends on a lot of factors I know, but what's your formula?

It's funny when you have a bad product experience you never want to buy again even if the product changes considerably... So, I purchased a spool of Vanish Fluorocarbon when it first came out and I think gave it all of 30 minutes of knot breakage and rats nesting before throwing it all away in the boat launch garbage can. But I also hear how the product has been improved significantly and even if you didn't like it before you will now. Of course this comes from their marketing people... Anyone given it a fair shot since the latest improvements? I'd be open to reading some objective reviews before I consider wasting money on an inferior product again

I haven't but like the more economical route. Question is whether the color stays on the line very long?? Worth a try thx...

I know, sounds like an oxymoron, but in certain applications I might be interested in experimenting with a high viz fluorocarbon... or at least not a 100% clear line. What options are there (if any)? I have Sunline Flippin' fluorocarbon - which is clear but with a high viz section every 30 inches. Works great for skipping Caffeine Shads/flukes under docks (the line sinks, is abrasion resistant, no risk of leader knot failure, and just enuf viz to see line movement) but the smallest is 16 pound test. Anyone know of a higher viz fluorocarbon in 8-12 lb test? A few things I'd like to try with it in a lighter line...

Have had too many Alberto Knot failures this year - just switched to the FG knot. Practice it three times and you'll understand it and switch. Alberto sucks --

What are 6'-10" Medium/Fast casting rods (like the Shimano Exage or Duckett Triad) best used for? Senkos, wacky rig, other? Seems to be stuff normally served by a spinning rod... interesting size anyway --

I have a Daiwa Tat XT 7-4 Heavy Frogging rod for the 130. Same rod in 7-1 MH for the 110. I would not throw the 130 on the MH... but I would throw either the 110 or 130 on the Frog rod. Those lures throw like a big sinker (and work well too)

I fish the Mississippi and Rum quite a bit and a big smallie in current takes the right gear. I have always used Medium power rods. These fish know how to move with and against the current to make your job of landing them even tougher. They can spit the hook with the best of them. But that's what makes the challenge so fun!! I honestly have contemplated going to a Medium Heavy rod at times, especially when the current is strong. I personally think a Medium Light is simply too light and you're going to miss too many fish. The key in preventing the fish from hook spitting and line breaking is to keep the rod top high and the fish buttoned up - need a Medium power to do that effectively IMO.

I have a friend whose out there this morning with a guide... will let you know if I hear back from him in time. My guess is they throw plastics around the SE rock piles early but then spend most of the day drop-shotting in 20 fow.

I'd say a maybe on the Veritas. I see it's only rated to 1.5 ounces, but then again that was always the knock on the Veritas is that they are quite stiff and it might be closer to 2-3 ounces in reality. Will take a look, thx for the heads up! Probably will be other options out there too --

I agree that I wouldn't want want a noodle rod for this ... but I also don't want something as heavy as the Skeet Reese pole. I would use that for about 10 minutes and be done. Something stiff enough but a reasonable weight would be preferable. But not at $400 I think I'd wait for other options than the Legend. Maybe there'll be a Mojo version in a couple years ... or the long rod fad will be over by then anyway...

I was out on Waconia at sunrise yesterday and caught 2 within 10 minutes, then threw up a donut the next 4 hours. Night before my son had nothing until right at sunset. I think that's the pattern right now with 80 degree water temps - very early/late is good and in between ... meh

A knot won't damage the guides, but the guides can fracture a fluorocarbon knot over time. Best to re-tie after a day of use IMO. As far as how long the leader should be is personal preference - but in terms of least amount of wear - either tie a short leader that doesn't go through the guides, or according to "Knot Wars" if you tie a longer leader, it shouldn't be so long as to go past the first guide out from the reel (the biggest one). Reason being is you get most line slap between the reel and first guide. If you tie it just past that first guide the slapping and knot fatigue go down significantly.

I strung the 130 up on my frog rod - Daiwa Tatula XT 7'-4" Heavy XF and it worked great. To everyone's points above - it casts a mile and the hooks are DAM sharp. Only had to poke myself once to find that out -- So looks like I'll have to re-tie when I decide to use a frog or whopper plopper on this rod. Or, get lazy and blasphemously use a snap swivel

Thanks Rich, any idea on how much those rods weigh? I think that and balance will be the biggest issues in these longer rods...

Has anyone used this line or have the specs? All I was able to find online is the same brand in Mono. I was in the store yesterday and saw the Co-polymer version but it had minimal labeling/info and no clerk around to ask. I would be interested in the co-polymer composition and diameter. Does it really have a blend of fluorocarbon in it, does it float like mono or neutrally buoyant like other co-poly's (i.e. Yo-Zuri Hybrid), is it abrasion resistant to use around docks, is it thicker like many co-polys, Cabelas probably private labels this product - so who actually makes it...Seaguar, etc...?

Could be, but I actually thought 6.7 ounces was pretty good. I think my 7'-6" is 5.2 ounces and I'm sure the Skeet Reese telescopic rod had to be way over 10 ounces although I didn't weigh it.

I think that's the issue - the 130 weighs one and 3/8 oz and most MH rods are rated to 1 ounce.

I am dusting off the old loin cloth and ready for some pot-belly bass catching action as long as my side-kick Cheetah doesn't bring any bananas into the boat!!

Interesting, the rod I was thinking of using is a 7'-0" Tatula XT/Fast rated to 1 oz

Ok, now a 10 foot rod is 'legal' although I'm really not a tournament angler myself. So is it sportsmanlike to use a 9-10 foot rod (with a reel) in today's world...?