Leaderboard

It goes both ways for me. Sunny & cloudy/rain.

But the largest I've caught in several years. Been fishing several times a week with varying results. Today I fished this afternoon and went to a place I don't usually go, threw an Okachobee Craw trick worm at a dock and caught this Alabama Bass. 3.79 lbs.

I've personally never seen a correlation between cloud conditions and Bass feeding activity. I had some of my best days when it's sunny, and also when it's cloudy. The only conclusion I can make is go fishing when you can, cloudy or sunny......you never know when you're going to catch your white whale.

C'est Fini 😉 Sensitive has 4 elements: Line, rod, hands, & brain. The absolute most essential element is the brain, interpretation of what's going on with our lure.

30 years ago I preached the importance of rod sensitivity as loud as anyone ever has. Today, I’m convinced it was all in my head. Detecting bites is a skill you learn. You cannot buy it.

I thought we had this problem solved with JDM Zillion. ok, I use a lot of other baitcasters because they're fun, but the reel above is genius in its simplicity - set it on the lightest thing you plan to throw, and go fishing - the brake design takes care of the rest.

And of course, you use only Mustard hooks, right?

The more bites you get, the easier they are to detect.

Chasing fowl this weekend. Ranger got some work in...

Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good. 😉 I got my first muskie double today, and one of them was a dandy!!! I had a big girl come in hot on the A-rig. She went around hot on it through the first turn of the 8, then as I started into the second, she went straight. I thought, she's gonna smoke my crappie rig... NOPE. I waited a couple minutes... nothing. I picked up the rig again and on the second cast got bit mid retrieve. It was a smaller fish, but things have been really tough lately, so I was happy to have it. As I get it next to the boat and start trying to net it, one of my crappie rigs gets SMOKED. I'm trying to net the smaller fish and that big girl is headed for deep water with my crappie in her mouth, bait clicker screaming away. By the time I got the little fish squared away and swung on the big'n she was 50'-60' out. Couple big head shakes and she starts peeling drag, then once I got her close she launched and tail walked twice. Pretty unusual for a muskie in 56 degree water. By the time I got her in the net too, I was shaking like a dog pooping pine cones. 😂 I think she was down there eyeing my crappie, and that little fish going ape next to it triggered her. So... the little fish is 34.5" and the big girl is 46.5". She's a gorgeous, heavy fall fish. Best of the year so far, or at least tied for first with that August full moon 46.5". She was a heavy beast too. Slow going for the next few hours, with only one follow by a mid 30's on the rig, then on my last spot I bagged a 42" on the crappie rig. All in all, one heck of a trip. Thank you Lord. I appreciate it.

I am also baffled by this question. Then again . . . A-Jay

A-Jay

Depends on the species targeted and the time of year. Also depends on what part of the country we're specifically referring to here. I generally think sunny, warm days are better in the early spring and late fall. Clouds are a godsend in the summertime. They provide relief from the searing sun and higher temps. I try to target these types of days in the summertime with a noticeable improvement in success. I think smallmouth fishing can often be better when the sun is out though.

Abu Garcia Ambassadeur 5000 (red) Heddon Mark Special Purpose #6271 5 1/2' MH Fiberglass with a cast aluminum reel seat & handle. Total weight about 2# plus! I started tournament fishing with only one setup.

When I bought my first NRX , I believe that was in 2012, I thought they were ground breaking. These days the margin has narrowed to the point that any $250 or so rod will be as good as they were back then. Now ,if you just want a NRX or another high end rod by all means get one. You only live once , but don't expect it to equal more fish in the boat.

I have caught smallmouth bass in less than 4 ft of open water when there was ice all along the shoreline. I have friends who ice fish who have caught smallmouth bass in shallow (6-8') water while fishing for perch and walleye. I am not sure it is ever too cold to catch smallmouth bass unless the water is frozen solid. It is sometimes too cold for ME to catch smallmouth bass simply because I HATE being cold.

Way to make the most out of the limited opportunities you had to get out this year brother. Those are some outstanding catches in anybody's book. We were all thrilled to see Lynn be able to get out on the water. Praying that the healing continues and she's able to get out with you more in 25. Sending positive waves up to y'all.

Out fishing yesterday with my buddy on the Rappahonock River here in Virginia and I catch a tagged bass. Tag has an id#, a telephone # and the word “reward” on it. I called the number and left a message but after a little digging, I found it probably is from our local DNR from a few years ago. I have to laugh because a couple of years ago this same buddy of mine and I was fishing and we saw something odd floating in the water and we netted it out. Come to find out it was an ankle monitoring device and had a number to call if found. He ended up getting a $25 prepaid Visa card. Let’s see if I can beat him! 😂

it varies depending on the tree. I hunt from a saddle and primarily rope climb. So I’m not limited to how many sticks I have or how tall the ladder is. I try to find trees with a significant branch, a split truck, or something else for back cover. Wherever that is I will climb to. In this case I was about 20’ to the platform. In the more open woods around here that’s about my minimum. I was on a hill with the deer below me so I got away with it. More often I am 22-25 to my platform. Depending on location and time of year, I’ll have a 35 or 40’ rope on top. 5’ wraps around the tree and another foot in the knots. So I can set that rope 28-33’ high and have enough rope to rappel down. Yeah, I was at a housewarming when this picture came through last night. The cold snap has them moving. And this is the big guy around.

I've never tried the Berkley heads but I'm sure they're solid. Really if you're bending out hooks I think you're just fishing with too much rod and line for the rig you're throwing. That irod+20lb big game is suited to a full size A rig with 5" mains on heavier wire heads & 3" teaser baits. Micro rig with 2.75s on finesse heads calls for a lighter rod and line combo. If you want to stick with the swimbait rod I would check out the 3x Picasso heads @softwateronly posted.

I use JDM Daiwas and Lews

I like the best so I use shimano all others just play ketchup

In my opinion you're likely overthinking it a bit. It's about taking the time to learn how to use whichever you use. Good news - there is no wrong choice. As both (or even a combination of them) are used in baitcasters then suffice to say both work. So with repeated practice and use you will understand how they function. You will develop muscle memory. I just started fishing several years ago. My first baitcaster was a Shimano SLX (centrifugal). I've since bought Daiwas with magnetic brakes. I still use both regularly. Again JMO, but I think you'll find the difference isn't as great as you might think. It's more about just learning how to cast a baitcaster in general. Controlled cast, thumb on the spool, apply pressure and especially just before lure hits the water. I learned everything from YouTube and practice, practice, practice. Is it nice having a 20-way adjustable dial on the outside of the reel to adjust brakes? Yea it is. But I learned on a Shimano that had only 6 little internal pins to adjust and came out just fine.

Wow,... I've got so many different brands and types of reels that I'm not going to try and break them down to a "favorite". But,.... I like a centrifugal brake system like Shimano offers as a rule for long open casting. If making shorter pitches and casts, a magnetic brake seems to work better because spool RPMs aren't really high enough for centrifugal brakes to do a lot. I think Daiwa does a nice job since their brakes are kind of a hybrid system that is magnetic, but their moving inductor system can also account for high spool speeds. Dual braking systems ( centrifugal AND magnetic) like on Abu Garcia, Lews, BPS and others offer the ability to adjust for different casting motions as well. Bottom line.... I can use any of them. Which works best is opinion, and typically depends on how you want to use the reel.

I agree with Catt and @Tennessee Boy. I also agree with @Columbia Craw about getting more bites makes bites easier to detect. However, you all know I get a LOT of bites and there are still times I'm left wondering. Whereas a lure ticking weeds might fool a newcomer and no longer fools me, when it feels like my lure is no longer being retrieved through water, but something of slightly higher viscosity, that can leave me wondering and sometimes I'm slow to sweep set. Then there are the times when the angle of your line relative to where you cast and your rod tip isn't right. There's no thump, no tick, no increase in pressure, but your lure is off just a little, location-wise. Those are two examples of times I suspect a hit, but I'm nearly certain that we all get hits we miss. I learned that lesson early when I was retrieving a lure in a farm pond parallel to the shore and a bass bolted out of the weeds, inhaled my lure, ejected my lure, and I felt nothing. I'm assuming that something similar has happened thousands of times since.

The Lions can't play outside in weather. HaHa. Goff / St. Brown connection have 30 straight completions. Crazy numbers for Goff this year. The Lions are on a mission...

You might look at Dirty Jigs guppy head. I’ve used them some.

Still works great. Replaced a bush with a bearing.

Open for grabs in the AFC??? Have you watched the playoffs last couple years ?

There are too many variables and lack of industry standards in label specs for your proposed chart to have any applicable significance. Sharp, quality hooks, common sense and personal experience will get you where you need to be.

That’s a full floating spool design. There is no spool bearing in the side plate, it’s on the spool.

You seemed to be referencing hooks so I only mentioned them. I can put any weight that I want from 1/16 to 1/2 depending on which mold cavity I use.

Until you get slack in your line, then ya got nuthin.

If you are not using braid, the rod is not that important. Braid is the single most important element in sensitivity/feeling the bite. With braid, the rod becomes more important, action-power-design-modulus-etc.

I sold the two I had years ago. They went for about $125 each on eBay and they were pretty much new. From what I can tell, they were not very popular. I always regretted buying mine when I compared them to the IMX and GLX rods I had at that time. I don't know of anyone that has them any more.

Lions look like the NFC team most likely headed to the SB. Open for grabs in the AFC. I'm just glad my Bills Squished the Fish! (yeah, dolphins are mammals, but Mash the Mammals doesn't work well). Go Bills!

I'm so glad! Other than being sneaky in a swamp, I don't think I've much to teach. I still don't know most of the lures that the other BR anglers use. Thanks again, but I'm 68. The only thing Snow Whitey about me is my hair.

Wonderful report Katie! I love reading your posts and have learned a lot from you; love hearing your perspective on Maine waters. You have definitely outfished me in similar waters! Much respect for you young lady!

What a coincidence ~ I have a scale that does the same thing. 😎 A-Jay

Bottom contact finesse fishing is arguably the situation in which I would want the most sensitivity in a rod in my arsenal. I believe that braided line helps accomplish this, as it has no stretch and helps detect bites more easily.

Sensitivity matters most with bottom contact rods. There comes a point of diminishing returns though. I say buy the best you can easily afford.

Well, it's been a fishing season for the ages for me. In many different ways. Definitely did not get out on the water as much as in previous years and tried to make the best of the opportunities I was given. Had to work a bit of overtime to clear my mind for each and every trip. There were a few fish caught, some pretty decent one's too. Highlights included: For the first time in 2 years, getting out on the water a couple of times with my wife easily tops the list. Not able to put that one in words. While still hunting big smallies, I landed several 5 lb class fish, two that went over 6 lbs, and my 2nd ever 7 lb mutant smallmouth bass. Another speechless moment. I was lucky to see many beautiful sunsets and sunrises, throw in some plus size pike, one freak of a musky, and that pretty much took care of it. Pro-V bass is being winterized now and I'm settling in for the hard water season. Here's a little something I put together to remember it all. Fish Hard Stay Safe & warm my friends. A-Jay

Thank you Sir ~ I appreciate it. I'm thinking about doing another clips that covers some real fat fish. Something that includes just SMB of six pounds or more since my first full year fishing from the Lund. But it's a long winter I've got time. A-Jay

The only sentimental rods/reels I have are my grandfathers ancient casting rods made of metal and the same age reels with the original cloth line. I won’t touch them. They are display models only. 😉

Was supposed to be a day of chasing striper but they didn't want to play so pretty quickly became a bass fishing trip. All fish again on a flashy swimmer.

If I’ve learned anything from bass resource, it’s that most fans of tournament fishing are always upset about something. But they can’t stop following every detail, it’s a vicious cycle 😂

That's the closest thing we have to muskie here. Big ones are a blast, and we get some monster longnose gar here.

I wish I could be a muskie guy, but the closest ones are 3 hours away from me 😔I love chasing them, I'd fish bass a lot less if I had them closer. I still make time to go chase them at some of the stocked lakes the next state over. Been to Minnesota and Canada both fishing for them, didn't move a fish either time, all 16 I've caught were in Mizzery. I just went a couple weeks ago to try and catch one out of my kayak. Managed to get 3 of them in 2 days. I won't be going 10 years between trips again.

Smaller diameter wire hooks vs larger diameter takes less hook setting force. The issue is hook strength preventing bending under hook setting. Hook strength isn’t always the wire size used to make the hook. Hook shape, length, gap size and sharpness are important factors to consider. For example a forged (flattened wire in the hook bend) strengthens the hook. Type of metal and heat treatment directly affects strength, plating and/or coating affects ease of point penetration along with sharpness and bard size. The wider the hook gap the more it will bend under hook setting force. A round bend is weaker then a Sprout, O’Shaughessy or sickle bend. Lot of factors to consider. A general statement is use the strongest hook made from forged smaller diameter high strength wire. I avoid EWG shape hooks whenever possible and use Gamakatsu and Owner brands because of proven performance over decades of use. Tom