OkobojiEagle

Berkley Sensation BTW... there is no such animal as "original Stren". The Stren label was sold to Berkley/Pure Fishing years ago and has been manufactured in the Berkley plant since. The line formula was never sold so "Stren" line has been whatever Pure Fishing line engineers have said it should be. oe

drop shot

Check Ebay

Yes, I have. It wasn't nearly as effective as with a skirt. I often thin the skirt by about 1/3. I find a spinnerbait to come through vegetation and rocks far, far better than either an underspin or bladed jig. oe

My very first consideration when trying to fish a rip-rap bank is... can I get down into or on the water in front of the bank. Waders might be my first and easiest idea, followed by using my belly boat. Either of these two options open better casting angles and more bait choices. oe

Vegetation is bass attracting cover, so it makes sense that a swim jig will catch more bass around vegetation. Every lure is more successful when fished where the bass are... location, location, location. oe

One of my favorites I read every winter! Glad you enjoyed it as well. oe

I'd love to be able to use a spinning rod/reel when fishing small jerkbaits, but line management becomes a problem with the snapping retrieve I use with most jerkbaits. oe

This year MaxScent will be STRONGLY represented in my small soft plastic bait selection. oe

I find a fluke style plastic easier to fish weightless than a worm... oe

Fish which ever small shallow jerkbait you have with your rod tip up and you'll accomplish that.. You need to fish Okoboji more often! oe

Pointer 78 is about as tried and true as can be... oe

... my parish priest isn't catholic (chuckle) oe

... which is knot strength Contrary to what many anglers subscribe to, leaving 3/4" of braid tag allows for a slight amount of slippage and is noticeable if happening. Over the many years of tying my main to leader knots I've never experienced any negative affects from this practice. oe

I know what the Alberto knot is and have been using it for many years. What I wanted to know was if there are anglers on this board who currently use the Albright knot. I'm considering using the Albright as I'm wondering if there is a difference in knot strength. oe

My fingers are getting clumsy with age as well... anyone using the Albright knot vs. Alberto knot anymore? oe

It wasn't lost upon me that he underfilled is bait casting reels... oe

nope. As mentioned above, I do remember where the big ones were hooked and the exhilaration of playing them to hand with 6lb line, back-reeling all the way. Several of them were 40" musky and +20" smallies. oe

On the water you fish most often, do you start your fishing day at locations that are tried and true for you or do you first try new or previously less productive spots trying to figure out something new? oe

I'd wait a couple weeks and see what the new St Croix Victory rods are about... oe

Amen

thanks for the heads up

this and this

several companies have begun laminating green pumpkin with watermelon... just sayin' oe

the spring bite is less about the current water temp and much more about the water temp multi-day trend. I want to be there on the 3rd day of a 3 day warm-up... at any temp. oe