Crestliner2008

I've been using 1/0 Siwash hooks on my blade baits for the past 3 seasons now. I've convinced my hook-up ratio has not declined one bit. I go even further by crushing down the barb. Again, with no ill effects. Check this out:

I've been using the Gamakatsu #2 DS hooks for many, many years now. A few years ago I tried the Spin-Shot hooks. Lost too many smallies on the jump. Went back to my Gammys where I'll stay. Experience can be a costly teacher! Usually most folks don't complain too much about line twist with a baitcaster, but since you are having that problem, what is wrong with a tiny swivel about 3' up your hook? I use a Spro #10 PowerSwivel exclusively with all my drop shot rigs. These quality made swivels are almost indestructible and have served me very well. Haven't seen any downside to doing so either. Some folks claim that the "extra knots" cause break points. I disagree. Like I said, been using them for many, many years with no breakage at the swivels. The line will break - at the hook - if you do not re-tie after every 2 or 3 smallies boated. Their teeth raise havoc with fluorocarbon! Finally, I support the previous suggestion to try a braid with fluorocarbon leader. Best of both worlds and line twist will no longer be a concern to you at that point.

You should have no problem with the heavier weight. I would suggest that since you are not fishing vertically, that you use the tubular or pencil type weights, to reduce snagging on the bottom. As far as leader length goes, you just never know what the conditions you are faced with will dictate. Do not go out with a pre-conceived notion about what's right or wrong. Experiment and try different lengths. Let the fish tell you what they want. I take it you are fishing for largemouths, since you are using baitcasting? Still not sure that is your best choice, but if it works for you, you're golden. What size line are you using?

I can't recommend a fluorocarbon main line as I don't use it. All my crappie rods are set up with 2# test Fireline Crystal with a 4' fluorocarbon leader of 4# test. This combination works extremely well for on my 3 #6920 Pflueger President spinning reels. I've caught some pretty big fish on these combination rigs, including bass, northern pike and many, many trout. The rods I use are all B n' M.

Well, I currently have 3 #6920 Presidents that I use for crappie fishing on 9' rods. Love those little reels. I've caught some pretty big fish on them too. But I'm loading them with 2# test Fireline Crystal and a fluorocarbon leader. They cast like a dream and very durable reels. Not knowing what your target species is/are, or which presentations you use, it is difficult to make this kind of recommendation.

Baitcasting - for me, I cut my teeth on the old Ambassadeur 5000 (red) back in the late 60's. Have 4 of them now (various models, but all Ambassadures) and have given several to my grandkids. Have never been in a boat with anyone that could do anything better, than what I could do with these old reels. Maybe I'm just missing out, but I'm happy! As far a spinning goes, the Pflueger President is far & away the best bang for your buck today. Both of these comments do not take into consideration anyone's particular preferences for brand or style, nor what gives you your own brand of confidence. Just my opinion. A cane pole and string will still catch fish.

You just never really know what the day will bring. Variations of water temp and clarity, as well as seasonal and daily weather changes, can and do affect the bass moods. I never approach a situation with a fixation of what I want to throw. I think trying to force feed is a mistake made by a lot of good fishermen, especially when starting off in the spring. Carry a wide variety of presentations and try focusing on depth & speed controls, on various structures, to peek their interest. Once you find fish, then you can narrow down your presentation accordingly. Fishing mainly for smallies, the three basic rigs I always have set up and ready to go (in early spring) are: 1) a blade bait 2) a drop shot and 3) a hard jerkbait. I will never leave a structure without trying a popper as well at some point, even over 20' of water. It might surprise you. Like I said, you just never know!

I'm assuming you are talking about casting hard baits, from jigs to top waters. Don't try to force feed the bass. Try various controls of depth & speed, starting with the top and working down through the water column. Depending on the water temperature and clarity, you probably wouldn't go too far wrong with a hard (or soft) jerkbait. Good Luck!

I'll throw in my .02.....I've eaten a lot of walleye, bass, pike, catfish and panfish. But that was back in the 50's, thru early 70's. Pike always was the "prize" eating fish. Once you learned how to properly remove the "Y" bones (not at all difficult), the remaining white flesh is very palatable - even more so than walleye, which after a meal or three, I find less appetizing. These days, give me a piece of cod, haddock or (dare I say it!) swordfish any day, vs. any freshwater species. Strictly a CPR fisherman these days, I buy what I want to eat and release what gives me joy.

This is great stuff indeed! I think the new advances in sonars & gps systems today are great. However, I think something is lost when an inexperienced angler jumps right into it full bore. Starting off with a "hand line" depth finder.....progressing to that wonderous "Green Box".....then purchasing my first LCR.....those are educational steps that are priceless in developing the kind of knowledge that makes a good fisherman today. Maybe the technology can by pass that? Maybe it can't? I feel none the worse for wear for having experienced it first hand however.

This coming week, my fishing partner & I are going down to Cabelas to see these new Garmin sonars and their features. We're looking at the 73 SV right now, but I'm not sure if that model has "Chirp" or not? I know the 73 CV has chirp, but it doesn't have side imaging. Anyone have any other clarification for us? Thanks!

I personally rarely fish a tube that doesn't have ribs. Keeps the MegaStrike on longer and the smallies seem to love them! The Yum tubes are my favorites. I now regularly use non-ribbed tubes only on the drop shot, with a small piece of foam insterted. Keeps those tails waving seductively.

Dontcha just love it when they go bananas like that! I had one of my best days, maybe 15 years ago, when I was still feeling invulnerable......and was fishing just prior to a severe front coming in. I could see chain lightning in the black clouds approaching fast. Wind was kicking. The bass were slamming anything you through! These days I have a tendency to want to live a little longer, so I don't fish those fronts the way I use to!

A drop shot rig. Another rod set up with a hard jerkbait (i.e.: X-Rap) and a third rod set up with a 1/2 - 3/4 oz. blade bait. That'll due to "ride the river", as the ole' Texas Ranger use to say.

I've heard this many times about using a jig as your "sinker". Problem I see is this. The normal hook-set on the drop shot is just a lift and retrieve. The tiny, super sharp hooks nail the smallies in the top lip the majority of the times. I have never heard of anyone using this type of hook-set on a jig! Usually it's a more aggressive set with the jig than it is for the drop shot. If you are using both and not knowing which bait is the smallie's target, how would you know how to properly set the take? Besides, it's usually a very minimal bait movement with the drop shot and the presentation is usually in one specific area, keeping the bait in the zone longer, and off the bottom. I'm sure you can be successful employing both jig and drop shot in one presentation. Just not so sure it's the best of either world.

I consider myself to be very frugal, especially when it comes to buying tackle. (Which is why I still use an old Ambassadeur 5500C!) When it comes to hooks though, I've never had the inclination to sharpen the new ones, manufactured in the past 10 years or so. They come a heck of a lot sharper than hooks of the old days, that's for sure. I wonder just how many fishermen can honestly attribute a dull hook to a lost fish? I can't.

Great start! I'm still looking at ice covered lakes with near a foot of snow on my front lawn!

I, too, read his "Spoonplugging" book back in the '60's in high school. First read an article about him the old "Fisherman's Bible" that use to be published yearly. Got the book and wore out my first one in about a year. Bought 3 more, which I've since given to my grand-kids. Timeless information and knowledge. I got a real kick out his take on a new "super lure". When at the time, a tournament angler, fishing near him, told him he had the greatest lure of all time - a floating Rapala. So, Buck, being Buck, grabbed a piece of hickory and whittled out a duplicate looking lure, right there, on the spot. Made a cast and caught a bass, in front of the guy! His only comment was, "yep, that is a pretty good lure"! Don't get much more honest than that.

We have a few lakes with this problem as well. Drop shotting (with a 3' - 4' drop, hook to sinker) has worked well for us, providing the stuff isn't suspended in the water column. If it is, I find me another lake.

I have a Bionic Blade that's probably 15 years old or more. It was their 6'6" Pitchin' Stick (M/H) model. Has caught me a ton of bass over the years. Good rod. You'd probably be better off with a medium 7' model. Take care of it and it will take care of you.

If you double a "Goodie" (ask your wife or girl friend) instead of an o ring you will get two benefits. First off, the choice of which direction you want the hook to point (perpendicular to, or parallel to the worm). Either hooking has the same band pressure on the worm. I've been using these extremely inexpensive bands for many years and my Senkos last better than not having any band at all. Can't say they make them bullet proof, but certainly better than no band at all. And cheaper than o rings.

BucherTails should work just fine for largemouths down south. Problem you're going to have is the weedgrowth may be more prevalent than what you are use to. Those big trebles could get you hung a lot more. But I'd have no problem using them down there. Some of the bigger glide baits may be just what the doctor ordered as well. What have you got to loose?

For me it will always be a blade bait like a 1/2 - 3/4 oz. Silver Buddy. You can always rely on these old lures to pick up a fish or two after ice out. That being said, I also never leave home without my drop shot rod.

Definitely! Although, if those are the size that you are targeting, there may be more productive presentations. Try a hollow bodied swimbait on a belly weighted hook, or a spinnerbait, or even some cranks, or jerkbaits, depending on the weeds. I've never really considered Hudds - as a catagory of swimbaits - to be a high percentage bait. They'll certain interest the larger fish in the water's population though.

I've been using the Alberto knot (not really a knot, more of a weave) for many, many years now. Since leaving the Uni/Uni connection to my leaders and going with this knot, I have rarely ever experienced a failure. I believe failures using the Alberto are mainly due to a hurried tie. I tighten up the knot in stages, wetting it as I go. And I do change my leader knots ever two or three trips, just to be on the safe side. I know some camps don't like leaders. I do, mainly because braid itself has little to no stretch. And most folks, when excited, then to over set the sharp hooks on the lures and jigs that are available to us these days. Consequently, you need some kind of shock absorption in order not to break off. The other thing is that braid is not very abrasion resistant. Not nearly as much as a good quality fluorocarbon leader has. So it becomes a win-win situation for me. And like I said, with properly tied knots there should not be a problem with leaders under normal conditions.