JMac603

I'm a Daiwa fanboy. I love the AGS Tatulas. I drop shot with the 7'6" MML. I use small fine wire hooks and fish primarily big open water so I prefer a longer limber rod as it really keeps em pinned nicely. I throw heavier neds on the 7'3" (3/16-3/8 jig heads). Tubes I throw on the 7'4". My favorite is the 7'6" Chris Johnston rod for hair jig..it's VERY soft but it is PERFECT for hair jigs. When I travel, the most versatile rod I own comes with me. It's one of the NEW St Croix LTB spinning rods. The 7'3" power finesse rod. I can do so much with this rod because the tip is very fast and soft so I'm comfortable drop shotting, ned rig, lighter tube jigs, even moping because the tip is so good. I'm really happy and surprised with this rod. Headed up to 1000 Islands this spring and I'm bringing two rods; this one and my jerkbait rod and I'm covered for the bulk of how I like to fish.

I'm still rocking the Avid X 6'8" MXF (I'm told it's very similar to the Victory - no idea) and love it for tubes/jig worm with straight #8 fluoro. I like the shorter rod when I'm on my kayak. The tip is pretty soft but loads up quickly into the backbone, which is exactly why I like it for tubes. A lot of times you don't feel them grab it off the bottom so I watch the tip and if it loads as I got to move it, I crank into em and it's game on.

Just picked some of these up for 2 1/2" tubes. Mannnnn I'm liking the way they go in a tube. I've been searching for a tube jig that would get hung up less from tipping over. The shape of the weight and the short shank is a game changer. Can't wait to get on the water with these.

It sounds like you're a Shimano guy so I won't be much help there as I prefer Daiwa. I've landed on the TFO 7'6" ML Resolve as my hair jig rod paired with a Daiwa Ballistic MQ and it's a neutral balance just in front of the top cork on the blank. For me this means I have a pinky below the reel and the rest of my hand above. I have rather large hands so it puts two fingers on the blank, which I really like. I've tried the Tatula MQ and the Certate. I'm not much a fan of the Tatula MQ because the bail wire diameter got smaller in physical diameter but is bigger in rotational diameter and hits my fingers while reeling. I love the Certate but the Ballistic is a better balance for the Resolve rod. Wish I were more help with the reel.

Caught these a few weeks ago on the Merrimack River in NH. Drop shot and a ned. Bigger girl is #4.2

The simple fact is fish eyes see better underwater than human eyes. They are some of the oldest eyes on the planet as eyes evolved under water and had to adapt above water. That said brains have come a long way, too (though it doesn't feel that way most of the time). They are certainly seeing the line but what they interpret that as is another question. We throw some of the weirdest things in the water and they try and eat them...a buzzbait?! When you're not at the top of the food chain, things can be food or you can be so being alert/skittish can save your life. So, in my mind, the line isn't natural to their world and it matters or it doesn't. I love dragging a tube..a tube does not look like a crawfish and it doesn't look like a baitfish. A goby - ehhhh..kind of? Who KNOWS what they interpret that as, but they eat that on the regular. All that to say - they're seeing fluoro, braid, and mono. Use what you want and you'll catch some of the fish all of the time, none of the fish some of the time, but you'll never catch all of the fish all of the time.

I REALLY dove into this early this year and tried numerous rods. My favorite rod for hair jigs up to 1/8oz is a 7'6" St. Croix Avid. I tried the 7'10" LTB, 7'10" Victory, 7'6" TFO Resolve Bass, and the 7'6" TFO Tactical Elite. I use #4 Fireline to a #4 Trilene mono leader. Brian's Custom Tackle makes stellar maribou and hair jigs. I only use black or black AND colors - black AND some purple/blue flashibou. Tried white, green, and brown and black is just what produces best.

I cast "wrong." I came up trash fishing with my uncle - anything that bit on powerbait balls, worms, or minnows - on too heavy spinning gear with too heavy mono so I whip the hell out of my casts. That said, I had a really hard time when I tried a casting reel. I'd nest it right at the beginning of the cast. Figured out that I need ZERO spool tension, ZERO magnet, and a lot of centrifugal. I've gotten better, but I still throw very light hair jigs on spinning gear and that "THWACK" has a special place in my heart. You can adapt the brakes to your casting to better suit you (if your reel has both centrifugal and magnets).

My cousin gave me some Lunker City ned heads with a really flat jig head and a longer shank hook. They paired nicely with the big trd.

No big wind, no lightning, and I'm hard pressed to leave the house if it's pouring. Little bit of snow is awesome, though. Love sitting on the water with a hot coffee and getting some flurries.

Oh he'd be kicking my butt knowing I'm losing time with this. Work/business was everything to him..it's what he did when he lost his dad. Part of me just feels like "moving on" isn't doing him enough justice - if that makes any sense.

Thank you all for the condolences and shared stories. It just doesn't feel like it's gotten any easier. Man...I'd kill to talk to him.

I'm struggling here, folks. I lost my dad a year and a half ago. We were partners in business (a very small business of 3 employees and him and I) so I can't stop to catch my breath given work volume. I grew up in this so it's also comforting in its own way, but d**n it I'm hurting. Could use his sage business advice and to just talk to my best friend again. I'm here for the mild anonymity and hopefully for some advice on how to not hurt so much. Everyone tells me it hurts less with time...how much because it hasn't yet.

I'd be surprised if any. I'm so jaded by the quality of anything new and add covid and it all got worse.

Forgot to post this from a week or so ago. Caught on a TRD Ticlerz Green Pumpkin. Bought it home and ate it.