Drew03cmc

You still have to buy them.

On lakes, from shore, nope...not a crank in my box...as @Bluebasser86 can tell you, I'll toss a Wart from a boat.

Im pretty sure I asked how is it cheaper to make one...$8 for a pack of tails, $2 for swivels, 3 for CPS springs, that's $13 and I haven't bought a single Pad Crasher yet. It's not cheaper, but like was said, if it's more effective...so be it.

Honestly, any baitcaster and M rod should be able to cast that bait. A 5" Senko is 3/8 oz by itself.

I only toss them in the rivers, and then, its squarebills and DT4/6.

What worm? What hook? Also, I am in the minority here, but I don't like the Magforce braking system. I've been using my Spartacus and Spartacus Plus to fish weightless Trick Sticks on a 3/0 EWG. I can toss a Trick Worm on the same hook as well. If I'm using the latter, I have to be extra cautious with the thumb, but the Trick Stick, I can toss it to the moon.

I'm curious how is it cheaper to make one, $6 for a Pad Crasher, $8 for the Teckel tails, $2 for the swivels...to make several perhaps...

I must have missed the boat. What's the main difference? Where and when are they commonly used and gear recommendations?

@FishDewd, fish those weed edges and cast parallel to the bank, not out into the abyss. I'd use something weightless personally, then a frog or plopper if water allowed.

What line?

The reason you still use them, they still work. When I'm river fishing for smallies early or late in the year, I still use Tadpollies.

@FishDewd, In a pit lake, I've found you need to be able to locate suspending fish or find the shallow areas, like a flat on one end and fish those. That kind of depth will not hold fish. They will be shallower than 25 feet 90% of the time and less than 5 50% of that time, in my experience. The shallower, the easier to catch.

I have experienced that, but earlier this year. Lately, I've been fishing weightless stick worms, Whopper Plopper, Noisy Flapper, hollow frogs, swim jigs, soft swimbaits, etc. If you fish where the fish are, you'll find fish willing to play. They are going to be on the first major drop off from shore (I, too, shore fish) and when the sun isn't direct, they'll come on top of that drop off to chase bluegill or other prey. What I've been starting with is a topwater. If they hit, make notes about where they're hitting at and fish those areas slower if you missed. Some days I don't take anything but Trick Sticks and fish them weightless T-Rigged. They're hitting hard enough right now that an amateur can see or feel strikes.

Well, I went to a local pond last night for an hour...couple of bites, one I almost landed without a hook in him. He bit the tail of my Trick Stick and finally let go. I was about to head back to the car when I made one cast with a swim jig and came really close to a shoreline weed mat, watched a big bass swim out and inhale my jig. This fish was healthy, strong and pretty. One fish, but a nice one. After the rod measurement, I got 20"...estimated 4+#.

I've been living and dying by the weightless Trick Stick Texas rigged along weed edges. Nothing else seems to be enticing much for me.

Backpack, one 3700 box, one 3500 and a few bags of plastics...done.

I can't say enough about the Trick Stick. I have junebug, watermelon candy and spinach. The spinach is an interesting color and my bass locally love it. I fish them T-Rigged weightless on a 3/0 EWG and the slow, horizontal fall is what gets it hit, in my opinion. I also have Dingers, but have far more confidence in the Trick Stick.

Sharky II

Honestly, I try to use lower cost rods as I fish from the shore and in creeks. I value toughness, but still want some sensitivity. My rods range from Shimano, Abu, Castaway, Daiwa, Deep South and Lews. They all serve their purpose, but the Aird X is possibly my favorite. It's so light and sensitive that I can drop a cast wherever I want it. Right now it has a Spartacus on it. The Deep South Elite Tubes spinning rod I have is strong and sensitive, I'm a fan.

Casting 90/10. No doubt.

Ok, I'm wearing Buffs and don't like the constriction. I also have a full beard, so it's not ideal. More ideas please...

I'm just curious, why lakes? You're literally at the northern end of smallie heaven as far as I'm concerned...I'd never fish a lake with the exception of flood level waters if I lived there.

Well, this thing, so far, is a casting machine with a toad. I need to grab a popping frog to toss on it, but I love the thing so far. It has enough power to set the double toad hook I was using and to horse the fish over and through weeds. I'm tickled thus far.

Bass Pro is higher priced than anyplace else as well.

I was in Academy two days ago and found the clearance rack. They had a Castaway Pro Sport 7-3 Mag Bass rod marked $49. When the cashier scanned it, it read $8.98. I hurried home and put my Stealth with 30# braid on it, tied on a Noisy Flapper and went fishing. This rod casts amazingly. I hooked one fish just off the mats and had no issue getting him to shore. I'm curious, what is Mag Bass for power and how does it fall in line with M, MH, H, etc?