Nice_Bass

Elite 7hdi on my tm...and no. pretty clear

About to spend a week down at lake of the Ozarks. May take a day or two and head down there...love bull

What stage are your fish in on the spawn? I find post spawn males around here tend to blow top water baits in what i assume is gry guarding mode and not a feeding mode.

I am not disagreeing nust for the sake of it however if you have ever sight fished with electronics it really is a lot of fun and takes a bit of learning with your gear. Anyhow, some lakes it is necessary.

I don't think it is about the weight rating actually as I also overload some rods however I think the bigger issue with throwing bigger swimbaits is the ability to set the hook with a lot of line out and while using larger gauge heavy treble hooks and for that I think you need to match your rod a bit better.

More of a evolved from dinosaurs kind of guy...and agree- Chicken.

eh....don't fish that stuff in central IL... #2 on the waver I believe and #2 for a top rigged hudd as well. Most will say owners st66. I prefer gammy 4x or st56 or st41 in owners personally.

I do what feels good, of course! The topic of soft plastics and sudden clarity changes. If you fish just experience then you may not be changing the way you fish, ever. certainly limits the experience you would gain. Apparently this is a chicken or the egg conversation. but,....I still stand by original topic answer...rapid and sudden change does change the amount of soft plastics I would use under most circumstances especially in a post spawn timeframe that he would be in right now.

Current conditions is what is left... Sudden changes in clarity does change what may have worked, or was working prior to a change....or so says my experience

I actually had bought a floating in the 6 to compare size...just surprised me how small it was. Anyhow i still think it will be good to keep. Going to rig it top hook and fish it over dock cables at loz in about a week or so. that will be the first test with it for me with 6"

About a foot per second on the ss then. Thaks all! Not sure i would need any faster sink rate than that.

I would disagree catt...there is. Sudden acute clairty change does have a cutoff for me. Sometimes fishing from experience and history works but there are times where it does not.

I have had the same braid on my spinning reels so long i forget what it even is lol. Most likely 20 or lower powerpro but i think lower. Only i think i have had 80# pp on a couple rods for almost 5 years. Musky setups that dont get used as often.

I guess the key for me would be how long has that water been stained that way? if it is new stained water I tend to agree that soft plastics would be a bit more difficult to fish, or at least have confidence in. For water that is year round like that different story altogether. Post spawn w/ temporary acute coffee water I would go to a different lake until it normalized, personally...

Quick thought and quick question. One, does anyone know the rof on the slow and fast sink models? Also for an update for those that have not seen or used these yet. The 6" version is seriously small...if you are afraid of big baits you could give it a try but unlike some other 6'' baits I don't see much drawing power with this one. I did not realize how small it was going to be so I ordered one 6'' to see....and it is really small... Go with at least the 8''.

Makes it hard to fish for bass really... Night fishing for musky with top waters is the most intense fishing I ever get to do. When a giant comes out of black water right next to the boat it makes you clench pretty tight. Even follows are exciting, and at night feels almost scary... Congrats on your first...I am sure you will have even more interest now!

http://www.boatus.com/pressroom/release.asp?id=1083#.VVznlrnbL3h If you want to check your fire safety equipment.

so sorry to hear/read this...

Shady as easy answer however fish where the bait is, where the wind is blowing, or if there is any current at breaks and bends. these places may be in the sun. If there is wood, then fish the shade of those .

Lews would be my choice. I have been very happy with the lews I own. Still own shimano as well, however last 2 years have been picking up more lews. Both are great reels, lews will offer faster line pickup than the shimano if that is what you want, but in the end both would be great.

that place looks amazing to fish C&G

I have that feeling way too many times every year with this fish. Set the hook and drag tings...only to feel a fish doing a barrel roll a couple seconds later and know it is just another big drum...

Essentially float n fly. Nothing new but effective. Float is actively worked or used to suspend bait over cover and structure

interesting....looks like a legit bass to me. Looking at photos of 17-18# class fish it would appear that would be up there?

I will say I have not fully soaked in this "system" for myself at this point but have been using it a bit more this year. This weekend however may change my mind a bit. I had my daughter fish it under a clacker style float above emerging grass and just above the tops of standing timber. She caught around 5:1 fish on me. With well over 25 bass in one-half day for a 7 year old, she was excited, motivated, and eager to learn. At worst this is a great system to keep any age interested. (used a clacker float as was really windy, but will change her out to regular slip float under most conditions). She did not catch any giants, but some decent fish nonetheless and moving forward will most likely have this system in place fishing docks at lake of the Ozarks in a couple of weeks if the conditions are right.