unbreakable_bassin

I drive past from time to time, its EXTREMELY low, lowest its ever been, and fishing is very tough. I live in the area and dont fish it... Your better choices close by are Castaic, Piru, Casitas, or Puddingstone....If you want to go further up the coast Lopez is doing pretty good this summer too. Most other lakes are too low or not worth your time if your looking for big water in the area. Hope that helps.

Time of year is way more important than if it's raining. Rain is small change in a big picture in my book at this point. Timing and knowing structure are the keys. If it's raining in January I'm not on the same bait as if it's raining in July...

i throw the bigger stuff almost all the time, my XXH is a 8' 6" parabolic ben made. It will cast the mother all day, and makes the hinkle feel like a deps on a XH rod. I use it for 250s as a second rod when fishing different parts of the water column with 2 baits, and its a great 250 rod as well I just prefer the XH for 8oz or less. That being said, I only fish the lexa 300 in a 6 or 7 gear ratio for the really big stuff, as a Calcutta or slower real just wont do it for me with the big glide baits or even wake baits. I need that extra line coming in with the extra weight behind the line...you wont get the same action out of a mother or bait that weighs 10oz or more on a slow reel, thats a fact. the lexa 400 just feels way too big in my hands for an all day trip to the lake. the 300 handles even the mother really well for me. Hope that helps.

Sorry ment 1/0 on the quad rig. And use an a2 sleeve if you go 90# with a good strong crimp.

Only thing I'll change sometimes is I go 90# wire if I'm flipping fish through grass on shore. 60# is strong though and more than enough on a boat or with a net. Just a few Bb rigged fish from the last mild weather months here. Been on a hardbait kick lately now though with the summer coming in hot. Also if you use a harness into the foam eventually you'll have so many puncher marks into the foam it won't hold a paper clip or harness in it well. Tried it this year, didn't like it. Some guys do. My buddy Ryan escutia down in SD goes quads in size one and used a paper clip (painted black) harness into the foam. I don't get bit with that rig in my lakes but it works wonders for him. Just a thought if you don't like the og rigging style. Good luck dudes

Two words, mend it. Bb rig always for me. Just have my best hook ups with it.

+1

the XH 8' 6" parabolic is more than enough for a 250, that is THE rod i only use for that bait....a parabolic rod has a tip on it that might make it feel as if it loads too much, but its not, you need to get use to a parabolic rod it seems to me...I was use to more moderate rods before Ben started building me only parabolic rods. I like them because it takes less effort for the bait to load and cast far. Like i said, its just a feeling thing. I fish baits heavier than the 250 on it now and its no prob. That rod can hand A LOT more than you think. Ive put mine through the ringer a few times already, second one ive owned...plus a XXH parabolic that I throw the Mother and topwater baits with. Also If you are a overhanded caster, thats a No No you want to unlearn. Learn good side arm and underhanded casts. If your gunna throw a overhanded cast learn to load the rod back at an angle. Baits break off and bad things happen with big baits and overhand casts, unless you really know the feeling of your rod and must make a cast that way. I try to keep most of my cast side armed now. Thats the 8' 6" XH parabolic in the pic I attached, along with a saiko trout and 2 decent fish. My favorite rod for that bait Ive ever fished. Hope that helps some. Rods are all personal feeling and preference though, and parabolic rods arent for everyone.

I dont see how a fish can eat a treble hook, any treble hook, head first and not get hooked. I have had a few come off on the 250, usually the bigger ones for me too as I am new. MOST all of my solid bites stay on, unless I ef up and the fish comes off at the net. I use gammi 2/0 round bend hooks, they work great for me and are the sharpest hooks I can find. Some guys dont like them, but they are the only hooks I will use on that bait. Butch recommended them to me awhile ago. I think don has said, as well as many other accomplished trophy bass hunters out there "if you can see them, they can see you" and its hard to get them to bite in some of our pressured lakes out here once they sense your presence at all. Ive been to lakes in other states and can get them to eat at the boat, but thats just not the case for me here EVER. Every fish Ive gotten on my deck recently has bitten on a long, accurate, well fished cast, long before we see each other. If you find the fish and know how to put the bait in the right spot, they will eat it and stay hooked, Ive found that out. Good luck out there, hope that helps a little.