RDB

Samesies

It may depend on where you are buying it. I can only speak about Digitaka but they are pretty much always cheaper than USDM and Digitaka doesn’t charge for shipping (at least in the US). Listed prices today: Metanium $256 v. $440; new Bantum $273 v. $350; Zillion HD $325 v. $400. I get shipments from Digitaka faster than from Tackle Warehouse. Regarding the reason for the price difference, as was said earlier, I think a big reason is the exchange rate…value of the dollar v. yen. As far as brass v. aluminum, it’s a non factor for me for bass fishing. As far as replacement parts, I have no experience because I have never needed them.

IMO, the biggest thing you want to avoid is lure pendulum after release. If you have the spool tension too tight, that initial startup resistance on release allows the lure to pendulum up slightly and leads to a higher trajectory. I choose minimal spool tension because it allows me to keep the lure close to the water to minimize splash.

A lot of people use tighter spool tension/brakes because they don’t want backlashes. The problem is, the extra exertion to achieve distance leads to less consistency and more backlashes. I was a competitive golfer in my younger years, so to draw a parallel, the key to a great golf swing is to develop a simple, consistent, and replicable motion and to remove all unnecessary movements. The same holds true whether it’s a baseball swing, a free throw, etc., etc. and IMO, it’s true for a cast as well. With tensions tightened, you are never going to achieve the accuracy or consistency of someone using minimal tension. If you can simplify the cast by minimizing the casting motion, I think you will find that backlashes become infrequent and accuracy will improve greatly. If you use a baitcaster, just accept that you are going to get the occasional backlash. The tradeoff to never getting a backlash is a loss in effectiveness. As far as pitching, if you can achieve the above, the pins and tension become a non factor…it’s all the same.

Tritto Edit: FYI, often you will see some complaints about the lengths of rod sleeves and the amount of the rod covered. If that is a concern, on Rod Gloves the lower cut end is folded inside of the sleeve. If you use the longer sleeves, you can roll more of the cut end inside the sleeve to make it the length you want. Then hit the end with an iron and you have a custom length that will stay in place.

I think it is very geographical. Since you are a fellow Texan, a lot of the lure choices used by our northern posters are probably underrated in our area. For many Texans, you would think hair jigs are some kind of new breakthrough invention and using a hair jig up north is called a Tuesday.

Do you already know the lake? If no, I would start with something that I can cover some water with and then slow down. In that case, I would choose the hair jig and Keitech from your list. However, I personally would probably choose a jerk bait and lipless over those two. Also, if you have a fishing partner and you’re in the back of the boat, my partners lure choice would possibly influence my choice. Edit: Full disclosure…I have limited experience with smallmouth. My choices were based on my largemouth experience. Maybe it matters, maybe it doesn’t…I don’t know.

Trailers have several primary purposes. First, they can provide lift which can influence the depth and speed of your retrieve. Second, they can increase the profile size. In your example of chocolate milk, I personally would want a larger profile to maximize visability. Third, a trailer can make a chatterbait much easier to skip. Fourth, the added bulk can provide something more substantial for the bass to hold and provide a more natural feel that they will hopefully hold longer. Last, they can add some additional action to your lure (I’m sure there are more). The only time I might not use a trailer is when I am slow rolling and want to maximize depth or in clear water if I want the smallest profile. The vast majority of the time, I use a trailer.

I’m not sure what you mean by “stop action at the wrist” but all casts use wrist action. My skip action is the same as a regular roll cast. Though not the same, look at a slow motion golf swing. As your arms come down, the wrists remain cocked until just before impact and then you have impact and follow through. Though the arm motion on a cast is much shorter, the same concept applies. IMO, the biggest reason most people have backlash issues is because of the follow through. An abrupt stop after release on a roll or skip creates a jerky cast. The follow through allows the spool stabilize and catch up after the most violent part of the cast.

Considering space limitations, why not consider upgrading an existing rod and sell your old one. Not knowing the brands you own, maybe go to a high/higher end bottom contact rod. Personally, if I had limitations on how much I carry, instead of looking for a niche rod, I would upgrade a rod for a technique I use frequently. Just a thought.

I use mostly Diawa reels but bought a DC because I have to try everything…it’s my sickness. They are fine reels, just not for me. I personally didn’t experience any of the “benefits” claimed and ended up selling. Unless you have everything cranked down fairly tight, you are going to get the occasional backlash. Follow any pro for a day on the water and you’ll see them pull out multiple backlashes. I keep my settings super loose to get good distance with minimal effort. IMO, with a little thumb education, you don’t really need fancy braking systems outside of strong winds or skipping where there is some benefit.

I think your rod is the fiber-blend Shakey head rod (2nd group from the bottom), not the bronze back. This is the 2013 catalog but I think it was introduced in 2008 (not 100% positive). If it is the same rod, here are a few old reviews. Only 1 is for the 822, (the others are for the 821), but it may give you an idea of what others thought. Edit: I took a quick look on Tackle Tour to see if they might have an old review and they did for the SHR821. I believe this is your rod but in the Mag Light v. your Mag Medium. http://www.tackletour.com/reviewgloomisshakey.html Med light Shaky Head Rod 10/18/2012 10:54:40 AM http://rodsreview.com/images/5star.gif 5 out of 5 stars Well let me start by saying it's a G-Loomis so it's going to be a great rod. I purchased the medium light model a little over a year ago. I did try several other rods in the same price range to use for shaky heading. But by far the G-Loomis is more sensitive, lighter and has enough back bone to fight 2 to 3 pound easily but 4 plus can nerve racking. I agree with the other reviewer Spots in the south (especially in the winter months in reservoirs) can be a very very light bite. With this rod in your hand you know you have the best made for what you are doing. Hope this helps! Reviewed by: fisherm (TN) serious about the shaky? 10/18/2012 10:53:28 AM http://rodsreview.com/images/5star.gif 5 out of 5 stars I started to get serious in my shakeyhead fishing, and decided to reward myself with this rod. One side not, it also doubles as a great splitshot rod, if you are into that. You should be, because it catches fish. Anyways, awesome flex at the tip, you can feel your rig at all times. I have put well over 100 fish on this rod already and it still feels fresh and crisp as the day I took it out of the rod tube. Get one! (I own the Magnum Light) Reviewed by: Creepy The perfect shakey head rod! Perfect plastics rod! 10/18/2012 10:51:15 AM http://rodsreview.com/images/5star.gif 5 out of 5 stars I've had this rod for a couple years now and it performs PERFECTLY for what it is intended. Shakey head fishing. The action is perfect. Soft tip, for shaking in place, but plenty of backbone for setting the hook. And this is on the 821S which is the lighter rod. Super sensitive too, with a blend of IMX/GL3 fibers. You can feel everything from changes in bottom to light bites. Balances perfectly with a Pflueger Supreme 8030. On top of the perfect action, and length, this rod is a very nice looking rod that feels GREAT in the hand. And I LOVE the fact Loomis isn't just following everyone with all the new designs like split grips. It's nice to have just a good quality rod, that performs it''s job flawlessly without all the trendy stuff going on today. Reviewed by: LonLB (SW MI) Perfect Rod! 10/18/2012 10:50:19 AM http://rodsreview.com/images/5star.gif 5 out of 5 stars I have been using the 822S now for the last 6 months, this rod is an excellent choice for an avid Smallmouth angler. This is also a great multi purpose rod too. I use this rod for fishing with tubes, dropshots, soft plastic jerkbaits, and of course shakey heads. This rod is extremely light weight, sensitive beyond belief, and the extra fast tip allows for accurate casting, and positive hook sets every time! I have this paired up with a 3000 size Shimano Stradic, spooled up with 15# Power Pro. This combo can not be beat!

It’s not a necessity and since all rods are different, a range of actions/powers could work. IMO, you want a rod that loads well for casting and has a slower (softer) taper to help on hookups and keeping the fish pinned. My crankbait rods are m/h moderate/fast composite. Having a slower taper helps serve as a cushion, especially during jumps and when you get those surges at the boat. It also helps when fishing around wood. As WRB said, when you get to deep divers, having the wrong setup can wear you out and impact cast length and max depth. Edit: To your comment regarding using mainly lipless, I use the same m/h moderate/fast rods. Lipless baits usually clear pretty easily after ripped but I don’t want the lure to pull free at warp speed.

Uh Oh…looks like someone could use some advice from dear old dad.

They both work fine, as do the knots that others have suggested. Personally, I use the FG but it can be confusing initially. For me, the most difficult thing was figuring out what to do with my hands and how to manage the lines going 4 different directions. Once that part clicked, it was super easy. IMO, the absolute best knot is the one you can consistently tie correctly.

I agree with @papajoe222, for me it depends on conditions and mood. If the bass are tight to cover or less likely to chase, I will work just beyond the target area and bring it back in. There may be a few occasions where I miss an opportunity for a follower but in those situations, if I can get 10-20% more casts by focusing on the highest percentage areas, I believe my catch rate improves.

Gotta stay positive so here’s a few words of inspiration from my dad for all these scary moments.

Always faithful

The easy answer is probably KVD. My answer would be Rick Clunn and the last few years sealed it for me. When we talk about the greats in other sports, there is always an argument about the differences in eras and how you can’t compare. Not with Clunn IMO. Name another athlete who started and learned in the early days, saw a complete evolution in the industry (especially in the latter parts of his career), and still after 40+ years on the tour and at age 74, is not only competitive, but winning tournaments. That is the GOAT IMO. Edit: The GOAT as far as impact on the fishing world is Bill Dance for me. I grew up on his shows and there is no telling how many people he brought into fishing.

I recently made a post of your moron moments where I shared my heartwarming story of getting a 110 stuck in my butt, so I thought it might be interesting to share scary fishing moments. Hopefully this won’t get too dark. I’ll start. For 15ish years after graduation, about 20 or so fraternity brothers would take an annual 3 day trip to the Norfork river to trout fish below the dam. It was mostly to catch up and drink a few beers but we would also have a tournament each day because there has to be some competition. Each night we would draw for boats but there would always be several who went too hard the night before and couldn’t make it out of bed. That was the case in our boat one morning as hangovers left us with 2. The generators were on and there was a decent current which was not uncommon and not difficult to navigate. About half way through the day, we were making a float and all of a sudden my partner stood up and seconds later fell over the side with his upper half in the water and his legs hanging in the boat. I immediately jumped up to grab him but the force of the current was pulling him down and when I would try to get leverage to pull him up, we would take on water. There were several times where the current caught the lip of the boat and we almost flipped. Luckily, there was another boat with friends close by and we were able to get another person in the boat to help. Long story short, he was having a seizure. None of us knew he was epileptic and afterward he said his seizures had become rare. Both boats were so shaken afterwards that we called it a day and from that point forward, we always had to have a minimum of 3 in the boat. Things turned out well but we were very lucky. If you have never seen a seizure, they can be violent and there is not much you can do during the episode except make sure they are safe until it passes. I can’t imagine how you would manage in the water. Many anglers remove their life jackets when the big motor is off and I sometimes do as well. However, that experience has made me much more sensitive to proper safety and the potential dangers that can result from the unexpected.

I agree 100% on the BB1. I have moved to all Diawa except for 2 which are BB1’s…the early version for deep crankin’ and the latest version for other long casting. I have had the early version for many years and not once have I had a problem with it. They are workhorse reels.

It’s not going to matter…the IPT is going to be negligible. Edit: I guess I should qualify that with as long as you are in a similar size class (100, 200, etc.).

FYI…here is a video by Brian Latimer discussing the importance of rigging Z Man’s to keep them up on the hook. In my experience if you don’t pull it up like that it usually doesn’t seat well.

Certainly a $61k average in todays dollars would be difficult considering expenses but it’s a little better spread out over 37 years. Sponsorships are definitely important and some are creating YouTube channels for extra income as well. Many are doing sessions on BassU (and others) though I don’t know how/if they are compensated. My gut is they probably are getting some compensation unless it’s part of their sponsorship agreement. Not to open up a can of worms but though many people hate the Googan Squad, for better or worse they have found a way to monetize their fishing.