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Finally decided it was time to get out, only one lake (40 acres) around me didnt ice up this year. Planned on catching my first jerkbait bass, but the water was very dirty, almost muddy. Probably 1ft of visibility and about 45° water. Main plan of attack was targeting the shoreline on a steep rock bank (see photos below), which had rocks for about 3ft past the waterline and transitioned into a real soft sandy bottom. Stretched about 100 yards. Well the day started off pretty bad, the wind was really starting to pick up and I was in a plastic two man boat which just got blown all over the place. About an hour in I was casting a Black and Blue bladed jig as close as I could to the shore, slowly trolling up the bank. I finally get a real soft bite a few feet off of shore where the rocks stop, and didnt set the hook very well, and sure enough as soon as I was reaching down to grab the bass(probably 3lbs or so), he does one final swing and snaps me right off. Man was I bummed. I switched to another bladed jig, more of a well...I dont know what to call the color, but it looked like it was made for dirty water. The wind finally stopped and I landed this guy. Didnt have a scale but hes definitely the biggest bass Ive ever caught in my short time! On the other end of the lake theres were about 10 or so isolated brushpiles half sticking out of the water. Pitched a jig around every single on of them, and nothing..... Worked back up the rock bank pitching a jig, eager to catch my first jig fish, but not very confident in actually catching one. Sure enough, I felt a little mushy pull and my line swimmed off! It was a great feeling Just a great day. New pb, first jig fish, Im happy.

I understand the idea behind vaping originally was a tool to get off of smoking. But I never understood why anyone would want to just trade one addiction for another even if it was supposedly "not harmful". And I say that very loosely as I too cannot see how the human body can think that is good for it. I'm thinking lets drowned our lungs with vapor as much as we can and see if in 10 years my lungs have rotted. Ya know Doctors actually prescribed Cigarettes years ago because they didn't know what they do now. To me its just a matter of time before the lawsuits start. I have a brother who has quit smoking and he has picked that crap up. I just want to knock that crap out of his hands and say WTH is wrong with you. Even if the stuff is safer it is annoying as hell. You cant move without it being a act of congress. Its like grab this that and wait this too. He still leaves and goes away from the family functions like at Christmas, he goes outside and the rest of the family sits and waits to do any of the Christmas functions. Also it is as bad as cigarettes in a automobile like I want to inhale a extremely heavy tooty fruity or cotton candy vapor 2nd hand. Not to mention if anyone thinks a cigarette looks funny hanging out of someones mouth that has to be the most retarded contraptions I have ever seen. The only people that think its cool is the other goofballs doing it and the companies making $ off of it. Not to mention setting a great example for the teenagers that I hear have decided it was the cool "in" thing to do. I quit smoking 2 1/2 to 3 packs a day cold turkey 8/13/2014. Now I don't ever see smoking again even after 30 years of the garbage. I will never be a slave to some addiction like this again. I live for my daughter and hope to spend many years more with her. It is awesome to not have to have lighters and smokes or all the juice and tanks pipes etc that the vapor nuts have to have just to function. Sorry I normally wouldn't say anything but since its the internet hate me if you want its the way I feel about it. Sad to see people get off one addiction and jump on another like a crack addict. rant over

There is no "rear back and set" to jerkbait fishing IMO. It's more like a sweeping motion of just a reel down and sweep. Most of the time with the right rod, line, and good hooks, a fish will hook themselves. Jerkbaits can be a more advanced fishing skill. Try to keep the mindset of feeding the lure to them, especially in cold water. Let them take it, don't take it away from the fish. They may just bump it and then come back and get it. As the water warms, they will get to where they crush it. Another thought is to not horse them to the boat once they're on, especially smallmouth and spots. The best day I ever had was on a jerkbait and I was having to free spool the big smallies and let them do what they wanted before I showed them the boat because when they seen the boat, it was round 2. Also know that sometime smaller fish like gills will bump them as well. So you could mistake them for bass. Usually if a big fish makes the move, they mean business. All these fish came on a jerkbait plus around 20 more 3-4 lb. + smallmouth and LM. Jerkbaits are deadly and a whole lot of fun once you get them down.

CJ is 100% spot on, you basically sweep set and it isn't hard either. Jerkbaits are funny, there are a lot of times the fish hit them with closed mouth to kill it, it is why the pros hate snagging laws because you will catch a lot of fish with the bait on the outside of the mouth. Normally when I get bit on slack line the fish either pulls the line straight or you feel a tap or see your line jump, when they pull, all you need to do is sweep the rod so it loads up, nothing more, when you feel the tap or see the line jump, you reel set the fish, reel in the slack and keep reeling until the rod begins to lad and then sweep set, but not hard. I use to try and pull back too hard and I was fortunate enough to have a good jerkbait angler help me land more fish, because he told me I was pulling the hook out of the fish more than driving it into the fish and the sweep set and reel set have really improved my landing percentage by leaps and bounds.

That bait looks pretty familiar ? sort of like this one but with a black blade instead of orange. Glad they're working for you and you were right, that's a great muddy water color.

LOL! I've been trying to post a pic of THE most snagless jig there is! But I was having an... episode. Pic wouldn't show, then I got called away. Then my computer crashed. In the meantime I was playin' around with you. Then my wife called -she's had a bad day. So... without further ado... THE most snag free jig there is (your punch rig doesn't count -it's not a jig. )

How much she had to eat that day or how many eggs were in her belly isn't something I'm all that concerned with. A 25" bass with a head on it like this one did is a fish that wasn't born yesterday and being on the hot side, she has probably seen hundreds of baits. I'm too happy with the fish to be upset about not having scales with me

All the bass will not swim to the northwest coves & bays!

A-Jay

My old jig supplier is no longer around. Ive been using one particular swimjig color for many years. I also use one particular brand of trailer in 2 different sizes. It’s a bass magnet on my home water. I sent Mike a jig and both size trailers so he could match the colot and make sure the hook gap would work with the trailers. He did a great job matching the jig down to the special weed guard request i made. Jig head and skirt came out great as well. Kudos to you Mike

I was out fishing by myself, temp was around 70 degrees with blue skies. I was throwing a Rick Clunn series 2 squarebill in a craw pattern. Cranked it by some wood and this girl hammered it. (P.s. I hate putting fish on the ground pains me to see it but I wanted a length measurement and I was by myself, placed her down very carefully and took the picture as quick as possible.) -Payton

This is a Crankbait I made with a 3D printer. I'm thinking about giving it a firetiger paint scheme and filing down the bill to make it a squarebill.

Bieber can fish!

They're all going to catch fish. I'm guessing you come from a fly tying background - no one ties jigs that neatly or as well proportioned right off the bat.

I'd say.

Managed to fish in housen from 12-5 today. Windy, water was pretty stained. Water temp 59-60. Saw a bunch of boats working the shoreline. Was a tough day for me. I only caught one fish. But she was a beauty!!! 8lbs 12oz!! 1/2 jig with yum craw chunk

This just came in today. Testing it out on the waters tomorrow. Cant wait!

We temporarily disabled it due to coding issues with the new design. Funny you mention it now, because we should have it back up in about a week.

I know, I'm throwing some bucktail and feathers on everything but this is really my version of a classic. I built it from the pour up. I really like this mold but I found it's ladle pour only for me. The test run was great. Swims with the hook up! I used a really soft bucktail in a sexy shad pattern, one twisted saddle hackle and a couple really soft yet long neck hackles for the top feathers. Then accented with some blue pearl flash. You can't tell in the photo but it really makes the gray back pop. I kept the profile a little more slim for my style but I bet this will catch em!

Anyone ever watch this guys videos? Pretty cool stuff. He fishes all over and for a lot of different species. Here's a great one of him fishing for black bass with topwater.

Here's the reason why, and how to prevent fish from coming off the hook. What are your thoughts?

Have to keep myself occupied when bass fishing conditions are *less than optimal*

This picture was during a snowstorm.

I always line watch. Especially with a jerkbait because I can even use line watching as a reference for the action I'm trying to get for the bite. But yes I've had the line jump several times or a fish knock it slack. I always use 10# flouro As far as rod goes, I like my 6' med/mod overall but I do have a 6' 3" med fast. Med/fast will give you a sharper action when you twitch, bump, sweep, or yank. You have better hook up with a med light/mod and more fish will get in the boat, IMO. I like shorter rods to keep from hitting anything when I'm fishing it.

Still use it. Pssssst! If ya want the lure to go faster just reel faster. Haha. Only downfall is if your fishing ALL DAY your hands may get tired burning lures back to you.

I know that most everyone has their own ideas about what is and what ain't a decent jerk bait set-up. I use a 6'3" Med/Light spinning rod and 14 lb Fireline and an short (foot and a half or so) fluorocarbon leader - 10 of 15 lbs. I like the spinning gear because it is easier to deal with in the wind and it is generally windy in the spring when I'm throwing jerk baits. I get decent distance, I would most likely get better distance if I went to a longer rod, but I got tired of smacking the tip into the side of the boat when I was jerking the bait down. The 6'3" rod is a compromise, and another one of the compromises is the hook set. I can't make powerful eye crossing hook sets with this rod, so I don't even try. When you use a light colored line, like Fireline Crystal, you most often see the strike before you feel it. You just tighten up asap and sweep set. If I have time to think about it, I try to sweep in the opposite direction from where the fish is going, but most of the time I don't. Most of the time I sweep sideways and up and to the left, cause I'm a lefty and that is the easiest, most logical maneuver for me. I don't feel like I miss a whole lot of fish, but the nature of the bait is such that you are going to get lightly hooked fish from time to time. That's where the ML rod comes into play, I just keep it tight until I have an idea of the size of the fish. If it is a slot fish, just get it to the surface and skate it in. A keeper (15" + in Missouri) and I'll take my time. Most days, if there is a jerk bait bite going, a pattern happens where the fish bite mostly the same way. The days where they all crush it and you don't miss any are few and far between, but they do happen.

I use 10# fluorocarbon on my jerkbait set up. Never really set the hook. Always just sweep into it, most of the time it's no more aggressive of an action than I already use for the action to work it. I do the same for crankbaits... really most treble hook baits.

I apologize for my large rant. There is no excuse for it. I do stand by every word of it as it is honestly how I feel. I can see how my past addictions and battles have made me a "Hitler"in some ways. Once you free yourself you will find out what a slave you are to those companies and the vices they sell. I now know why people always tried to get me to quit. But while your the addict you are blind. I fought a 30+ year battle with the cigarettes. I lost my wife of 25 years to a bathsalts along with other adictions. And the vaping thing with my brother whom I am very close to hit a nerve. Again I am not making excuses just saying why I am the way I am about the addiction industry. I will offer what helped me quit smoking though. I did go to a hypnotist. Now I don't believe in the garage for a second but what I learned about cigarettes and what tools/knowledge he offered made me use my willpower my determination and my intelligence to stop. The first thing the hypnotist says is I can't make you stop. I was like what I payed you to make me stop. He said no one can make you stop YOU have to make yourself stop. He said he can help and he did. Using knowledge of how bad the drugs are. Tought me to focus on positives to change my desires. Gave me stronger reasons to not light up than to light up. But in the end it is all in your head. No one makes you go buy the junk but you and your desires. Yes ultimately as long as you make excuses like my Dr said or I am to stressed, or I can't function. Etc etc you won't ever stop. This goes for all addictions. If you want to lose weight stop eating and start moving. Guaranteed weight loss. Want to quit drinking quit buying the crap get rid of your looser drunk friends guaranteed you won't be drunk. Its really that simple. Yes it blew chunks when I woke up the next few days after zero cigarettes when I had them for so long. But I quit for my daughter and my brother and myself. These things I hold most dear are what I focus on when I see or smell a cigarette. Got to help yourself no one can live for you. I hope this helps someone with a means to quit. Addictions are a horrible way to live even masked in candy flavors.

Hehe This. I had three, sold one, and then bought the reel back from the guy I sold it to a few months later. Fantastic reel for baits 3/8 oz and above, durable, customizable, comfortable (especially on a Zillion rod).

one of the best workhorse reels made. I still use mine all the time.

Amen They look so stupid. No clue why a grown @$$ man wants to walk around puffing on something sweet or any of those silly flavors. Man up and conquer your addiction.

http://www.siebertoutdoors.com/Grid-Iron-Custom-Brush-Jig-801.htm

I have a handful of memes about vaping none BR appropriate.... that said I agree with sass they have got to be the most retarded looking things seeing people walk around with. In in many states they are treated the same as cigarettes as you have to go out side, can't use it in the car with kids, ect. Not to mention lots of reports of them blowing up in people's faces. I dont smoke nor do I drink I quit smoking 8 years ago so I don't see myself ever vaping.

I'm getting a champion 765c in sometime this coming week.The champion 735c is my all time favorite rod and I recommend shelling out the cash for it. As for the fury I consider them the best bang for your buck. Want to fill a boat with quality rods and still have money for reels? go fury. Want a technique specific rod that you'll have in your hand 90% of the time ? Go Champion and above. Awesome to see Gary produce a series of rods at a flooded price point and blow out the competition.

Roboworms are really popular and my personal favorite. Pretty much all I use actually gor drop shotting haha

"I know from reading that it's also important to find structure running from deep to shallow." This is an important factor regardless of the season. The structures you need to focus on are the ones leading to spawning sites. Not all shallow flats are spawning sites. Some have the wrong bottom content, or some other condition. If you are unfamiliar with the lake, I'd attempt to acquire that information first. In some clear lakes I fish, the bigger females are found spawning in water 6-8ft. deep. Knowing that and having fished them during pre-spawn, I can eliminate some of the areas on the topo map that appear to be prime spawning areas.

I am not a "let it soak" kind of guy.................for anything, including the drop shot. I cast/pitch/drop it down, make contact with the bottom, let it sit for around 25-30 seconds, but rarely more than a minute. I try to impart as little action as possible, Just hold the rod still at about 10 o'clock, keeping the line tight, sinker on the bottom, with maybe a few subtle "shakes" per cast. And then back up and right back down again. I catch 1000's of bass ever year dropshotting....................works for me.

I imagine by the time I get back up there, a floating rogue bite will be pretty good in addition to shallow crankbaits.

Here's what I use and how I use it:

The best jig (IMO) for wood is a Brush Head

My new cranking reel, conquest 101hg

I'll share a little story: I have a ton of energy. But I burn a lot of fuel. One day three of us were trolling for trout along thermal bars well offshore on LakeOntario, with side-planers out and the downriggers stacked. After a morning of excitement, the sun got high under that brilliant sky and things got… contemplative. We three sat in silence, watching the sun beat off the water while the motor chugged and the downrigger cables hummed. Eventually I got up and grabbed a sandwich from the cooler. Two bites in and a spark of energy shot through me and I started enthusiastically describing to my listless companions just how exciting it is to have a big chrome steelhead strike, me doing my best wild steelhead strike arm gesticulations. Probably my whole body was involved. I know that I was no longer sitting. “Often they’re airborne before the rod has a chance to respond!” I exclaimed. “Suddenly there’s a big steelhead leaping over the waves, its sides flashing blue-silver in the sun! And suddenly it dawns on you... ‘Which rod is it?!!’” No sooner had I finished my dance, when a brilliant chromer leapt into the air just off port-side. We stared and it suddenly dawned on us: Which rod is it?!!! Just then one slammed down and the drag started screaming. After the fish was boated and put in the box, it wasn’t long before we were all sitting like lumps, watching the sun beat off the water and listening to the throb of the motor and hum of the cables. After a bit, Jon said, “Get Paul another sandwich.”

Finesse: skillful handling of a situation: adroit maneuvering Adroit: having or showing skill or resourcefulness In handling situations. Most anglers try forcing jigs through cover which is all wrong, ya gotta finesse em through. When you feel the jig starting to load up...stop! Release the pressure, pull up until you feel heaviness again but apply slightly more pressure, then release; repeat until the jig breaks free. You want the motion to be similar to & as fast as working a shaky head, you're just applying more pressure each time. Once the jig slips free...ya might wanna hold on...tight! Will work with all jig types

Catch & Release has become a cult like practice without using common sense. Bass are a renewable resource and managed that way. Nearly every state has minimum size length limit and number of fish that can be kept and maintain the fishery in good health. As long as everyone follows the states regulations, the bass population can maintain it's population. When anglers practice C&R without considering the bass may not servive being caught due to being mortally wounded or stressed, they are killing the bass without enjoying benefit it could provide as food. I am for C & R within reason, if the bass is released healthy after being carefully handled. If the bass isn't in good condition and well not servive it should be kept. Selective harvest; the bass is the majority population size and being kept for food within regulations. Use common sense! Tom

Wait they make flukes in colors other than watermelon?

Is this a trick question?

They are not real. They are a cheap knockoff..you can buy the unpainted lures for a buck or so and paint them yourself. Personally I will pass.

No worries. However, I didn't take any offense to the different number. I didn't develop the formula, and most probably won't. I don't know how accurate they are. But you're right, they are pretty much a ballpark estimate. A 2lb difference margin for error would certainly make one or both formulas pretty much useless.

Welcome To BR! You can find a good used 6500C or C3 for around $60 on the auction site. Stick with the Swedish-made models and steer clear of the BCX, Kalex, or the new S, SX and STX reels. They're made in China and are a lot different internally than the Swedish reels, and not in a good way. Mount a 6500C3 on an Ugly Stik and you'll have a catfish combo that will last you your lifetime and then some! Tom

Me too. Especially when it's now proven that after a solid pull from a fight or snag the line looses its invisibility and clouds up.