Crestliner2008

Spoonplugging also helped me out quite a bit in the early years as well. God Bless Buck Perry!

Great catch! That is a real prize.

I use to be heavy user of Trilene XL. From 2# test to 17# test. Good stuff. But you are going to go through a lot of line in the course of one fishing season if you use mono - of any brand. And no, using a cheap mono backing is not going to save you much. Instead, think about using a quality braid as your mainline, with either a mono or fluorocarbon leader. Your sensitivity will be increased dramatically and changing out a leader is simple, quick and economical.

I think one of biggest mistakes is when fishermen decide on getting one set up for "all around use". No such animal. You can catch a bass on a stick you carved off an oak tree. Doesn't mean that you "should" go with that. Focus on what you are trying to do and seriously consider several different rigs to do them with. The rod you are using is going to serve you well for some things and not so good for others. Weightless Senkos and big swimbaits are extremes of the spectrum. I would not want to do both with a rod designed for one or the other. A medium to med-hvy action 7' spinning rod with 10 lb. test braid and a 8 lb. fluorocarbon leader can do a lot of things within the two extremes you cite. Trying to do it all with one will lead to your disappointment I'm afraid. I think you should re-focus on what you really are going to be doing for the majority of your fishing and go that route instead. JMO!

Is that a Heddon "Pal" casting rod? I've got one that looks just like it. Tubular steel. I guess my first "high confidence" lure was a Helin Flatfish. I use to just love feeing it throb as I retrieved it. And I just knew it was going to get slammed! Sometimes it did too!

Regardless of which big box store I enter, I always head over to check out the fishing tackle.

Spro BBZ-1 and BBZ-1 Jr.. Both qualify as big swimbaits. Both will positively produce big bass for you. I've had less success on the 8" Hudd and no success on the 6" Hudd. JMO.

Walt & I were planning on taking the boat out today, but due to the rain forecast, we pushed it off. So, I took my UL rod down to the local Oxbow to try for some crappie from shore. Not much happening until around 8:00 am. Made a cast with the tiny jig. Felt the familiar "tick" and set the hook. All of a sudden it started getting really heavy and the "fish" started taking line off the drag! Definitely NOT a crappie. Fought the fish for a few minutes with my 7' UL bent almost double, figuring I hooked a big carp, or bowfin and that it was going to strip out all my 2 lb. test line and spool me. No way I could prevent it. However, I continued to fight the fish as best I could, holding my finger on the line spool, to assist the drag, as it surged out and started plowing through a weedbed. I figured, that's it.....here's where it breaks off. I kept a steady pressure on the fish and it actually got itself out of the weeds. How I still had it on was amazing to me. Finally I was able to start steering the head towards my shoreline. I climbed down the side of the bank in hopes of at least seeing the fish. It came up and I was amazed to see that I had a huge largemouth bass on......maybe 6 to 8 pounds(?). The behemoth rose with only it's head out of the water (it was too big to jump), opened it's mouth and - believe it or not - out pops my crappie with my jig still in the crappies mouth, not the bass! The bass just sunk back down into the depths. I unhooked my jig from inside the crappie's mouth and tossed it back, although it was pretty bad shape by that time. It was just shy of 9". That big ole largemouth just was determined to eat that crappie - period! (Maybe something for you big swimbait fans to think about!) I know the bass can grow pretty big in these waters (state record is 15 lbs, believe it or not!). I've also "heard" of people down south having this similar kind of experience. Just never heard of anyone around our neck of the woods having it happen to them. Then it started to rain so I quit after catching about a 1/2 doz. more crappie from that spot. Sure do wish I had a vidcam today! That'd be something for the books! Figured you guys would get a kick out of this one!

Simple. We used drop lines to pattern the structure. A 50' length of parachute cord tied every 5' for the first 15', then every 10' there after. Tied a heavy stove bolt on the end and you were good to go. Then I got my first "Green Box"!

Yes, fish them just like a fluke texposed with at least a 9/0 offset worm hook. A striper seeing this thing twitching and jerking about will crush it, regardless of the color. If I had one to choose, I'd probably go with the pearl white.

Nothing like a 9" Sluggo - for any kind of bass!

My only thought is that the hookset for each bait is and should be different. Don't see how that helps either rig. You'd have probably did just as well with one or the other. What you are proposing is similar to a fly suspended underneath a popper. Neither one is as good as the original alone. JMO.

All I know is that yes, I can catch bass (or other species of fish) on "Senko-type" baits, but not nearly as many, nor as consistently. I only use the original Senko.

I'd guess you'd be pretty safe with a range of lures between 1/8 - 3/4 oz. weights. Do a Google search on that particular rod. I'm sure it will give the manufacturers web site. On there you should find similar recommendations.

The deepest I've ever successfully jigged up lakers with this technique is 103'. Cabelas makes a 1 oz. blade bait. Unfortunately, it's a painted blade vs. plain silver or gold. I may give them a whirl this season.

I've never had a problem with Gamakatsu Drop Shot hook in size #2 with a wacky rigged Senko of 3" & 4". However, I use a "Goodie" band on the Senko and run the hook through that instead of the worm itself. There are articles here on rigging with Goodies and O-rings. There actually is no "hook-set" per say; rather just a slow lift & reel. You'll get them most every time this way.

Try these VMC In Line single hooks instead: http://www.cabelas.com/product/VMC-INLINE-SINGLE-HOOK/1920441.uts I've replaced most of my trebles with these and my hook-up ratio remains the same. I also crimp the barbs down. Better for the fish and safer for the fisherman.

What's a Senko?

I always carry along an UL rig regardless of the species I'm chasing. I use a 7' B n M SHSS rod with a 750 Symetre filled with 2# Fireline Crystal and 4# test fluorocarbon leader. Have caught some pretty large bass & pike on this rig and have never used a leader. I have lost jigs on pike. Doesn't bother me that much, it's just part of the game. This northern was successfully caught & released on this rig:

Excellent. Everyone can learn something from these videos. Thanks muchly.

Yes.....a BGBS.

When drifting, you do not "reel" at all. You just lift the rod tip and drop it back down.

There is an article here at the top that has instructions on suspending Senkos under a slip bobber. I authored a detailed procedure for this technique in that article. It is an extremely effective presentation for smallmouth bass suspended over deep water structures. If you can't find the article, let me know & I'll give you the link. Lots of great information on this site!

I really get tired of fellow fishermen with preconceived notions about products. But that's another story. I've been using Vanish as a leader material for over a dozen years. I've caught tons of fish on it. Everything from 2# crappie with a 2# Vanish leader to that 31" lake trout I jigged up from 65' on a 6# test Vanish leader that I recently reported on. I know how to tie a knot and when used properly, there is nothing wrong with Vanish. But hey.....that's just me I guess. Maybe I'm too old for this game?

If the wind doesn't keep your boat moving, I'd cast it out. Let it hit bottom. Then jerk it up just enough to start to feel the vibrations of the blade. As soon as you feel the first vibes, drop it back to the bottom & repeat. No need for a lift of over a foot. Trust me, if there are any lakers in the areas, they will know there's a meal opportunity close by! This is why braid is so important when jigging deep waters. Nothing else will give you the feel braid does. If you have a good drift going, you can just drop the blade (or jig) straight down to the bottom. And repeat the action as for casting. Don't be surprised if you pick up a bit smallmouth or two along the way. Good Luck!