Crestliner2008

I agree with the hydraulic jack plate as giving you the maximum options out of your boat/motor combo. Expensive though! Have you played with the adjustment of your trim options? First off, look at where your cavitation plate sits in relation to the bottom of the boat. If it's below the bottom, that's hurting your hole shot and top speed. A jack plate is probably a good remedy then. A Doel Fin (hydrofoil) will solve your hole shot in a second. However, if your cavitation plate is not in the right position, you're going to loose top end speed dramatically. Without having the right engine for the boat you have, everything you do from now on will cost you more bucks and give you less on the return. No way of getting around that I'm affraid.

No. Not allowed here. ROFL!

I couldn't agree more! And make sure you get one with the olive back. Dy-No-Mite samllie bait.

I posted my opinion on this topic awhile ago. Less expensive than "O" rings and just as effective: http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1236855515

Make or model has nothing to do with it. They are all controlled by satellite positioning and they are all the same. None is more "accurate" than any other.

A few weeks back I ordered some 25# mono from those folks, for my swimbait set-up. Great line and quick service. But now, when I re-visit the site, it's down (and has been down for over a week that I'm aware of!). Did they all of a sudden go out of business? I can still get the line from other sources, but if the company is no longer, I'll re-think acquiring any more.

I'd sure like to know what you do not like about it? I have PP on two of my rigs, with a 5' section of fluorocarbon line for a leader on each one. (I use 30# PP with a 20# leader.) I also use the Albright for the connect, which is a very slim knot that flows nicely through the guides. Going on 3 seasons now and no problems, no worries.

This is also a great knot to use with any turned up eye Circle hook. Thanks for the great link.

Congratulations! It's always best when you've worked at something really hard and had it pay off for you.

And if you really want something to entice smallmouths with, try one of these on a drop shot or light jig head: http://www.sigtackle.com/bait/case_lghellies.html

I do likewise; casting it to the cover and letting it sink there for a bit. Then I use a lift and drop (on slack line) retrieve, back to the boat or shoreline. Has always been a great producer for me, either on the initial drop or even during the above retrieve.

I have never heard of anyone complaining that they were not catching fish because they were using red hooks. So, I guess it can't hurt. Besides, using a bit of red on any bait combination has been proven effective. Look at how many red head/white body lures have been (and still are today) produced.

I have a baitcaster and spinning rig set up with 30# test PowerPro. Great outfits! I do use an 8' section of 20# test fluorocarbon line as a leader on each, but the PP makes line watching so much easier for these old eyes! Worth the investment.

Mann's Jelly Worm or the Zoom Trick Worm. Simple. Effective. But then again, I'm old fashioned.

I chose "other" - Fleck being my spinnerbait of choice. Has been for 30+ years - and still going strong.

Gotta be a Sierra Club member or Peta.

Thanks tbird! Great link and that's what I've been using so far. I had heard that the Alberto or "improved" Albright was better, but I also need a slim knot to go through the guides. So, I'll probably stick with the original.

After many years of drop shotting, I've settled on a size #2 Gamakatsu Split Shot/Drop Shot hook. This goes for LM or SM bass. Through trial and error, I found that size #4 is just a tad too small (but they will work sometimes) and size #1 are too large, overpowering your bait. A size #2 is a good compromise. A general rule of thumb - if there ever could be one - would say something like, "use the largest hook you can get away with, without over powering your offering". Now here's a most important design issue you need to consider. Compare the Gammy hook above with any other drop shot hook on the market. Look closely at the points and you will see that the Gammy's point is straight, with no curve or beaking to it. I believe this gives you better penetration, when using a slow sweep, fast reel, type of hook set needed with the drop shotting technique. JMO.

I'm having a problem getting my head around the difference (and benefits) of the Albright and Alberto knots for leader joining. I always use a fluoro leader with my braided rods and I thought I was using an Albright knot for the joint. Doing a search on the Alberto knot, I find that some sites say to tie it the way I've been tying the Albright! And other sites say that the Albright is better? :-/ It's my understanding that the Albright is tied with only one layer of windings; and the Alberto is wound the same way, but re-wound back over the initial winding a second time. Can anyone straighten me out on this? And which is better? Thanks folks!

Sad part is that those folks caught were not kids! Most were as old as I am. Sorry state of affairs indeed.

Beautiful smallies! Congrats!

Can't do two days in a row anymore (being retired and all), but I float my boat at least twice a week....sometimes more. However, that being said, the days I'm not in my boat will usually find me hitting one or two local ponds from shore, for an hour or two.

In a river I fish for smallies, whenever I find carp boiling the surface, the bass are not far behind. I think they root around the disturbed waters for crawfish and insect larvae in the wakes of the carp, but I'm not sure. I only know it's a great sign! Sort of like a bunch of gulls gathering in one spot.

Yes. We use the pink and white 9" for stripers. And ya know what? I'm going to give them a whirl for smallmouths this year too.

Try a 6' - 10' fluoro leader for starters, with your braid. It's optimal to have the connecting knot on the spool of your reel when you are ready to cast. And use an albright knot for the connection, with a touch of super glue (Zap-A-Gap is great stuff!). The albright is much slimmer a knot than the uni-uni so it passes through guides much easier. The purpose of the glue is to fill the gaps in the windings (has nothing to do with adding strength) to accomplish the same purpose - smoother flow through the guides.