FryDog62

I have bought $50 rods like Abu Garcia Vengeance and Daiwa Aird from Tacklewarehouse which qualifies for free shipping... and have it sent to my destination. Then pack my reels with me. Cost me $50 but I saved mailing a rod 2 ways. In one case, I left the rod with the relative I was visiting so I’d have it next time I’m in town - and the other time I gave the rod to a kid on the nearby fishing pier. Made his day and mine...

First, I prefer graphite rods with a moderate or regular action, paired with fluorocarbon or even mono. I believe this combination has enough “give” when working through weeds and/or setting the hook and keeping fish pinned. Glass rods just don’t do it for me - they lack sensitivity to feel weeds/bottom and seem “numb” to me on retrieve. A couple very good bladed jig options Under $200 are: •iRod Stone Cold bladed jig rod 7’2” MH Moderate-Fast $150 •Tatula Elite 7’2” Howell MH Regular $180 Other more expensive graphite rods that have been mentioned above are the Diablo and Expride. Buddies that use them and very high on them. They too, switched over from glass rods and are very happy.

Correct, the differentiator with the Caffeine Shad over standard flukes and the Rattler vs. standard worms is the air/bubble tail... for me at least make them game changers..

Assuming you don’t have any 5 inch Caffeine Shads, or 5 inch Airtail Rattlers... but if so I’m interested... thx Tom

I’m a big fan of the Cover Pop. I actually think it walks very easily and like the fact every 3-4 turns it pops too. Adds a dimension other topwater lures don’t have. It’s best around high percentage spots where you know the right presentation will get bit. For long shorelines in search mode, I stick to either a Whopper Plopper in open water, or a Buzzbait around cover. That being said I have caught more fish in the past 3 years on the Cover Pop 3:1 over any other topwater lure.

I had a Reata for 3 years. Nice boat but better as a family cruiser, tubing boat. If you walleye fish/troll I think its good for that too. As a Bass/Muskie fisherman, I did not care for it at all. High freeboard, windshield always in the way, small front deck. Frustrating experience to flip, skip, jerkbait, walk-the-dog, retrieve frogs, roll-cast, lay rods out on the deck, play/lip bass at the side of the boat, etc. I switched to a Pro-V Bass and couldn’t be happier... Great for multi-species fishing, the XS version has flip up seats for 4 people and you could actually tube with it if you wanted. Slone’s Predator would work well too. But if you want the family cruiser/walleye boat - the Reata is a quality option, just not for me..

I always offer my boat or theirs. I’ve been known to open up my tackle bins for anything they want to use... haven’t fished in anyone else’s boat in 3+ years !!

Here’s the Full Monty - all the storage in the Lund PVB is the reason I have a hard time considering any other boat!

Here you go - -

“When not to fish for bigger bass?” I guess only if I’m fishing an MLF tournament... ?

Yes, I was a little surprised as well - but I think when casting standard weight lures (i.e. 3/8-1/2 oz jig, chatterbaits, etc) the Tatula Elite outcasts anything I've ever used by 20%+.

I've experimented with 3 baitcasting reels to get best distance with ultra-light lures like a Ned or 1/8 ounce hair jig: Daiwa Alphas SV Steez SV TW Tatula Elite (non-SV spool but has TW) I've experimented with 7 lb Sniper but have pretty settled in on 20 lb Sufix 832 braid + flouro leader. Splitting hairs to a degree but I would say the Tatula Elite gets the farthest distance of the three reels, and surprisingly really no difference in terms of adjusting to prevent backlash on typical casts. However, the Steez is fairly close (maybe 10% less distance) and if I'm skipping anything weightless, the nod goes there in terms of preventing backlash. I like the regular Tatula SV TW and have it on several rods, but I think the above 3 reels would perform even better with ultra light lures. Yes, the Phenix Feather 7'1" MLF is a great rod, although I've also experimented same lures with my 7'1" NRX MXF 852. Both work great for light lures presentations... not as much difference as the price would indicate.

Anyone throw light 1/8 oz hair jigs on a baitcaster? I’ve been using a 7’1” MLF Phenix Feather and Tatula Elite. Works reasonably well, especially the reel. If anything, I wish the rod were a bit longer. Any recommendations?

Primary issue will be feedback between the different units and if the static cancels any gain...

https://www.juicebaits.com/store/p5/5"_Stick.html Juice baits 100 for $25 can’t beat it and they work ?

Yes, its short and sweet now... but I still like reading it. When I'm done, I keep it on the foot stool... uh, I mean "ottoman" in our living room to offset my wife's usual fu-fu reading materials that are kept there.

“the issue of sticking the line tag through the wrong way” I believe it was Berkley that did a study on several knots but found running the tag the wrong way at the end of the knot was 99% of the reason for failure on the Alberto. Tied right it was always a top finisher in “Knot Wars” competition. However, it was also the knot that failed most often and maybe not coincidentally the only knot where finishing the tag correctly in a particular way was absolutely critical. I have done this too myself where I SWEAR I ran the tag back through the loop correctly - only to watch the lure sail off with the leader a couple casts later and nothing left but the remnants of a mis-tied, curly-cue knot that I had tightened down like a vice.

The aforementioned lakes for smb are very good, for lmb try Ruth, Emily of Kego. A bit of a drive, but usually produce numbers and a few bigguns ?

Dobyns 734c Champ? the Classic swim jig rod...

Whaletail not only has a large pike population but if you read the DNR report, many of them are quite skinny/sickly from malnutrition. That’s why they hit about everything and it’s hard to catch bass sometimes. Here’s one I caught a couple years ago, a day I lost about $60 in lures to bite-offs so I rarely go any more. Big heads, small bodies..

I think the above reels could work well for lures 1/4 oz or heavier. Lighter than that there are better options but more expensive than your stated range.

Or spend more time in the “shoulder” seasons in Colorado when the fishing is good there but the season is closed in Minnesota...

Not out of the question... I could probably do it job-wise. How much quality bass fishing is there in the winter in Co?

Lowell Ponds?

Small, 1/4 oz or less you can use Daiwa Alphas SV or Steez SV TW to do about anything finesse: Ned, Neko, weightless Wacky, drop-shot, etc. Mid-Weight (3/8 oz or more) and/or skipping Tatula SV TW works for about anything. Great for Flippin’ and pitching too. If throwing anything else that you need long distance, especially lighter/high profile lures like Spinnerbaits buzzbaits jerkbaits, use Tatula Elite. It casts a mile...