Why do some bass bite, get hooked, and still never make it to the boat? Cody Stahl breaks down the overlooked tackle decisions that affect everything from getting a bait through the strike zone to keeping a big fish pinned.

Fresh off a record 22-pound Bassmaster Open winning margin without forward-facing sonar, Cody brings an unusual perspective: he’s a tournament pro, fishing-rod designer, and former soft-plastic mold designer. He explains the details most anglers never think about—and why the “best” rod, hook, or material depends entirely on how you’re fishing.

What you’ll learn:
• Why Cody used a 3/4-ounce lipless crankbait on a 7'5" extra-heavy, extra-fast rod in Florida grass
• Why 20-pound fluorocarbon gave him advantages over braid with treble hooks
• The difference between rod power, action, modulus, and spring-back speed
• Why higher-modulus graphite can be better for jerkbaits but worse for some crankbaits
• How he chooses rods for ChatterBaits, frogs, jighead minnows, wacky rigs, and bottom-contact baits
• When to use an EWG versus straight-shank hook—and when to change your hookset around cover
• Why round-bend and EWG treble hooks can serve completely different purposes
• What a lure designer notices about swimbait tails, plastic hardness, seams, and action

Guest: Cody Stahl — Bassmaster Open winner; record 22-pound winning margin; tournament pro; fishing-rod designer and former soft-plastic mold designer.

Watch the full video podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLJHIrTVplvfzK7I8FEog0BXmrt83Yc3T

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Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catch-more-bass/id1842586566
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2QGQyLEtWoErDF6vD7igy3