Crestliner2008

Try it with a Charlie Brewer Slider Grub.

I know this is a tad late, but in case you are still puzzling over answers, I'll throw in My two cents. Rivers and smallmouth just naturally go together, like bacon & eggs. Been fishing them for more decades than I care to admit. In my opinion, the most effective presentation for someone less than familiar with the species and/or environment, would undoubtedly be a plain 1/8 oz. ball head jig dressed with a 3" curly tailed grub. Get several colors of the plastics, but make sure you have some chartreuse. If you want even more excitement, take along a top water popper as well.

EEZOX CLP is a brand of gun lube/protection that I've used for a lot of years, for all my firearms. They also produce a reel CLP (clean/lub/protect) that I've been using for a short time now, with excellent results. Time will tell, but I trust the brand.

Tough time of the year to be looking for concentrations near the shore. Cooler weather sets them up in the deeper, more stable temp water. Not sure what your water temp is there, but if it's down in the 40's, the best hope is for you to use a 1/32 oz. marabou jig under a slip bobber. Using that kind of set-up, you can adjust the depth of your jig to where the fish are located. Target any brush piles or drop offs you can find. Or, where a deep channel swings in close to the shore. Also get yourself some straight tailed plastics (i.e.: Bobby Garland Baby Shads) to fish on 1/16 oz. ball heads. They'll produce for you just as well as minnows, if not better. JMO.

I'm a big fan of Fireline. Will have to look into this for sure!

I've had days that the "experts" say are going to be tough and it worked out just the opposite. Go figure? I guess it's up to the fish and not us afterall.

Well, at 73, arthritis is one reason I don't post much anymore. Bass fishing has become very uncomfortable for me with the arthritis in both my hands. Doc has me on Glucosamine/Chondroitin and huge fish oil capsules! And I excercise and walk just about every day. Doesn't seem to help much, but it's about all you can do. Now I fish for crappie & bluegill. Less painful and just about as much fun, with 9' rods & 2# test line! LOL! I miss the bass fishing, but it's no long much of an option these days. Count your blessings guys!

Another vote for Strike King. Diversity of a wide range of tackle options from crappie baits to musky baits.

I'm not sure that it's polluted per say. Depends on whether or not there is a water flow into and out of the pond. You might check with the department of fish & game to see if they can find out this information for you. A surface algae coating is not an indication of pollution. Could be just a fertile body of water, which could contain some nice fish.

Sorry to disagree. I've been a victim of a snap breaking and causing a lost lure (jerkbait) and fish (big smallmouth). That's being honest. It can happen. Any pierce of fishing equipment can fail. To deny that is foolishness. The odds of it happening maybe be remote, as in my case, but don't fool yourself. If it's made by man, it can fail. I still use plain snaps with most lures and if I'm fishing spinners (inline only), I'll place a swivel about 18" - 20" above the line tie.

First of all, WELCOME aboard! You should be able to find a wealth of information here to help you out. Personally, I would start out with a stick-type bait, such as the venerable Senko in 4" & 5" sizes. Wacky rig them on your spinning rod using a 1/0 circle hook in the middle of the worm. Cast it out and let it sink to the bottom. Twitch it back with frequent pauses. Fan cast the location you are locked into. You will get bit - eventually. Good luck out there!

Awesome fish there! Congrats!

There are suppliers of fine fishing tackle other than TW.

That's all you have to know about "finesse" fishing. If more fishermen would adopt their focus on depth & speed control, they'd be much more successful. BTW.....a 4" Roboworm works wonders on a Slider jig.

The other option, which I don't see mentioned alot, is to replace the trebles with VMC "Inline" single hooks. I've been using them for a couple of seasons now on blade baits, so I know they work against snags. And I'm none the less for wear as far as hookup ratio goes. Just a thought.

You'll be hard pressed to find a better presentation that that CB Slider head and grub.

This should answer most of your questions. RichZ is one of the foremost authorities on the drop shot: Drop Shotting A-Z

Are you fishing for bass or big catfish? Baitcasting or spinning? what kind of rigging are you using - i.e.: Texas rig, Carolina rig?

Very nice! Congrats!

I'm a fan of the Gammy 1/0 INLINE circle hook. Have caught a lot of bass and lake trout with wacky rigged Senkos using this hook. Rarely have I lost fish - as long as you refrain from "setting" the hook per say and just start reeling. Been doing this for over a couple of decades now with this same hook.

One of the most overlooked and - in my opinion - one of the most effective lures for trout, are the crappie sized 2" curly tail grubs on a 1/16 oz. ball head jig. You should hear all the "ohhhs....and ahhhhs" I get pulling in trout after trout along side dough bait, shiner and spinner fishermen. They can't get over what I'm using. All I can say is that for "stockies" it's the only presentation I will ever use - or need. JMO!

For 50 years or more, I've tried cut baits, dough baits, live baits, meat baits, etc.. When I was 12 or 13, I use to go the corner grocery store and buy a "slab" of beef liver (that was when they use to cut it 1/2" thick or more). I'd then cut it up into chunks, wrap it in aluminum foil and into a small cooler; I'd put a piece on a #4 bait hook behind a 1/4 oz. egg sinker and toss it into the Ct. River, below a bridge. Caught a ton of cats using that. Most reliable producer I've ever found.

Not only do I replace the trebles with single hooks (VMC makes an outstanding one), but for the last two seasons, I have only had one hook on these baits. Here's a picture of the mod: Well, I tried to attach a photo, but it says it can only be 1.46 mb! Tried to downsize the picture in PhotoShop, but it still won't take it. So....you'll just have to take my word for it.

I've been using Vanish for a couple of decades now - as leader material - with no problems.

Pflueger President.