Crestliner2008

Sounds like you had a great vacation!

And largemouth....and salmon.....and just about any other specie you could possibly be interested in. Quinny is a fine fishery as well.

I like to rig the 10" Yum "Mitey Worm" on 6/0, 1/8 oz. weighted swimbait hook - or, if the cover is not that thick, I rig it on a 1/4 oz. football, shakey head jig. Both produce quite well.

Yes! Right now the 9" version, Texposed on a 7/0 worm hook is producing up here. I've always thrown them, in the smaller versions, throughout the years. An "oldie, but goodie".

If you are talking plastics, then by all means, rig up a 9" Slug-go on a 7/0 worm hook. Just make sure you are prepared for a tremendous strike! So far this year, I've taken a 5 1/2# and 4# LM on this rig. It works. Plenty heavy enough too.

Congratulations! Awesome report!

I recently tried these Robo worms in a "sexy shad" color pattern. Slayed the smallies on the drop shot with them! Actually ran out of worms during the day.

Multiple hook set-ups are nothing new for sure. However, adaptation to the drop shot leaves me with a serious question. When you set the hook on a drop shot, it's usually a "lifting" and reeling action, vs. a "hook-set" per say. That being said, with a jig on the bottom (or Fat Ika, or whatever other lure you want to use), how is it possible to achieve a hook-set? Do you lift & reel as you normally would with a drop shot....or do you actually "set" the hook, as you would when fishing a jig? I don't think you can have it both ways.

A great line in my opinion. Have been using Fireline since it was first offered and have continued to use it throughout the years. I prefer it over the normal braids because it flows through the guides better. No "music" when you retrieve it either. Easy casting, super strong and lasts a long time. The past 3 years - and this season - I've been using the "Crystal" version, just because it's easier for my eyes to see. Never have had a negative issue. I use the 4#, 6#, 10# and 14# sizes.

What species of bass are you targeting? How big (wide) is the "creek"? What are the max. depth? What is the water clarity like? Are you shore-bound or using a small boat? I, for one anyway, need more information. Sorry.

Two things, first off, if you are casting with a Senko, odds are you are not going feel anything before the bass swallows the bait. Just the nature of the beast. Senkos have a taste and texture so good to the bass that they immediately want to swallow it, instead of just striking it. Try a worm instead, such as a Zoom Trick worm. They will produce just fine for you and the bass MAY not be so inclined to swallow it. Second thing is, why do you not want to anchor? This is certainly a viable technique of boat control. Especially if you locate a particular structure where there is a high probability of having fish on it. Then you can vertical present your drop shot with a regular drop shot hook and nose hooking, vs. Texas rigging. If you use the Gamakatsu Split Shot/Drop Shot hooks instead, I can almost guarantee that you will nose hook 99% of your takes.

Byron Velvick has a great swimbait article in this month's (July/Aug) issue of Bassmaster Magazine. A worthwhile read.

A Pop-R on top and/or a 4" wacky rigged Senko. If things get tough, go with a Fat Ika.

My 2c.....large, Hudd-type baits produce. However, the time you have to invest into presenting them is disproportionate to the your success ratio. I've tossed 8" Hudds for 8 hours - most times only about 6 hours. I've caught two bass on these. One 4.5 pounds and one that measured 6.1 pounds. I've tossed several other makes of quality swimbaits for long periods of time as well. In my opinion, if a bait cannot produce at least one quality bite in a day of fishing, then I have serious doubts as to it's deserving of a spot in my arsenal. I give a lot of credit to those aficionados that can maintain a level of confidence to continually toss these large baits. I have no doubt that they are responsible for the largest bites in any fisherman's career. However....is that the level of "fun" you deserve? If it is, more power to you. For me, I'll fish my jigs, crankbaits, stickbaits and topwaters. And I'll have "fun" doing it.

I'm assuming you are targeting largemouth bass? And I also assume that the lake/reservoir you are fishing contains a decent population of those predators and the forage on which they need to grow. You do not say what kind of a budget you are on. So, I would recommend purchasing a couple of sets of Spoonplugs and a copy of Elwood "Buck" Perry's book, "Spoonplugging for Bass". If you can purchase these, you will way ahead of the pack on getting into some decent bass, quickly. You will learn what structure really is. How & why bass relate to it. And how to locate them. Without a sonar, this is probably the most cost effective approach you can take, along with reading all you can about this species and bass fishing in general. The articles above on this site...as well as the postings in various forums on this site, will also guide you in the right direction. A sonar is not all that expensive. Craig's list has used units for well under $100.00. I'd also recommend you obtain a good hydrographic map of the lake(s) you are going to fish most frequently. Many marinas, as well as your DNR, can probably direct to a source of those kinds of maps. With the sonar and the maps (and either spoonplugs and/or a sonar), you will quickly learn your fishing areas and start to put together patterns to insure your success. In asking questions here, try to specify the kind of water you are fishing, approx. geographical location, depths you are targeting, water clarity, water temps and general forage base. This way we can probably give you the correct answers you are looking for. Remember also, there are no shortcuts or miracle "lures" that will guarantee your success. The most expensive rod/reel combinations are just inanimate tools. You have to learn to use what you have. Only time on the water and experience will get you to where you want to go. I do hope this is not discouraging you! Good Luck and Welcome aboard!

Try threading one end of a barrel swivel on your line first. Then nose hook the Senko the way you normally would. Next thread the hook through the opposite end of the swivel. Now finish up by Texposing your hook into the back of the worm. Your Senkos will last much longer this way.

We launched out of gate 31. And yes....I couldn't wait to get rid of that fish! Probably should have killed it, in case it has some kind of disease or the like, but we release everything. No, we didn't weigh the big smallie. We rarely weigh anything we catch. I'm not too concerned about "my fish being bigger than your fish" kind of thinking. She was decent, for sure. It certaily wasn't the biggest I've caught there and hopefully not the last!

We managed to hit some decent smallies today. Most were on the drop shot in 20' - 35' of water, targeting off-shore humps and structures. Water temp was 65 degrees and we are under this "super moon", if you believe what the weather folks tell us. Anyway, here are some results of our efforts today. We fished from 8 am until about 2 pm. Did a lot "scouting" about, but mainly focused on our GPS markers for the day. My partner, Walt, didn't fare too great today; mainly due to a recent surgery and some physical limitations. However, he did just fine: I followed suit shortly there after: Nothing great, but a start. We hit about 10 markers that we knew supported bait fish, and consequently, of course, bass. Here are some shots of our success: This one smaller dink had a terrible looking sore on it's gill cover. Almost looked like a lamprey attached to it! A couple of more: Here's a shot of the "pig of the day": And same fish showing off her belly! All in all, a great day to be on the water with trusted, valuable fishing partner, which I am privileged to call my friend. We got about 2 dozen quality smallies with about an equal number of dinks to round out a splendid day to be on the water.

Any top water, as long as it's BIG....the musky sized, black Jitterbug would be a great starting point. Good Luck!

Cats will hit anything a bass or pike will hit. I've caught many while trolling for pike with spinnerbaits, in-line musky bucktail spinners, 8" Believer plugs and the musky sized Johnson Silver Minnow! They are a top of the line predator, especially when they get to be over 6 pounds.

What kind of lake are you fishing? I assume you are fishing from a boat, right? What is the vegetation like. What is the forage base. How deep is it. Lots of variables go into selecting when & where to fish plastics. Not the least of which is the sizes of the bass you are targeting.

You took the words right out of my mouth! I two charcoal models - the stand alone and the table top for when it's just the missus & I. Can't go wrong with a Weber.

Most important tool you can add to your kayak would be a portable sonar. Then you can really start to learn what the structure looks like that you are targeting. I'd recommend you seriously consider one. They are not that expensive these days. You do not need anything fancy. A simple black & white LCR can be purchased new for around $100.00. Cheaper if you look for a used unit on Craigs List. Just a thought.

Are you sure there are some larger bass in that water you are fishing? Sometimes, folks think it "looks" bassy and therefore, should be loaded with decent bass. In reality, there are only smaller bass. Maybe because of the depth and/or oxygen level. And being shore-bound, you are definitely challenged. But, if you know there are decent bass there (3#+), then try a large Slug-go (8") on a 7/0 worm hook. Use stout tackle and be prepared to get your arm almost yanked off! But again, there has to be sizable bass there to begin with.

I'd be using rattle baits and/or spinnerbaits. Hard to beat a Chatterbait jig with a Keitech Swing Impact on the back. Lots of vibrations.