Turkey sandwich

The drop shot flipping stick sounds pretty crazy. How large of a weight do you need to toss that thing? I'm still newish to drop shot fishing, and correct anything that seems wrong, but I've found a few things: - thin diameter line is huge, be it dealing with line shy fish, or being able to get good casting distance/accuracy with a spinning combo. - fast or extra fast tips make feeling the bottom and the strike a lot easier. Sometimes it's a pretty light "hit" - most places I've fished it have needed a light weight (less than 1/4 oz, typically 1/8) to get it down, but still allow me to feel the bottom. Also, to prevent the fish from feeling the weight, the lightest weight possible seems ideal to me. I just switched from using a med fast 7' premier, to a 6'9" AvidX med light x- fast and he difference was immediately noticeable.

For $100, it's tough. I started with a cheap baitcaster and an Ugly Stick, and really grew to hate that baitcaster. My suggestions - buy the best reel you can afford and spool it with something that has very low memory (buy a decent braid over 20#, if you can swing it). It's ok to have a cheap spinning reel so long as it doesn't fray line and the drag doesn't stick. Baitcasting is different. I liken baitcasters to fly rods - a bad one can ruin your day. Any of the used options you've heard above (for reels) are good options. If I were to start again tomorrow, I'd be looking for a used Curado/Chronarch/Revo etc rather than a brand new $60 reel. Braid will make backlashes fewer and easier to pick out (I use Suffix 832)without damaging the line compared to mono which can kink. So if you go cheap, go cheap on the Rod. Just make sure I isn't totally wippy with no backbone and you'll be fine. If you can shake up an extra couple of dollars, you can look into some of the more technique oriented Cabelas rods that are in the $40-$80 range.

Thanks. I was wondering the same thing. I've been on rivers this year and haven't fished a c-rig in a while. You felt better sensitivity with the flouro (that stretches) vs the braid? Any issues with abrasion resistance with the braid?

I use Hybrid as leader material, and like it a lot for certain applications. I use 12#, but as stated above, it's diameter is thicker than most 12# line (closer to 15#). That said, it's breaking strength is probably comparable to 17#. Pros: very strong, excellent knot strength, very high abrasion resistance, low visibility, it stretches, cost, and it lasts (I've had spools last years - they were kept in a dark, dry place) Cons: it retains some memory, it's stiff, it doesn't cast as well as braid/most limp monos (ex. Trilene XL/limp flourocarbons (Invisex), and it stretches I fish rivers a lot, using it as a leader, and I really don't worry much about boulders, riprap, trees, etc.

If $300 ish is your budget... The above post on the Loomis rods is a good start. Those are great rods, and if you can find them used, even better. I'm a St Croix guy, and everything I've handled or fished with an SCIII blank or better is super responsive. At that price point, Legend Elites are great rods. Someone who's a Daiwa guy, will tell you to look at the Steez. It's all preference. Learn what you like.

Conditions determine order.

Go to a store where you can actually check them out and feel them for yourself. Any $300+ Rod is going to be a great rod. It really just becomes a matter of taste. Do you like micro guides? Cork/foam/other? What do you currently own (manufacturer)?

That's the catch 22 with those shows. The goal is to provide entertainment to help push product. Luckily, we have he Internet and you can find almost anything on YouTube, including how-to videos and classic fishing shows. I dig th bassresource's channel a lot, but there are a ton of others, too (Lake Fork Guy, Jeff Little, tackle Warehouse's channel. Etc)

Bingo, slonezp. A $10 hammer and a $50 hammer will both pound nails. A $10 screw driver or a $35 screw driver, the same. However, if you try to pound nails with a screw driver or turn screws with a hammer, you're in for a long day.

As a Bills fan, I know your pain. This offseason has not been good for 49ers fans.

It does. Different species are comfortable/adaptive to different ranges. I want to say this stuff gets covered in Al Lindner/In-Fisherman's Strategies books, and makes sense. Too high or low can stress fish. That said, it's probably what I'm least concerned with in most cases when trying to locate fish. Things like food, oxygen content, water temp, structure, all come first.

It's been posted everywhere, but if you want to try microguides, St. Croix has Rage Rods on sale in the bargain bin for essentially half off at $89. Great blank, unique grip, and microguides. It looks like they're upgrading their Mojo line to replace it and selling off stock.

I don't have a ton of experience fishing below the thermocline. The way that I've understood it, that despite the colder water, it typically holds less oxygen than the warmer water above it due to the lack of vegetation and the decomposition process eating up oxygen, at least in lakes at aren't crystal clear.

Just walked out of Tackle Direct's showroom in South Jersey. They're matching St. Croix's bargain bin pricing!

There's no perfect answer (that I've found, anyway). Fish tend to be more lethargic (for any number of reasons - change in water temp, full from eating heavy before the front, the shear will of Neptune...) and will often hold tighter to cover or go a little deeper. Strategies that sometimes work: - note where you marked fish and fish the closest drop off/break or go further into the cover. - finesse options fished slower like shrinking lure size, throwing smaller plastics, digging out the drop shot - I have a friend who would swear by dead sticking - another option might be trying to find deeper fish that were less effected. All of that having been said, it's your first tournament, try to learn and have fun. It can get tough trying to rethink everything you've done, while littering the deck with every lure you own. Try what feels best and see if you can find any sort of pattern. Either way, ask questions at the dock after the tournament/if it's a club, at your next meeting and see what you can learn. Good luck, and have fun!

That's definitely an improvement. I still favor a $40 Shimano spinning reel.

That was what prompted me to pick up a pack. I'm going to try and be creative with them on the river and hope for better results.

As for light jigs under 1/4 oz, I'd throw them on a Medium fast/X-fast. The MH isn't my go to Rod for throwing weightless plastics, jigs under 1/4 oz, or weightless flukes. That's where the medium comes in.

I've got it. The tip is definitely an extra fast tip and the Rod definitely isn't a noodle. I like it for jigs, T-rigs/C-rigs, and some times as a spinnerbait Rod. The micro guides are pretty micro, and I have mixed feelings about them, but overall I really like the Rod and actually kinda dig the handle.

I disagree about the ease of use/practicality of a spin caster, and the reasons why mostly have to do with you not being a beginner attempting to learn and teach other beginners. If you need to open up a reel, oil it, or replace pieces, you know where they go. For a beginner, it's like opening a jack in a box. Still, those are great fish, spin caster or not. I don't think I've had a spin caster in over 25 years, and definitely don't remember catches like those coming from it. My "fondest" memories consisted mostly of it being a birds nest under the hatch and when it wasn't the drag feeling like it was mocking me in morse code.

Has anyone fished these in current, possibly with a nail weight to add to the heavier tail section? Like every smallmouth fisherman, I'd love a helgramite immitation that doesn't suck and noticed that it's retreating action almost looks like a helgramite trying to swim to the bottom to burry itself. Has anyone played with this idea?

I've been catching a a lot of fish matching the hatch and throwing sexy Shad/chartreuse Shad anywhere where I know bass are feeding on alewifes, and perch patterns where they've been feeding on perch. Fat free Shad/fry/fingerlings have been solid, as have DT6s. My best of the year (so far) was 18.75" and just under 4lbs on a fat free fry.

Sling packs or backpacks can be clutch. A decent 7' MF or 7' MLF Rod will cover most of what you'll be throwing on the river for smallies. I like a backpack if I need to carry lots of gear, but if I know the patterns I'll be fishing, something smaller like a shoulder bag or sling work. Lures I tend to not leave home without: 2.5-4" grubs in the standard colors, 3-4" tubes in the standard colors, a few spinnerbaits in natural (Willow) and dark colors (Colorado), crank baits that'll run up to 6"-1' deeper than the water I'm fishing in natural colors, Skitterpops, spooks, extra jig heads (1/16th-1/4 oz), rattles, and extra leader line if I'm spooled with braid. The extras: scissors, nail clippers, super glue, tape measure, forceps/pliers.

That's awesome! Sounds like a great experience! I remember foul hooking a 40"er on 8lb mono. Trying to net it and not break off was a circus. I could imagine your neighbor's pain on a 50"er that could easily have been 35-40lbs.

The notes above about keeping fresh water and salt separate are a good idea. The salt water (and the fish you'll likely be catching) will beat up most inexpensive combos. 1 piece rods will offer better sensitivity, but they aren't a deal breaker for a beginner, especially if 5'6-7' rods cause transportation issues and keep you off the water. I like spinning gear because the kids will get more miles out of it than a closed push-button, and if they take to fishing, they'll out grow the push button within a few years where as they'll always have spinning gear. The important thing is learning the basics and keeping the kids on fish so they don't get too bored.