ww2farmer

Thanks guys, I will look at the Dobyns rods also. I'll tell you the first rod I would be looking at in either brand would be a pitching rod, followed up by a spinning rod for use with drop shot, shakey heads, etc.... The pitching rod would be used mostly with 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 oz jigs and t-riged plastics. Pitching in weeds, laydowns, and under/around boat docks from 0-12 FOW. The spinning rod would be used for tossing 4" senkos and small flukes in early spring in our ultra clear water, In summer it would be used on the drop shot. Not sure how much shakey head use it will get, but some I am sure. Now I just gotta decide which ones to buy.

Well then ........you have to "feel" for them. Quality rods, and braided line are a big asset for that. Beleive it or not line can be watched at night.

WATCH YOUR LINE..........WATCH YOUR LINE...........WATCH YOUR LINE, lol did I mention watch your line. Alot of jig bites will come on the fall, you won't feel much, but see your line "tick", don't play around trying to "feel" them when this happens, set the hook like you mean it. Other times they will pick it up on the bottom and you won't see or feel a thing, only when you go to move the jig it feel "mushy" or there is slight pressure, SET THE HOOK. There is no wrong time to set the hook with a jig, if it feels different whack it.

Not every........Kistler does not, St Croix does not on the Premiers and Triumphs, Fenwick does not on the HMX, or Eagle GT. Thats all I know of off the top of my head. I have no problem with the Fenwick guides, been using them for years with no problems, can't speak on the kistlers, never used one. I can say with conviction, as I have used and owned both St Croix's, that the guides used are poor and I don't like them.

LOL I never did give "my 4 must haves" 7'6" H/fast casting 7'MH/fast casting 7' M/fast casting 7' ML/Fast spinning If you look on the deck of my boat, you'll find those 4 out most of the time. "Second String" 6' M/F spinning 7'M/F spinning 6'8" H/XF casting 7' MH/M casting LOL it's hard to just pick four.

You want my honest OPINION..........of the 3 you mentioned I would go with the Quantum first, then the Pflueger, then the Johnny Morris. I like Quantum casting reels........not a big fan of there spinning reels. On the other hand, I like Pflueger spinning reels, but there casting reels leave my a little flat. There will be no more BPS brand reels of either type (or rods for that matter) for me.

I use the gamakatsu drop shot hooks most of the time, if weeds are thick enough to be a nuisence with those exposed hooks, I use a small #1 or 1/0 EWG and "t-rig" the bait

Please tell me what rod or rods you have/use, your likes, dislikes, and general opinions of them. Also where did you buy them? Tackle warehouse has quite a few, but they don't have them all, and a few I am interested in are not listed.

I also agree. As the quanity of my combo's came down, and the quality went up, my fishing has improved. I used to, even at the begining of this season,own 20-25 combos. Money wasted.........now I own 9, and rarely take more than 5-6 out at once.

1. western part of NY state 2. I fish 3-5 nights after work per week, most trips are about 2-3 hours of on the water time, a tipical night is about 5 fish, more if I am out there longer or the bite is on, less if the trip is short or condtions are tough. I usually have time to fish 2-3 of my favorite spots (out of about 30) I have on my home lake a night, I never fish them same spots 2 days in a row. I have had 3 skunkings this year 1 in april, 1 in june, and one last week 3+4 most are about 2lb's and 15"-16", usually get a nice one or two (3-4lber) every time out, catch a couple of 5's each year. 5. 5lb's 2oz. Twice, on back to back nights,one was in 10' of water on a weed line, the other was in 2' of water under a dock. Only 2 5's I have this year. lots of mid-high 4's,

I don't like using weight on stick baits at all. The sink well enough on there own, in my expierance a 5" stick is pretty effective in 10-12 fow, with out weight. If you do feel the need to add weight I would recomend a EWG hook with the sinker molded to the hook shank, these let the baits fall horizontly, a nose weighted (t-rigged)stick will fall verticaly and IMHO kill the appeal of this style bait. Then again thats just me..........others probably will say different.

I like the Fenwick HMX rods at $84.99, and the Abu Revo S at $99

Don't have any expierence with the IMX or shimano rods , but IMHO good choice excludeing the Premier, I don't care for them one bit.

I think thats pretty typical, based on what I have seen you post so far. :

3 hmm............I could barely get by with that ;D But here they are: 3/8 oz jig/craw suspending jerkbait fluke

$75-$100 will buy you a very nice rod, and $75-$100 will buy you a very nice reel. HOWEVER $75-$100 will buy you a combo that will wear out with serious use, and not be very refined. There are a few rods under $75 that are decent (Berkley lightning rod, Fenwick Eagle and Venture) but most are either heavy, unsensitive or both. Same for reels a few good ones out there, mostly spinning, like the Pflueger Presidant, Daiwa Exceller, and Shimano Shara. A baitcaster under $75 thats any good............slim pickings, Daiwa Procaster100H is about it for LP, and some place's have Abu C3's for less than $75. The Quantum Accurist also goes for around $75-$80 and (so far from my expierance) is a pretty decent reel. BTW..........If I could, I WOULD have higher end stuff. Once you upgrade you can never go back. Some one who says "What's the point" to high end gear wouldn't know what to do with it if they had it anyways.

Surprise there LOL

Step 1: open bag Step 2: remove 1 bait from bag Step 3: tie said bait to fishing line, using knot of your choice. Step 4: cast bait into water, best to cast to some "bassy" looking area Step 5: drag/hop/shake bait on bottom Step 6: reel line in and repeat steps 4 and 5, repeat steps 1-3 if you snag and break off. :

Skip a 5" senko under the docks, and pitch a 3/8oz jig w/craw trailer to any submerged cover you can find, the deeper the better.

I am with cart7, I like for the most part a 6' M fast rod for jerkbaits. When I jerk the bait I went the lure to move, not the rod, thats why I like a fast action for this. My "shock absorbtion" is the mono line and lighter drag setting.

NY's record is 8-4, from Erie...............where else.

Thats EXACTLY what I was going to suggest, I have one of those 8' boats and have yet to have any problem with it, but I did call the MFG and ask what they recomended for repairs in case I needed it, and thats what they recomended. So I bought some and keep it just in case. BTW buy some armor-all and wipe it down periodicly, that will really help keep the plastic like new, and in your case inject soem "life" back into it.

I have a 17' w/ 44lbs and it is fine, so in short, yes I think I would think a 55 would be a good fit. That beeing said, I fish 99% of the time on one body of water that is well protected from any "major wind", and the current in the creeks is very light. So........take that for what it's worth. I have had it on some more exposed lakes with more wind and did not struggle either.

I don't know either. Like justfishim said, bass where I fish don't seem to be. I still catch them as good now as I did 15 years ago, on pretty much the same things. Jigs, and worms have been around along time and still are probably the best bass catchers. Rapalas, spinnerbaits, tubes, curly tail grubs, all of them have been around forever and continue to fool fish.

C. Weed, I have 3 of these reels, as well as 2 Presidants, and 2 of the aluminum frame Medalists. They are fine reels, smooth, cast great, and have been very durable.