Bluebasser86

I fought one in that range for over 20 minutes on 3.5lb test before the line touched a tree limb. I was using an ultralight Avid rated for 1-4lb test, I couldn't hardly lift the fish off the bottom. It can be done but along with a lot of skill it's going to take a lot of luck to land a fish that big on ultralight gear.

I've been fishing but mainly in ponds. Wife and I fished Table Rock last weekend but no real picture worthy fish except the first meanmouth I've ever caught. I'm ready for Wyandotte to open next weekend so I have somewhere closer that I can go again!

I'm glad that they curado is a little more affordable than it was at new price. I've fished a G series a little bit and they do feel nice, not sure if they feel quite as good as my E series but still a very solid reel.

If the water is clear to stainded I'd be fishing a jerkbait over that grass. A flat sided crankbait just ticking the top of that grass would be another good option.

Another problem with holding a large fish vertically is their body isn't designed to support their body weight since they live in a weightless world. So holding them vertically can actually cause their internal organs to basically crush themselves if held for an extended period of time. Holding them up and shaking them like pros do at weigh ins sometimes probably does the same thing.

I started out making a bunch of different colors but have since developed my favorites that I tie most of the time. I probably make less than a dozen colors but that's all I really need. It's a great way to pass the time during the winter. I have 3 Plano 3700 boxes packed to the gills with flipping and football jigs and a few chatterbaits that I've tied this winter.

I've smacked mine pretty hard on rocks and my trolling motor and haven't broken one either. I saw that 8lber on the O.A. forum, very good looking fish.

Got to have both. These are #1 and #2 on my list when I need to really get down, but it switches which one is 1 and which one is 2 depending on what the fish want.

Floro gets stiff in colder weather and if it sits on a spool for awhile it can develop a lot memory. If you're just learning how to fish a baitcaster I'd suggest getting a line that is easy to manage and cheap, like orginal Stren or Trilene XL. Learn how to set your reel right and then it's a matter of practicing and learning how to feel the spool on the cast and feel for a backlash starting. Once you get the hang of it your thumb will control the spool without you even noticing it's doing it.

I have a 16' aluminum bass boat and was not satified with a #55 12V trolling motor. The wind is always blowing around here so I needed to be able to run it high all day long and I just couldn't do it with that motor, even when it was brand new. I now have a 24V #70lb trolling motor and don't even notice the difference with having the extra battery. I really notice the difference in being able to stand on the trolling motor all day without any loss of power though. I promise you will never be upset at yourself for having too much motor but if you get one that's too small, well that's a different story.

For what it's worth you might take into consideration the durability of a plastic boat. I know a lot of guys on here fish them and probably have good tips on making them last but no matter what you do with them they won't last longer than an aluminum johnboat, which is also a lot lighter and about the same price. I have a 12' johnboat that I can lift over my head and carry on my own that holds 2 people and a big tacklebag and several rods with no problem. Plastic boats aren't light either, I'm not a little guy and it was a workout on any ramp with much of an incline to get it into the back of my truck. Mine was a 9' Pond Prowler and it fit between the wheel wells of my S-10. Not trying to talk you out of it, I fished out of a 2 man for several years, until it got weathered and started to fall apart and take on water in the pontoons, then I got the johnboat.

Can't believe I didn't think to put him on my fantasy team I'm hoping The Hack Attack will find some fish out there, he knows the water and is due to have a good tournament. It's close enough that anyone could have a good day and climb a long ways though.

This time of year I live and die with a jerkbait in the pits. I've had some luck with jigs but it seems there tends to be alot of crap on the bottom that makes it tough. It seems the smaller, shallower pits are better this time of year because they warm up faster than the bigger ones. Look for fairly clear water and fish a jerkbait with fairly long pauses, I'd start with about a 5 second pause and see what the fish tell you.

I would get a more all around rig before getting something that specific. You could fish most things with it, it would just be serious overkill.

If you loose weight it will help you feel better but about the best thing to make you feel better after a day of fishing is to do a good stretch routine before you go fishing, it's amazing the difference it can make at the end of the day.

I catch most of my big fish out of pits on jigs, spinnerbaits, and topwaters like buzzbaits. A swimbait like a 6-8 inch Hudd is a good option to target big fish also. Early in the spring I catch a lot of fish on jerkbaits and wacky worms account for a lot of numbers but not many bigger fish.

I don't get down to the pits as much as I'd like but I have fished them a bunch of times. West Mineral lake in West Mineral is extremely shallow but has some pigs in it. The trout pit is very clear and tough to fish but the rewards can be huge. The average size I catch from there is way bigger than any other pit I've fished. I saw one on a bed last year in the middle of a laydown that I thought was a carp it was so big. Spinnerbaits, topwater, and jigs account for most of my big fish from the pits. Wacky worms and jerkbaits account for a lot of numbers but not many big fish. If you fish a pit once and don't do good, don't discount it. I fished on that I didn't do any good one time and caught 6 fish that totaled almost 23lbs another time. All of those fish were caught on a buzzbait too.

Lots of good little smallie rivers in the Ozark region, some with good largemouth too. I like the Elk River in Noel Missouri a lot but go during the week, the floaters are so thick you can't hardly cast during the weekend. If you know much about what you're doing 50 fish seems to be pretty reachable on a good float.

Megabass are bad about the bills busting too. It's very thin where it connects to the bait so it doesn't seem to take much to knock it loose. It stinks that it broke but at least it was $8 and not $25! I changed my hooks to short shank VMC's and haven't had a problem since.

When it isn't safe for me to be out there I call it quits unless I think I can fish from the bank and be alright. I usually just pick smaller bodies of water if I know it's going to be windy and think about the areas I want to fish and how affected they are going to be by the wind so I have a plan before I get there so I'm not running around in it more than I have to. One of my best days for big fish last year was on a day the wind was blowing 30-40mph all day long. Boat control sucked but the fish didn't care. I fished a spinnerbait and trap all day and killed them.

Berkley Gulp eggs on a very small octopus hook, #8 is what I use, on a light slip sinker rig is about the easiest way to catch them and you won't have to worry about them swallowing the hook since you're keeping them anyways. Small spoons and inline spinners can work very well also. You can play with the retrieve speed and if you left them sink before starting the retrieve to find what they are eating best.

Welcome to the site! There is a long running thread for KC area guys that has lots of info about good lakes in the area and some down by Pitt. I fish the pits down there fairly often and a general rule of thumb is the further you get from Pittsburg, the more big fish there tends to be. The trout pit has a new state record in it I'm very confident in that. Make sure you get your trout permit though, even if you're fishing for bass. Bone Creek, Ft. Scott, Cedar Creek, Bourban State Lake, and Elm Creek can all be very good lakes at times that aren't far from Pittsburg.

Even if you use a "standup" style head what do you think the odds are that your bait falls and lands perfectly to remain standing? I know most areas I shakeyhead are rocky and uneven so I can't imagine that even if I used a standup head it would actually standup very often. I use a ballhead with a spring because that's what I pour and is the cheapest for me to fish.

Unless you're finding the Duckett at a discount that's not a very level comparison. The Duckett is a much nicer rod but it also cost quite a bit more. I have several mojos and like them but if I'd had the extra money to spend I would have bought an Avid instead because it's a nicer rod. So if you've got the cash to drop then buy the Duckett, if not the mojo will work just fine.

The bottom hopper is a very thin worm. I make my own with spiral keeper but it's almost impossible to rig them on it so I cut it down, pull it straight then make a hook at the bottom for the thin worm. So whichever one you choose, make sure it will work with a thin worm!