softwateronly

Now that I have a couple dozen rods; it's my 6" swimbait rod on a open hook jighead, a-rig, 5-7" heavy hook scrounger, and deep cranks 15+. I also back up other combos throwing heavy football jigs out deep, carolina rigs, heavy swim jigs, heavy chatterbaits, preacher hair jigs, and pitching creatures into cover. The only thing that doesn't work the well for me is horizontally retrieving jigs in cover. The mod/fast action that makes it so versatile, loads too deep for me to work the jig free of cover without losing control as it pops free and unloads the rod, jumping the bait farther than I want. scott

Curious of the 7'7H and 7'4H comparison too. The 7'7H in the A version is uniquely versatile and one of my favorites. scott

Here's everything I'll use this year, I usually leave 5-6 combos at my in-laws and travel 3-4 combos to/from the city. Short a reel for a Phenix ML that might get added or sell the rod, and possibly add a roro spool to the MC 7'8M/RF combo tbd. I also have a broken Dobyns Champ, and 2 other champions that are pulled out of rotation for a possible trade in/up or sell. I keep a few spinning rigs not listed for friends/family that visit. Abu Kurodai XKRC-79LT/BF 21 Zlng/Roro PE#1/ 10lb floro Abu Kurodai XKRC-73MLS/BF 21 Zlng/Roro PE#1/ 10lb floro Major Craft BP5B782M 21 Zlng PE#1.5/ 14lb floro Phenix FTX171ML Major Craft DYC692M 22 AL 800s PE1.5 / 14lb floro Major Craft D360610M 20 AL air PE#1/ 10lb floro Shimano EX610M 22 AL 800s PE1.5 / 10lb floro Diawa STAGS170MMH 22 AL 800s PE1.5 / 10lb floro Shimano PA611M+ 20 met 7 30lb/14lb floro Phenix FTX177MH cur71 7 30lb/14lb floro Major Craft DYC692MH cur71 7 PE 3/14lb floro Major Craft D36066MH 20 met 7 30lb/14lb floro Shimano EX176MH cur dc 6 30lb/14lb floro Shimano PA172H 20 met 7 30lb/16lb floro Diawa STAGS721H 18 ban 8 50lb/16lb floro Dobyns DRX755H 20 met 7 30lb/16lb floro Loomis CNQ904H 20 met 7 30lb/16lb floro Shimano EX177H cur dc 7 30lb/14lb floro Major Craft TCX792MH cur dc 7 30lb/15lb mono Shimano EX173XH 18 ban 7 65Mlb/20lb mono Shimano PA176XH 22 ban 7 30Mlb/25lb floro Shimano EX176XH 18 ban 7 PE 3/25lb floro MegaBass P5 TB XH 21 ZlnHD 7 65Mlb/25lb floro Major Craft DYC702X tat200 7 65lb/30lb floro Dobyns FR795SWBT cur301HG 65lb/30lb floro MegaBass Destroyer Onager tat300HSL 65lb/30lb floro Zlng = Diawa Zillion AL = Diawa Alphas met = Shimano Metanium ban = Shimano Bantam cur = Shimano Curado tat = Diawa Tatula roro = Roro x27 spool

I read and remember that fear so I bought them used from alf, did 3 seasons with a power pitch and 2 seasons with the sensor so far, braid to leader / fg knot. They both have been great. Let me be the tackle monkey's best friend, these rods are worth giving a shot and staying braid to leader if that's what you like. scott

I mean, I don't care what any of you do, but I do abide by @Julius L's system. Lefty gang for life or till switching makes more sense. scott

I don’t know the 7’4H but I love the 7’3xh. And I can assure you it is definitely has different level of power from what you already own, whereas the 7’4 will overlap more. If you’re throwing big jigs in heavy slop, it’s a great rod. scott

Lead wire on glides for me. But with smaller jerkbait hooks, hanging these or even tiny swivels from the front hook ring has worked for me. scott

At least they'll take it and split a payment. scott

I'm also a fan of the expride. They felt like the best bang for the buck till I tried Major Craft Days. For under $180 all in, there's nothing I like better for anywhere near the price. https://www.digitaka.com/item/29/6/5/4573236260068 https://www.majorcraft.co.jp/rodbrand/days scott

Those cards have so many restrictions. They suck. I suggest grocery shopping and spending it all, not hard , then reallocating that money to your digitaka order. and using a proper card or paypal account. scott

Nishine Erie 115 MD. Has an outer weight that can be set to a slow sink. Easily works 15-18 fow. Same price as MB unfortunately, but definitely the deepest hard jerkbait I've used. The 95mm MD doesn't quite work as deep and you'd need to weight it yourself, my guess is 13' ish. scott

Same experience with silicone skirts as @Bluebasser86, months without issue. scott

I deal with zebra mussels which are similar in their destructive tendencies toward braid. My solution is a longer floro leader, 15'+, specifically sunline shooter in 10 and 14lb. The mussels still win at times, but usually I can get my lure back and trim the shredded leader. I also fight fish differently on when I let them dig and when I turn them. I haven't found any braid that takes shell edges well and there is no meaningful or discernible difference in braid diameter that I've experienced. scott

It's not as good as a bullet weight pulling through the weeds. My water gets almost as weedy as florida water, and I like to pop the free rig up when the weeds are thick. You get their attention with quick movement, then the weight separates and the bait glides down. That's usually when I get bit. Sometimes a floating worm can be worked in place too, like a bottom feeding baitfish. But I also find a standard t-rig is best when snaking horizontally through the thickest of jungle. scott

After a decade or so away from fishing, I bought a ci4 stradic and 3 US reels. Fifteen years later with minimal maintenance and heavy, heavy use, the stradic is still rock solid and my us reels are out of service or barely usable. I might have overcorrected, but I see the value in longevity in well made in-house reels. With jdm pricing, I'm content living in a Diawa and Shimano world and doing my exploring in various company's sticks. scott

Great read and great meme. My outside and barely educated opinion is that now looks better than next year. But I can understand either extreme. scott

He's got some jwr's in lighter power hanging weights in here. Pretty decent info too. scott

I've done that and it was very effective at catching fish and twisting the ever living life out of my line. Keep an eye on it so as not to be disappointed. The higher quality swivels in the weight are worth the cost imo. I think it's for clicking and flash mostly. I've done it when pitching some heavier weights that were closer to bell sinkers. The bead prevented the ring from getting hung up on the hook eye. The bead is also a decent idea, if you alternate between dragging and popping. scott

A free rig uses a weight like this and if has a bead looks like this...

The great Abu has defeated inflation!!! scott

Traffic yes, but I can forgive it because I've never spent time in a city I liked that was built for cars. Plus my work is usually 20mins away. Taxes on the other hand...never fun and the last 5+ years of mayoral leadership has been worse than I could've predicted or feared. The can is running out of road. scott The art institute is still and possibly even more amazing than you remember. I believe 1/2 to 2/3rds of their collection is on loan or in storage. scott

Yeah, zillion with a roro x27 spool. Lotta fun. scott

Right? Here's my bonus 7lber that don't make the cut!! and these little 5ers too... scott

@pdxfisher that is the craziest fishing video I've ever seen, thank you! scott

Next week I'll be near my gear and can see if an air side plate fits on a 800. They are different colors and spool sizes though. From my understanding the 800 side plate should fit the regular spool alpha. scott