TouFue Moua

Q: How long have you been with Dobyns?

A: I’ve been with Dobyns since April of 2020.

Q: Hometown and home water?

A: I've lived in Wausau, Wisconsin all my life, fishing the Wisconsin River any chance I can get for some football size small mouth bass.

Q: Bucket list fishery?

A: Two places I would love to fish on would be Lake St. Clair in Michigan and Lake Fork, Texas.

Q: Favorite Dobyns Rod and why?

A: My favorite to use all season long will be the DRX 723C. The rod is super sensitive making it easy to feel even the slightest bite. The balance of the rod combines with my Shimano Metanium DC just feel right in my hand when casting and setting the hook.

Q: Your go-to fishing technique?

A: I got to say my go-to fishing technique will be the 3/8^th tungsten weight, 3/0 hook with a Strike King Rage Tail Menace. This technique has caught me so many bass that there’s always a setup ready on every outing.

Q: Biggest Bass caught to date?

A: My biggest Bass caught to date was September 22, 2018, on the Mighty Wisconsin River. 6.06lb 22-inch small mouth bass.

Q: Best fishing tale?

A: So many to choose from…One of my favorite moments was when I was kayak fishing on the Wisconsin River with a cousin. I was currently fishing an online tournament during the time. Somehow him and I split apart for awhile fishing different location. I needed just one good fish to stay on top of the leaderboard. While throwing everything I had, I decided to try the crank bait. First cast and something hit it hard! Not being able to see how big it was I’m trying to make sure it stays down in the water while trying to navigate through rocks. FINALLY…it surfaces next to my kayak, the biggest bass of my life at the time. My net was in front of me, I went to grab it but didn’t realize my phone was on the net. As soon as I grabbed it my phone fell right in the river! In my head it was either grab my phone or drop my pole and lose the biggest fish. I chose the bass over my phone; I quickly anchor my micro anchor power pole to let me know where my phone was last seen and was finally able to get the small mouth in the kayak. 5.5lb 21-inch small mouth! I just caught the biggest bass in my life. I also just caught the fish I needed for the tournament! But then I realized I needed to submit a photo and couldn’t do that without a phone. So, I got the fish settle down in the net and in the water while I’m out of the kayak searching for my phone. The stretch I was at was around 3-4 feet of water, but clarity wasn’t going to help. I used my foot and skimmed down the river rocks hoping I was able to find it or my cousin to catch up to me. Half an hour probably went past. I’m feeling defeated caught my biggest bass but unable to take a picture or proof that I caught. Finally gave up on the phone and headed back to my kayak that was still anchor at the spot I thought I lost the phone. Just as I was about to get to the kayak my foot stepped on something that didn’t feel like a rock at all. I reached down to grab it and when I got it out, it was my phone!

Q: Do you fish any tournament trails?  

A: I am the tournament director of the Wisconsin Kayak Fishing Club here in Wisconsin. Started the group back in 2015 mainly to get a tournament trail started. It started out small with just a few local friends but as each year gone past our tournament trail grew bigger and bigger.

Q: How did you find Dobyns rods?

A: It was an actually a person that sponsored our kayak club that introduced me to Dobyns Rods. Thanks to him I am now using the best rod out there! 

By Dobyns Rods Pro Staffer Howard F Swarts

Dobyns Champion XP Series DC 734C FH: The most flexible technique rod ever made!

Dobyns Rods is the brainchild of tournament fisherman Gary Dobyns, whose knowledge of all fishing techniques has resulted in over 100 major tournament victories. This same knowledge has been built into every Dobyns rod. I have heard Gary Dobyns talk many times about the DC 734C FH. The DC 734C FH is designed to apply to Spinnerbaits, Buzzbaits, Senkos, Horny Toad, Jigs, and Swim Baits. I find this model to be extremely flexible in its use. It can do just about any type of fishing you can imagine as long as the weight 1/4-1oz is appropriate for its (Heavy/Fast) action. Another excellent technique for this rod and very popular right now are Chatterbaits. Seriously, you can use the 734 as a crank bait rod in the right conditions.

Southern and Northern Lakes have great smallmouth bass. And so many young and old anglers today say they want that personal best brown fish. It is now widely recognized that it takes different styles of techniques to catch these bass depending on where you are fishing in the US. I am going to focus on Dale Hollow Lake because its one of the most famous lakes with smallmouth bass and due to the fact it holds the world record for producing an 11lb 15oz smallmouth. The International Game Fish Association currently has David Hayes catching this bass in Dale Hollow in 1955 where the Obey River intersects the Kentucky/Tennessee state line on the lake.

In spring when the bass move up from the deep water, one of the best modern lures to catch smallmouth on Dale Hollow are swim bait lures, along with spinnerbaits, I find the DC 734C is great for small 3.8 swim baits such as Pro Point Swim Baits. You can combine these lures or fish them separately on rocky points where you find bait fish. You can use finesse 10 lb. Edge Fluorocarbon line with the DC 734C effectively without any problems. Another technique is using a jig like the Wack A Sack Jig or Shakey Head with a crawfish lure such as the Bug by Pro Point Fishing Lures. A big plus is that you can catch smallmouth and largemouth using the DC 734 and these mentioned lures.

Smallmouth and Largemouth bass often live together in groups on Dale Hollow because of the water conditions and sources of food. Frankly, you can use all the different techniques mentioned for the DC 734C and more, and its the only rod you need for spring fishing on Dale Hollow. What a bargain! The DC 734C comes in both the Champion, Fury and Colt models which represents a rod for any price range. Pick up the most technique flexible rod in America and give it a cast. You will not be disappointed.