Crestliner2008

I think it's because you don't have to spend $10.00+ apiece for each lure! Believe me, a lot of fishermen are for "high-end" or nothing at all. And that's fine, but then they also bash the lower cost products too - in my book, that's not fine. I love these baits and their "Wild Eyed Shad" swim bait has accounted for a lot quality fish for me over the past several years.

I just wish I had your problem. Still got 2 more months before open water arrives around here. Good Luck though!

Very interesting piece of plastic! I just may have to try some of those this season. I know the video is just an aquarium environment for demonstration purposes, but they sure do not know how to present a drop shot - if that's how they do it! You rarely bounce your weight on the bottom like that in a drop shot presentation. You fish the worm on slack line, not taught like that. But again, this is probably just for show & tell. I just hope some fishermen don't see it and start fishing it that way.

Flipping is usually a close quarter, shallow water, cover presentation. Smallies position themselves shallow only a small percentage of time - here in the northeast anyway. Yeah, the smaller bass can be found up shallow in the post spawn to early fall period, but the big smallies are usually found deep - again, that is here, in our neck of the woods. I can't speak for Canadian sheld lakes or those of you lucky folks fishing the big mid-southern lakes/reservoirs. I would have to consider "flipping" here to be a low percentage presentation for quality smallmouth bass. However, I do use jigs for smallies. A Hula Grub on a 1/4 oz. football jig, sometimes can't be beat. But I'm fishing these on steep drop offs. Certainly not flipping or even pitching for that matter.

I use to fish "Spoonplug" style (not all trolling!) for many years. Caught my share of really good bass that way too. It "irks" me sometimes when people refer to spooplugging as trolling. Trolling certainly was/is a component to spoonplugging, but like everything else else with Perry's philosophies/techniques, it is only one of many "tools" employed. And no, they are not hard to come by: http://www.buckperry.com/product_info.php?cPath=122&products_id=1231

Some may find it interesting that we have a LM Bass record as large as this. For that matter, the rests of our species records aren't all that bad either! Massachusetts: http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/recreation/fishing/awards/state_fish_records.htm

I rely heavily on the 4" staight tail Roboworm (Aaron's Magic) a lot. Followed closely by the 3" sluggo (yep, nose hooked - you'll never find a better minnow replication on a drop shot) and then the Hud Helgramite. Just started playing around with the "stinky" Chompers 4" worms. Only thing is, when I open a pack, my partner threatens to throw me overboard! The garlic stench is intense! And the smallies like it - a lot.

Try an 8" Hudd. I just started tossing bigger swimbaits (over deep structures) for smallies, last season. Unfortunately, my season was cut short due to a family emergency, but while I tossed it, I had some big follows. I plan on focusing more on these during 2011 for sure. Will be tossing not only these, but the 6" size and 7" Stocker Bass as well. Have caught some decent LM (and big pickeral) on the BBZ-1 Jr. in wicked perch however!

The smaller sizes make outstanding drop shot baits.

Thanks! One of the many fishermen I've taken out on a large reservoir snapped the picture of me landing a smallie in 2009. The 4th. pic was taken in August of last year, as I headed out on a solo trip on the Quabbin reservoir here in MA. The moon was just setting and I took it at 6:00 am (from in my boat) just after they opened for launching.

There are soooo many! But here are a few that hold a special place for me:

Seriously consider adding the Stocker Bass to your arsenal. I've missed two giants with that bait last season (used the wrong line to get a decent hookset I believe?). Going to really give it a real workout this season for sure! (Will be using 25 lb. mono instead of fluoro this time though!) Your outfit will cast it just fine. I have an older 6'6" musky bucktail rod, rated for 3 oz. that I throw 8" Hudds with, with no problem. Just not sure what "design" your rod was intended for? Some just won't cut the mustard for repeatative casting of those bigger baits. You might consider the earlier suggestion and just get a new rod. They are not all that expensive (<$100.00) and match that with an Ambassadeur 6500C (<$100.00) and you're good to go.

Take a 3" Gulp minnow and nose hook it on a ds rig. Take another rod and nose hook a 3" Sluggo. Try both out in shallow, clear water so you can see both acting. You tell me which is more life like.

Match the lightest reel you can to the rod you select. Capacity is not an issue as you are usually only fishing <40' below you. I want to have about 100 yards of 6# test fluoro on the reel and one with the fastest line retrieve speed. When that smallie nails your ds worm 25' down, it has only one goal. Get to the surface as fast as it can! You gotta have a reel that sucks up line in a hurry - and the skill to back reel with a tightened down drag.

Back about 30 years ago (or more) we use to pour our own jig heads and paint them chartreuse. Used them with live bait (ala Bill Binkleman) as well as 3" curly tails. Caught loads of smallies and walleye doing that. Probably just as effective today! As far as Senkos go. If you have to ask - with all due respect - you've had your head in the sand! Everybody uses them....a LOT too!

Have used Mann's "Lil George" tailspinners for years. Great smallie lure. Very similar to the Spinrite. Mostly productive in early spring or late fall. Similar to blade baits in effectiveness (IMO). And blade baits are easier to work.

When I'm fishing I'm usually switching presentations quite often. I'm finding that I was going back to the Sweet Beaver more and more last season. Very productive soft plastic. I fish it either weightless (tex-posed) or on a light 1/8 oz. weighted swimbait hook. For whatever reason I'm not crazy about fishing it straight texas style. Seems I don't get as many hookups (?). Finally....it's a good bait. I would never say it's better than a 7" Senko however! ;D

This is about the only "new" bait that I'm definitely going to give a work out this season.

Been there, done that. They don't work as well as other, softer plastics for drop shotting. I've tried them many times, but am not convinced they do anything for the presentation. Give me a Roboworm in "Aaron's Magic".

I have Charter Communications (cable TV) and I also get Versus, ESPN & ESPN2 which have some limited fishing shows. However, the top 3 networks for fresh & salt water fishing, hunting and shooting sports are WFN (World Fishing Network), ODOOR (Outdoor Network) and SPTM (not sure what this one stands for?). I get those as well. And along with my dvr I can be watching all the fishing shows out there, each week, whenever I have a chance to view them.

I'm in western MA and it would depend on what kind of water you are fishing - lake, reservoir or river. And whether or not you have a boat or are bank bound. Beyond that, you can't beat a drop shot with a 3" wacky rigged Senko-type worm. Blade baits, jigs and suspending jerkbaits are all productive at one time or another as well. Since we are going to be experiencing air temps at -12 degrees tonight, I'd be very patient if I were you! Ice out is still a ways away.

"Matching the hatch" may have some validity in the fly fishing arena, but, in my opinion, not with bass. If a bass sees something eatable - a bit smaller than itself - it's going to eat....period. Depth and speed control is much more important to hooking up. Color being the very last factor I would ever consider in any technique or presentation. Think about this, why would a bass hit a pink Fluke? But they do!

Watched it this weekend. I'm sorry, I know he's a great guy and probably an outstanding fisherman; but his comedy just turns me off. I watch fishing shows for only one thing. To give me information and/or show me techniques I've yet to try on the waters I fish. I use to watch Ed Sullivan for entertainment!

Mostly I drop shot for smallies in a large, deep reservoir. One of my cornerstone presentations is the drop shot. Here a few decent fish I've caught & released: I have many, many more such pictures. Been drop shotting for about 8 years now. We average 125 - 150 smallies (all CPR) each season - and all over the 2 1/2 lb. mark. (We don't count how many we've taken under that weight?) 90% on the drop shot. Going to focus on throwing the big swimbaits this coming season however. Should be interesting.

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