baitcaster rod blanks Matt Stefan 7'3" Med-Heavy Super Versatile Baitcasting Kit This style crosses over well to heavier striper and surf fishing in general making most of the models extremely good options for surf fishing Yamaga Blanks BlueSniper Boat Casting

By cutting out the printed template for the side-view of your lure, you can draw around it to get the exact shape you need

And one boring but important note: do not judge a BFS reel after five casts with the wrong rod

Best Forward-Facing Sonar Smallmouth Bait: Strike King Baby Z-Too + Dirty Jigs Tungsten HD Guppy Swimbait Head Pros Perfect for fishing with forward-facing sonar Wide array of color options Soft, yet durable Cons Cant cover water efficiently Specs: Sizes: 3, 3 , 4, 5 inches Key colors: Arkansas Shiner, Pearl, The Juice Prime Conditions: Pre-spawn and late post-spawn Bluff walls, open water, offshore structure Fishing with forward-facing sonar has become a mainstay tactic for smallmouth anglers everywhere

Most notably, tournament winner Bill Lowen, said for days two, three and four, the swimjig did most of the work