Got out for a bit with these beauties!

Had a break from a very busy work schedule and life which seems to have been a whirlwind for a while to head to a small man made lake with a 2 fish population consisting of yellow perch and smallmouth. The lake just opened last fall so the fish are all smaller for the most part with a few slightly larger specimens. I have caught fish up to the 16-17 inch class there but those were a few large brood stock fish and not the typical cookie cutter 8-12 inch size fish that seems to be the norm.

Since the small lake is very weedy this time of year like many of our area lakes I was limited to just weightless plastics and the occasional small dark sleeper fished around the pockets. Managed 7 fish in 2 hours before the heat and humidity kicked in. 

Got a chance to fish some things I haven’t fished much or at all since acquiring them.

First up was the MB X7 Super Eiger with a Steez CT SV TW. This is quickly becoming one of my favorite combos. It is perfect for 1/4 oz weightless plastics which is what it was used for primarily. The sensitivity is off the charts good and it has sneaky hook setting power. This to me is somewhere between a ML and Lighter medium. It truly excels for weightless plastics. Where it struggles is moving fish away from cover. But as an open water or sparse cover 1/4 oz plastic rigged weightless this rod is special. It checks so many boxes 

Next was a Vinny built custom NFC rod rated 1/8 to 3/8 with 2012 Alde BFS XG 8:1. This reel with the stock spool is special. It is a rocket launcher for mag finesse offerings and that day it was used for a 1/4 oz darksleeper. The rod and reel just feel like they disappear in hand and the comfort of this combo is truly enjoyable to use. I much prefer this stock spool to the Avail micro cast spool. I didn’t care for that one at all. When installed in the reel it wasn’t as smooth feeling on the retrieve and the casting distance was too choked off for my liking.

Then there was the Designo 7’1 MH Leben Ltd. It is paired with a truly unique reel. The reel has the guts, frame and handle of the MB IS73 with handle knobs from a Mb IP79 and custom painted side plates in ITO green. The red accents pair nicely with the red accents in the rod and the reel with its low profile recessed frame sits so comfortably on the rod with its very comfortable reel seat. This one is another comfortable pairing to fish for long periods of time. It was used for a weightless plastics but sadly I think the plastic I chose was a bit to large for the fish and I didn’t catch any fish on it.

The Sedition Cristobal and the custom TDZ was another truly amazing combo to use. The reel is a TDZ Type R+ frame and internals with custom painted decade works side plates and some fun parts to match the KTF Neo spool. This spool seems to be happy with baits over 3/8 oz. It doesn’t want to play nicely with anything under 3/8 even paired with this ML+ rod. If I could acquire more of these rods I would. They are that good. For me and where I fish I can do so much with this rod. 

Lastly it brought my Orvis fly rod along with a yellow hopper pattern fly hoping for my first ever smallmouth on a fly but sadly it didn’t happen. They were not interested in anything on top water. 

Pictued - my pops with x7 SE Steez CT which ended up being his favorite combo to use

Enjoy the photos!