Big_Easy_Bassin

I’ve been bank fishing a local pond with heavy duckweed on the surface. In the past two days I’ve had 20 bass blow up on my frog, but they all seem to be hitting right behind it and missing the lure. I’ve been rotating between the new 6th sense frog, a terminator popping frog, and a LiveTarget walking frog, going back and forth between black and white. Anyone have any suggestions or changes I could make to get these fish to commit?

He’s looking to have a few squarebill rods built to keep multiple colors on the deck. He saw the moderate fast action and was thinking they might be a good fit. Might order a few and give them a shot. Maybe a medium power and a medium heavy.

Does anyone have any experience with the Get Bit graphite or color series? I had someone looking to get three or four rods built that were on the less expensive side and he mentioned possibly using these blanks. Thanks in advance for any help!!

Recently finished a personal build on a Rainshadow REVCB70ML. Great blank for 1/4oz or smaller lipless baits and small squarebills, but I’m not a big fan of the Forecast split reel seat I went with on a crankbait setup. I’m usually burning small lipless cranks over grass in shallow ponds, covering water, and making a ton of casts, and the split seat just isn’t comfortable for me. What reel seat would y’all recommend for comfort? FYI... I’m using a Daiwa Tatula 100 on this rig. I also have relatively small hands, so keep that in mind. LOL. Thanks in advance for any input.

I’ve heard good things about these guides. Currently using mostly Fuji KL guide trains... usually with Alconite rings. Anyone have any experience with the LZR’s for comparison? I know they’re supposed to be lighter. Just wanting to know how they compare as far as quality and when it comes to casting distance vs the KL’s. Thanks in advance

I’ve been building and repairing my own equipment for a little over a year and with all this time on my hands waiting to return to work I’ve picked up a a little extra cash doing repairs and upgrades for friends and family. A friend of a friend recently contacted me about building him a rod so it looks like I’ve picked up my first client. I started out with minimal equipment... the $80 MudHole kit with the cardboard hand wrapper, CRB rod dryer, basic tools, and one extra stand. It’s definitely done the job for me while I was learning, but it’s time to get some better equipment. I’ve upgraded a lot of my tools, but I’m wanting to get a new hand wrapper setup and a new dryer and stands. Something that I can use with a power wrapper if I decide to get one down the line. What are your recommendations? Thanks in advance for any advice. UPDATE.... Looking at the Batson line of equipment. Anyone have experience with their hand wrapper? And is the dryer any good?

Thanks for all the advice everyone! I’ve decided on a 5.5 Fuji F with the Alconite ring. Thinking the 5.5 will help cut down on leader knot stress when making long, aggressive casts with that whipping motion.

I think that might be a little heavy for his liking. It’s rated for 3/8-1oz. All of his current setups are 1/4-5/8oz or 1/4-3/4oz. He has been having issues with his knot passing through the tip top so I’m looking to build this one a little bigger but dint want to go too big. Do you use a line to line knot with a leader on it? Also... not sure that it matters but this will be a spinning rod Update: Just noticed the 843 model is rated 1/4-5/8oz.

I’m planning to build a popping cork rod for my dad for Father’s Day. He’s a diehard speckled trout fisherman. Starting out with a Rainshadow Revelation REVI70M. He likes to use 20# braid with a 12-15lb flouro or co-poly leader with a basic weighted clip on oval cork so he can adjust depth easily. He started using the FG knot recently, but I’m sure he goes back to the uni to uni if he has to retie on the water to save time. What size tip top would y’all suggest to pass that line to line knot through without having problems hanging up?

I bought an older model Tatula reel in 2014 and now I strictly use Daiwa reels. I prefer magnetic brakes and I’ve gotten used to Daiwa’s MagForce system. Plus they have a good price point and they last. I own a few of their rods as well. I have a ton of confidence in a lipless crank and I like a moderate action, but I wanted something on the lighter side so I can feel the vibration well on smaller lures. I may get the ML first and try it out and if it’s a little lighter than I want I can make that my jerkbait/popper rod

Those are the glass crankbait rods. I’m looking at the shallow cranking/jerkbait rods. TXT701MLRB and TXT701MRB.

Hoping that someone who has used the Daiwa Tatula XT Shallow Crank/Jerkbait rods can help me out. I’m looking for a new lipless crank rod. Was using a Falcon Bucoo Trap Caster (which I liked for 1/2oz traps), but it’s a little “heavy” for 1/4oz Rat-L-Traps and SK Red Eye Shads IMO... plus I just ordered a few new traps that are 3/16oz. I own quite a few Diawa rods and I feel like they normally run on the “lighter” side of the rating. Anyone have any experience with these? I’m trying to decide between the Medium and Medium Light power. Medium is rated for 1/4-3/4oz. ML is 1/4-5/8oz. Thanks in advance for some insight.

I found a 2001 model rebuilt 30hp mercury at a good price. It’s a tiller, but I’m planning on installing the factory conversion kit and changing it to remote steering.

This one didn’t originally have a console. It’s a flat bottom riveted jon. The guy I work with that I got it from built a little custom console and put it in the center. I’m sure it was intended to have a tiller steer lol

16x48. Sorry. Forgot to include that lol ?

I recently bought a late 80s model MonArk jon boat from a guy I work with. He had just rebuilt the trailer and put a 40hp Mercury 4 stroke on it, but he felt like the motor was too heavy so he bought another flat boat and put the motor on it. I picked it up for (more than likely) less than what the trailer was worth... couldn’t pass it up. Boat is in great shape. I’m trying to decide what hp motor I should put on it. It’s got a custom built center console and I’d like to put a remote steer motor on. Any suggestions?

The 1/4oz trap and 1/4oz RES are my go-to lures. I’m going to have to give the 1/8oz tiny trap a try

Big thanks to both of you guys for the help. Greatly appreciated ??

Anyone have any other options for a small lipless crank other than the 1/4oz RES or Rat-L-Trap? I’ve also tried the Booyah... just looking for some lighter rattle baits to try out in the ponds.

Really liking the idea of the REVCB70ML. I see it’s rated for 6-12lb line... would it be able to handle 14lb FC? Sometimes I like to go slightly heavier with a 1/4oz trap to keep it running a little higher in the water column

I probably should’ve mentioned that I was planning on building a casting rod lol. I actually have a “small crank braid” spinning rod that I built as practice with a 6’6” CRB ML-M. Turned out to be a great rod. Anyone have any experience with the Mudhole composites? I was just looking at the 6’11” M-M and a composite is something that interests me

Now that my rod building skills are improving, I’m looking to build myself a slightly higher end, technique specific rod... starting with my favorite technique. Small squarebills and lipless crankbaits. I’m currently using a Falcon Bucoo Trap Caster for this, but this rod will be specifically for smaller presentations and 1.0 size squarebills and 1/4oz Bill Lewis originals on 12-15# flouro are a little too light on that rod for my taste. Two Part Question.. 1. What blanks would you guys recommend for this? 2. As far as guide style goes... what would you go with?

That’s kind of where I’m at. I’ll start off with a black and blue jig w/ black and blue trailer and switch up to a GP trailer if I don’t get any bites. I will will say that sometimes I get caught up in my ADD/OCD mindset and worry about matching glitter lol. My personal favorite right now is Z-man’s spring pumpkin jig with a Junebug trailer. Light brown/orange jig with green glitter and the purple w/ green glitter. It just looks soooooo good.... and it’s been effective ??

Just wondering what everyone’s opinion is when it comes to jig trailers. When I first got into bass fishing, I always matched my trailer to my jig. After reading multiple articles and reading through forums, I’ve definitely changed it up. I personally like a contrasting color most of the time nowadays, especially when fishing a bladed jig. Just looking for some opinions on this topic.... What’s your preference? Do you change it up? ETC, ETC, ETC...

Definitely not looking to spend that much lol. Just came across a friend with a Lowe 1652 with a side console. He blew the motor and decided to go fiberglass so he’s trying to get rid of the hull and trailer.