Drawdown

That would be a neat experience to me. I’ve fished “chocolate milk” and other shades of muddy water, but these are just temporary states after storms and tend to shut feeding down anywhere but inches from the bank. To fish in a place where it’s like that almost year-round would be very different, since fish must stay active despite low visibility. I could see how that totally changes color selection.

Would you say your water tends to be brackish? Having a sort of black or otherwise tannic “tint” even when clear?

Black and blue, also sapphire blue…but I think it’s because I don’t fish those enough.

I remember Nebraska relatives being jealous of the South’s growing season. Especially the availability of sweet potatoes—and huge ones at that.

I believe Wal-Mart has the lefty for $40, still! https://www.walmart.com/ip/Abu-Garcia-Max-STX-Low-Profile-Baitcast-Reel-Fishing-Reel-Left/116542569?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&adid=22222222228116542569_14069003552_202077872&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=m&wl3=42423897272&wl4=pla-295289030566&wl5=9013230&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=online&wl12=116542569&veh=sem&gad_source=4&gbraid=0AAAAADmfBIoWthvDDT6Z_eV2ehkffHX7N&gclid=Cj0KCQjwtZK1BhDuARIsAAy2Vzs4cc4yCUdCoZ40zn_pUMektUCuzSftIFNd9nqlJnXJ4HIOj9zUjRIaAlfbEALw_wcB

I nabbed one of these on Prime Day for $37. Can’t be too mad if it doesn’t last. Thinking about putting it on a heavy moving bait setup. Might be staking Academy after Labor Day for a rod to pair it with.

Fluke has worked great for me. I recently added the Zoom split tails to my arsenal, too and like what I see. I hate trailer hooks on spinnerbaits or buzzbaits.

Got me a 30-pack of Missile Baby D-Bombs in GP, for when I need a slow bluegill imitation.

Seems for some reason that drowning is a “traditional” method of killing and disposing of animals—recall the countless times in a cartoon someone rescued kittens thrown over the side of a bridge in a weighted sack. Since the 1960s, the idea has gradually become horrifying to the general public.

I like fishing a Baby Brush Hog with a 1/16oz bullet weight. Enough to sink menacingly in openings, but not too heavy to where it snags more grass/muck than is inevitable.

LOL, I do this all the time. Get plenty of bites doing it, too! I like fishing finesse creatures (e.g. baby brush hog), craws, and worms weightless-3/16oz lures exactly this way on spinning tackle. Can’t say I want to stop retrieving this way. Maybe in a few years I’ll be trying BFS. 😂

Well braid—>leader worked just fine for me today. My scale said she was 3lbs 12oz—amazing fighter.

This would probably go a long way toward eliminating the line dig.

I began using 15lb braid to 8lb Seaguar Red Label leader on a 2000 BPS Carbonlite on a Shimano Convergence ML. Since dropping the braided line to 10lb too 6lb P-Line fluoro leader, I’ve had even less problems with that setup. My Medium rods are where I’ve had more issues: started with 20lb braid on a 2500 Daiwa Regal (and another rod with an Exceler) reel and 8lb Seaguar Red Label. Almost like the 20lb line was too coarse to cast smoothly. No idea what kind—from a bulk roll at the bait shop. At first I made the mistake of reeling the (Alberto) knot into the reel. Then, I think I tried casting too hard. More recently my nephew will sometimes borrow my tackle and cast waaaaay too hard. Almost guaranteed to get a nasty wind knot within 10 minutes no matter whose setup he’s using. I tend to use a Palomar knot at the hook—and it’s strong enough that I too often have the Alberto fail first. The result is line dig in the reel. Can I get a recommendation for a different fluoro hook knot? I certainly know the Clinch isn’t an option—decapitates itself when the fish is close to the boat/shore.

If I were to switch to straight fluoro or mono, would I have less issues, other than obviously not having to tie a leader knot after breaking off on a snag? On spinning tackle, the wind knots can be brutal. Line dig after snags seems to tee up a nasty knot on the next cast. Perhaps the braid backing also doesn’t tolerate a less-than-full spool remotely well. As though you’re counting down until the angle of the line contacting the rim of the spool causes a knot that makes a backlash on a baitcaster look like child’s play. That said, it’s about all I have fished on spinning tackle the past couple years. Love the sensitivity. Hate not fishing as much because I’m fiddling with line—or feeling like I have to bring two rods every time I just want to fish a pond.

First (of hopefully many to come) on my new Victory! Felt the strike brilliantly whilst working a creature bait through the middle of the pond.

Start using other plastics that either a) come in larger quantities or b) are more durable. The aforementioned Elastec addresses point B, but you can still lose them to a snag. That’s why until somewhat recently I was very much using Zoom plastics + Eagle Claw terminal tackle almost exclusively. Cost per rigged bait was very low, but still very effective even in pressured water. The added benefit will be you get comfortable fishing something other than Senkos. I’d strongly recommend the Trick Worm and whatever creature/craw bait strikes your fancy when you look at the package.

I threw a “raspberry shad” colored trailer on a green pumpkin skirted jig—made me a believer in having a slightly ridiculous hue on a trailer.

Afraid so! Though the trash service is rural, and involves manually picking up bags rather than the “one armed bandit” type. So maybe it’s in the bottom of the can. 😅

I was not the original owner of the Sierra, so not sure if I would have benefitted from a trade-in. And, would you believe I have already thrown it away? 😂 Didn’t know about Dobyns’ warranty—I’d bought the thing secondhand at a local shop in Dayton, TN.

Yeah, I may end up regretting not getting the 7’4” Heavy/Fast - VTC74HF. But I ultimately went by the chart, and the fact that unlike the Kaden, the 7’3” MH rod claims an upper lure weight range of 1oz.

@Brian11719, I just pulled the trigger on a St. Croix Victory 7’3” MH/F - VTC73MHF from ALF. The sale was just too good to not take a flier on it—and with ALF’s liberal return policy, low risk.

1. Which of these two do you like more for heavier spinnerbaits + chatterbaits (maybe the occasional 5/8oz rattletrap), and why? And to what extent do you feel like you can switch to Texas or free-rigged plastics if needed? 2. What else, at similar or lower price point, has a similar profile? I had (and recently accidentally broke) a Sierra 7’ MH (703C, I think?), but thought it was just a bit too “noodly” for my taste, but not by much. From reading other threads, the Kaden series is still a soft-tipped “Fast” action, but a bit firmer than the Sierra. Might be just the ticket for me—but I’m wide open to other options, since I’m not a dedicated Dobyns person. Mainly fishing around and in grass—idea is to hit the edges with the aforementioned moving baits, and switch to soft plastics to finesse them through the salad.

In the early-mid spring I like Texas-rigging craws and creature baits most. Gives the most versatility between fishing it on the bottom, or even swimming it. But in the summer, the worm is king. Craws and creatures still work, but most strikes seem to happen higher in the water column. Means lighter weights or other techniques that allow you to suspend the plastic a bit longer (or indefinitely) work better than a normal (1/4 or 3/16oz) T-rig. But I’ve had little to no luck with the curly tailed worms. Need to fish them super slowly, I guess.

Yesterday my 5 year-old son helped me with selections while shopping the Spring Classic at Bass Pro off the Sevierville exit (a stunning specimen of a store). Among his choices were these absolutely massive, thick 7 1/8” Stick-O’s…what the heck kind of hook do I need to rig these in, say, a weightless Texas rig? Any other kind of rigging suggestions? I almost never fish anything bigger than 4/0 EWG’s, but I have a feeling those won’t suffice. Maybe a 6/0 Flipping Hook if I can thread the line through the worm before tying on?