Crestliner2008

X2!

Some days they just a more finesse approach. The small worm seemed to fit the bill. And with the stained water, that color stood out better is all.

I've been on glucosomine/condroiten for 6 months and still have the problem! See a doctor before it gets so bad you are crippled. I had to get several cordisone shots and use braces for most of last season. This season it's a tad better

Turner's Classic Movie Channel puts on some really good old flicks. Today I watched the 1968 classic, "Bullit", with Steve McQueen. Saw it in '69, when I got out of the Navy. Back then it was one of my favorites; with THE epic car chase (for that time period) between McQueen's Mustang and the sleek '68 Dodge Charger, with it's 400 cu hemi! Lucky to get 6 or 7 mpg with those 'good ole' boys' back then. And back then I thought - wow! - this is an incredible movie! What action! Today when I viewed it I was quite disappointed. Not as "fast & furious" as I had recalled. Very slow story line. Not much real "acting" per say. Good stuff, regardless. I guess it was and will forever be, a true motion picture classic. I even saw my ole' '65 Ford Galaxie 500 - with a 352 V8 and 4 bbl. Holley carb. Great old cars in this flick and many of them. Hope some of you had an opportunity to see it again today. A good day to watch a movie on a VERY rainy east coast day!

Curious....how is it possible to tie a bucktail jig with a weed guard? I've tied some of my own bucktails for smallies - open hook variety, no weed guard. Can't imagine trying to tie one on a head with a weed guard though. I've got some heavier, bulkier bucktail jigs, that I use on smallies (without the weed guard), but for largemouths, you'd be hard pressed to fish the weeds with them.

I posted this method in great detail awhile back. It's in the "Frequently Asked Senko Questions" section above. Here is a link to my post: http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/9471-wacky-rigging-my-way/ You should be able to adopt all those rubber bands in similar fashion. I like the "Goodies" because they are clear and disappear against the color pattern of the worm. Have been using this technique for many, many years.

Large topwater baits are good, as are larger, bulkier plastics fished on the bottom. But just about anything will work - if you are fishing where they are!

Truly wonderful video. A masterpiece.....about a masterpiece. Thank you!

Another vote for the .38 Special revolver.

I mainly use spinning because it takes less time for your bait to hit bottom when you are fishing off-shore. Heavy cover would find me with the a baitcaster, but that's a small percentage of time.

A smooth drag is paramount in my opinion. Size to match your rod. A 6'6" med-light rod would be matched quite well with an Abu Cardinal 101 size reel. Not sure what comparable sizes are with other manufacturers?

More negativism to report on these Spin Shot hooks. We lost FIVE decent smallies in the first hour of fishing yesterday! I'm attributing these boatside losses to the hooks. I'm concluding this because we've never lost anything like this using the Gamakatsu drop shot hooks, in years past. Actually, if you are buttoned up with the Gammys, you'll stay buttoned up until you bring the fish over the gunnel. They are that good. The idea of the Spin Shot I like. I just don't have enough faith in the design to continue using it at this time. We did bring in one decent bass - on the Gammys - before we quit for the morning, so all was not lost! Here's my partner's best for the day:

Very nice!

I think a lot of confusion exists as to the definition of "swimbait". A 3" curly tailed grub on a 1/8 oz. ball head jig - could be considered a swimbait. ALL crankbaits....could be considered swimbaits. I just wish the fishing community would clarify the differences, into classifications of swimbaits, so that all of us could better understand the presentation nuances. Ugh! I wrote that! LOL!

OK....I will. Still have my doubts though.

"Wolf packs" are common up here. Especially in summer. When the smallies focus on deeper structures, chasing schools of perch and smelt, they definitely bunch up in packs.

ROFLMAOOO!!! Now this is a topic!

Length of day has as much to do with fish activity as water temp. Especially in summer, as it is right now. I wouldn't worry about the water being too cold. It's not to the bass. It's probably perfect for them actually. If a front just came through, then that would influence any negative activity of the bass more than the water temp. I wouldn't worry about it too much. Don't forget, even when the surface temp is in the upper 70's, the temp 10' down can be considerably cooler. And it take a lot to change the water temp down there.

Probably carp. But go for it anyway!

Hmmm.....curious, how would that be any different than using your rod tip to twitch it off the bottom?

My initial take on trying the #2 VMC's on the Quabbin: They definitely work. And I'm going to continue to use them....for now. However, one problem I have is with hook set. I'm normally, using the Gamakatsu SplitShot/DropShot hooks (#2 as well) and all I have to do is lift and reel in order to drive the tiny hook into the upper lip. Almost never fails. No real "hook-set" is needed per say. I was using straight fluoro with this drop shot set-up, along with a small #8 Spro PowerSwivel in between the main line and my DS leader. With this new VMC hook model, I've switched to 10# test PP for my main line, with a 6# test fluoro leader. I've been loosing a few good smallies using the same hook set technique I'm use to....occurring usually on the first jump. Ended up, the last time out, having to actually use a "bass set", as if I were using a Texas rigged plastic! Hammering it home seem to keep me buttoned up pretty well. Not sure why this is, but I'll continue using it and making the appropriate comparisons. Anyone else experience this? One other thing; when you land a fish with the Spin Shot, you need to check the line connects. For whatever reason, the line has a tendency to wrap around the little steel rod and the hook. I've only noticed this after landing a fish. Not whenever I retrieve the DS from down below.

I've been playing with the Sebile Soft Magic Swimmer. Looks great in the water and can be worked decently in the weeded bays. Have only caught one small bass on it thus far, but I've only just started with this bait.

I have two reels, one baitcasting and one spinning, filled with 30# test PP. I use a 6' 17# test fluoro leader, connected with an Alberto knot. No problems, no worries.

Ruger SP-101.

Wow....cannot believe you've received no responses! I missed this posting earlier, or I would have given you something. I hope this helps. Marabou jigs are great during the cooler water periods of early fall through late spring. I'm fond of rigging two 1/32 oz. jigs about a foot apart from one another and suspending them under a slip bobber. Sometimes I'll even just cast the double rig and slow retrieve it along the bottom. Works great on yellow perch as well.