IndianaFinesse

Is this for the same video you were planning on making a few months ago when you put this same topic up?

It really depends on the conditions, and where exactly you are fishing, etc. We really can't help much without knowing some more info. That rod is very versatile, and is probably a good rod especially for topwater and larger jerkbaits, and maybe some jigs and Texas rigs.

Good point, I have only tried one quantum and it was and entry level model. So maybe they have better models, but the one I've used didn't even compare to my black max.

Choose whichever brand feels best for you, the only bad experiences I've had with baitcasters is with Quantum. The Quantum I have is junk, forever breaking, horrible braking system, and can't throw anything under 1/2 ounce. The only thing it's good for is whopper plopper 130's, I won't risk using it for heavy swim baits cause it often backlashes, which sends the lure flying off. At least with the whopper plopper I can just go after it, which I have had to do several times.

Booyah baby boo jigs, in either the 3/16 or 5/16 ounce sizes depending on wind and depth. And if you really want something tiny, get some 1/16 ounce Kaharaba jigs, they are a little smaller than a half dollar coin.

I have used them, and while I do use them on occasion they are much harder to cast and less versatile. They seem to do well once the bass have seen a lot of 2.5 inch zinkerzs and want something different with a slower fall. The downside like I mentioned is they don't cast very far, but I see them being deadly in small streams for smallies. I over all prefer half of a zinkerz, by far, but they are good to have as another option.

You can, but why spend 10× the amount of a spinning combo on a high end baitcaster? I would recommend using a spinning rod instead, a cheap medium lite powered fast action rod between 6'-7'. You don't need sensitivity for the ned, since you are using a no-feel retrieve. I used to use an ml/f 6'10" Abu Garcia villain for my ned rod, but now I have switched over to a medium powered (it fishes like a medium lite) fast action 6'6" vortex. I prefer the vortex over the villian (for the ned rig, not other techniques), even though the villain retails for $200 and the vortex only cost $13.

Florida, Texas, and California arguably have the biggest bass in the country, thanks to Florida strain bass, which originated in your area.

That's how I feel about soft plastics in general.

I bet, shipping in general is painfull. That's why I almost always reach the minimum amount for free shipping, then I tell myself I'm saving money by buying more tackle. Just got a shipment in from l.a.n.d big f.I.s.h, that 20% off and free shipping got me. Bought 75$ worth of stuff for 50$, some bubblegum trick worms, finesse trick worms, 1/16 ounce owner ultraheads, 5/16 ounce pumpked ed heads, a rapala sub walk, a #5 and #8 shad rap, a pack of GYCB Kut tail worms, a bandit 100, and a culling kit.

Although the ugly stik is not a popular rod on these forums, that is largely because many of the members have been fishing and collecting tackle for there entire lives. So, many of us have spent enough time fishing that many people have upgraded to insanely high end gear, making most low end tackle seem junky when compared to the $300+ rods and reels that a lot of people own. Seriously, this is an addiction and you to will one day be spending large amounts of money on the latest and greatest, weather you need it or not. I still have an ugly stik that I use for buzzbaits and whopper ploppers, and while it is not the most sensitive stick on the planet it does its job. If people could catch big bass fifty years ago on fiberglass and steel rods, than I think you could do just fine with an ugly stik, which is lite years ahead of what they had back then.

That's priced like Brett Hite himself hand made it, let us know if it works for you. Didn't even know they made chatter baits that expensive.

2500 size for most everything.

The current line is probably old and weak, and should be respooled. I would recommend taking it apart and cleaning/oiling just in case, a little dirt in the wrong place can a wear a reel out fast, plus it will enhance the reel's performance once cleaned and oiled. I clean and oil all my reels every year.

Unfortunately frog fishing is not very flexible when it comes to line choice, its heavy (30+lb.) braid or nothing. Mono and flouro are to stretchy for good hooksets with thick frog hooks, and not strong enough to pull big bass out of the pads. What I did was buy a dirt cheap setup strictly for frogs, the whole combo only cost me $40. Sensitivity is not important for frogs, so cheap rods will catch just as many frog fish as an nrx.

There is obviously a difference between the neko and Texas rigs, and I do occasionally use the neko rig, but I tend to stick with the basics. I spend most of time throwing half of a zinkerz on a mushroom head or smaller shaky heads (I am also fond of downsizing everything, finesse jigs, 1/4 ounce frogs, plus tiny cranks and topwaters, I throw standard stuff just downsized), but I haven't got into all of the latest new "rigs", many of which are only slight rigging modifications. An example would be the damiki rig, just looks like a jig head and small fluke type bait fished vertically to me. The "ned" rig (I use the Ned at least 70% of the time, maybe more), shaky head, wacky rig, and occasionally a drop shot, cover most of my finesse needs, so I try not to complicate it to much by rotating through ten different rigging modifications. Part of the reason is i don't really think the bass care about things like that, so I choose to spend more of my time experimenting with speed and depth. But for guys that can rotate between a dozen different finesse rigs successfully without getting distracted from the most important controls, have at it.

Never tried the "chicken" rig before. I've always subscribed to the "it's better to do a few things well than everything not so well" theory. And I don't see any advantage over a weedless wacky rig or Texas rig, so I don't plan on using it either.

Yes, I can relate, and no, you are not the only person that can't stop thinking about fishing and buying tackle. Welcome to the club, it sounds like you have already made an aquantance with the bait monkey.

I would disagree with the fist part, but not the second. You should never have to use anything heavier than 3/32 oz, but I very rarely use it in favor of the 1/16 ounce size. I completely agree with Clayton, clear water is not necessary (or even beneficial IMHO) for the ned rig. I do best with it in lightly stained water, and catch a lot of fish in only five or six inches of visibility. I like to use coppertruse in muddy water, or if there is smallies around, but Ned kahde prefers junebug. I actually don't tend to do very well in very clear water with the ned, possibly because there tends to be more weed growth in clear water.

Seriously, a buzz blade? That puny buzzbait blade is not going to keep that big, useless piece of plastic on the surface. That is the most gimmicky, overpriced fishing "lure" that I have ever seen. For that much money you could get a really good swim bait, like a Bull Shad.

I agree with ajay on trying a different area, my suggestion is that you move a bit deeper. It doesn't always have to be way offshore either, just pulling off the shoreline to the first dropline is often all it takes. Right now they are off of main lake points (last week before the cold front the were just inside coves) and at the openings of coves in the 10-20 foot depth range schooled up alongside the crappie. Next week once the water warms up a little I expect the bass to start moving shallower, probably just inside the coves but off of the banks a little. Look for coves near the wintering areas, with a defined channel running through them. Jigs are good this time of year, but until the water temperature hits 50 again winter baits seem to work well also. Lately I've been catching them on a shaky head and a four inch finesse worm, ned rig, jerkbaits, and some on the dropshot fished vertically in deep water. Just remember, the bass are still moving slowly and the biggest bass even more so.

Had one guy do almost the exact same thing to me once (actually twice, but the first time I "accidentally" casted and yanked some cheap and sharp cranks into his anchor rope) he apparently wanted us to get out of that area so he started circling around my boat with his outboard motor, over and over. So I took a quick pic of him clearly motoring within 15 feet of me (this is on a lake that has a 50' minimum distance), and sent it to a security guy I know on the lake. Long story short the guy was given the boot by the security officer and a written warning.

Just rotate the bait, so that the hook is coming out of a different part of the zinkerz. And after one end gets to torn up to use, just flip it around and attach the "tail" to the jig head. It doesn't matter which side of the zinkerz is attached to the jig head. I have only completely worm out one half zinkerz, after it had caught 108 bass. After catching that many bass it is well worth the 40¢ I paid for it, and deserves retirement.

I would recommend trying half of a zinkerz instead of the TRD (attached to a 1/16 ounce mushroom head) they are so much softer and have a better wiggle in the water. But both work great, as a finesse fisherman I think you will appreciate the massive numbers of bass you can catch on the "ned" rig. It might even earn a place alongside your wacky rig and drop shot.

My recommendation is to leave the fish ID symbols turned off, with a little practice you will be able to more accurately interpret the data than the helix (or any other depth finder) can.