T-Billy

I've tried quite a few, and IMO 832 is king in cover.

Case reopened. My Ark rods require a bit less weight added to the butt to get the balance I want, compared to Dobyns Sierra or Kaden lines. Length and Power being equal. Dobyns rod balance is WAY overblown IMO. Same here. When palming it, I want it to balance on my middle finger so the tip rests around 9-10 o'clock when I open my hand. Doesn't have to be perfect, just in that neighborhood. I don't balance my moving bait rods. I prefer they be a bit tip heavy.

Lowes or Walmart usually.

I balance all my bottom contact rods with those rubber slip on furniture feet of the appropriate size. I pour the needed amount of lead into them and quench in water. Works like a charm and doesn't look bad.

Coontail or milfoil. Not sure from those pics.

Mid 50's all the way down to 38. Sunny afternoons are best. Shallow wood is your friend.

This company is aptly named. @AlabamaSpothunter nailed it.

The Ark will be faster, lighter, and more sensitive, with a much better quality blank, and guides.

Got some much needed action this morning. Took a double skunking over the last two days. We got some cold rain over the weekend that caused an early turn over. The main lake basin looks like tea, and the water up in the creeks has dropped as much as 14 degrees in a few days time. The crankbait bite is GONE. They're shallow, but buried up in the weeds and not being very cooperative. This morning I got a follow each on a 10/9 stagger, double 8's, and the little #6 Vibrax. Put on a single #8, gold on gold, and that was the magic combo. Both fish crushed it mid retrieve and had it choked. Caught them about 20min apart and just like that, the window slammed shut and it was right back to no action. Then came the floatilla. I got invaded by 8 other boats on about a 10 acre spot, and every other spot I wanted to hit had boats on them, so I called it a trip. Happy to get the skunk out of the boat. Working the next four, then off for four. Hopefully the lake's in better shape by then. Skinny, beat up, blind in one eye 37". Poor little fish has lead a rough life. Thick beast of a 39.5".

All these jigs tend to catch better than average fish.

I started targeting muskie outside of the cold water periods for the first time back in August. August 10th to present, I've put 34 over 30" in the boat, with 9 of them being over 40". Hopefully I'll add to that number this morning. The forecast is looking good, with colder temps and a consistant SW wind for a few days.

S.W.A.G Some women always get'm.

Congrats on the AOY Katie!!! You certainly earned it, Hammer. 😉

I've heard that big fish like spinnerbaits. Maybe you should try one of those.

I'm a straight braid fan for most of my fishing, but for BFS 4# YZH is how I roll.

I drive a crude tanker in SE OH, the WV panhandle, and western PA. We got a request from the PA DNR a few years ago to check our trucks for them before leaving a well pad and report any sightings. I never saw one until last week. I killed 28 of them while loading on a pad near Racoon State Park last week. I did a quick online search and found they're pretty widespread thoughout the midwest now, so I didn't bother reporting them. That cat's out of the bag.

I MUCH prefer a chatterbait over a spinner at night, especially if fishing close to the bottom. I've missed/foul hooked alot of fish on a spinner when slow rolling one at night because they often hit the blade instead of the hook, as @A-Jay's pic shows. It's not an issue when fishing one close to the surface, but I still prefer a chatterbait for that also when fishing in the dark.

Sorry, no can do. TnA Tackle, and Livingston Lures both offer a chatterbait designed for muskie though.

What a year Katie!!! Congrats!!!

It's a shame they don't put at least some cheap Aluminum Oxide guides on em like Lew's use on their lower end stuff. The blanks are probably pretty decent. All their rods above that series offer great value though IMO.

Thanks for the heads up, but those stainless guides won't cut it for me.

The muskie record is actually one that is a possibility. I had one of that caliber follow my A-rig in a couple springs ago. Couldn't get it to chew unfortunately.

I had an awesome morning, with one of the greatest fish catches of my life. I bagged my first muskie on the new chatterbait at first light. The fish hit mid retrieve and we slugged it out through about 40' of shallow milfoil. As I got it close it made a hard run under the boat. I got it turned and it came back out going full tilt, turned in a semi circle, and rocketed up about 4' out of the water, as they're apt to do in the shallows. The fish came unbuttoned mid air, and sent my bait flying back at me, while the fish landed ON THE FLOOR OF MY BOAT!!! LOL!!! So, I put in in the net to chill while I set the phone up for a pic. I get the green, uncooperative fish out of the net for a photo, and as I turn it horizontal, it goes ballistic, wrenches out of my hands, bounces off the deck, and goes right back INTO THE NET!!! NO FLIPPIN WAY!!! ? My first thought was of Paul's comment in Romans 8:31, What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Lol. Anyhow, twas a total fiasco, but my new bait is on the board with a 42". ? Shortly after, the #6 Vibrax got it done again with a nice, thick 40.5" That little spinner has quickly earned a place in the staring lineup. Sucks it's been discontinued, but I have parts arriving today to make my own. I spent awhile longer in the shallow weeds with just a single lazy follow to show for it, so I moved back out to the deeper 10'-13' weeds, and managed to crank up this little 33" before the bite completely shut off. After almost four more hours without even a follow, I called it around noon. This heat wave has really tightened up the bite windows. I can't get anything going in the dark either, just that early morning bite. I'll close this out by stating that, muskie knuckle trumps bass thumb every time. ?