Looking for the big one

7 pounds on a jackhammer, another PB for 2020. Been able to get out on the kayak a lot more with online school.

Got out one the kayak Wednesday on a local lake that I hadn't fished in a while- water's still cold there cause it's coming from under a dam, so the fish are still pre-spawn and chowing. The lake has a ton of carp in it that muddied up the water a good bit, which I think actually helps the reaction bite in a addition to really strong spring winds. Wednesday I threw a spinnerbait around wood, which is the main cover on this lake. The Booyah Covert in the JC special color has become my favorite in muddy water. After getting the skunk off the boat with about 10 fish on the spinnerbait I decided to reach for the swimbait rod, still fishing around the same laydowns, and a couple minutes later my Mattlures Ultimate Gill got crushed by this fish: Sadly I didn't have my scale because it was in the car that my dad had taken to work that morning, but I'd guess that fish was every bit of 6 pounds. She tore up my Mattlures pretty bad (the plastic used on that bait is SUPER soft and tears ridiculously easily) so I decided to retire that bait for the day before I lost the tail. Switching back to the spinnerbait I just kept running the bank, and ran into this fish about 10 minutes later. Ended Wednesday on that fish as a high note, but just had to go back and check it out again yesterday. Decided to throw a Jackhammer this time around to change up from throwing a spinnerbait at the same fish, and then momma decided she wanted to play. I had my scale this time, and she was 7.05 making it another broken PB for 2020. Coronavirus has definitely let me get out on the water more this spring and it has been my best year of fishing yet. I can officially say I'm stuck on the jackhammer train now too, so pray for my wallet

Got my new pb this weekend on a highly pressured clear mountain lake- 6.6 on a neko rigged watermelon red trick worm. Tough fight on the Orochi XX Whipsnake with a tiny mosquito hook, she was just barely hooked on the outside of her bottom lip. I saw her in two feet of water just cruising around and backed off in the kayak. I made a long cast and after a couple hops I felt her, set the hook and my drag started screaming. She high tailed it for deep water and got into some submerged trees, and I thought I lost her for a bit, but I just kept pressure and eventually worked her out. With how my years been so far (in terms of fishing) I'm stoked for the rest of 2020!

I normally wouldn't want to be fishing these techniques on the same rod as I generally like a M for shaky heads and a ML for dropshot. A good medium rod can work for both though, but you'll have to back off the drag with the drop shot. Anywhere around 7" is the length you are probably looking at. A 2500 size reel would be my preference with 10-15 lb braid mainline and a 6-10 lb fluoro or mono leader. Lews and Abu are solid companies that make pretty nice rods, but knowing what to recommend really depends on your own personal price point. The most light and sensitive rod you can afford is what I would recommend for these light line techniques.

Ditch the 8lb leader, you are asking for a breakoff with a MH rod and 40lb mainline. If you are set on a leader I would at a minimum go with 12 lb fluoro or mono, and with that setup you could throw a huge variety of baits- spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, texas rig, jig, swimbait... Really almost anything. Choosing what you are going to throw should be more reliant on how you intend to fish rather than the rod and reel you are using.

https://www.tackledirect.com/daiwsstourse.html it is available in a 700 size and it does not have a rear drag. I have the SS1300 and it was my main spinning reel for several years before I bought a Stradic Ci4+ 2500. There's no doubt that the SS is a very well made reel and definitely has stood the test of time, but its missing alot of the technology that makes new reels so much more enjoyable to fish imo. I enjoyed the SS but the Stradic is light years ahead in my opinion- the reel is lighter, the drag is much smoother, and it is much smoother on the retrieve. The lack of instant anti reverse isn't a major issue for me but is something that I do notice and prefer when I am fishing with modern reels. At $100 the newer Daiwa BG or Fuego LT is a much better option.

Anyone tried these? I picked up a pack, took them on the water, and was very impressed. I've been using Yamamotos but at nearly 8$ a pack they start adding up quickly. These are nearly a perfect Senko imitation but around 3$ less per pack. They're loaded with salt and have a slot for texas rigging. Considering the price I think these will be replacing all of the 5" green pumpkin and black and blue senkos I've got.

I have had the same issues with eye inserts after only a day on the water with 40 lb braid on the 7’3” H. In my opinion the Tatula series is one of the best values for rods right now along with lots of rods at the 100$ price point. The Fuego was light and plenty sensitive but I can’t recommend it after seeing so many people that have had broken guides.

I’ve fished both and the Ci4+ in my opinion just feels smoother and more refined than the LT series. Having fished with several LT reels I’d say the best bang for your buck is the Fuego, I couldn’t notice any differences between it and the Tatula LT in my limited time using them both. I’d go with a Fuego if I were going to let a Co-Angler be using it.

^this- That model is probably designed as a jerk bait and topwater rod with a fast tip that may give way to less backbone deeper in the blank for treble hooked baits. I experienced similar issues trying to set the hook with a 6’10” M Shimano Curado Rod on Texas rigged plastics. Looked it up and that rod is designed for jerkbaits and topwaters which makes sense because it doesn’t have the backbone of a Jig or Worm rod. Now I found I could still use the rod for finesse jigs with light weedguards and lighter wire hooks, but I reel down and hit them hard with the hook set too. I think the extra length of the 7’1” M would be better suited for light Texas rigs, but you might want a MH if you’re going to be fishing heavier cover or with heavier hooks/weights. edit: just checked St. Croix website and the 6’8” M is listed as a jerkbait rod while the 7’1” M is the plastics rod in the LTB series.

New Froggin Combo- Tatula 7’4” H with a Tatula SV XS and 50 lb PowerPro. The slightly more moderate give that the rod has is nice and I feel like it should work well for big treble hook baits. The SV is probably a nicer reel than needed for frogging but I’m working on my skipping abilities with it.

new finesse combo- Orochi XX Whipsnake, Stradic Ci4+ 2500 and 15 lb Daiwa J-Braid. Really liking it for Neds, wacky and Neko rigs. I imagine it will be good for dropshotting and small poppers or jerkbaits. Also pictured is my new favorite topwater, the Duo Pencil 110. Bait casts a mile and walks beautifully. Fish love it.

I’ve done a couple trips on North Georgia herring lakes that fish very similarly. Those fish up shallow can be really smart, if you see them you’re probably too close. Weightless 6” senkos casted from a distance are good for those big shallow largemouth. Also you can try to make them react to a big topwater like a Shower Blows or Duo Pencil 110. They seem to really like erratic walk the dog baits. Chatuge has lots of big spots in it that will follow herring all around the lake. Underspins and flukes work well for them, and if they’ve hunkered down in brush lots of guys will move to a dropshot or shaky head. In the summer it really helps to get out in the morning while fish are most active and you can get them corralling bait shallow.

A couple nice spots on a neko rigged Zoom Trick Worm. First went 3.2 and the second 2.8

Hey everyone, I’ve been using a lot of Ned rigs and 4” senkos recently and could really use an upgrade from my current rod. I’ve narrowed it down to either an Orochi XX Whipsnake or the Destroyer Addermine. Having used the Whipsnake, I want to know if the Addermine is worth the extra money and if it will throw the same lures despite being a half power heavier? I intend to pair it with a Stradic Ci4+ 2500 and can’t decide between 8 lb fluoro or 10 lb braid. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated, thanks.