Bankbeater

I have a lot of jigs in different sizes, but the one I tend to fish the most is a Strike King Bitsy Flip in 3/8 ounce.

I've never intentionally ran my crankbaits into the bottom or bounced them off of anything. Most of the time I'm trying to run the bait past something like a hump or run it parallel along a laydown or rip rap.

Definitely is not a dink.

Dislike - Hollow body frogs. They work, and I can catch bass on them, but when I fish them it always seems like one of the hooks goes through a plant stem, and I have to go cut it loose. Can't stand - Beetle Spin. See Doesn't Work. Doesn't work - Beetle Spin. All of these baits have been moved to the tackle box for odds and ends. This is after years of fishing with them and only catching one dink bass.

Good catching right there. Congratulations!

For me it depends on what is going on in the lake, and what the temp is like. If it's pre or post spawn, and the water is fairly warm then I fish brush and weeds if I can find it. If the water is on the colder side then I practice my pitching and flipping.

If the growth is really thick and matted up I will fish either a frog or a buzzbait. If there are holes in visible then I'll try and get a weightless Senko type bait in there, or maybe a weightless worm or a fluke. Let the bait fall into the hole and twitch it as you are bringing it across. If you have large sections that have a defined edge then use a Texas rig or a jig and craw. Try and cast parallel to the growth and work the bait back along the edge of the vegetation.

Welcome to the forums!

Most years I start fishing on top in April.

Telescopic lure retriever because some of those found lures can be just out of reach.

While I'm getting ready and loading the car, I will snack on a couple of Pop Tarts Before I leave I will have some fruit, and one or two cups of coffee. On the water I'll have some granola bars and some water. In the colder months I substitute a bowl of oatmeal for the Pop Tarts.

I use old prescription pill bottle containers from the pharm. I use a sharpie to write on the container the size and style of hooks.

I use Zoom Mag 2 worms. Still deadly on a Texas rig down deep.

Years fishing the same water over and over, and always remembering that no two lakes fish exactly the same way.

Black Jitterbug fished on a 6'6" heavy Daiwa Procaster rod paired with an Abu 5600 C3.

I've had issues with Trilene knots slipping, but only on heavier test line. With 10# line and below, the knot cinches down nice and tight.

I organize by lure size and by diving depth. I may have more than one size of baits in a box, but I always keep different divers in different boxes.

I fish poppers around vegetation. Most of the time I don’t retrieve the bait with any set cadence. I like to mix it up, sometimes on the same cast. I‘ve also had bass hit poppers while they are sitting still in the water.

Shad, fire tiger, baby bass, and crawfish are my best colors.

I have about a dozen of them. I found each and every one.

Congratulations on your retirement!

One of the presentations I always have tied on. Most of the time with a craw as a bait.

That’s a nice hawg right there!

After all these years I still get fooled at times. Last year, fishing clear water, I had a bass hit a swim jig and spit it back out a split second later before I could set the hook. If I had not seen that bass hit the bait I would have sworn I hit a piece of vegetation.

I had my license checked once last year. Missouri needs more game wardens. Some of these waters are a complete zoo on the weekends.