Crestliner2008

The 10" version is an awesome top water bait.

Red hooks do instill a bit of confidence - with some of us. I mean, let's face it, the color red has been employed just about every lure manufacturer since the 20's. The red head, white body lure color combo has probably sold more lures and produced more fish than any other. As far as hooks go and the red "chipping" off; they do nick easily. But as long as the base underneath is GOLD (i.e.: Gamakatsu hooks), you can refurbish the finish quite easily with a quick dip in red Dykem metal dye. You machinist out there know what I'm talking about. However, if you buy the less expensive red hooks (i.e.: VMC or Eagle Claw) with an aluminum base, the dye will not last well at all.

I prefer in-line circle hooks. Gamakatsu makes a dandy in 1/0 size. Have been fishing them for many years, wacky rigging Senkos for LM & SM bass, lake trout, rainbows, salmon and some of the toothy critters as well. They do their job, nicely. Never had a "need" to go weedless or weighted, but that's just me.

Blades are just pure "dy-no-mite" from ice out until spawn up here in the northeast. Killers for smallies and lake trout. I've used a lot of blade baits and I feel that as long as they have a decent vibration, they will work. However, it is fun to carry a selection and experiment. Problem with blades is that they have a tendency to hang bottom a lot. Especially in wooded bottoms like we have here. That can get expensive in a hurry, if you're tossing $4.00 blades. So, if any of you are tight wads like me, you might want to consider looking at the pre-moled, hookless blade bodies offered in the Barlow's catalog (pg. 55). At a little over a buck a piece, you can afford to loose a bunch and not feel too bad about it.

Definitely get into drop shotting, if you locate fish on or near the bottom. They'll even go after it when suspended; I've actually seen (on the graph) suspended fish go down towards my drop shot before it hit the bottom. You can also try floating a wacky rigged Senko under a slip bobber. Very deadly, especially if there's a light chop on the water. There is a good article, in the "pinned" section" of one of the forums here, depicting this technique. This works wonders when they are really finicky.

One important aspect to discuss here is that I do not believe all lakes set a thermocline in summer. Take a reservoir for instance. With water moving through the main body (which it has to, if it's a reservoir), I find it difficult to believe that a thermocline could set up. Maybe I'm wrong. But if rivers don't thermocline, how would a reservoir have one?

Mainly I just hate the high cost of gear/equipment these days. Use to be fishing was an "every-man's" sport (or every kids). Now a days, it is very expensive to maintain and buy equipment - and I'm not even thinking about your boat! Then there's the "greenies" that have forced us here in MA to adopt a "No Lead" law. All because they found a dead loon that supposedly died of lead poisoning via ingested fishing sinkers. Especially now with the loon population exploding here. Unbelievalbe! Now we have to use "alternative" material jigs & sinkers. Very expensive move against we sportsmen. And don't even get me started on TUNGSTEN! LOL!

X2 - I've caught a lot smallies and lakers in spring on the white color. And it works when drop shotting smallies down deep in the summertime. And again using the watermelon color on a jig head up shallow in the fall. They work for me.

Chatterbaits and/or Scroungers are variations on the swim jig, with different actions/vibrations. Carry a selection of each and see which the fish perfer on any given day. They are both very productive at different times. You can also just try a 4" or 5" boot tailed, hollow-bellied swimbait (i.e.: Shadalicious) on a weighted swimbait hook. That alone is yet another variation on the swim jig. Again, with a different vibration. You've always got to be "testing the waters". The fish will let you know soon enough which they prefer.

Try to find steeper banks leading to deep water quickly. Also try floating a wacky rigged Senko under a slip bobber. You'll get bit.

Try a modified carolina rig - Spro PowerSwivel (#6 or #4) to your main line which has an egg sinker and bead. 3' section of flurocarbon leader. #1/0 circle hook. You're good to go.

With water temps in the 40's and cold nights, it will not be long before the water turns to ice up here. A sad time. Hope to launch a time or two more before winter sets in. How close do you guys cut it?

Depends on the season, the type of water you fish and the target species (LM or SM). Senkos would be right up there for sure. Try the 7" size, texas rigged. Do not forget topwaters!

Gammy #2 DS/SS hook. 6# test main line (fluoro or braid....I'm starting to lean more to braid these days, with a fluoro leader). 1/4 oz. STEEL bass casting sinkers. (No need to go crazy with the expense of tungsten, unless you are flush.) Several packs of Roboworms. You're good to go.

That would make a great 4' x 6' wall pic!

Actually Dan Gapen was the first to coin the phrase "slipping" current. Works very well in a river current and will probably work equally as well in lake current. The idea is let your boat slip less than the current flow. This allows your bait to get down and stay down in the strike zone for longer periods of time. I've used it quite a bit here on the Ct. River system. If you google Dan Gapen, you will find his extraordinary book on this subject entitled, "Big River Fishing".

I agree with ww2farmer. If they see you, it's game over. This is why in spring and fall (when I mostly fish shallow), I wear camo and soft soled sneakers when shore fishing. I'll take a few minutes to move into position as quietly and invisibly as possible. Then I'll sit and wait....maybe 10 min. more before making a cast. Doesn't work all the time, but it has produced some nice fish for me over the years. JMO!

Which lines "bleed" their color onto your reel or rod? I've tried a lot of them and have never experienced this situation. Most braids do loose their color, but it;s more of a fading vs. bleed. And the fading has never appeared to be harmful to the line, at least for me.

So very sad. I carry whenever I leave the house. This is why some folks have fire extinguishers in their boats. Why not a firearm (on their person, not just in a boat of course)?

Yes. But I love 10# braid (PP being a favorite) for anything other than real heavy cover. This stuff is super strong and with a 12# - 14# fluoro leader (for abrasion resistance) it makes a formidable combination for a wide variety of fishing situations.

Don't use the ID feature. Learn to interpret/deal with the arches. Even Lowrance will tell you that the ID feature is less reliable. Not sure what the numbers are that you are seeing. You might want to check out their home page for information on that.

Under a float, texas rigged, wacky rigged....it doesn't matter too much. If you put a Senko where there are bass, they will eat it. A very high percentage bait, especially for beginners. Just cast it out, let it settle and watch your line. When it starts moving out, set the hook. If nothing happens after it settles, say for 10 - 15 secs., twitch it up a tad and let it settle again. Easy.

Roboworms are in use on my line probably 90% of the time. Not sure where they're made, but I fish with what works.

When the water freezes up here.

One of the only Gulp! products I use are their 5" leeches, nose hooked on the drop shot. Never had much success on the myriad of other Gulp! products though, but the leeches do produce. These are also good for smallies in the early spring when they are up shallow. Rig them on a 1/8 oz. plain ball head jig, with the leech nose hooked. Slow roll swim it just off the bottom. It works.