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.

Am I right that Trilene XL and BPS Excel are the same? XL - Excel...same name and the line feels verrrry similar.

I have both. I have a Old town PDL kayak and love it. Great exercise, very stable, flip the pedal drive up and you have a discreet pee hole, plenty of space for a guy like me who normally brings 2-3 rods only anyway, and space for a crate behind you. Cons for me - takes you a while to get to a spot across the lake and I'm a big fella so I end up being a sail in the wind. I also have a 14' starcraft with a 15hp motor and a trolling motor, live well, and a depth finder. I like being able to bring someone with me, more space to move around and stand, and less workout. Cons for me on this - motor maintenance, registration, trailer maintenance and storage, and charging batteries. I love em both and am grateful to be able to have each option.

I own a small water treatment business so even when I'm not working, I'm working. Took a trip to Oneida in May. One single vacation day. Had a sales call and diagnosed an issue with my tech within the first hour and a half on the water. This life isn't for everyone. Sometimes I think it's not for me, either.

They have TFO Tactical Bass and Tactical Elite casting rods 50% off. TFO fanboy here but I'm not much a casting guy. Can vouge that both the Tactical Bass and Tactical Elite SPINNING rods are stellar - heavier powers get tip heavy. I would assume the casting are good too..and for $75-$99.

The what? I'm balding fast

Caught this big girl on a jig worm - 3/16 ned head with a zman fattyz. Today was great.

This this this! I do differ in that I prefer braid to leader after trying straight mono again, but I do use a 10' mono leader. "Make sure I rig it so that the hook gets exposed to the bend" - this IS the answer. You DO NOT need to swing on these fish for a hookset. Reel down on them and sweep the rod up and these light wire ned hooks will penetrate assuming the plastic doesn't prevent you from getting it in there enough. Keep that in mind when selecting baits - I ned with zman exclusively because it's so soft that it will stretch and move out of the way if needed.

I'd try the crank mentioned above first. Then I'm tossing a tube at em to see if they follow it down. If that doesn't draw them, I'm going float and fly set to the depth they're suspended at. Maybe I'll gain the wisdom A-Jay has one day to just head back but for now, I'll keep trying.

I like a St Croix 6'6" Avid MH spinning with straight mono.

Get the popcorn out, folks! I prefer mono as I don't care for how fluoro handles. But I'm sure I'm doing something wrong and I'm missing tons of fish because I use stretchy mono that doesn't sink and fish can see.