Mattlures

Yes this is a calico bass. It should have been closer tp 6lbs but only went 4. It was long and skinny. They are just like largemouth except they live in the kelp. The Rage shads have held up gret for me. I have not had one tear at the tail. I have worn holes in them from hooking fish but a drop of Mend it makes them new again. I have been searching for a weedless buzzbait for a while and these are it. I have tried weedless grubs and toads and frogs but these are the best. My hook up percentage is MUCH higher then the toad baits(I dont even know why)and they get me more bites then any others I have tried. Buzzbaits are one of my goto baits and I will still use them but if there are weeds at all I now use the shad.

I realy like this bait and I was heading out into the thickest nastiest stuff imaginable. There is an area probably over a mile long just coverd in these weeds and they are full of bass. This is a real test for any weedless bait and I knew The Rage shad would get through it. Bit I had to find out if it would get bit. Well it did check out this nice bass This bass just blasted the shad on a slow-medium retrieve buzzing along the top. The stuff is soo thick you cant get you boat over to the fish. You just have to trim up you moter and let the wind eventualy drift you through it. It can take hours if its not very windy. Anyways It took me a while to get the fish through this stuff and to the boat. Now that is a weedless bait.

Paul I have to thank you for being a guinea pig. There were several reasons I chose to let you test a bait. See I dont keep a regular prostaff. I give out a few baits to certain people for feeed back. In most cases the baits have been thourohly tested before hand but its alway good to get some different feedback. Here are the reasons I picked you. #1 I have seen you progress and learn and you belive that swimbaits can and do produce big bass consistantly. #2 You are not a "pro". I can and will give one of these baits to Mike Long and John Kerr. But seriously what will that prove? Those guys are soo good they could could catch huge bass on any decent bait. You however are closer to the average good angler. Actualy Your a stud but a rookie swimbaiter. #3 Your a nice likable guy, who I always enjoy reading your post. #4 The one thing that realy stood out to me was your knowlege of useing real live bluegill for bait. That takes more skill then some realize and I knew that you could use your experience with real gills to stick big fish with fake gills. If I could make you a believer then that says something. Thank you again for giving the bait a shot. Thank you to everybody else for the kind words. You guys are awsome!!!!!

Wow Paul what a great review, I think I am blushing!! I dont remember if I told you a swimbaiy "WILL" out fish live bait but it certainly can and does outfish bait at times. I think I said it can out fish bait but I might have said does Either way it certainly did for you!!!!!!!! Aslo thank you to everybody else for the compliments on the bait.

Jay that has to be one of the best reports ever. What an awsome place. Did you see any deer? or other big animals? That looks like good hunting area. You should be writting magazine articles. Seriously

Thanks FC I will have a rod out for sturgeon the next time I go to that lake

That cool Chris. I had a bit with 1 minute to go catfishing on the last day of my favorite lake but it dropped it. The last secong is just that much more rare. We have one lake down here that has sturgies. It is a very small and shallow lake. About 100 acres. What should I use for bait and do you have any basic tips I could use to catch one? I am completely clueless Thanks Matt

If I can afford it that sounds like fun but what the heck is a JW blue?

Nah you dont need to buy every color of every bait. I keep going back to"given a choice" Meaning while you are deciding which color to buy you should try and match the forage as best you can. If your bass are eating 4 in brown gobbies and your at the store looking at goby baits, you should buy one as close to a 4in brown goby as you can. However if all they have is a 3in black goby bait then try it. I look for every edge I can while fishing for big bass. Since I make my own baits, I have the luxery of any size and color I want. If I was on a budget I would pick the color and type of baits based on generaly matching the forage of the lakes I fished most. I probably wouldnt buy 3 differnt trout baits with different amounts of spots. Or a 6in,8in,10,12in of each. I would look for 1 or 2 that would be more universal in size and color. But after I chose the brand of bait the first thing I would consider is where will I throw this bait the most and which size and color matches what they are eating the closest. Again though just because the bait you have isnt a perfect match doesnt mean it wont get bit and possibly get bit well. I just like everthing as natural as I can get it

Raul we are not that far of from each other. I agree that a strange color or the wrong species can and will get bit on lakes that dont have those types of forage. We definatley agree on that. However I have seen it with my own eyes where small subtle differencec have produced bites for me. I have had two identacle trout baits and hade 1 with allmost no spots and anothe that was loaded with spots and had the spotted one get bit when the other wouldnt because the stocked trout were very spotted. I feel (given the choice) you should always match what the bass are feeding on as close as you can. size species and color. My opinion is sharred by many of the guys out here who catch big bass. we will just have to agree to disagree, kind of

You guys are too kind. My theory on matching the hatch with swimbaits is this. Always try and match the hatch as best as you can. If the bass are eating 10in trout, dont use a 5in trout colored bait. Get one as close to what they are eating. I always try and match the size and color to each lake I am going to. Now I have access to just about any size and shape and color and species of swimbait soo Of couse I choose the one that matches the best. However that would NEVER stop me from using a trout, crappie, shiner swimbait in lakes that dont have those forage fish. Think about it, what would happen if the hatchery truck dumper 1000 8in trout in your lake that has never had a trout in it. You think the bass would run and hide? Nope they would get fat. To sum it up, use what ever swimbait you have confidence in, but given the choice, match the hatch.

Raul you are correct but I wasnt even refferring to my baits. There are a lot of good baits in that price range. Just about all good soft swimbaits fall into that range. I actualy thought the 8in Hudd did too but Its $5 more. It can get confussing as there are a ton to choose from now. Price doest gaurantee a good bait. Look at the luckycraft swimbaits. They are expencive but I havent heard any good about them. The fist one wasnt thta bad but the others.... You can find deals on most of the brands you just have to do some searching.

I went through the same stages. But at the time there were very few good affordable baits. It was either all or nothing. Myself being a tight wad went the cheap route. I had very little success. However I knew all the big names were catching huge fish on swimbaits, Nobody talked back then you had to figure it out on your own. I couldnt afford the $100 baits so I made my own. Now there are a lot of good baits in the $15-$30 dollar range so its not that bad. I think Hudds are great baits and I would rather have one Hudd then 10 of those knock offs. Maybe if the lake has a bunch of pike or musky you could throw that bait and not worry about a good bait getting torn up? Or maybe throw it in the worst nastiest cover that you dont have the guts to throw a good bait into? Maybe saltwater fish will eat that thing?

Not a bad idea but I wouldnt want something like that taped to my rod. I would rather take a sharpie and make small dashes up the blank for each inch. i usualy have a tape with me and always a camera and scale so I dont have to guess but for those who dont carry these things, your idea is great.

Fourbizz is correct. I dont know if it will roll, but it definatley sinks like rock and it wont sit or fall leval. If you want a Hudd, buy a Hudd. When it comes to swimbaits, knock offs are rarley worth fishing. The problem is, sombody will buy one of these cheap baits and have little to zero success. Then they will not buy the quality bait because they dont think the original bait will be any different. It is better to just buy good quality proven swimbaits in the first place.

Guys I didnt give up in my opinions. I just knew I would start a fight.(a friendly fight) Yes I have never caught a smallie. I have seen them caught on TV many times and they do look like strong athletic fish. They also look like they have much more stamina then a LMB. They also look a lot easier to land. A little patients and good line and drag and you win. A big LMB is a much more worthy aponent. You have to make all the right moves durring the fight or you will loose. Good equipment only gives you a chance. You have to take controll and win the fight. Big LMB dont want to fight, they want to get away!

I am just having a little fun I know I will get flammed Ha Ha. Honestly when ever I see guys comparing the fighting abilites of fish the LMB is always ranked lower then the fish with more stamina or strengh. However those same fish are easier to land then the lowly LMB. (again only reffering to BIG LMB) PS I have also caught bone fish and Bonito wich NEVER give up and LB for LB they may be the hardest fighting fish. However I have caught both species over 5lbs on ultralight gear and the outcome was never in doubt.

A big trophy largemouth is one of the most difficult freshwater fish to land. Why? not because they fight harder then a smallmouth or a spot. Not because they make long strong runs like a carp or not because they can thump and cirlce like a gill. A big trophy LMB is the best fighter because they are the SMARTEST fighters. I have caught a 20lb carp on 4lb test. I have caught big teen cats on 6 and 8 lb test. I have caught 2lb gills on 4lb test. I have caught many big ocean fish on light line. How many LMB over 10lbs do you think I have caught on light line? None. I loose every time. I have even been straightened and snapped on 20lb test. Big old smart LMB may not have a ton of endurance but they make up for it with technique. The instinctively head for cover. They jump and throw baits, the surge at just the right moment. I believe they are possibly the hardest 10lb class fish to land. They find a way to get away. Think about it. How many big bass have you guys lost? I bet you all have a story. Now to be fair I have never caught a smallie but they dont look difficult to land. From what I have seen they kind fight like a big bluegill. Tons of energy but not soo smart. Alright smallie guys chew on that!!! ;D Oh yeah this only referres to big old smart LMB. The little ones are easy

Thats a good looking truck buddy. I was wondering if you had stopped posting. Glad to see your still around. Now go catch something real big

Hey Bizz do you do any saltwater fishing? Its been good down here for salty fish. I get spoiled and dont feel like working so hard in the lakes this time of year. If you ever come down this way, let me know I will take you out and I bet I can get you some Calicos on your 2x4

Verry Nice Randall. You need to take Glen out and get them a couple of trophies.

What lake, Perris? Oh man that sucks. It would make me sick to se a bunch of big bass dead.

I can gaurantee you I have secret baits, but this is the exception. I am very secretive on my waters. I dont mind helping all the members here but if you come by me while I am fishing I will quickly put my rod down and pick up a dropshot rod. I dont even fish tournaments either. I always store my rods in the locker before I launch and I put them back in before I come in. My standard answer when somebody asks how the bite is, "its tough" or "its slow" and if anybody asks if I caught anything I usualy say "a couple little ones" Now of course this is when I am targeting big fish. If I realy am dropshotting I will gladdly help people out that ask.

I used to swear by big power worms at night. Now they have been replaced by the Anaconda. They have a lot of vibration, and I have been producing

I would still eat Ramon noodles even if I was a millionare. I love Ramon. Beef is my favorite followed by oriental and the shrimp flavor coming in third. I dont care for the other flavors :)The Key is to not over cook them!!!!