Bluebasser86

There's been several topics on this and it seems there's a pretty mixed group that support them, some that are very against them, and some that are indifferent. I'm in the group that supports them, for certain baits. I've removed the split rings on a majority of my treble hooked baits, instead opting to use a small snap. This allows me to change baits quickly without changing the weight (action/balance), of the bait in a measurable amount. I don't do it because I'm lazy, it's efficient and I have 100% caught fish I wouldn't have if I wasn't using a snap because I'll change a bait for just a few casts that I wouldn't have if I had to retie instead. I still retie just as often, if not more, and I've never had a snap open on me. I would not use snaps for much other than treble hooked baits like jerkbaits, lipless and lipped crankbaits, and a select few topwaters though. They work fine with some other baits, just a personal preference.

If I'm not fishing during the winter, I'm often walking the banks. Winter is primetime lure hunting months as long as there's no snow on the ground.

Might be a real solid bait for your first find, sure look like Katsuage outbarb hooks to me.

Sorry to hear about your mom. It's a weird feeling when we have to take care of those that took care of us at one point in our lives. My mom always works guilt trips, drives me crazy. I've gotten to where I call her out on it since I've gotten older. Fishing is my therapy, 100% no doubt about it. The stresses of daily life combined with the stresses of work really wear me down. Thankfully, my wife is understanding and knows there is a big difference between when I get to go and when I don't.

The bone plopper has a lot of rash, just can't tell because of the color. It's pretty rare I find a bait that is battle scarred but I did find a Megabass Popmax KO that was really chewed up Monday. I'll have to post a picture of it.

A strike king swimming shiner on a 1/4oz jighead is one of my favorite smallmouth baits.

With my cutbait in lakes, I'm rarely using any weight. I do what I call "bass fishing for catfish". It's just casting a chunk of cutbait along likely areas and fishing it back very slowly along the bottom like a plastic worm. Super effective along weedlines and rocky banks where weighted rigs get mucked up or snagged. You have to be ready though as the strikes are violent and the fish speed off amazingly fast a lot of the time.

It sounds like you're using it for something it should be good for with lipless cranks. I'd try it with walking topwaters also.

You need to make sure there's no water in it first, but a little bit of epoxy in the hole will fix it, just make sure it doesn't get inside the bait and glue your rattles in place if it's a rattling bait.

I like small shops, but they're hard to find around here. Last time I checked one out, selection was limited and what they had was WAY overpriced, like $9 for a Bandit crank and $6 for a pack of Zman plastics.

I'll argue the complete opposite of what has been suggested. When a fish hits a frog and it disappears, where did it go? Did the fish grab it with it's hands? No, it pulled it down with it's mouth. Can you tell the difference between a fish that has a frog by the legs or has it fully in it's mouth by waiting or feeling? Again, no, but that fish sure can spit your frog out or bury you way down in the grass, making it way more difficult to get a good hookset and more difficult to get them back out because now your line is angling around several pieces of grass. A fish strikes, there's a split second I'm looking for my frog, if I don't see it, I'm swinging. Watch some of the pros that are really good frog fishermen, none of them are counting to 3 before swinging. I feel like this is an outdated train of thought, just like the idea that you have to let fish have a big plastic worm longer to give them time to get it in their mouth. Of course, none of this matters if you don't have the right gear either.

I'd go with a mono or copoly, probably 10 or 12lb for all around use with the baits you listed.

My haul from the weekend minus the 6th Sense Divine swimjig I forgot to add to the picture.

Boat actually, got a limb that I thought I was going to clear and it folded it over pretty good.

It's a Clutch Glide, they're fairly new. 7 3/4" and 3oz.

I'm not a fan of big soft baits either, just can't make them work for me.

The first one ate it off the rod tip, a really violent eat. Thought it was a really big bass, couldn't believe it was a 3lb channel cat.

When I did construction we had a guy that used to hide in the portajohn forever to avoid work. There was always big piles of gravel on those jobsites and I'm a good aim so anytime I'd see him sneaking away, I'd give him about 5 minutes to get settled in before I'd launch an assault with the biggest rocks I could throw, just a few fast ones to really get his attention so he knew that we all knew that he was ducking work. Got him a couple times dropping them down the vent pipe also.

Second time I've had a catfish slam this thing. Just as disappointing as the first one too.

It was the best thing going for me this weekend.

Right now is getting to be flatside/lipless crankbait season. Shallow rock and wood is my preferred areas.

I had one and liked it, but a tree ate it ?

Got out for a short 1.5 hour trip Saturday morning before my youngest son's soccer game. Started slow, missing the first 5 or 6 bites before I caught a fat 3 pounder on a 6th Sense lipless that had a big shad in it's throat. Once I saw that, I put the lipless down and started throwing a Clutch Glide. Had a 5ish pound fish eat it at the boat first cast and pull off. A short time later, I stuck one a little over 4lbs, it was so windy I didn't look if my pictures were good, sorry about the poor quality. 100 yards down the bank, I had another fish eat it and pull so hard I thought it was going to be a wiper. Turned out to be another fat 4.30lb fish. Of course they were eating good on the morning I didn't bring my GoPro because I wasn't going to be out very long ?‍♂️ Sunday was super windy, 20-30mph sustained winds with gusts to 50-60 mph from the south. Most of our lakes face north/south with little wind break, so it's brutal. Tried to go to one lake that actually has a few coves, it was closed for the week because they just stocked trout... Went to another lake and fought the wind and a few dinks for 4 hours. Finally caught 1 decent fish on a 6th Sense trap. Decided to cut my losses and head to the lake I'd fished the day before again, should have just gone there in the first place. My dogs went with me and really enjoyed themselves. The lure trees are starting to bloom with the leaves falling and all the wind too.

I move my head around too much for the head mount, and so do most other people, really don't like the head mounted videos a majority of the time. The chest mount POV isn't very good either but it's what I'm currently using until I remember to buy something better. I have a lot of videos with my hands blocking the shot and noise from my hands and arms brushing against the camera.

I'd much rather take a kid fishing that I know is going to need a lot more of my attention but appreciate the experience more than most adults who just want a free ride in a boat or to learn my spots so they can take all their buddies back there next week.