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Yeah, every year is different. The water is still not too cold around here. Several recent years have been either milder than normal or had unusually warm stretches in them. Last year I was catching bass on spinnerbaits in February. A couple of years ago, caught them on jerkbaits all winter long. I think the reason the fishing slows down for many this time of year is more due to the dropping h20 temp rather than and actual temperature. Once the water settles to a number, any up tick in temp will increase activity. YMMV (but it won't).

And by silly I meant entertaining....Carry on.

Yeah, but the reason most use heavy gear for bass (in addition to competition) is the cover they are fishing, the jagged things down there, and the relatively larger lures to be casted. Bass don't fight much, so in open water or even light cover, you could land most if not all bass with 4-8 lb mono. That would limit you to smaller lighter lures, but is actually a lot of fun. I've caught some large bass while crappie or trout fishing no problem. Oh and a 6 lb bass on a 5 wt fly rod is a goof.

K.I.S.S. Depending on what type of cover you are going to be targeting, select 2 baits, one that will come through stuff easier, and one with a bit more action (its a trade off). In New England, I'd probably start with something a tad smaller and work up rather than the opposite (YMMV). Another good idea is to Google the lakes you are going to fish, folks can't seem to stop typing and posting pixs and videos these days. Make sure to read between the lines, but that will get you close. I'd start with a pit boss and an ultra vibe craw, one of the gazillion beaver knockoffs, (or something similar) and adjust from there. Color is whatever you like, and water clarity (look up).

Yeah! what's with all that character development, plot exposition, hidden metaphors, and ironic ending?! I just want robots exploding d**n it! (and more Gal Gaddot....) Oh, and to answer the OP, go on the Poly Planar website.

Fat free shad, 5xd. Where are you guys finding Normans that run true (or can be tuned to do so) I used to fish them a lot when I had to go through maybe 3-6 to find a good one, when it got to over 10 consistently, it just became more fun than I could handle. I will say that the ones that are right are really right. I have a box of "good ones" that I break out every now and then.

Wow...

Not to mention that watching the diamond encrusted gold leafed NRX heading to the bottom of the lake while fishing from a pointy wading pool isn't for the faint of heart...

Bass guys discussing drag settings is as silly as,...well, bass guys discussing drag settings...

I refuse to even acknowledge the existence of a box, (or patterns, or techniques)...

You need to make it lighter or increase its volume. Some lures are just too dense, and will not suspend. You can make it lighter by changing (and removing) hooks and hardware, shaving some material, or (at your own risk) lightly boiling lure.

This ^. Just like suits. Nothing wrong with an Armani, Hugo Boss, or Brooks Brothers, but when you get some really nice fabric (about 2 yards in my case) in the hands of a taylor that knows what they are doing, its magical.

If you want an education that will help you understand fish and potentially improve your fishing, then biology or a related field will do that. If you want to make a living fishing, then no degree required, just a boat, all the licensing and a disgruntled disposition is all that is required (along with the willingness to nudge up right to the edge of the law). If you want a career in a fishing related company, then all the fields involved in business are in play, ie marketing, business management, legal, IT, etc. Oh, and the guys I know that fish the most (like 150-250 days a year) work or worked on Wall Street.

I can't give you that one, but Chaney donated some land with a pond (for all their sins) not too long ago down here and its full (too full) of small fish, and I got one just under 8 from there last year, That one we can do. Oh, and I had folks convinced there are no fish in Allen's pond till recently....

I have a few Shimanos that I've taken the bar that closes the bail so they are manual close only. I originally did it to reduce bail closing on snap casts after taking out that gasket thing that jammed when it got wet, and as a bonus no one seems to borrow them.

Neutral suspend is not ideal, and on a given day on a given body of water, a slight rise or slight sink will be preferred. Interesting point. Maybe they were made so that they suit the temp and activity of the fish? By ignoring the laws of physics?

Gin clear 24/7 365. Even after a downpour, vis is like 4-5 feet for a few hours. Have learned a lot from being able to see them there.

If they are slowly ( 4-6 cm/sec) sinking in the sink, they will suspend (not that there is such a thing) on the field (lake). I wouldn't go smaller than #6 hooks, but hey, try it and see how it works for you.

Can someone under 30 translate...

The bearings probably built up nitrogen bubbles from climbing to the larger pond too quickly after catching a fish... Love the description...

Yes. I fish the Husky Jerk 8 in the middle of winter, and just let it sit there and jerk it (sometimes just a subtle sweep) every 20 seconds to a minute in 6-12 feet of water. They usually hit it while sitting still, or just as you begin to move it. Less is more in really cold water.

I seldom see a need to go smaller than a HJ 8, but they do make a 6. A split shot (I usually use a small swivel) original floater 7 is old school spy vs spy...

"You have city hands Mr Hooper, you've been catching large mouth all your life..."

I think chatter baits don't require much of a rod or reel. I think that if one tournament fishes with a particular lure, it makes sense to practice with the same one. I think bass guys over think fishing. I think in the big picture, none of that makes a difference.

No, they work. But I find that a finesse or hair jig is better in cold water. The water isn't that cold right now, and with the mild few days we've had they are neither here nor there. All my fish were shallow, but I needed a subtle something going by their face. We need to talk about that PB in SoMD though, March into April is always good for a 6-8 lb fish locally.