leadslinger

Yeah, my setup is not ideal for trolling. Rod holders in back, trolling motor up front. If I constantly watched the rods, I could see the change in behavior, but casting while up front manning the trolling motor made that hard to do. I'd eventually notice the rod tips not acting right. Thanks!

Thanks for all of the comments. I went out yesterday and experimented with trolling 2 lines, while casting a third. Slow day, but caught a couple each way. The bigger ones (smallies and large) were from trolling a deep diving crank/wally diver ticking bottom @ 20ft. Marked a lot, but not much biting my offerings. As others have said, location is key. I was trying areas fairly new to me. One thing I realized about trolling this time of year is being able to recognize when the lure is fouled with grass. That issue created a bit more maintenance than I liked. I was trolling clear areas away from the grass, but there was still surface/suspended grass that had broken loose and worked it's way down to the lure quite often. Thanks again. Bill

I roger the boredom thing. While trolling, I was casting cranks and heavy spinners ahead of me.

It's that time of year, the water is 80+, grass is super thick down to 18ft. The bigger ones are holding at around 20+ feet (lake gets as deep as 100ft). I usually throw spinners (1+ oz), t-rig, and deep cranks. However, I seem to get so little time in the strike zone casting those baits just due to the nature of the fall and retrieve. Catch count is typically 1-4 over several hours. A fellow fisherman mentioned he just trolls deep cranks and wally diver type lures this time of year to keep the bait down and to cover water. Somehow I feel like that's going against some unwritten code of bass fishing . However, I realize the idea is to CATCH fish. So, I tried it, and landed a few nice ones marked at about 22 feet. It was cool to see the rod get bent so hard, but it seemed less satisfying. What's the general opinion on trolling for bass? Cool, or uncool? Other ideas for keeping the bait in their face at that depth? Thanks, Bill

Thanks to all for the feedback. Lot's of good ideas I'll be trying. Bill

Yep, I'm using Norman's, Rapala's and a couple LiveTarget. thx.

Semi-newbie question.... The lake I fish has lots of downed trees in as deep as 30ft of water, of which I can see the first 5-8ft. I usually avoid throwing INTO the thick stuff for fear of snagging, or not being able to haul the fish out of what I can't see. I stay on the edges and hope they come out to play. What are some of the keys for successfully fishing deeper into the cover? I suppose line/lure choice and attack angle are key. I've seen videos of cranks (nose down) bumping off of wood, but I hate risking expensive lures. I usually usually throw t-rig's or weedless jig&trailer around the perimeter using braid w/ fc leader. I know they're in there. Any help appreciated! Bill

Awesome catch. Very healthy looking. Congrats!

Had the same thought about the gut. Water is 78 degrees so figure we're well past spawn. I checked the scale when I got home, and it was right on. Was hurrying to get it back in water so didn't measure length, but seemed like 20-22" based on others I've caught there and measured. Those weighed about 3.5 but lacked the belly. Best tog-of-war I've ever had with a smallie. Thanks!

ok, thanks for heads-up.

Thx for input. Called St. Croix and they are sending DIY kit. Nice customer service group I must say.

I own 3 MB (7'0" M/F) and love them. Bought a 7'0" MH Veritas microguide just to try something different. I bought the MH after hearing their MH was more like M. Veritas is lighter, but felt stiffer. Lost casting distance compared to MB. Just felt dead. It now sits in my garage while the 3 MB's still get to ride on the boat. Personal preference, but you gotta have your Mojo, baby. (Austin Powers reference). Side note- The top eyelet insert came out (and lost) after 2 years. Just called St. Croix and they are sending replacement at no cost. Very nice customer service. good luck either way.

Just noticed the insert for the top eyelet of my St. Croix Mojo Bass rod is missing. Is there any disadvantage to fishing without? The metal eyelet itself appears undamaged, still a perfect circle. Is it worth the expense of repairing? I bought the rod at BP a couple years ago. Love the rod otherwise! I use braid w/ fc leader on that rod. Thanks Bill

Nice fish, congrats on PB. Those smallies can really put up a good fight.

It's amazing how 1 fish can make an otherwise slow day of fishing an awesome outing. Caught my PB smallie today on a 3/4 ounce green/white spinner bait, deep water point in feeder cove. He (she?) put up a memorable fight. Bad pic, and didn't measure length, but it weighed in at 4.65lbs. Nice for post spawn in this area. Bill

You are the man, Tom! Thanks so much for the detailed response. It is a deeper lake, so today I was working the grass beds, wood, and points @ 5ft down to 20ft. Today was the 3rd day of the high, and the count picked up some (mid-day fishing). I did manage a PB smallmouth in the middle of the day in ~12ft of water (awesome fight), so no high pressure whining from me for a while. Tom- what do you charge for a mind-meld? Thanks to all for the replies! Bill

I will try the swimbaits, one of the many neglected lures in my bag. I get stuck in the t-rig, spinnerbait, crankbait mode. The trouble I have with them is I find it hard to get/keep them deep enough. Thx.

I'm in my 3rd year of fishing a local lake. I've read many articles on the subject of how a high pressure system might affect fishing. From what I read, it seemed there was no evidence to conclude a high pressure slowed "the bite". However, I continue to struggle after a high pressure settles in. Yesterday caught 5 in an hour on rising pressure, then once the high settled in, it all stopped. Steady high pressure today (partly cloudy, water 76), and fishing was dead all day. Couldn't even mark a bass on the FF. Maybe it's just the bright skies that accompany the high instead of the actual pressure itself, but I can't buy a bite after the high is in place. Just curious what others think about their own experiences after a low pushes through. Thanks, Bill

Thanks for the replies, glad I wasn't just imagining things. What's the best thing to use for flushing the Abu oil from the bearings?

So purely out of curiosity, I changed the bearings on one of my 1 yr old Revo SX gen 2 from stock to the ABEC 7 Orange seals. The Boca lightning oil didn't ship with bearings, so I added 1 drop of the oil that came with the reel (albeit a large drop due to dispenser). Per Boca, I put the seals back on to keep the oil contained. My observation after 3 outings are: -Lost casting distance, by roughly 20%. -A bit noisy, scratching/friction sound -Doesn't feel as smooth, but may be just the friction "sound". I've read it can take a little time to break them in. Maybe the Abu oil was too thick? I now have the Boca Lightning oil. Anyone have similar experience? Also, getting that pin out for the spool bearing was a PAIN with standard tools! For that reason I'd hate to have to take it apart again. Maybe it's worth buying their tool. Thanks, Bill

All- thanks for the input on this topic. I have a feeling curiosity may get the best of me, and I'll upgrade one of my two Revo SX reels, and keep the original bearings on hand. I've only been using bc's for about a year, so I'm sure I need to improve my casting/thumb skills. Now if only the cold weather would break. I'm sick of mid 40's and 25mph winds. Great fishing all !

uni-uni for me.

It may partly depend on how the rods are transported to/from fishing site. When I was packing stuff in my car and walking through woods, it had to be a 2 piece setup. Rods that stay on the boat are all 1 piece, since there is no need to break them down. The 6' seems a tad short for an all-around rod. Hey, why not buy both !

I use the Modified Albright when tying FC leader to braid. It's a small (long/flat), strong knot, but takes a bit of care to tie properly (I guess they all do). I've tried the uni-uni, which is easier to tie, but as others have said, it's a larger knot.

I've been reading about people changing/upgrading to different bearings for increased distance. My Revo's (S,SX,STX) are stock and dialed in fairly well, with only VERY rare backlash issues(knock on wood). I'm satisfied with my casting distance, but.....if I chose to reach for a little more distance by upgrading the bearings, would that increase my odds of the dreaded birdsnest? I watched a video of the Revo S after switching to the Bocas, and the spool spun like a top. It would seem with less resistance I may be introducing a risk that the potential added cast length may not be worth. Thoughts/experiences? Thx. Bill