ww2farmer

VMC #2 spinshots.

Braid with a 4-5' flouro leader.

Zip it buddy.....LOL Substitute the Berkley twitchtail minnow for the GYCB shad shape worm, and we pretty much think the same.

LOL...now you guys got my head spinning. TIp heavy is not what I wanted to hear. I might have to buy both now and try them for their intended purposes and keep the one that feels best to me. I do like the idea of a shorter handle for working jerkbaits and topwaters, but not if it's going ot make the rod too tip heavy.

New HMG's are out for me, I don't like the reel seat. I think i am gong to pull the trigger on the 6'9" M/XF casting rod, who's primary function will be the top water/jerkbaits, with some light bottom contact stuff.........and I am going to get the 6'9" M/XF spinning as well, for the light bottom contact stuff.

Idk if braid with a flouro leader is going to be right for you, but it's what I do on all my rods (casting and spinning). I hated straight flouro on spinning gear, even in 6,8, and 10lb test sizes it liked to twist, and got down right unruly at times to manage. I switched about 3 years ago to braid/flouro leader and have no plans on going back.

I use the 6th sense ones from TW...they work with weights from 1/16th oz. to 1 1/4oz. have used theme on 8, 10, 12, 15, 17, and 20 lb flouro, and 10, 20, 30, + 50 lb braid with no problem. It's really a one size fits all deal. I do what Bluebasser86 does a lot of the time too, about the only time I have to "waste" one is when I have to change a flouro. leader because it's getting too short or something.

I have.....the rod was almost perfect for what I am looking for ,topwaters,jerkbaits, and light plastic/jig work...........except the handle, I thought it was too long for the jerkbaits/top waters. Kept hitting my gut with it or, I had to hold my arm out at a odd angle to keep it from hitting my forearm/gut. LOL

Don't worry about it..........Abu M power rods are fairly stout. I have a similar rod, the 7' M Vendetta, that they also list as "moderate fast"...........nothing modrate about it, it's fast if not XF in action.

Thanks....looking like the 6'9" M/xf is gaining traction as the rod to get if I am going to be using it for jerkbaits. What ever one I get, it's going to be mated with one of my Curado 51E's. I am just looking to consolidate two of my M power, fast action rods (a 6'6" I use for jerkbaits, and a 7' I use for light weight worm and jigging duty) into one suited for double duty.

Is it too stiff or too whippy for you? I like a fairly stiff tip for jerkbaits. I don't want the rod loading up when I "jerk", and I like the rod to be fully recovered from the previous jerk when I throw slack back at it so it's ready to jerk again.

Used to be the GYCB Shad shape worm, but last year I found the Berkley Twitch tail minnow. While not that much cheaper than the GYCB, the tail will at least last beyond the first perch or bluegill pull.

I am interested in buying ONE of these two rods, depending on which one would suit my needs best. This rod would toss 5/16 - 5/8 oz jerkbaits and topwaters. 3/8-1/2 oz. drop shot rigs into a little more cover than I would dare with spinning equipment (but not flipping thick cover), 5/16 oz jigs with a light wire hook, the small "jr" size frogs in light cover, and 1/8-1/4 oz texas rigged plastics into light cover. Two things jump out at me about these rods...........first with the 6'9" M/XF...it's rated on the low end to 3/8's oz???? WHAT??? I have MH power rods that are rated down to 1/4 oz....can this be right? Is it that stiff that anythng less than 3/8's won't load it up at all? The handle looks pretty short too. But I am concerned the 6'10" would be too long and not fast enough tip for jerkbaits...just looking for opinions from guys who have one or both.

I only "resort" to using a tube when a jig isn't working. And it's not simply just a bait change, it usually envolves a change in location, and presentation method as well. Those..... I will keep to myself...LOL.

I never mentioned this, but guys keep this in mind and consult someone if your feeling sick for any reason before you get a Flu shot........ Just this past November...two months or so ago now, about two weeks before Thanksgiving, my mother died. She got very very sick after getting a flu shot, granted she was not in the best of health for a 56 year old women before getting the shot, and maybe she should have never gotten it in the first place (I don't think your supposed to get one if your sick from something else) but she did. I have never had the flu, or gotten a shot, now... I am not going to turn into anti-flu shot/the shot kills you guy, but this situation has made me very leary of getting one myself just blindly, and if I ever do, I will dang well be sure I think long and hard about it, and find out as much as I can about the shot I am getting.

So I don't like the newest LTB, and I got rid of my old ones and replaced them with Veritas's and am happy with it, that's my business, but take your shots at me if it makes you feel better as a fan boy. BTW.....I guess you selectivly forgot that in many of my post's............even after I have switched to the Abu rods, that I still say the Croix's are the better built, have nicer components, and have the better warranty. And as far as the hook hangers go....your right, it's the current Legend Extreme's that have no hanger, and the LTB that went backwards and decided to use the old closed loop hanger, which IMHO is NOT an improvement over the 2nd gen. rods. NBD? It's a hook hanger right? Well at $250+ I would want a rod with a hook hanger I like, but like I said, the hook hanger was 3rd on the list of dislikes, I can't get past the reel seat so it's not really even an issue. If they would have just used the seat from the Rage rods, I might have liked them, but, they didn't. Sorry I have my own personal tastes.

I know some people who swear by the BPS tender tubes, in some smallmouth circles around here ,it's almost a cult like following........personally I don't like them. They are poorly made, and not really all that cheap, a 10 pack is $4.49. Several other brands are made better and cost less, like the original Gitzit. I also tried the BPS version of the Jackall Flick shake worms, they were cheaper than the Jackall's, but IDK how they managed to make them LESS DURABLE than the Jackall worms, but they did. They were so fragile they would FALL OFF the hook almost every cast. I am not complain about bait durability guy, but that was rediculous. I have fished there senko knockoffs, and IMHO, they are one of the WORST knock offs, stiff and life-less.. I like their lazer eye spinner baits and buzzbaits.........good bang for the buck, never used their hardbaits.

For the same money the regular Berkley Lightning Rod is going to be a much better rod than the Ugly stik for bass fishing. No, it won't be as "tough" as an Ugly Stik, but they are pretty durable if that's a consideration for you. Personally, I'd spend $10 more and get a Berkley Lightning Rod Shock, or Abu Garcia Vengeance, they are great bangs for the buck at only $49...........cheaper at some places if you shop around,

I had that happen on a Gen1 Revo S a few years ago, a little dab of super glue and it never came out again. Just be carefull not to get any on the inside where the line passes through. I have owned, and currently own many Revo's and the 1st generation S's are the only ones that this has ever happend on, and just that one reel at that.

I owned several of the first generation LTB with the full cork grips, and several of the second gen. with the split grip/no fore grip. I do not care for the latest version for multiple reasons. #1 the reel seat, #2 they keep making them longer and longer, there are no 6'6" or 7' options anymore, or anything shorter than 6'8", and #3 none of them have hook hangers................really??? $250+ and no hook hanger. These rods are what prompted me to abandon St Croix for now, all of there newer rods are going in a direction I don't like, and they keep raising the price on some stuff with out any improvements. Granted the LTB has been "improved" if you want to call it that, but what about rods like the Mojo? They started at $90, and now a few years later with no upgrades are $110. Anyways St Croix rant over.....Of the two versions of LTB I owned I liked the full grip ones the best, they were better balanced.

Well if you like the Zoom trick worms, why don't you use the Zoom finesse worm, it's carbon copy of the trick worm only smaller. I don't know if they "float" or not, all I know is that I use them on shaky heads, and for drop shotting, and they flat out work.

20lb braid...I'll use a flourocarbon leader if the cover is abrasive.

I with you there, bluegills are my favorite too.

Use VMC spinshot hooks. Tie directly to the hook like you would any other hook, and then tie your drop to any length you want. I switched to those hooks a few years ago when they first came out, and don't plan on going back to the "old" way

A few years ago someone from NY submitted a fish that was at best a 6lber, but claimed it to be 12.............which Bassmaster published. We had quite a laugh over it at NYBass, seems how it was big enough to be the new NY state record and all......LMAO