BrackishBassin

I second the Tatula CT. Got mine for $83, but that was a year or so ago now. Phenomenal reel. My original was a Black Max as well. First time you fish the new one, you’ll wonder how you stuck with the Black Max for so long. It’s literally a world of difference.

I’ve purchased three rods through Amazon. Only had an issue with one (broken tip), and I just returned it (for free) and bought a new one. Just be sure anything you buy has free returns, and you don’t have to worry about how they package it. Just send it back if it has issues.

The rod I throw my top waters on depends on the size of the bait. Smaller stuff (spooks, poppers, small whopper plopper) gets thrown on a medium fast. Bigger stuff (wake baits, buzz baits) gets thrown on a medium heavy fast. And the really big stuff (got some big inline buzz baits and wake baits) gets thrown on a heavy. I throw my frogs on a medium heavy, but I run straight braid on that one. Hope that helps! Basically, the size of the bait dictates the rod it gets thrown on.

Great advice to contact your State game wardens, but I would suggest going a step further. Instead of calling them, send them an email. Someone told me doesn’t hold up if something were to happen, but emails are actually legal documents. Anytime I need a record of something, I ask the individual to send me the information in writing through email.

My PB was caught on an Arashi wake crank in February (fish in the profile picture - 5.5lbs). Only fish I caught that day. Technically south of the Mason Dixon line, but our water freezes regularly. Throw it, you never know what might bite.

Short trips, I wear a baseball cap and a buff. Longer stuff, I wear a Tilly and a buff. The hat was pretty expensive, but it’s got a lifetime guarantee, and it floats.

I’m in a similar spot. My last three trips involved me throwing a bunch of different baits, but I always end up back on a chatterbait. It just seems to be the most effective bait for the particular piece of water that I fish on a regular basis. Other stuff works from time to time, but nothing has been anywhere near as effective as a chatterbait. So, I quit buying stuff and don’t plan to buy anymore...until I need some new chatterbaits.

Fishing from the bank is where the slip bobbers become essential. Especially if you’re dealing with any sort of trees or brush around you.

My advice is to measure your tackle boxes and then go buy a backpack that feels good on your back. As soon as it gets labeled as a “fishing” backpack, the price jumps up a ridiculous amount. There’s nothing special about a fishing backpack. Find a quality backpack that will hold your boxes sitting normally (upright) and use it. You’ll be more comfortable walking to and from your spots. Get one that fits you well enough, and you’ll be able to fish with it on your back without even thinking about it. I’m strictly a bank beater. Gave up on ‘fishing’ backpacks a long time ago, and I’m a happier man for it.

I’d suggest a Daiwa Tatula CT paired up with a Daiwa Aird X. You’d be about $10-20 over your budget, but I’ve loved mine.

I’m a really big fan of the Arashi crank wakes, or wake cranks, can’t ever remember the order right. Either way, they’re responsible for my PB. Best surface fishing lure I own, by far. Beats out everything else I’ve thrown by a huge margin.

My go to search bait has become a chatterbait. Full disclosure - I’m a bank beater. In the bodies of water I fish, it’ll get bit before anything else. So, I throw it until I catch a couple and then switch up to other baits to see if there is anyone else hanging around.

Short reply - spinnerbaits get no trailer, but they do get another hook, and I always fish my chatterbaits with a trailer. It helps keep them from getting bogged down in grass, which happens to be what I fish the most.

Understand and agree. Not looking for anything expensive, but I got mine off of Amazon and it’s no longer available. Looking at reviews there has gotten ridiculous. Half day an item is the best thing since sliced bread and the other half say it’s horrible. Just looking for what people are using day to day to keep themselves honest.

Nope. Not at 4 mile.

My PB (profile picture) was caught (in Maryland) in the middle of February on an Arashi waking crank. I just wanted to see what it looked like in the water and a big girl absolutely smoked it. My new rule of thumb is, they can’t hit it if you aren’t throwing it. So, why not give it a shot?

I had the same issue when I gave them a shot. Quite a few blow ups and zero fish. Went back to a ‘regular’ hollow body and had much better luck. Maybe smaller fish taking a shot at it that wouldn’t normally mess with a frog that size? Don’t know what the issue is, but I really want mine to work. It’s like a whopper plopper that I can toss into the middle of a field of lily pads. It comes through them great, but that doesn’t do me any good if I can’t catch a fish. Would be interested to see if others had similar experiences.

Long story short, I lost my electronic scale to a catfish a couple of weeks ago, and the one I bought is no longer available. What are you guys using to weigh your fish? Thanks!

Sure thing! It wasn’t a confidence bait for me until I accidentally went out one trip without any of my other moving baits (forgot I’d swapped out my gear to fish saltwater). But I did have my two chatterbaits with me (rockfish and drum love them), so I threw it when I wasn’t catching anything on my soft plastics. Turns out, it’s what they wanted. I’ve thrown it a bunch since then, and I usually get a hit within 30 minutes, if they’re going to go for it. I’m constantly moving though, since I’m a bank beater. It’s one of my go to baits due to the amount of underwater vegetation in the ponds and lake I fish. Underwater trebles are just asking to get hung up every cast.

It really depends on what the fish want. I start out with a straight retrieve. If they don’t want that, I throw some pauses in. Let it drop for a second and then start it up again. I’ve had decent luck with that one. They seem to hit it right as it starts back up. If that’s not working, I’ll try yo-yoing it back to me. Sometimes I let it hit bottom, but most of the time I don’t since I fish from the bank. If none of those three are working, I switch to something else. My experience with chatterbaits has been that if they want it, they slam it. I’ve never fished it and only caught one on it. It’s either multiple fish or they won’t touch it at all.

Muddy water - throw a chatterbait. Most will say chartreuse and white, but I’ve had my best luck throwing a bluegill color chatterbait with a black and blue trailer (usually a craw or creature). Caught everything from bass to yellow perch to a snapping turtle.

I’ve thrown them successfully on braid and mono. If I’m fishing heavy grass, then I throw them on braid. Otherwise, I stick with the same 12lb mono I throw all of my other moving baits on.

Don’t get me wrong. They make great sunglasses. I just choose not to support vertical monopolies. I’ve owned two pairs from them, but both were purchased before they got bought out. I’m not a big fan of glass near my eyes. I’ve had too many weights whip past my head to take that sort of chance. I recently bought a pair of Wiley X. They’re cheaper than any pair of Costas I’ve owned, and the optics are just as good. You ever given them a shot? They actually test each pair of lenses for optical clarity before they install. Quite a bit of their business comes from the police/military, so they can’t afford to put out sunglasses that distort your vision. I also like the fact that I don’t need to switch them out for safety glasses when I’m running power tools or at the range. They handle everything I need them to.

Whatever you decide on, I’d encourage you to avoid the big conglomerate owned companies (i.e. Costa, Oakley, Native, etc.), and go with one that’s privately owned. Those of us that wear prescription glasses will thank you for it.

Lots of great info on tying an FG knot. https://www.saltstrong.com/articles/how-to-tie-the-fg-knot/ It does take some practice, but you are correct. The larger the braid and smaller the diameter of the leader, the hard it is to tie correctly. Personally, I’ve never tried using it with anything heavier than 30lb braid. Fish here aren’t super line shy, in my experience. So, I just use leaders to save money or if I want some give with whatever I’m fishing (e.g. crankbaits or topwaters that aren’t a frog).