ww2farmer

Bass don't "shut down" for the winter. They need to eat to live. There metabolism slows, they eat less often, and don't burn alot of energy when they do. Alot of bass are caught through the ice here. Having some bad days this time of the year is normal. God knows I have had my fair share.

Nonsense....a bullet shaped head with a wie gap hook, and a 28 degree straight hook eye hooks fish better than almost any other jig. Give me facts, not a sales pitch.

I have not found that to be a problem. But one of the other posters is correct,they do not work well ith screw lock hooks/jig heads. The finesse worms are deadly on a drop shot.

Air temp in the low 40's, snow on the ground this AM. New PB LM out of my local lake.........why not? 6lbs 10 oz.

at least 2, maybe 6 more weeks for me here in WNY. I have SUCKED since about mid Aug. on my home lake. Very low water, very strong alge bloom that still won't clear up, and me generally being an idiot have all contributed. But I will keep at it, you never know what's going to happen. I caught my biggest smallie last year (5-2) in the middle of november.

When they come back in stock in 2023 we'll do that LMFAO.

The STX casted lighter stuff down to 3/8's better than the Fuego,but not as good as the Curado. In fact, the reel that I liked best on that rod other than the Curado, was a Revo S. Thats the reel I started with on that rod, and went back to after the STX/Fuego experiments, but was replaced by the 51E, and that reel ain't coming off that rod anytime soon. To be fair to the STX, I had the older one with just the mag brakes, maybe the new one with dual brakes is better with smaller stuff?

If I had water around here that I thought it would work in , I would use it. I don't see to many practical applications though for skipping it under docks, dragging it over or punching mats. It might be a viable alternitive to cranking on deep outside weedlines when fish are suspended in the weeds, or just out side them.

IDK........but the 10,000 e-mails I got from them a week got annoying. They are the Bass Pro Shops catalogs of e-mails.

To expand more on what I said, I had the Fuego on the same rod I have a Curado 51E on right now. 7' M St Croix LTB. I have also had a Revo STX on that rod. The Revo and Fuego were both NIB when I bought them, both were spooled with 20 lb braid, and with that rod used for the same stuff. Small squarebills, lipless cranks, jerkbaits, topwaters, small spinnerbaits, senkos, finesse jigs, light t-rigs, it's basicly my jack-of-all trades rod, except for deep cranking and flipping heavy cover. Since were talking Fuego vs. Curado, I'll leave the Revo out. The Curado cast's the lighter baits I use with this set up ( 3/16 oz jigs, 1/4 oz cranks like Bandit 100's or SK series 1's etc...) worlds farther than that Fuego, the Fuego realy didn't like stuff less than 3/8's, and was perfect with 1/2 oz stuff, which, except for 1/2 oz lipless cranks, is a weight range that I don't use on that rod. So the Fuego wasn't for me.............on that rod. I did briefly switch over to my 7' MH Avid, and used it for pitching, but I was so used to my Citica 201D on that rod it felt strange in my hand, even though it's lighter, I just couldn't get used to it. So I sold it.

I would advise against letting Kistler get ahold of your e-mail address.

Strike King Hack Attack Jigs, and Bitsy flips come through the milfoil, coontail, pondweed, and eel grass we have around here very well. OutKast RT jigs are also good. Look for jigs with bullet shaped heads, line ties that are in-line with the hook shank and bent at less of an angle..........if that make sense. Don't be afraid to use heavy jigs too, I like a 3/4- 1oz. jig for most of my weed fishing, unless the water is cold or I am in super shallow water, then I use a 1/2 or 3/8 oz.

Rod:9/10 My BPS cranking stick is one of only a few rods that I sold that I wish I had back. Great bang for the buck Reel: 7/10 Never been a fan of BPS reels, but alot of people say good thing about the current PQ Line: 8/10 Tried and true line, not cutting edge/top of the line stuff, but not junk either. This is probably my favorite combo to use: Rod: St Croix Legend Tournament 7' M power/fast action "Teaser" Reel: Shimano Curado 51E Line: 20lb Power pro, will use a 12lb Trilene 100% flouro leader when needed.

8/10. Love the reel, rod is not my cup of tea, never used that line. My cranking set up: Rod: St Croix Legend Tournament 7'11" H power/Mod action "Magnum Cranker" Reel: Shimano Curado 201DPV Line: Power Pro 20lb braid, I'll use 10lb Trilene 100% fluoro as a leader when I am around rocks/zebe's, but straight braid when ripping big cranks out of deep grass.

St Croix Mojo 6'8" MXF, new for $99. Or get the same length/power/action in the Avid I have seen used ones go for $125 or so. You might get lucky and also find that rod used in the Legend Tournament line for less than $200 as well.

I have (had) both. Keep the Curados. Other than being light, the Fuego didn't impress me.

I fish with Shimano, I run the spool tension very loose, one brake on, for all my fishing, not just pitching.

12 gauge pump shotgun, with an 18" barrel, loaded with 00 buck shot. Pistols are fine is trained hands, but any one can use a shotgun. If something ever happenend my wife or daughter could point that shotgun at what it needs to pointed at, and with the 00 buck shot knock it down. No precise aim needed. I have read/heard some place that often the menicing noise of racking a shotgun action is a powerfull mental deterant as well.

Red Eye Shad.

Yes, OR go to the thickest shallow cover you can find and put your bait in the "dark and nasty" spots. You may have to soak the bait and/or make multiple presentations to the same spot. I have also caught them post front on fast moving reaction baits, but you have to hit them in the face to get them to react, they don't seenm to want to chase or come up on anything. But, there are no hard and fast rules to post front fishing, I have seen guys bag big sacks fishing frogs and topwaters when "the book" says you shouldn't, while I farted around with 3" senkos on a drop shot rig when I felt the fishing should have been tough. Even after bad front has passed, I now go out and fish they way I would usually fish, then make the adjustments on the fly depending on what is going on out there. You never know.

The first week end in Dec. or the last weekend in Nov. is usually my cutoff. Yeah there are a couple weeks between then and ice up, but I like a short break from one fishing season to the next. There are always fish biting, but when it's cold and windy, and usually raining/snowing I call it a year.

Every.............yes EVERY DT from the DT 16, to the DT Fat 03, that I have owned has broke. They catch fish, but so do Bandits and Strike King's and I have not broke many of them.

Yup

Nice paint jobs, pretty package, good components. Do they catch fish any better than Strike Kings or Bandits for the extra $$? Not IMHO.

If you want rods that don't break, forget Kistler. Almost all of mine broke, and I got rid of the ones that didn't before the could. St Croix's are bullet proof, light, sensitive, and when they do break, they stand behind them. But really, if your breaking a ton of rods, I would look at how your using the rods, maybe a change in power/action, not brands is needed.