Shad_Master

I'll be watching this thread with a lot of interest - our club always has a "Big Bass" pool (optional) at our club tournaments - it has always been my argument that this is "just one lucky cast" - but you would be surprised at the number of guys who swear they "only fish for big bass". BTW, we also have a "calcutta pool" (i.e big stringer) that pays out 1st, 2nd and 3rd place - average payout for 1st place $35 - average payout for big bass $60 - $70 - doesn't make sense to me, that's why I never get in.

Sorry, but Avid's wrong - this ain't it - the infomercial that I saw was for a screw-in weight that looked just like the head of a Spot Remover - but thanks for the comments guys - if I ever do find the link to what I saw, I will try to post it.

Avid, for some reason I can't connect to your link - but it sounds like you are describing a Parsite Weight type of thing - this ain't it - I do use parsite clips and weights a lot, but this was a whole new thing - at least to me.

Well, no body has managed to come up with the product I was talking about - but I did pick up some screw-in bullet weights (1/4 oz) - if you screw them into the tail of the craw worm and then t-rig it weightless through the head - this does work great - the head of the craw worm is lifted up by the line making it look like it is alive and in a defensive posture - btw, a 4-pack of 1/4 oz bullet weights costs about $1.50, while the "product" that I saw was selling for about $6 each.

Thanks for the suggestion - but that ain't it - this product screws into the lure at the opposite end from the hook - sort of looked like a spot remover jig head with the hook broken off - there is no hook - simply a screw-in weight - the hook is threaded through the head causing it to ride up in a defensive position while the tail is almost anchored to the bottom.

hoppin and bouncin is one method - but don't overlook twitching - just shaking your rod tip while the T-rig sits on the bottom - after a few second drag the worm and repeat. This is what has evolved into the shakey head method, but some of us were doing this years before the term "shakey head" was ever invented.

Okay, I'll try this again - the "jig" looks like a spot remover - but doesn't have a hook - the hook is attached to the line sort of like a weightless rig - the "jig" just serves as weight to keep the tail down and the line causes the head/claws to ride up in a defensive posture. I wish I know where I saw this link - it was a series of you tube videos advertising the product.

Okay, I'm not describing this very well - but the product that I saw was designed to screw into the tail of the craw worm/tube and then the hook was inserted through the head and out the back - this didn't cause the claws to ride up, but did cause the head to ride up while the tail was pulled down to the bottom - in the video, it made it look more life like than anything else I have ever seen - the problem was that these little mushroom "screw jigs" were pretty expensive.

I recently saw a link to a "new" product - may have been on this site, may have been elsewhere (if anyone has the link, I would appreciate a reminder) - but the product was a type of "jig" that was made to screw into the tail of a craw worm or craw tupe so that it could be hooked through the head and would keep the tail down and the head/pinchers up like a real crawdad. My question is, would a screw-in type bullet weight (florida rig) work just as well?

Try throwing a chatter bait on the wind-blown points -- couldn't hurt

I've been thinking about this for a while now - somebody should come up with a garlic scented bug spray - any entrepreneurs out there?

I too am still learning about the jig bite - I have only been at it about 30 years - I agree that braided line can really help you get a "feel" for what the jig is doing and help you sort it out - I prefer Power Pro (usually 20 to 30 pound test) but once you get the hang of it you can start experimenting with different line types. The best way to "learn" is just do it - spend a day (or two) just fishing with a jig in waters where you know other people have had success with jigs and leave all your other stuff at home. Once you get it, you will never go back!!!

Hey, anyone from the Lincoln, NE area - my club is having a 2'fer tournament this weekend in Lincoln - morning on Stagecoach and afternoon on Wagon Train. We fished Wagon Train a couple of years ago, so I have at least seen the lake - never been to Stagecoach. I have looked a topo map from NE Game and Parks site, but have no idea about cover or anything. Would appreciate any suggestions you may have on either lake. Thanks.

One of the guys in our club was fishing with his granddaughter one day - he has a Chevy S-10 with a 4-speed - he backed the truck down the ramp to load out and didn't set the parking brake - when he drove the boat up on the trailer and bumped the bow-stop, it knocked the transmission out of gear and the truck started rolling down the ramp - he had to jump out of the boat - jump in the truck and hit the brake - by this time, there was water comming up on the driver's seat. No pictures - but lot's of mileage at the campfires after he let this story slip out.

I had just the opposite experience week before last - put the boat in the water just after 7:00 PM and started working the bank where I knew bass were targeting blue gills on the inside weed-line - picked up a couple and all of a sudden the air exploded with may files - thousands of them all around the boat and on the water surface - the blue gills were hitting 'em and the bass were hitting the blue gills - I managed 17 in the boat in less then two hours - 2 17", 2 16" and 1 15" that I measured - 12 more and 5 came unbottoned in the weeds - never had that experience before - It was magical!

First thing in the morning, until the sun hits the water - they may still work after that, but it is less likely - then in the evening when the shadows get long, pull 'em back out again.

Well as the resident advocate for GULP!, I will take the opposing view point. I have caught bigger fish on GULP!, but more in Senko's - here's why. I am convinced that the scent trail that GULP! gives off attracts fish! Therefore, I use them as my primary search bait. Once I find that fish are definetly in the area and willing to bite, I switch to Senko's because (even with the reputation of not holding up well) they are less expensive than GULP! in the long run. Are they an apples to apples comparison - no, but they do have similar qualities. This goes for both the sinking minnows and the turtleback worms (I switch to ZOOM Ultra-vibes in this case).

I've said it before - will say it again -- GULP! is fish candy

I have to agree with Bassin_Fin@tic, but besides that, the hardest water I ever fished was just the opposite - a lake that was almost dry and then rose up out of it's banks in about a week's time. There was emergent grass out 50' from the "new" shorline and the fish were buried in the grass. If you were lucky enough to tap one on the head with a jig or heavy sinker, you might get a bite.

Thanks guys, but I wasn't asking about what the fish would do in muddy water and I was never of the opinion that they went on vaction during these times - I was really trying to get some information on what the mud does in the water - Senile and WRB gave me some good info on this.

Another good option is the Lake Fork Tackle Ring Fry or Baby Ring Fry - makes a good fat juicy meal on a shakey head.

I am a fan of the Speed Worms - there are actually two varieties - the one you describe and the one with the "vibra" tail - I like them both, but actually prefer the "vibra" tail version. I will sometimes dye the tail (either version) to make it stand out more and it seems to attract even more attention.

Okay here's the situation - the lake was up two weeks ago about 5 - 6' from heavy rains - it has fallen about 3 - 4' but has been hit with rain storms of varying degree off and on since then. Four days before tournament, water is very muddy - by day before tournament water is muddy at the top of the lake where water is comming in, but more stained looking down on the bottom end closer to the dam. A brief storm comes through that afternoon and then winds kick up to 30 - 40 mph all evening, night and on tournament day. The question is - does the muddy water extend all the way to the bottom or is it more located up near the surface? In other words will bass be able to "see" lures better on the bottom than we can see them up near the surface?

I've had that happen on all kinds of line - usually it is blue gill - one of the "problems" with green Power Pro is that the green dye fades off after a while - don't know about the yellow and red (haven't used 'em) but at the Spring Classic at BPS this year - Fred Roumbanis was recommending that when the dye fades, use a sharpie to blacken the last 6' of so of the line. Just a thought.

My club gives out a "human bobber" award to people who fall out of the boat during tournaments - I have "won" it twice :-[