thinkingredneck

I just bought some grubs to try. Don't know why I never tried them before. Got shad color and chart pepper. Gonna try them several ways. They seem to be cool on a scrounger head and a plain fish head jig.. may TX rig too.

Creature baits. Senkos,. I really have not done well on them yet. I am really getting into jigs and soft swimbaits. However, this summer I plan on using some larger worms. Bought some anaconda by Rage, some big Mann's Jelly worms, and some Ole Monsters

I catch far more by feel than sight. Anything that feels or looks different gets a hookset. I want constant contact once it is on the botton. Tight lines.

June bug and GP. I caught them on pumpkin green glitter. I haven't given up, but I just don't seem to be getting it. Watched videos, read the sticky, etc.

I have used Ned Rigs and Senko plus Senko knock offs. I have caught exactly two on the Ned and 2 on the name brand Senko. All dinks. I have given it a fair try. I have gone right back with a trickworm in the same location and caught decent fish. I am fishing Senko weightless, weighted , Texas rig and Wacky. NO luck. I have used the Ned with Gopher jigs and Zman, with TRD baits. No luck. Is this because I fish muddy water, or am I just not getting it?

Location is most important. However, IMHO the closer to the fish you get, the more important quality becomes. Hook, lure, line, rod, reel, in that order. It baffles me sometimes that someone would use an inferior hook or cheap, stiff line on good gear.

Depends on how cheap. Real crap sucks, no matter how good you are. I am a mid range guy.

Go to the pond and cast different lures and see how it feels. Stiffer means more sensitive, to a point, used for bottom contact single hooks. You want it to be more limber when using treble hooks. From there you can refine. As stated above, manufacturer labels are a loose guide.

I remember graduating from cane pole to Zebco 202 in black plastic. Later I got a silver Zebco 33 and I was a serious dude. Still have a couple. My wife will only use spin cast reels.

Where I fish is always muddy. Sometimes after a rain when it is really muddy, they like a topwater.

The salad spoon is plastic, sort of tadpole shaped. Put an EWG hook in it.

I have been a big fan of toads, however, it seems you have to reel too fast in order to keep them on top. Today I tried some Lunker City Salad Spoons and I have to say they cause nice action at a slow crawl and stay on top at slow speeds. They sink very slowly when stopped, and slowly undulating down. I haven't gotten to really gotten to fish with them yet just cast them a few times at the ramp. They seem really cool for something I bought on a whim. I think they may mostly replace my toads. Anybody else have experience with them?

You can buy Maxima online from a number of sources. Walmart has 1000 yd spools for less than $20. Free delivery for store pickup. Cabelas, BPS, etc

I am also fairly new to jigs. Followed the consensus and use black and blue Arkie jigs with black and blue craw. Had success with some decent fish.

Yes. I have fished in Calling Panther and planning to go next week, weather permitting. A 6 wt would be a little in the Ross Barnett pad fields.

This

Any rod 7 to 9 wt will do. For LMB I use an 8 wt. Top water, shallow divers or streamers. I only use it around cover in fairly shallow water. I recommend a furled leader from Feather Craft to help turn over big, wind resistant bugs. Lots of fun.

Junebug and Andy bug are my primary worm colors. Black w blue flake jig trailer on all black or black blue skirted black jig. I fish in a mudhole. In reality, no reason except that is what my menorah suggested.

Well said, sir. But for spinner baits, use white or white and chartreuse

"The barometer was invented by fishermen so they would have an excuse for not catching fish." John Geirach

The plastic should be no thicker than half the depth of the hook. IMHO, the straight hook hooks fish , and plants, the easiest, the round bend is second, and the EWG is easier to fish in cover without hanging up. The EWG seems to keep them pinned better, but is hardest to hook them on. I feel that the round bend is a good compromise and that is what I use for worms. I use EWG for creatures. I think they all work fine. I agree about Owner Beast hooks for swimbaits. I pretty much use Gamakatsu for everything else, but I haven't tried Trokar or Owner in worms. I just got some Mustads on sale to try. Be sure you use thick (heavy, superline) hooks with braid, and regular thickness with other lines. Braid can open fine hooks, but setting the hook on a heavy hook is harder on mono in my experience. I use the round bend hook you pictured for 90 percent of my plastics fishing. I sometimes go old school and use tru-turn, but you have to make sure they are sharp.

Thanks

Funny this thread got resurrected. It was meant to be tongue in cheek, obviously. However, not mentioning the Bait Monkey sure got him stirred up.

Trying not to buy a new rod. I have a 7'3" MH Lamiglass that is fishes big. Seems overkill on 3/4 oz jig. Also have a M Diawa. Gonna go experiment off the bank. I have 25 lb Maxima Cameleon and 20 lb Trilene XT. Muddy water. Do you think the Maxima will hinder the action?

Do any of you use owner type screw lock hooks?