So for starter I wanted to say hello! Excellent website and forum. I have found a ton of useful information so far. As you can probably guess from my username I am a full time firefighter in my local town. A little fishing background, I have been fishing since I was about 5. My Father was a very good bass fisherman and taught me ho to use the Texas rig. He told me when I was little if I ever learned how to use it I would catch more and bigger fish then anything else. I didn't use it very much when I was younger but I began to use it in my 20's and really started to like it. My father died of cancer when I was 21, and with it for some reason the joy of fishing and the want to go. After many years (10-11) of layoff my wife talked me into taking her and my 6 and 7 year old children this past weekend. We did some bank fishing the first afternoon at a local lake honey hole I remembered. My wife caught one and I caught 3, one of which was a 3.5 lb. Largemouth. Fishing was slow but I really enjoyed myself so we went the next morning to the same spot. Produced 3 more fish and another 3 pounder. So now I started getting the bug, went again that night and just before dark landed a 4 lb. Largemouth just at dark. So needless to say my family and I are now enjoying fishing again and I am looking to upgrade some of my very old tackle
So I use a Texas rig 98% of the time. I am using 2 Berkley Lighting rods that are very old. My go 2 is a 5'6 lightning rod, Medium action with 30 lb. Spider stealth braid with a baby brush hawg and a 3/0 Owner offset hook. Paired with a Shimano Bantam bait caster. I went to Bass Pro and was trying out some new rods after seeing this site recommend a 7'0 rod with fast of extra fast action. I found 2 I really liked one was an Abu Garcia Veritas, Medium Heavy 7'. I really liked the feel and found it on clearance for 69.99. The other was a Shimano Sellus 6'8 Medium heavy fast tip. Both of these rods felt amazing and ultra sensitive. I think it was 49.99 and the Extra fast was 59.99. I would really appreciate any advice on which rod to go with. I have a feeling that both with be perfect but am looking for advice from you guys with more experience. Thank ahead of time, Frank.
