Glaucus

That's a hard budget, if I'm being honest. Berkley Lightning rods and Abu Garcia Silver Max reels to be at/under budget. Daiwa Aird X rods and Daiwa Fuego reels would put you a little over budget but is an outstanding combination for the price. My advice though? Get one setup for that money. I've heard the Shimano SLX rod and reel combo is great. A Fenwick HMG rod and Daiwa Fuego or Shimano SLX reel would be great as well. Okuma EVX rods are really good at $100 and again you can slap one of those kings of $100 reels on it (Fuego or SLX). The 6'8" MH/MF Okuma EVX is such a great all purpose rod. I wouldn't settle on getting 2 low end setups when you can get 1 nice one, or if you can swing a little more you can get 2 Aird X and Fuego setups. I'm definitely in the minority here when I say this, so take it as you will, but if the Dobyns Fury gets recommended don't do it.

So, $100 total or $200 total?

You're not getting a good hookset because those rods are way too weak for those jigs. You're also seriously overloading them. A 3/8oz jig with a trailer weighs far more than 3/8oz because only the weight of the jighead is taken into consideration, not the hook, skirt, or weedguard, and certainly not the trailer. You probably don't have to worry about the Ugly Stik breaking but don't be surprised if you do break the rods casting those. The MH rod is far better suited for this but the 12lb mono is not.

That's a strange way to spell Daiwa Fuego

Bass try to eat bass their size. Tons of photos of, say, a 15 incher with a 15 incher stuck in its throat. The only issue you might find is far fewer to zero bites for days on end. Which is why I don't throw huge. I'm not a trophy hunter; I'm a fisherman.

Good choice. With a higher budget i definitely would have said Lightning rod and President reel, but the step down at Cherrywood and Trion isn't bad. It will serve you well.

I like the sensitivity of the Fury, but that's the only thing they got right in my opinion and from my experience. I hate their false power and action ratings, the cork on the 2 of 5 Furys I kept (bought in March, sold 3) is already chipping away from casual use, and the spinning rods (kept 1 of 2) wouldn't fit my Pflueger President reels correctly (narrowed that down to probably being Pfluegers fault) so I got some Daiwa Legalis reels to put on it and they both have massive line slap when reeling (with braid, mono, or Hybrid, and I use thin diameter line). The guides on the rods aren't straight or even. One of the rods was received bent. One had a cracked guide. Worst fishing purchases of my life.

You can get that fixed locally for the cost of shipping the rod if not cheaper.

Going by retail price alone and not Amazon or eBay or used prices, Berkley Cherrywood rod with a Pflueger Trion reel, and you still have a little left over to throw some Trilene XL on it. I would actually fish that combo and have no problems doing it.

I don't target anything but largemouth and smallmouth bass. My most impressive bonus catch would probably be this crappie: I didn't weigh or measure it, but it's the biggest one I've ever caught, and I catch them frequently when bass fishing. It hit a Texas Rigged worm. I've caught big channel cats, big carp, and big drum when bass fishing as well, but I see bigger than the ones I've caught all the time by people who fish for anything that bites or who intentionally targeted them. I don't like to touch carp or drum. I caught a small Muskie once in a tournament. The lake is known for Muskie. Before we started my buddy told me I wouldn't catch one because they're hard enough to catch as is when you're targeting them. My first fish of the day shortly after launch was a Muskie LOL. I enjoyed that bonus catch the most, even if it was small. It took me a little while to appreciate it. At the time I was upset because I thought I had a good largemouth. I released it quickly with no photo. Doh! I'm probably going to start intentionally targeting crappie as a secondary fishing hobby. I don't mind hooking into them when I'm bass fishing. I currently have no interest in toothy, whiskery, or sucky, slimey fish.

Remember, a weightless plastic (usually) is always about the slow fall. The action of the bait as it flutters down the water column in plain view of bass for what is "forever" in fishing produces the bites because they just can't help the easy, delicious looking snack/meal.

Polarized sunglasses help with seeing the line. Just cast the weightless plastic and let it sink. Lift the rod tip up every once in a while to repeat the action. Twitching the bait is also good. Giving a Senko a good pop or a jerk produces an eratic action that triggers bites as well.

@TOXIC is way better versed on Senko variations than I am and probably anyone else here. He covered some basics. There is a difference for sure, but they also all have the classic Senko characteristics. As far as TRDs, I didn't notice any difference between the softer vs the stiffer other than the Molting Craw caught more channel catfish than smallmouth bass yesterday, but I'm sure that had nothing to do with the different characteristics.

So how did that work? Did they tag a bass and whoever caught it got the truck, if anyone caught it at all? Regardless, super epic win, man.

Yoy have essentially the exact same setup 3 times in those baitcasters. The MH spinning for smaller Texas rigs, the M spinning for Senkos, the ML spinning for Ned Rigs. As for the baitcasters you would have been much better off with a MH/F as a jig, Texas Rig, spinnerbait/chatterbait rod, a M/MF for squarebills, lipless crankbaits, other crankbaits, some topwaters, etc, and either a H/F or a MH/MF depending on many factors in what you like to do. Now you just have a way to rig a worm, jig, heavy wire moving bait all at once instead of versatility.

That could be what I'm noticing. At least with Senkos. I noticed it yesterday with TRDs. I use Coppertruese 90% of the time. I got some in Molting Craw to try out and they're a lot stiffer than the others.

I'm talking about the same brand, as in the genuine Senkos and the genuine TRDs. Baits of the same size sometimes feel different depending on the color. Some are stiffer than others and you can tell when holding them and rigging them up. What is it about the different colors that causes this?

No pics for this thread at the moment, but 3 of the last 5 river trips have netted a Booyah lipless crankbait in a craw color, a KVD suspending jerkbait (today), and a Shimano Clarus paired with a Shimano Sonora I pulled out of the river. The lipless was in perfect condition, the rod is in good shape, the reel is trash, and the jerkbait needs new hooks if I ever care to use it. Personally I think it's foolish to use a lipless or a jerkbait in a rocky, snaggy river that averages 3-4 feet.

HMG rods are great. 3/8-1/2 isn't light jig fishing. It calls for at least a MH. With a trailer on those size jigs you will max out a MH rod, but it will be just fine. You will seriously overpower almost any M rod with those size jigs with trailers.

I hope you all had a good father's day. I had a good day. Fished with the family. Not many fish to show for it, but fun as always, and I love these woods. I kept getting sneak attacked for photos. A few: And a homemade card from my 5 year old daughter. I don't understand most of it because we're not moving, and if we were, the dog (Joey) and I would definitely be going with LOL. It's cute though. My wife typed her words verbatim as she said them.

Different now than it was in spring. Now it's a jig n craw, followed by KVD 1.5. I guess the Ned Rig catches the most but it really isn't a fair comparison.

Micro guides and leaders do not go hand in hand. You can use straight braid. The question is what do you use it for.

I have had nothing but issues and complaints about mine. I got 5 of them in March and have since sold 3 and kept 2 that I will beat up on the rivers. Worst fishing purchases I ever made. I fell for the cult following. My favorite rod company is Fenwick. I recommend an HMG which is in your price range.

Zombie Thread! Do it right and have a catch and cook right away. Take a good knife, butter, salt, a small cast iron skillet, and a reliable fire starter.