jkarol24

With big jigs that have big hooks, i would guess that its nota problem of losing a hooked fish, but that you are not getting the hook in at all and the bass is just holding on or its just skin hooked. First, make sure you are using briad or low stretch fluoro along with a long rod. The long rod (7' or more) is essential as it will move more line on a hookset. There will be a decent amount of bow in your line fishing deep, so you have to move alot of it in a hurry. Reel down fast and set hard. I set it relative to my torso- i bend down when i reel down, and bend back on the hook set. Remember though, dont let that rod get past verticle on your upswing. If you are still having problems, you may want to try setting like you would with a carolina rig. Point your rod at the fish, and set sideways and continue almost a full 180 degrees around. With a 7 ft rod and braid, you will move about 10 ft or more of line.

Picking one or the other depends on how tough the bite is as well as water clarity. I'd also group swim jigs into this dilema... In a rough and non scientific outline with many exeptions, an outline would go like this: From tough bite to good bite, it would be swim jig, then chatterbait, and then spinnerbait. From clear water to dingy water, it would go the same way (swim jig, then chatterbait, and then spinnerbait). Another idea would be that if you are fishing a very popular lake, the chatterbait would probably outproduce a spinnerbait as everybody and their brother is throwing the spinnerbait. The chatterbait has all but disapeared in alot of places, but they will still produce.

Amen to that brother!

Could you say which walmart this is in NY? Hoping its one by me!!

Theres another post going on about just that! Check it out- http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/96684-walmart-stepped-it-up-amazing/

Not sure if it does or not, its more of a confidence thing. For me, i will put a red hook on the front hanger of a topwater. In case the fish ARE attracted by the red, then they will hit the front hook, and if they miss they will get hung by the back one. Now if the back one were red and they were attracted to that one but and missed, you would go fishless. Its a mental game if nothing more. There have been studies showing that the color red is the first to "disapear" into a black appearance. Who knows, there are no scientists who can get inside the brain of a bass... But if it makes you feel more confident, then by all means go for it.

Very good idea! However, if you cant bring yourself to use nail polish, i use Component System's epoxy jig head paints. They work great and are pretty cheap, but i would reccomend using multiple coats and in a well ventilated area (you may get a little light headed...). I find myself putting a few clear coats on EVERY jig head i use before it even makes it to the tackle box.

I try to stay away from braid under 30 lb on my baitcasters because any smaller diameter will dig into the spool. If you set the hook on a fish and the line digs, i guarantee you will get a nice backlash every time. However, you can get away with ( and shoudl IMO) using 10-15 lb braid on spinning tackle. I primarily use Power Pro from experience. I find that Sufix 832 loses color alot faster and tends to break down quicker. As well, i just dont like the feel of it.

I find the shakey head to be a very good presentation in tough conditions or not; however, I approach it slightly different than most. First, i would completely agree with the use of a football head jig with a spring lock (my favorite is a Picasso Shak-e football), but i usually throw it on baitcast gear using a 3/8 oz head. The reason i use the heavier weight is because i believe i can maintain better contact with the lure, as well as keep it on the bottom and shake it withough moving it. That 3/8 oz head is much more likely to sit in one spot when shaking rather than a 1/4 oz head which will inevitably move. Especially up north, i may be targeting isolated rock patches that are only 3 ft in diameter so it is extremely important to feel those rocks with the heavy weight, and then be able to keep it there. I will then shake it very similarly to how i would shake a drop shot, moving my rod tip in rapid up and down with twitches 4-6" long on slack to semi-slack line, imparting a decent amount of action to the tail of the worm. My favorite is a Roboworm 6" straight tail worm as that tail will stand up straight and have alot of action. Now dont get me wrong, there are times when i pull out the spinning gear and pitch a 1/4 oz standup shakey head into docks or brush. Just pitch it in there, let it sink, and twich the rod tip as i described above. But most of the time, i will be fishing a little deeper and targeting isolated rocks or other cover.

Sam, I am actually in the same position as adam. I will be attending either RIT of the Univ of Florida for Marketing and fish on their clubs, but beyond that I am uncertain. I would love to fish professionally as well, but being a sales rep or marketing agent seems very interesting as a backup. I would realy appreciate it if you could forward to me the messages you recieve as well, they would be of great help! You can PM me or email me directly at jkarol24@aol.com. I am located up in Rochester NY on Lake Ontario and fish tournaments on the finger lakes. Thanks for all of your help, I would great;y appreciate it! Jason

I use braid on every reel i own minus my cranking setup (but realy thinking about going to braid or maybe copolymer there too). I use 15 lb Power Pro on my spinning rods, and anything from 20-65 lb on my baitcasters. As well, i will use a short fluoro or mono leader for concealment or action. Simply put, i prefer to cast braid over fluoro or mono, and it is much more managable IMO

Strike King Wake Shad if your looking for big bites, Mann's baby -1 if you are looking for numbers.

I figure that i will be using it for all tourneys this summer and through college via college tournaments so its well worth the investment. Gives me an advantage over alot of guys my age who can absolutely be a great fisherman without a boat, but dont learn the boating aspect of it. And after all the tags and insurance, i figure i've got about 3k invested. Im putting alot of work into the boat and will easily get back what i put in. Couldnt agree more. Betcha any pro could win with a zebco, just have more headaches.... Ultimatly, the fisherman casts the lure, not the rod and reel by itself.

I have to agree. Ive got a few Revo Premiers and a few Curado E7 reels, plus some decent Powell and shimano rods. No combo over $500 total... I make up for it with the boat though! Cant justify dropping the equivalant of a college course on a fishing combo though...

I'm 17 and just bought my first! I got an 1984 Correct Craft 1810 Nautique (18 ft) with a 150 HP Mercury Black Max on the back with the money i've made from working full time over the summer. As well, ive been working since i was 14 and have stock piled quite the fishing collection. I've learned that lots of hard work = ability to fish hard with the stuff i want to fish. Although the work is hard, its all worth it in the end when your holding that big bass or winning your first tournament. Im proud to say that i've fiananced myself the whole way, from boat to 7 high end combos and quality tackle, and have learned some important lessons on money and hard work as well. Who knew fishing could be a life lesson! And an enjoyable one at that!

Dicks for sales and quick runs BPS on RARE occasions for crazy sales (about an hour from my house) Not a Cabelas in sight My favorite is Gander Mtn for selection Online can be great as well, I buy most of my rods online especially after a new model comes out and the old models go on sale

I use a stone style sharpener. IMO, the file style sharpeners are all but useless. The one i use is an Eagle Claw brand sharpener and it is a grey rectangle with a sandpaper-like texture. It works really well on any hooks, and you can sharpen them enough to hang on your fingernail. Unfortunantly, big sturdy jig hooks dont re-sharpen to well but you can at least fix a moderatly rolled point. If you are flipping in close with heavy braid, i dont think you should worry too much if your hook isnt absurdly sharp, but if your draggin a big football jig out deep, a super sharp hook can absolutely make a difference in hook-ups.

If the marina is deeper, then it will hold bass. Start at the deepest boat slips with a spoon, jig, or dropshot and look on your graph for suspended bass. Work in shallower until you start to see fish and you should be able to pick a few off.

A single Powerpole will hold you just fine, but the single pole position still allows your boat to pivot. With 2, you wont pivot and therefore can set up at a precise angle and not move.

Ive switched all of my setups (minus cranking) to powerpro braid with flouro leaders. I cant stand casting flouro and dont like mono, so braid works good for me.

If you have a big motor (maybe 150 HP or more) a power pole wont go much higher than the top of it. If your motor barely fits, then you probably wont fit, otherwise you should be clear

Oakleys are nice but i feel as if your not only buying sunglasses, but the name and the frames. Lens quality should be the biggest priority, and the Costa 580G lenses are very hard to beat.

Thanks you, thank you, thank you

Without a doubt, learn to use the jig! IMO its one of the most important tournament baits you can throw, increasing quality and number of bites. It will be harder to learn, but i guarantee it will pay off in the end. One of the first baits i ever threw was a jig, and I've developed the feel for it and have tons of confidence. In fact, i have at least one tied on at all times. As well, it is the more versatile technique. You can throw a jig in 6" of water or 25' of water.

Sometimes less is more with a tube. Its crazy the amount of nice smallies that are caught when a guy just tosses a tube out the back of the boat and drifts along while eating his lunch.