GetFishorDieTryin

I use scent in FW when every fish counts, like in the winter or tough days, particularly in cold and or muddy water. I think it does make a difference, especially working a bait slow. Those maxscent hit worms dont look great on a shakey head, but they out fish most other baits. When it comes to SW, Ive had too many experiences, literally dozens of times in just the past few fluke seasons, where Gulp has smashed other soft plastics 5 to 1. Ive also had a half dozen times where Ive been skunked on bites for half a tide, and caught a fish on first cast after adding pro cure to my bucktail. 1 or 2 times is coincidence, but that many times in just a couple years is revealing. At the very least adding scent is confidence booster for me. At least I know I'm doing everything I can to get a bite. As far as negative smells go, I really to my absolute best to avoid exposing my baits to unnatural chemicals, like suntan lotion or bug spray. I think bug spray can hurt your chances with live bait, much less plastics.

I would probably get a stradic FM 2500 or 3k if I were you. You can get one from digitaka for well under 200$. I think Daiwa offers better budget reel,120$ or under, but IMO Shimano has the edge on the mid range reels from 120-350, unless you want a jigging reel. Once you get to the higher end Daiwas with the AL main gear, like Luvias and up, then it gets pretty even again,

I would probably put the Met on the Zodias and take that. Both rods are great, but the Zodias M is a probably more versatile IMO.

If the prices were closer to what they were a few years ago, I would probably get a feather, but the increase puts them closer to 150$ instead of what they were, 120$. Usually, upgrading to Sic guides cost more than the extra 35$ it would be to upgrade to m1 from feather, but that's for fuji guides. I dont have any experience with essex components. The only other guides other than fuji I have on my rods are Alps and Daiwa AGS. I fish out of a jon boat and kayak often, and the guides can take a beating. I have confidence in Sc guides as far as durability goes.

I know a couple guys who build rods professionally for in shore and some big time offshore tuna guys. Ive never owned a Phenix because no one carries them around here. Those guys can have literally whatever blank they want and they use quite a few Phenix blanks for their personal rods and they mentioned the k2 blank specifically. One is certified century dealer/builder, the other uses a lot of zenaq blanks, so they know what quality is. If I get a Phenix, IM going to start with an m1, k2 is steep for a first experience with a new company.

I would take the Zillion/InvizX. I like InvizX, its a solid line. If it was A tatula with Tatsu or Zillion with Red Label or Vanish, then it would be a harder decision for me.

Man, that eye is really recessed.

There are lots of high quality scissors around. If you want small ones, looks for tying material scissors. They aren't cheap, but so long as you don't lose them, they stay sharp and will last a long time.

I wish they left the mojos alone. The whole trigon handle thing is gimmicky IMO and unbecoming of a company like SC. That style handle isn't anything new either. The japanese were pushing them a decade ago for jigging and popping rods. They feel in hand, but after fight a stout fish for a while your hand aches because of the contact areas. What really got me about the new mojos was the reel seats, which are all big clunky looking plastic. Traditionally SC was very slow to new trends. Mojo was actually the first line to be designed with and use a split grip handle, years after they became popular. I think that may be a reason why they experimented with the new look and ergonomics on the mojo line. What made mojo great was its lighter weight in comparison to other SC lines and its low price. Now they're pushing 200$ from starting at just over 100$ when they debuted. I think blackbass was essentially designed to replace mojo. It has the right PP and full lineup of actions to do it. I would rather SC concentrate on fewer lines than to flood the market with options. The inshore mojos were even more popular than the mojo bass. It took some time, but they just about perfected the mojo surf and inshore, those rods were tough as nails. They replaced them with an absolutely beautiful new model, very similar the Avid inshore. As soon as they hit the market people hated them. The numbers that were breaking was insane and even the replacements months later were breaking as well. I've talked to guys on their 3rd replacement that are so disgusted they wont entertain SC at all anymore after paying 40$ per replacement. SC chalks it up to a bad batch of blanks, must have been a huge batch because the issue still hasn't completely been resolved. Even if they were to perfect mojo inshore again, the reputation that was once great, has been all but ruined. I hope SC can get it together. As one of the major rod companies that still builds them domestically, I'll always root for them, but they aren't the first or second rods I look at anymore.

Ryugi Infini offset wide gap should work really well. The point is a few degrees offline of the throat, which helps with hookup ratio. The wire isnt super thick, but its very strong and the points are stupid sharp. The throat itself is rather short too, shouldnt be too long for a 3.5 coffee tube. Not sure if 2 or 3/0 would be best.

I use one of these with a 1 or 1/0 depending on the thickness of the tube. Owner Ultra FInesse Ballhead.

Bubblegum, Disco Violet, Arkansas Shiner, Tennesee Shad, Crystal Shad, Opening Night.

So many good finesse swimbaits the market and they will only increase due to FFS. Tough to beat Keitetch. They offer just about anything you could want and in great colors. For a subtle bait Easy shiner is great and if you want roll the 2.8 fat is the way to go. The swing impact is kind of any in between. Ive always been partial to Bluegill Flash and Electric shad. They both are pretty much interchangeable, but I feel like the darker back, along with more silver fleck in BF gives it a slight advantage, especially if the bait is rolling. Pro blue or Gizzard shad are hard to beat for white based natural colors. For bold colors, I like sungill and electric blue chart. Tablerock is a newer color that I haven't tried I suspect it would be great as well. Beast Coast makes a good bait called the slowflow. Its kind of like an Easy shiner, in that its got limited roll and subtle action. It will swim with just a little bit of tension which makes it good for winter or just fishing slow. They have a similar shape to the easy shiner, and while theyre shorter at 2.8 the body is much bigger. I also really like Reins Rockvibe. They have a very unique shape, good action and they hold up much better than keitech or other super soft baits. I love you get 15 in a pack. They body isnt tall, but its wide. They have a subtle swim when worked slow, but will roll when worked faster. They're fairly heavy for a 3" bait and cast very well. The lack of salt and plastic Reins uses for them makes them very durable in comparison to other swimbaits. Unfortunately, I think TW isnt going to stock them anymore which really sucks. Now I have to use the ones I have left sparingly.

The older MLs 1/8-1/2oz have a different action compared to the newer ones. The tips are softer and overall, they are lighter in power. IMO you have to go to the Legend Elite to get that same action in the blank as the older Avids. The inshore blanks are actually a good alternative. They stayed with the older power rating. The introduction of the sc3+ material changes the action slightly, but its still very close to older ML actions which I absolutely love. Ive been a SC fan since I was 10YO and swore by them for years. In the past few years Im not liking some of the directions they're going in as far as changes to the rods, warranties and overall customer service. I used to buy 2 or 3 a year, but I think in the past 5 years I've only bought 2, being pleased with one and hating the other. Their MLs were my favorite blanks and since they changed them and many others SC is not my first or second choice anymore.

That suck man, but things can be much worse...I was talking to a buddy who owns a tackle shop. I was telling him about how I had tripped on a submerged root that morning while duck hunting and went for a January swim. He told me about his father-in-law who had just had a custom sea duck boat built and new Chevy to pull it. The first hunt went well, until they got back to the ramp in Fortescue. He got the boat on the trailer and was pulling up the ramp and I guess the ramp had frozen at the high tide line. He felt it slip, but the truck being new he couldn't get in 4x4 low fast enough and the truck and boat trailer slid right into the bay.

As long as the bones arent broken it should heal eventually. Things happen, just try to minimize damage to the fish as much as possible. WHat dri ves me nuts is catching a 2lb fish and seeing where some googan cut a 3" slit in the bottom of his mouth to weigh him with some crappy wal mart scale.

Ponds can be really tough if they get pressured. Most all the water around here has a nasty bottom that makes fishing most anything bottom contact an absolute chore. If you get grass and slime on your bait, its going to limit the number of bites. Try using smaller baits, like real small 3" or less swimbaits on a very light head 1/16. If there are fish there, you will catch some. Also be as quiet and discrete as you possibly can. Those fish can feel your footfalls well before they can see you.

I love my Metanium for JBs, but as long as its a smaller, light reel that casts really well, it doesn't matter all that much IMO.

I would think that the 6th sense bait comes with KVD short shanks stock. If they're hanging up, then you have to go with a smaller hook and or split ring and see how it goes from there.

I try not to swap out the lead hook to singles on pencils and poppers unles its designated for bluefish. Try going to a 2x short EWG style treble and see how that works out. If that doesnt work you can try going to a duo hook or clipping off the lead hook on the treble. DO you know what the name of the bait is off the top of your head?

Yeah, some of the GL2s arent very good. I have a 7' M ModF 3/8-1 1/4. The rod is built very well, light and very balanced, but its so soft its almost useless. The weight rating is so off, I wouldnt put more than 3/4 on it because it becomes an absolute noodle. According to Loomis it was designed as poping cork rod for wade fishing, which kind of makes sense, but its still light IMO for that. The only use Ive found for it is fishing around jetty for weakfish, as the soft tip reduces snags, but it reduces sensitivity. I traded a spool of PP for it lol. The MH version is actually very nice. Its got enough backbone and tip stiffness to be sensitive, very nice rod.

Small 1/4 lipless in the fall and 1/2 or 5/8 in the early prespawn. Most of my fish are caught yo yoing them, ripping from grass or burning and stopping.

For straight shank on skinny worms its hard to beat an Owner Cover Shot. That Oshaughnessy bend is perfect for thinner baits like roboworms. The mono loop is great too, it doesnt beat bait up as bad as a wire or tin keeper. When I tie my own keepers that's generally the style I use.

Spinnerbaits are a rabbit hole. The JB and Jig get credit for being intricate, but the spinnerbait is up there with them IMO. The size, blade color/ size/shape, head shape, color, trailer, skirt, wire composition/thickness and shape all play a big role in the action of the bait. I feel like I could spend a decade and a fortune fishing just spinnerbait and wind up with more questions than answers and less money, as even the most durable aren't long for this world in comparison to other baits. That being said I recently found one I really like. The Molix Muscle Ant with willow blades has been good to me. They fish like a colorado blade as far as sink rate and vibration goes, but the profile and flash remains subtle.

In the winter the bait that catches the most fish for me is a small swimbait, 3" rockvibe or easy shiner with a very light jighead 1/16 or 1/8 at most. In the past couple years Ive been doing really well with a suspending rattle trap. They really excel as a searchbait and can be fished like a crankbait or JB. Even when they dont work they still give you a good idea of what mood the fish are in. A JB would have to be #3 for me. They are one of the few moving baits that will catch when little else will. Once the water start to warm, which is usually mid Feb here. I wont be caught dead without a dozen chatterbaits. As soon as those fish start to think about transitioning and pushing shallow, a chatterbait fished slow on the bottom like a jig is absolutely deadly for numbers or quality fish and nothing else comes close for me. Once that bite is established its fairly consistent until the fish bed. You just have to adjust the retrieve and profile as the water warms. 2nd late winter/early spring bait would be a trap. 3rd bait for late winter/ early spring would be a shakey head. Once the fish bed and the grass really grows in, I find a mojo rig very useful, particularly with a floating bait. Free and T rigs become a go to at this time as well. A swimjig or jig in general works really well as the fish bein to guard fry. Using a swim jig to cover water and free rig to target particular areas has been a great 1-2 punch for me. As far as baits that work all the time, its difficult to beat a ned rig. I do outfish a ned rig with finesse swimbaits as far as numbers go, but there is a certain time in the late winter/early spring where the fish around here key in on bottom contact and that to me is the best time of year for them, but its a great time of year for many baits as well.