softwateronly

@Bandersnatch I have the rods you're considering, but don't actually flip often enough to know the ins and outs. EX 7'3XH, 7'6XH, 7'7H and a PA 7'6XH. My assessment is the 7'6XH feels exactly like a longer 7'3XH should. Tip is the same, but now there's a little more mid section and butt to use, so overall it feels slightly more powerful. The 7'7H is the most moderate of these moderate/fasts. I feel like it loads up too deep when I'm horizontally fishing jigs in cover, so I can't control how they pop free. But I see a lot of people loving softer Mod/fasts for flipping and this rod does have power after the midsection. The PA 7'6XH feels like what I imagine a 904.5 mbr would feel like, except lighter and perfectly balanced with a Bantam. scott

Casting and tightlining jigging spoons was something I stumbled on this year that isn't correct but certainly catches fish at the right time. scott

I use a high quality, small snap on most of mine. The action looks good to me and the fish don't seem to mind. I like decoy egg snaps and nishine original snap. Haven't had a failure yet. scott

As a frequent donator to the northern pike "flashy grill" dental plan, @WRB is correct, this is the only one that keeps the jerk bait action that the bass like. Vision 110 jr's don't qualify though. They still work but lose some of the magic, my guess is it's a weight issue. I'm open to learning new, better ways, but my current solution is to tie 7-9" wire with an alberto to my mainline, and a bowline to a small decoy eggsnap and to remove the split ring. I do this with my deep cranks in cold water as well. I haven't found a knot for the wire that I like better yet, but I'm weird. scott

I'm trying Japanese this year; Deps Bull flat: 3-3.8" on free rig, 4.8" swimbait hook and free rig Dolive beaver: 3.5" free rig/jig trailer Specific gravity/poop baits: Cover scat and Spinuts 1/2oz finesse scrounger head/ 1/4oz midst head - 3" jerky j and armour shad Rapala snap rap/jigging rap Jackall metal master Little Jack - metal addict 01 I love trying new lures, but really I'm trying to crack the mid day late summer bite. I'm hoping those free rigs/poop baits can add in to shakeyheads and jigs for the 12-18' breaks and that spoons and scroungers can help dial in the open water shad chasers. scott

Nichols saber swim jig uses this system as well. Very effective. scott In the heart of summer I sometimes bulldoze those through the milfoil on the bottom. It's almost like horizontal punching, the bites are angry. scott

I think this is a mistaken belief. Once you get your spinning version worked out, you should rethink it for larger profiles. If you think weightless flukes, gliding creatures, and stick baits can catch in 10+ water, popping a free rig is a similar look near the bottom and way more efficient. With a floating worm, it becomes a variable height shakey head. And I also drag worms and craws with it on the same cast. 3/8oz seems to be my sweet spot for separating the weight and bait for the glide/spiral. 1/8oz and a 3-3.5" beaver/straight tail on a 1/0 hook is my finesse presentation on a M/F baitcaster. scott

I remember the 2007 hatch being incredibly noisy and remarkable. I wasn't fishing nearly as much back then, but I remember other, lesser hatches, being a non stop feeding fest for nearly every living thing. Cicadas are free dumb protein. I'd expect the bass to be looking up more often. scott

This whole thread is great, but watching FFS'ers I came to the complete opposite conclusion even though you are correct. So many times, you can see that they can tell that they are on fish, many many fish, but they can't get any of them to bite. This little change of perspective with similar data makes all of this fun. scott

Fully agree with everyone above. My curado DC seems to get squirrelly under 30lb braid. Might be me, might be the reel. scott

Very true, but that chad shad and gill are relatively light, definitely under 3oz. You can lob it on the 7'3XH and fish it effectively imo. scott

I have the 6'10M and like it for a lot of things, but I don't fish light jigs on it very often and unfortunately I don't have a very coherent explanation as to why. Might just be a bias on my end, but it doesn't feel special with bottom contact, though it is certainly serviceable. The poison adrena 6'11M+ I feel the exact opposite. Does everything well, but special w/ 3/8oz jigs and big worms. I recently bought MC Days360 6'6MH/F as my new lighter jig rod. I really like the 2018 Days and recently bought their 7'8 M/RF black porgy and love the 5g blank. Unfortunately, I got iced in right as the 360 arrived, so no real world knowledge with it yet. Love the length and build, feels amazing, hoping it translates. If you wanna take a somewhat educated wild swing....$277 to your door. https://shimreels.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=72294 10% discount on the homepage SWOFF10 scott

Agreed. The 120mm D Walker is exactly one of those baits. The 5" gambler Big EZ is another. I even started throwing a bit off 6.5" Big GZ on an 3/4oz Uoze and 1oz North Star Flip N Swim for deep outside weedline nighttime ops. That thing moves water and gets their attention. scott

G-Finesse Hybrid Worm hooks in size #1 and #2. The larger sizes are the first hooks that have truly distinguished themselves as my personal favorites and would like smaller sizes for more finesse free rig options. Please and Thanks! scott

I only have one loomis, a 904, and I agree with @KP Duty. The 4 power mbr is pretty unique, the softness of the tip threw me off my first few times fishing with it, I didn't quite get how much power was behind it. scott

^^X2^^. I also love throwing those size paddle tails on swim jigs. scott

time stamped ....

I know this is old, but 120mm Dwalker, 5" big EZ, and a bit off 6.5" GZ will wag the dog at those weights. scott

@AlabamaSpothunter milliken has a video with pool footage, I think i remember it as you say.

Spybaits shimmy on the fall and often get bit that way. Stop and go retrieves or dead straight, you have to figure it out each time it seems. scott

Currently, all of my reels are spooled with braid, but I wouldn't fish any jointed swimbaits straight braid. I do fish them braid to leader. My recommendation is straight floro or if you want to use braid you should use a leader. I use 20lb, 30lb fc, and 20lb mono. scott

I'm a huge fan of the PA 6'11M+. Super versatile, soft enough for trebles, underspins, yet my favorite worm rod and a great finesse jig rod. It's also a great heavy jerk bait rod; like 1/2-7/8oz, specifically the nishine 115 and rerange. scott

I have like 4 tabs open with hundreds of dollars of wants right now. Let me try to shake this monkey off my back tonight, will ya. scott

@Pat Brown I completely agree about crappie being a staple on the bass menu. I love dirty jigs crappie pattern mixed with a d-walker silverside. Great match to our black crappie, and a big bass magnet. I've always wanted to check these out, but haven't pulled the trigger yet. https://crankwraps.com/3-4-red-eye/ scott

See, OP can go buy a new MH/F rod to go with the K, and buy a mgl for the M/RF. Monkey approved message scott