Crestliner2008

I've been watching this show for 2 seasons now. My opinion.....he sells good underwater footage of bass. Not necessarily bass behavior, as we think we might see though. Bass confronted with a huge predator (man) a few feet away, can't be expected to act normally - IMO. So I'm not so impressed with the show. When I first started watching it, he showed smallies going after tube baits. WOW, I thought.....finally.....a show that will connect how we present a bait with how the fish react to it! No dice. Since that show, no other connect has been shown between presentation and catching. A disappointment. I still watch it. Nice underwater footage. But I was hoping for more and hoping to learn something.

This is same way I fish blade baits, so it should work for the big spinners as well. However, that being said, I've thrown the 1 oz. Ledgebuster many times in past couple of years, fishing mainly for smallmouths. Have only taken a very few decent fish. Smallies do respond well to the blade baits (i.e.: Silver Buddies) however. I don't understand why they do the same with the big spinnerbaits? I keep trying though!

I just love this thread! But, does anything that anyone could have, or will have, to say today, going to change the fact that Perry's world record will stand tomorrow? I think not. Speculation is fine, but it will never change that number. And I don't think that's a bad thing either. Now here's some food for thought: Here in MA, our state record is 15+ pounds! Now that's some bass! 22 - 15 = only 7 more pounds! Doesn't seem all that impossible to me. If we can grow a bass to better than 15 pounds, why is it not plausible that a 22+ pound fish can/does exist somewhere in our more fertile waters to the south? I don't think it's out of the realm of possibility at all.

I don't know about bulk, but gitzit has the largest selection of 2.5" tubes. Anybody here drop shot with tubes? Yes.

Best times in the northeast start anytime after the first of May. I prefer fishing the post spawn on deep, off-shore structures myself, so my best fishing starts mid to late June, to the first of October.

What area of the country are you looking at? We have some fine fishing here in the northeast. There's Lake Champlain (VT), Quabbin Reservoir (MA), Candlewood Lake (CT), just to name a few.

You don't hear about too many folks using spoonplugging to find bass these days. I think the proliferation of electronics in fishing seems to lessen the need to actually perform underwater mapping, as this technique provides. But more than that is the total insight and knowledge that Perry so willingly gives to folks, that is so incredible. No other "teacher" has given more to the sport. And like you say, ColdwaterBassin, it works all the time - if you read, head and apply the methodology outlined in his great book. It's funny that not many people today talk about it....or Perry for that matter.

That just about nails it!

Hard jerkbaits, jigs, Senkos. Toward the upper range is when I'll start to drop shot.

Crush down the barbs on your hooks and you'll never have to worry about it again. Your catch & release ratio will not decrease.

Al Lindner.

Buck Perry's book: Spoonplugging. Nothing else has been, or ever will be, as informative and helpful to the majority of fishermen/women in this country.

My survey has been completed.

MegaStrike.

I'd have to go with the Senko I'm affraid. Will catch anything!

Morning person here....I like fishing from just after dawn to about 2 pm. Then I call it quits, get the boat put away, and have a nice relaxing hot meal for supper. The end of a perfect day!

Smallmouth bass won't really start to get interested in spawning until the water temps are consistently over 55 degrees. The will search out pebble rock or crushed rock preferably and will continue to spawn, sporatically, well into June. However, these late spawners will be found a lot deeper than their earlier spawning brethren. The In'Fisherman staff has verified smallmouth spawn as late as July - but in 25' of water! Best part of smallmouth fishing is that you can find some fish at various stages of their cycles throughout this spring period. Some will be spawning, some will be done and have gone deep, some are pre-spawn still. Depends a lot on water clarity and temperature and the food source. Right now I'd be focusing on shallower rocky points & humps ranging from about 8' down to 25'. Use your sonar. Find the bait (relating to structure) and you'll find the fish. Try hard jerkbaits, tubes and jigs. Good Luck!

Pointer 78 & 100 (never rely solely on one size!) and X-Raps.

Drop shot.

Get a cheap paper hole punch at Job Lots. Take a plastic coffee can lid and punch out a bunch of circles. Put your pork on the hook, followed by one of this small circles of plastics and your ready to go.

Watermelon is my No. 1 color choice for deep, clear water. But I won't hesitate to make a switch. Green pumpkin (actually brown!) is my go-to in stained water. Smoke is always my back-up. A 6" Smoke w/black flake Senko will catch anything that swims!

Great responses here on fishing a jig. I, too, believe in letting your offering sit for awhile before even thinking about moving it. There's a lot to be said for "dead-sticking"! I also believe that after the initial drop & pause, everything after that is less productive. JMO.

It doesn't get much better than this. THANKS!

If it moves....and can be engulfed....a bass will hit it. It exists to eat. And anything that even begins to resemble something alive is fair game. So, yes, go for the crawdad imitations, as well as other more likely presentations. You just never know! BTW....have you tried trout pattern hard jerkbaits?

RW....that's what I've attempted recently. Problem being, you can't get 'em bigger than 1/4 oz.! I believe I'm looking at needing 1/2 oz. or more to accomplish my goal. Going to try re-thinking my drop shotting for this situation - a suggestion by Tin. Thanks JFranco! That's what I did.