PooNug

How long does a bass usually take to get to around 12 inches? I see all the little baby bass from the recent spawn at my local lake and I can't wait to slay em!

I usually use a palomar knot for most anything, but i've heard that a rapala knot for crankbaits and jerkbaits help give it a smoother swimming action? what are your guys' opinions on this?

I was wondering what people know about using jig and pigs in lakes with no crawfish. I've heard great things about jig and pigs but i've never tried em because of the simple fact that the lakes where i fish don't have crawfish.

I find these two points are the most important in sight fishing. First I throw different lures at the fish and see which one annoys the fish the most. When the fish chase but don't bite that's a good sign. Now get out of sight and throw that lure repeatedly over and over again using a slow retrieve with very subtle twitches. Most fish will eventually get annoyed and bite.

Nighttime fishing in some ways can be easier than daytime fishing. When it's dark the fish are less likely to see the flaws in your presentation. Night fishing is less about presentation and more about catching the fish's attention. This means putting lots of action on the rod and using dark colors. I go for the black worm with a hook-tail.

my favorite plastic is the Basstrix Flash-Trix. they come in a variety of colors (my favorites are Blue Smoke and Baby Bass) however they are quite pricey (about $9-$10 for a pack of 10). i fish mainly from the shore as well and i've found they work great drop shotted or fished like a regular plastic. when i find a fish and can't get a bite i'll turn to the Flash-Trix usually with a bullet weight and just slowly bounce it off the bottom.

i find this to be the key to catching those bass that chase your lure but don't bite. i've had the best luck with crank baits fished slowly with very subtle but frequent action on the rod. try using bigger lures; this tends to upset the bass more. if they're not biting because they're not feeding then they might bite to defend their territory. persistence is key; if you swim your lure by enough times the bass might just bite because it's fed up with it.