Crestliner2008

Add on another 50 years here! 2382 + 50 = 2932

Here in MA, some of the waters we fish do not allow lead weights. That being said, tungsten is 10X as toxic as lead and cost 3X as much! I won't go that route either. For me, I use a simple "bass casting" bell-type steel sinker by Eagle Claw. "Eco-Friendly" they call them. About $2.00/doz.. As far as weight goes, I use the 1/4 oz. 99% of the time. If I'm fishing shallow even, the quarter ounce is no problem. If I'm fishing over 40' or more, then I'll step it up, but that's rare.

I'm going to give swim jigs a shot this season. Especially the "Wisconsin" style. I see some folks just getting into drop shotting. You won't regret that move, I guarantee!

Hey! Same hook I use whenever I fish snaggly, timber strewn river banks, when wacky rigging. Good hook, but the wire guards are not very sturdy. BTW....do not limit yourself to Senkos - same applies to the Fat Ika. In my opinion, even more effective!

Why do you crimp the barb? I'm thinking about going barbless because my girls (8 & 10) want to go fishing more with me, and I'm afraid of them getting the barb below the skin. That's a very good reason to crimp down the barb for sure. As stated in a following post, barbless hooks make removal so much easier as well. The only time that I don't crimp down the barb on any hook now, is when I'm drop shotting. Tail dancing smallies that are lip hooked only, will throw those things way too frequently! But I even crimp down trebles on my hard baits too. When you get to be my age, landing every fish becomes less important than the actual fishing experience. Hunting and getting the fish to bite an artificial offering is much more important to me now.

How are you going to land 24 lbs of smallmouth on 6 lb line? ;D ;D ;D ;D VERY carefully!

ROFLMAOOO! ;D How come you aren't dead yet? ;D I'm a spring chicken at only 65 by comparison! Caught my fist LM on a shiner and a $2.00 rod with a fly reel given to me by a neighbor. That got me "hooked". Seen a lot of stuff come & go. I still have a tubular steel baitcasting rod (Heddon Pal) and a Pflueger "Silk Cast" knuckle buster reel. My Dad bought me a Heddon "Lucky 13" for Xmas one year (the old wood kind) which I still have as well. Times have certainly changed! Some for the better and some for the worse.

Thanks Wild Bill! I've never used a double rig like that. I've heard of it, but since you've been successful with it, I'll give her a whirl this season.

Thad's

I just know I'm going to get a lot of flack for this. Not to worry. Great video. Wonder how much that "special" 8 1/2' St. Croix rod cost? Betcha it was a bunch of bucks. I also betcha that I can do the very same thing with ANY rod and a slip bobber set up (and I have). The real kicker was his proclamation that his "special" jig was chartreuse with a bit of copper. Of course. That's what did it! Give me a break. If a bass sees a food source making itself available, it's going to take it. It has no choice. Depth & speed control in the right place. Simple. And you don't have to spend big bucks and use only "special" equipment to achieve it. I am a believer in the "Float N' Fly" technique. The proponents of it - with all their hype - leave a bad taste in my mouth however. Why can't they just explain a technique to us common folks and not make it appear to be "scientifically special"? I'm sorry, but fishing is just NOT all that complicated. I apologize for offending some of you. Is it spring yet?

I concur as well. Although I've caught bass without feathers, the addition seems to attract more strikes. Just like adding a scent to a plastic bait. Just a bit of a confidence boost. On all my poppers, I replace the stock dressed treble with a Sure Set dressed treble. I just like the way this hook snatches those short strikers!

I love fishing the Sweet Beaver. Have caught a lot of LM's on them last season. There are hundreds of plastic baits out there that will catch bass. Any one of them can and often do, excel under certain circumstances. However, the SB is a shape that has consistently produced for me and will now become a regular part of my arsenal. To me, it represents a crawfish type animal crawling about the bottom and creating a suble commotion which bass love. I rig mine Tx style on a 4/0 EWG. I do one more thing though; I insert a Slug-Go internal weight in the center of the body. This makes it dig and push more of the bottom content as you move it along. And it keeps the weight in the center of the bait, thereby allowing a nice, horizontal fall, which I believe is an important part of it's effectiveness.

I use the Speed Worm a bit differently. Now I'm talking about the Zoom Speed Worm....with the FLAT, wide tail. This bait, when moved forward rapidly, creates a tremendous amount of vibration. I rig it on a 3/0 EWG worm hook and peg a 1/8 oz. bullet sinker ahead of it. After the cast, I let it sit....like a Senko....on the bottom for a time. Then I rigorously jerk it forward - just fast enough and just long enough to feel the vibs start to throb through my rod. Then I stop it again and let it settle. And repeat. Very similar to the way I would use a blade bait on the bottom. I've caught some dandy LM's this way. Never used it as a top water bait however. There are much more effective baits - i.e.: Rage Tail Toads - for that purpose - in my opinion.

My hook is a Gamakatsu 1/0 In-Line Oct. Circle. I've chose the circle hook because bass are notorious in taking Senkos in deep. With the circle, I stand a much better chance or lip hooking my quarry - LM or SM. One more thing....I always crimp down the barb on these hooks and rarely do I ever fail to land a fish.

It does take a lot of practice to become proficient at it. And not EVERY pitch is going to be the way you want it. You just need to focus on your target and get really familiar with your equipment. I use one of those so-called cheap reels - an Abu Ambassadeur. Don't have much problem pitching with it at all. Just back off the spool tension all the way and "educate" your thumb. The process is actually quite simple. Accuracy only comes from practice however. Sort of like "point" shooting a snubby at 10 yards.

Haven't used the hair jigs much, but Lindy/Little Joe use to make spinnerbaits tied with bucktail skirts. That was back in the 70's. I use to catch a lot of bass with those. Not sure why I haven't used hair jigs yet, but maybe this year! Thanks for the reminder.

Last season I had some decent success with the Zoom Speed Worm, Tx rigged behind a 1/8 oz. bullet sinker. I just let it sit for a few seconds, then twitch it off the bottom fast enough to just start to feel the vibs. Then I'd let it die back down again.

X3....I use them for pre-tying my drop shot leaders.

You know, I've heard for years that cold water requires you to use pork. And that plastic is best over 55 degrees. If's that's the case, then how is it I catch a lot of bass drop shotting plastics and casting Senkos, right after ice out? I think that may have been true years ago, but the plastics they have for us these days are so much more superior to that which was available years ago. Maybe it really doesn't matter any more?

Having a hard time finding some of these cranks at Dick's and local bait shops. Any suggestions? What brand do you find most snag-resistant in brush and sparse timber? Thanks folks!

Unfortunately, CT has increased their "out of state" license fee this year to $80.00. I can find some more than adequate waters right here in MA, without shelling out that kind of cash. I have heard a lot of good things about Candlewood however. I'd love to give that place a whirl in the summertime.

And if all these fine suggestions do not help you, try a simple 4" Senko, wacky rigged and suspended under a bobber.

This looks like a winner. I plan on trying them this season for sure. Had some limited success with Hopkins last season, but wasn't impressed with the fluttering on the fall. The Strike King looks like it might do a better job.

I'm not an ice fisherman, but I've convinced a few friends of mine to try the drop shot. They couldn't be happier. Especially since they, like me, don't favor using live bait. Roboworms or the 2 1/2" Slug-Gos are producing well.

I only started using them last season, but I love the Rage Toads. The bass explode on them viciously. I use unweighted screw-lock type hooks.