The bass in our pond have already bedded,I try not to bother them until they have done their thing.Crappie and Bream is a different story...I tied on a 1/16 oz Charlie Brewer slider head with a 4.5" "Morning Dawn" color Roboworm .I use 6lb mono and can cast 100ft easily one handed.We have dollar weed in the shallow areas and I just retrieve the worm slowly across the pads.When the worm gets to the clear spots in the dollar weed the bass have been nailing it.Funnie thing is I have only caught bass with my BFS rig so far,and I like it ! .The Daiwa Laguna 661MHFB rod is a good match for the Black Max,some may think too heavy,but it is surprisingly light .Even The small bass feel good pulling on this rod.