$30 to spend with Berkley, school me on the Stunna?

[Aaron_H]

Hey all, getting a $30 gift card to spend at Berkley. Looking through their site and I'm leaning towards getting two Stunnas to try out, but I have some questions. I'm thinking of getting both in Shad Fillet, the blue back/chart belly has been working extremely well in my waters, but is there a color I should try instead? Secondly, looks like it comes out of the box with EWG trebles, but how is the quality of the hooks/split rings? Sturdy enough to hold up to potential double digit bass or do they need swapped?

[PotatoLake]

I’d go with one of the Shad Filet, which is transparent, (sunnier days), and one table rock shad which is opaque (Cloudy days). I’ve never caught or seen a double digit bass, but they have fusion hooks, which are solid. I’d think setting your drag correctly and the quality of your line will determine your ability to land a DD.

 

I’ve not put enough time with them to give you a first hand opinion, but I’ve seen some vids of them getting hammered, so I’m sure they work.

[Aaron_H]

13 minutes ago, PotatoLake said:

I’d go with one of the Shad Filet, which is transparent, (sunnier days), and one table rock shad which is opaque (Cloudy days). I’ve never caught or seen a double digit bass, but they have fusion hooks, which are solid. I’d think setting your drag correctly and the quality of your line will determine your ability to land a DD.

 

I’ve not put enough time with them to give you a first hand opinion, but I’ve seen some vids of them getting hammered, so I’m sure they work.

 

Table rock was another color I was considering, one of each may be the way I go. I mentioned hooks because I had multiple points bend out on my go to replacement treble (Gamakatsu EWG) while fighting two DD bass recently. Thankfully they both had multiple hooks in them, but my confidence in those hooks is not as rock solid as it used to be.

[Deleted account]

13 minutes ago, Aaron_H said:

I had multiple points bend out on my go to replacement treble (Gamakatsu EWG) while fighting two DD bass recently. Thankfully they both had multiple hooks in them, but my confidence in those hooks is not as rock solid as it used to be.

A fish can only bend out a hook (or break a line) if you cooperate with it on your end, you know, 2 jerks...

[Aaron_H]

2 minutes ago, Deleted account said:

A fish can only bend out a hook (or break a line) if you cooperate with it on your end, you know, 2 jerks...

 

My drag on my jerkbait setup is just tight enough to keep the rod loaded properly, but loose enough for the fish to take line as it needs. I can pull line with just two fingers pinching the line, it's nowhere near locked down. And yet...

[LrgmouthShad]

3 minutes ago, Aaron_H said:

 

My drag on my jerkbait setup is just tight enough to keep the rod loaded properly, but loose enough for the fish to take line as it needs. I can pull line with just two fingers pinching the line, it's nowhere near locked down. And yet...

stop scaring me man lol. I had a thread that asked questions about treble hooks and drag setting recently. I'll admit I thought you had these problems just because your drag was set too tight, but of course without being there and without a scale involved, I have no idea. Still so glad you landed that fish. 

 

Treble hooks give me anxiety.

[Deleted account]

10 minutes ago, Aaron_H said:

 

My drag on my jerkbait setup is just tight enough to keep the rod loaded properly, but loose enough for the fish to take line as it needs. I can pull line with just two fingers pinching the line, it's nowhere near locked down. And yet...

Unless you are fishing a MH high mod rod with braid (and still cooperating with the fish) that is hard to do. Usually that happens if the hook gets hung up on angle and twists, or when removing it with pliers.

[Aaron_H]

13 minutes ago, LrgmouthShad said:

stop scaring me man lol. I had a thread that asked questions about treble hooks and drag setting recently. I'll admit I thought you had these problems just because your drag was set too tight, but of course without being there and without a scale involved, I have no idea. Still so glad you landed that fish. 

 

Treble hooks give me anxiety.

 

Thankfully, the only hooks that bent were the ones that had her in the gill plate. The front treble on both DD bass were buried in the corner of the mouth and stayed rock solid.

 

I freely admit I am still a rank amateur with a jerkbait, so maybe my drag is too tight since I'm throwing them on braid-to-mono leader on a 6'10" medium power rod. I was losing fish early into my 2022 Jerkbait Grind™ because I kept my drag very loose (anxiety over pulling small trebles) and the rod was not loading properly, bad hook penetration and rod coming unloaded on the jump. One of the fish I lost this way was very, very big. Tightened drag enough to keep the rod loaded but not so tight they couldn't take line on a surge and this problem disappeared, I have lost very few fish since then. Again, maybe it is too tight, but I feel if I can easily pull line with only two fingers pinching the line then I doubt it.

[LrgmouthShad]

10 minutes ago, Aaron_H said:

Thankfully, the only hooks that bent were the ones that had her in the gill plate

Maybe this has something to do with it? Edit: The hooks being in the gill plate I mean 

 

Calling on some edumuhcated members to satisfy my burning curiosity. 

[Aaron_H]

17 minutes ago, LrgmouthShad said:

Maybe this has something to do with it? Edit: The hooks being in the gill plate I mean 

 

Calling on some edumuhcated members to satisfy my burning curiosity. 

 

Very well could be it. I would think most of the force would be applied to the front hook, being closest to the line tie and all, but my degree isn't in STEM so what do I know ?

 

This picture is the only hook that the 10lb 2oz one I caught bent. The 10lb 9oz I got before bent out three of the hooks, two on the middle hook (not quite as bad as this one) and one on the rear hook (even worse than this one, broke trying to work it back into place). Again the two hooks on the front treble that were in the corner of her mouth held.

[txchaser]

One of my fishing buddies is pretty good about reminding me to back off the drag after getting a big fish moving. I think it is decent advice especially for boat or shore-side surges. But sounds like your drag is really light already.

 

Fish getting leverage banging up against something like the bottom of the lake? 

 

Only other thing I can think of is because of your early run-in with poor hooksets, you've started thumbing the spool on hooksets. 

 

IMO DD's on jerkbait hooks not in open water is just this side of terrifying. Everything has to go right, and you pulled it off twice. I bought some of these for jerkbaits - Owner Stinger STX-58 - they are expensive, but I think the zowire "20% stronger" thing is real. Gamakatsu has some similar "20%" finesse trebles but the reviews suggest they are a bit brittle. 

 

 

[Bluebasser86]

Really like the Sunna, Hankie Pankie is my favorite but gold would be a hard color to not get if I was fishing Florida.

[LrgmouthShad]

49 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Hankie Pankie

That’s cute as heck. Maybe his wife’s pet name for him? There had to have been some bargaining going on there. 

[Aaron_H]

10 hours ago, txchaser said:

One of my fishing buddies is pretty good about reminding me to back off the drag after getting a big fish moving. I think it is decent advice especially for boat or shore-side surges. But sounds like your drag is really light already.

 

Fish getting leverage banging up against something like the bottom of the lake? 

 

Only other thing I can think of is because of your early run-in with poor hooksets, you've started thumbing the spool on hooksets. 

 

IMO DD's on jerkbait hooks not in open water is just this side of terrifying. Everything has to go right, and you pulled it off twice. I bought some of these for jerkbaits - Owner Stinger STX-58 - they are expensive, but I think the zowire "20% stronger" thing is real. Gamakatsu has some similar "20%" finesse trebles but the reviews suggest they are a bit brittle. 

 

 

 

Hmmm.... Ponds are a soft clay bottom, not too much in terms of structure for them to get me on, they are essentially open water for 99% of it. I admit I do thumb the spool right at the hookset to ensure the hooks penetrate, then don't touch the spool and let the drag do the work. Otherwise drag slips when the rod first loads up, and that was leading to lost fish. I'll keep tinkering, definitely food for thought. The Owner Zo-Wire trebles are definitely on my list to try, was looking at the 2x STX-45, hopefully light enough to not throw off the weigh of the jerkbaits.

 

1 hour ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Really like the Sunna, Hankie Pankie is my favorite but gold would be a hard color to not get if I was fishing Florida.

 

Gold is always a tempting color with all the shiners down here and the tanic stained water. I'm getting a Bass Pro gift card from FWC as well so I could always get a couple more than I was planning if I end up really liking them.

[Bluebasser86]

29 minutes ago, Aaron_H said:

 

Hmmm.... Ponds are a soft clay bottom, not too much in terms of structure for them to get me on, they are essentially open water for 99% of it. I admit I do thumb the spool right at the hookset to ensure the hooks penetrate, then don't touch the spool and let the drag do the work. Otherwise drag slips when the rod first loads up, and that was leading to lost fish. I'll keep tinkering, definitely food for thought. The Owner Zo-Wire trebles are definitely on my list to try, was looking at the 2x STX-45, hopefully light enough to not throw off the weigh of the jerkbaits.

 

 

Gold is always a tempting color with all the shiners down here and the tanic stained water. I'm getting a Bass Pro gift card from FWC as well so I could always get a couple more than I was planning if I end up really liking them.

Gold is a good cloudy day color as well.

[Dwight Hottle]

32 minutes ago, Aaron_H said:

 

Hmmm.... Ponds are a soft clay bottom, not too much in terms of structure for them to get me on, they are essentially open water for 99% of it. I admit I do thumb the spool right at the hookset to ensure the hooks penetrate, then don't touch the spool and let the drag do the work. Otherwise drag slips when the rod first loads up, and that was leading to lost fish. I'll keep tinkering, definitely food for thought. The Owner Zo-Wire trebles are definitely on my list to try, was looking at the 2x STX-45, hopefully light enough to not throw off the weigh of the jerkbaits.

 

 

Gold is always a tempting color with all the shiners down here and the tanic stained water. I'm getting a Bass Pro gift card from FWC as well so I could always get a couple more than I was planning if I end up really liking them.

 

Aaron your drag setting is obviously fine based on the two DD's you landed. Enough said. I have been using the Owner Zo wire hooks since they came out & have been very happy with them. The STX-45ZN in 2X+ is what I have been using in the smaller sizes for jerk baits & the STX-58TN 3x+ for the larger sizes for cranks & swimbaits targeting trophy bass in FL & Mexico. As far as colors gold works really well as does bone or white. 

Don't you just love it when the state of FL pays you for catching a big bass?

[Aaron_H]

3 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Gold is a good cloudy day color as well.

 

Right on the money there, my go to lipless color on a cloudy day.

 

1 minute ago, Dwight Hottle said:

 

Aaron your drag setting is obviously fine based on the two DD's you landed. Enough said. I have been using the Owner Zo wire hooks since they came out & have been very happy with them. The STX-45ZN in 2X+ is what I have been using in the smaller sizes for jerk baits & the STX-58TN 3x+ for the larger sizes for cranks & swimbaits targeting trophy bass in FL & Mexico. As far as colors gold works really well as does bone or white. 

 

Thanks Dwight, I'll definitely pick up a pack of those STX-45s.

[txchaser]

On 3/2/2022 at 12:26 PM, Aaron_H said:

 

Thanks Dwight, I'll definitely pick up a pack of those STX-45s.

And split rings. Pretty sure they are a 2.

[Aaron_H]

14 minutes ago, txchaser said:

And split rings. Pretty sure they are a 2.

 

Still have a decent stock of split rings currently, I upgrade them on almost everything I purchase.

[txchaser]

SItting here replacing jerkbait hooks - I just double checked the model, @Dwight Hottle was right, they are STX-45ZN 2x size 6, not the 58's