primetime

I plan on heading down to grab a PQ for $50 if they are the good ones and not the scaled down version which I recently was told about, but I like their rods, the Bionic blade Micro guide feels better than the more expensive one's to me and I need a heavy 7'6 spinning rod, and figure I can pick up a deal on a spinning reel like a Browning or Extreme.Then I will probably fill a few baskets of stuff I don't need if they do a good job with bogo's, bins with mixed baits, and if Bass Pro is going nuts, then so is Dick's and Gander... I just spent $60 on terminal tackle and a few packs of soft baits on TW last night, jigheads are expensive, and so are good hooks and of course, leader....XPS is on sale bogo and I hear their Fluoro is good, but I finally trust Seaguar Abrasix....

having grown up in NY and getting requests from friends to send them soft baits all the time, I can say that all we used 10 years ago was: Black-black/blue tail-black-chart tail-Grape-pumpkinseed-Motor Oil-Smokes... I now hear everyone asking for watermelons, watermelon seed, panfish colored swimbaits or something with chartruese in them, I always like a sexy shad up north since Smallies love chart, plus it can be a bluegill or shad depending on brand...Clear water, just go with your gut, I always do well when I match the water color with is usually a green pumpkin or smoke and then try a flake from both ends of spectrum...Red and purple or blue...GYB makes some awesome smoke colors which is why I still pay for GYB baits...Smoke with blue and gold often kills it as does that translucent black or natural shad they make...GYB put some science in the color or at least made a combo containing them all. What matters is you buy them all, then figure it out. I never use pink, but I see more sherbert swirl worms selling at shops than I do watermelons in Florida lately..not sure why, but I have noticed it is hard to find in stock at times as well....still won't throw it, just can't believe in it, but metholianate I trust...

Think big...Bring a Gaf just in case a 25 takes a swipe and you are not sure if you can swing it....

JJ's magic...I need some of this...I keep seeing it pop up online....Sorry Spike it, we are done.

Awesome day, getting to see a 12lb fish is exciting enough (and heartbreaking, but landing them in Toho is often tougher than hooking them at times). 15 fish-8 & 10, I say that is a fantastic day and I am sure you were plenty happy hiring a guide since finding fish and a pattern on West Toho is almost Impossible especially from December to March when fish are in both pre and post spawn so you never know when to go deep or shallow. That is a day you will never forget and if you do, than you are living the bass fishing dream, but I do know 1-2 people every week have a day like that on West lake since I enjoy reading reports and seeing pics of huge fish...... I fished the lake for the first time about 7 years ago and it was the day after a woman landed a 15.6 or 14.6...Something crazy, so I had no problem staying focused on a tough day because I kept thinking....a 20lb fish is in this lake, and it could hit my bait, and that would change your life, and I have heard people I trust tell me they have seen fish close to 20lbs in Toho and back in the day at Stick Marsh, Pond 13...I think the next fish that is super big like the 16.8 from Lake Tarpon will come from Apopka since people avoid it at all costs, water color is awful, but Fish and Wildlife say that the forrage base to bass ratio is perfect and has been for a few years now. The fish are always healthy & heavy, but average is .6 per hour, and that is slow...The local River in Tampa can average 2-3 per hour on a bad day so tough to make that trip but I think the guys pounding that lake will land a trophy soon. Property is a steal on the lake right now as well....

braid cutters, pliers, hook remover, lots of terminal tackle, extra reel in your bag spooled with mono in case of bad luck, and scent...People always ask to borrow my scent, cutters and also make sure to have a rag or towel to keep hands clean so you don't stain close, boat etc...Also always keep ibuprofren if you get headaches or migraines, and plenty of drinks and food. Also bug spray in case you stay late, or at least a cigar to put in sand if on shore to keep bugs away...

Just make sure you bring bungy cords to tie stuff down, I once put my rods down, boxes of lures out on the back area to work on rigging up some leaders, and my partner did not warn me that he planned on pinning the throttle and going wide open without warning and before wake area was officially past, although close, and watching 2 plano boxes full of hardbaits fly out of the boat and never to bee seen again actually messed me up for a few hours. I usually do not bring too many choices as a co-angler, I find I change baits way to often since I am not used to fishing how and where I am forced, so basically, I now bring some plastics, topwaters for morning, jigs, finesse box, and lot's of gatorade and food. Being thristy for 10 hours in the sun while leaving your water in your truck is not good. I couldn't ask my boater who only had one large water and issues keeping it cool, but I actually drank water from a nasty lake and it was so good as it is hot and fishing all day is work, especially drifting the same 50 yards over and over without action hoping they "came up to feed for a few minutes....Never happened...But other than 1 bad day I love going as a co-angler since you learn stuff you do that you forget is wrong.

most golf courses in Fl are full of Tilapia which apawn up to 4 times a year, so I like to use cranks in a smokey blue color, or blue/pearl soft bait, when it is cold, sometimes I find I need to actually speed up to get a strike since fish just will not move on some days, and throwing a small cranbait and buzzing it by in different directions often triggers a strike when slow is what is normal. I fished a pond this afternoon and only had success when I switched to a bright chartruese crank, and water is clear, so go figure...I worked an area for a good hour hunting a double digit female which is roaming, and I have been dragging rage bugs and swimming the bigger shiner colored trash fish hoping to get her to strike this year...Not going to cheat and use a shiner, so far she rolled right at my feet as I was lifting up an inline spinnerbait but she had no intentions of eating it, missed it on purpose but I now know what flat she plans on using since pond is only a few acres, and I have invested a ton of time feeding these fish and moving slots, as well as making it impossible for anyone to steal Bass at night while vulnerable now, I have filled areas with cinder blocks and sharp objects, I get sick seeing someone taking home a 7lb fish that is only a few years old....People are clueless in a 2 acre sewage drain...

I Can't tell if any are better or not, stik o's come in larger sizes, cool colors, and the new version is more like a gyb senko in terms of texture and more scent. I think GYB senko's work better at times due to all the colors, however, I like the yum Dinger's the best, Salt Lick even better, and I would buy Sluggo's lately...I am now a dedicated wacky "flick shake worm" and only use the senko on the MJ rig or big 7.25" as a topwater. Bass Pro and the Oem making the baits for them do a great job for all companies, but the swim sally and charlies skinny dipper versions are awesome, softer than RE dippers etc...also, swizzle sticks are great, and on a tough day, a black and blue 6" squirmin worm is tough to beat...Triple Ripple worms on c-rigs work also...With all the sales, I would buy a few 50 pks and the new crack craws or crazy craws are also good on a shaky rig, and the 2.99 xps floating minnows are awesome slow risers, creepin style but slower...love deals when bass pro disco's the flukes, I just need my black blue tail swizzle sticks, swim sally's, and squirmin worms in 6",12"..... I feel if you pick right color, megastrike, decent line choice for situation, and right hook, they are all good baits, they get produced in molds shaped like a cigar, not too complicated a bait to replicate...

I have been using lighter line and spinning gear for pond fishing lately for crankbaits and have been throwing alot of the 1/8 oz speed traps, Storm Subwarts with adding a larger Mustad Triple grip 2x short in front, regular inline in rear, but those lil subwarts flat out catch fish just like the little cordell Big O square bills. I have been doing well with firetiger patterns and always threw subwarts on ultralight gear, but they work fine on 6-8lb test nylon mono like trilene xl or xt, medium light to medium spinning rod, from shore, I like a shorter rod for accurate casts...Skipping smaller baits and cheaper baits like Storm for example make losing a few lures not as bad. If you are avoiding the areas where water is accross the pond, and a good 6 feet is behind some overhanging branches, I guarantee it is time to practice your skipping since those are the spots everyone else also skips.... For skipping baits, I have gotten good enough to use hardbaits without losing many, but a tube could be the best soft bait to skip and it lands quietly and you can load it up with 3/4 oz if needed....I have days at one pond where if I am not getting my bait way in the back within a few inches of cover, I am not getting bit, so deflection and ripping is key....Silent lipless crankbaits are golden in ponds if they get pressure, once bass see a lipless crank in a small pond they all go nuts for a few days then will not go near em....Swap out colors and sizes to what other's don't use. I look at what other people are throwing and make sure I am always using different stuff...Smaller cranks, quiet entries, translucent colors, heavy weights for fast falls since most people think 1/4-3/8 is heavy pitching to cover. Going up to 3/4-1 oz on a creature or worm even in 4 feet of water can get you bit when 1/2 will not....Key is to throw the kitchen sink until you find the right tool for the day, after rain, Lizards work well with a loud splash, same with frogs under large trees...

The New Jackall Scissor Comb is a cool looking bait that I want. I also like the Arky bug fry little drop shot bait.. If you like soft baits that work that not everybody is using, you can't go wrong with stuff from Power Team, they make all great baits, Megastrike has that bug for flipping that is really good and doubles as a topwater after the rain for me, and don't forget to go simple...4" curly tail worms in black chartreuse tail...especially in spring.

Everyone in Florida will tell you to use black and blue for everything, if someone died the shiner tank black and blue guys would buy them over the golden one's...I say buy the custom colors from Seibert Jigs so he can customize them for you. Everyone and I mean Everyone throws black and blue because it works, but I think fish get conditioned, so I like to do a bit of flash in it, or a fade, or just mix it up so it looks different than everyone else's lures. Black and blue, Junebug and watermelon red...It is all I hear

As a fellow Clearwater Resident here in Florida, if you are fishing from the bank, I would suggest buying what is on sale, and if fishing smaller ponds, go with a few Rapala Minnow baits which double as topwater, jerkbaits, swimbaits, and crankbaits...Strike King silent lipless cranks and the Red Eye shad are awesome since the seem to rip out of the weeds well. Most places are full of weeds...The key is having good plastics-Flukes, Worms, hooks, jigs, topwaters, but knowing the forrage is key. Many 1-10 acre small ponds are loaded with huge Shiners, so big bass want big food, and that is when it pays to have a few larger Bomber Long A or Rebel jerkbaits or Rapala F-13 size in gold...Tilapia are in all the golf courses and they are a lighter blue/silver and strike king as well as other's make a few good tilapia tones that work well. Here are a few must have lures that will not break the bank...Tiny Torpedo, Strike King pond King Spinnerbait 1/8 oz in white, 1 in chart, and get a pack of zoom 4" grubs in chart and white and then some jigheads and small worm hooks. Everyone throws Senkos, Zoom Flukes and Trick worms, Zoom Lizards, but they forget to grab the good stuff....Strike King Caffiene shad flukes, Gambler baits, Net bait Paca craws...I use only a few colors, even on Lake Tarpon, Alligator, or the River...Green Pumpkins, Watermelons, Black...and right now I am all over anything with chartruese in it since Bass are moving on up to spawn, and big females are on the nearest drop although it is cold tonight so they will be deeper most likely and for that I love the "Rage Rig" it is simply a weighted hook with a beaver, I tell my friends to cast it out, let it hit bottom (if it does, fish hit more often than not on the drop) and then reel a few feet and stop..shake.hop..and basically make it look like a wounded bluegill or scurrying crawfish, so sweeps and twitches work well.. Tons of articles online, but here is a tip...If fishing a pond in Clearwater or Tampa, many are private, dress well, be polite, catch and release only, go barbless, if you catch a big female on somebody's property, leave her in the water, have pliers and make sure they get the hook out easy and have a successful release. I have gained access to many private lakes by asking permission, but always remember, just because one home owner says it is ok, does not mean his neighbors agree, so just have common courtesty, and when it get's warmer, wearing flip flops, towel, and looking like you are a visitor or guest will also get you a long way...Just never get rude with anyone, unless they grab your equipment, then it is up to you....Especially when fishing a public place that some think is private, Florida fish and wildlife has all info needed, print it and show it, this way if you have to defend your rod and hit a take down, you are in the right, not the wrong....Most people are cool if you ask, not so much if sneaky.

Remember, Alligators are only a threat once they attack, otherwise they are pretty harmless....I have a friend who says this and truly believes it, but it makes me more comfortable knowing he has such wisdom.

when I take someone with me who is new to baitcasting and what to use, I almost always give them a crankbait and a baitcast reel spooled with 10-12lb Berkley Trilene XL since it has almost 0 memory, limp, casts easy, and I just make sure the spool is tight and brakes start on 10....after an hour it is amazing the confidence you will have. I also like to hand them a 3/4 ounce lipless crank since it is heavy and you can't fish them wrong and they can go any depth..but you can find videos on how to set up a baitcaster by some of the vets and pro's on this site and the videos are good for anyone. You are smart in researching first, I used to work at a local tackle shop- I see your in clearwater so you would know the flea market most likely, and I would never spool braid for anyone on a new baitcaster unless they didn't mind donating the money...I would put 14lb max nylon mono and then a 2 minute tutorial and they would be back in a few days to get some braid or more lures... Have fun, plenty of good lakes in Clearwater, don't let people tell you otherwise, they are just fishing the wrong places, or afraid to share the water with alligators and snakes...

I know nothing of this bait, but I want a few....Shadow rap..has to be good, I just hope they add some new color's to the Rapala line up...I was not so happy with the new Rapala floating minnow lures as I figured I would....I was excited for a 3/4 ounce floater...But it has the action of a 3/4 floater not done right.

If I find the older one's that Wallmart carried back in the day I buy as many as I can. The Big O is still good as it is made today, but I have more confidence in the original one's that Wallmart could never keep in stock and many people will tell you is still the best "little" square bill money can buy..They are not cheap anymore..Like all cordell baits, they are in the $6 Speed trap range, only a few bucks off from Spro etc...I do find that they get more strikes than the larger names many times since they have different colors imo, different action, and they are small....They don't market and advertise baits, Pradco is all about keeping prices down but selling baits that catch fish, let other companies spend money to advertise, they will let Bomber, Booyah, Yum, Rebel, Heddon, Now Bandit, Cotton Cordell, Lindy etc. sell themselves and they do....Zara spooks and Red Fins do not need advertising anymore, or Bombers/Rebels

Make sure you call them when ordering online, they have glitches on the site, have for years, but they just sent me an order that was only $45 overnight free shipping and 2 boxes 2 different days as they must have not had 2 lures until the following day....Make sure to buy a slush daddy for spring...$3.99 it is a killer topwater in green sunfish over spawning flats..swimbaits are good as well, I just up the hooks, but paint is awesome.

I am not a color guy, I buy them all, but throw only a few....In the spring, I must confess, something with orange or red in a crankbait, or spinnerbait/jig seems to work really well. I only use spinnerbaits that have orange and green in them in the spring since they resemble to bases of forrage that are on the minds of bass in the spring. 1-Females Crave the Iodine from Crawfish, so you will notice alot of guys use red and orange, craw pattern traps and cranks etc... I do know that I do well using these colors all year, but spinnerbaits and jigs for sure, it also helps if you can get info on the color of craws at a certain time, they have 4 molting stages, hitting it at right time is almost impossible since it is different all over the lake, but take the time to flip over some rocks at the ramp...and look at the colors of baitfish, sunfish, and baby bass... 2- Bass are opportunistic feeders, so if a lake has shad, a chrome lure will work well, if shiners, or without, gold is always good, and then some not so flashy colors, and make sure to have pumpkinseed, sunfish, and bluegill/Tilapia colors if they are in your lakes. Greens for bass are never bad, big bass east little bass, if you have yellow perch...You get my drift... or, if you are eccentric like a few people I know, they believe that the brightest loudest lures and baits work best because "they can see them from longer distances, so they will get more strikes, why ask me such a dumb question?) and they will fish that uv glow worm or bubble gum senko all day and do just fine...So if you like it, if you believe it and have confidence that maybe fish never see enough yellow and purple mixed together, and I want to give them a new look, not the same "rules" I just laid out, then go for it... If you believe it, then it is true.....

welcome, you have come to the best site as many member's on here will not only share "secrets" but everyone usually adds something interesting that makes you want to go out and spend more money on tackle. Articles on the home page are the best...My advise...If on a budget like most of us, do not go cheap on terminal tackle.... When getting started, learn your knots, understand the difference of Braid, Fluoro, copoly, and Nylon Mono, and I would suggest starting with good quality Nylon mono line like Stren, Berkley XL, Suffix, for 2 reasons...It is the easiest to use without memory, and you only need to learn an improved clinch knot which is your best friend in the long run.. Hooks - I buy what is on sale, but you can never have enough Worm hooks, Worm weights, Jigheads, and every brand offers little differences. To get started, I would look for sales on hooks this time of year but make sure you go with brand names on hooks and line, swivels etc...VMC, Eagle Claw Laser, Onwer, Gamakatsu,etc. are all good, but do not every look to save money and buy some off brand line that has dust on it at the store since line is not fun to buy, but Extremely important. You can never go wrong with Strike King, Zoom, Yum, soft baits, few lipless cranks-Strike king is great for ripping and yo-yo, mabye grab a one knocker by Xcalibur or Rapala, few floating minnow lures, walking lures, poppers, click on tackle warehouse for best sellers and read some reviews...I find reviews where 90% of people agree = a fantastic product. Just don't do what I do and buy all kinds of lures only to find out that you really don't enjoy using suspending jerkbaits since you lack patience, and hate the feeling of not knowing what my bait is doing at all times....But they look nice in the tackle box for sure.

I forget the website but someone on the West Coast did a review of all hard swimbaits from $2 versions to the Roman mades...And he did such a good job he had owner's of many companies fighting in the comment section, but google...Reaction Strike is the OEM for what brands of swimbaits or lures....you will find that they do a ton, or are made in same factory and look similar to Japanese baits "Assembled in Japan". I have never cared if a bait is made in China and is expensive. This is America, and Japanese Cars were once considered inferior and maybe they were, but I think many people would agree that Toyota, Nissan etc. have done a good job of changing that image. I realize that some companies regardless if Japanese, American, or selling a lure for $50, need to use China in order to make the bait affordable. Just because something is built in China does not make it junk, because if it did, we would all be struggling to find gear, even JDM gear would be tough to find.... R&D is legit, when a company spends thousands upon thousands of dollars to design a lure and bring it to market, I could care less if they outsource the job to a company overseas if it helps an owner make more money, average consumers have the ability to buy it, and just keep it real on the packaging. I could care less if my Daiwa reels are made in China (Not saying they are, I think Taiwan or Korea) because I trust that Daiwa, Abu, Lew's, Okuma, and all reputable companies have tough and strict quality standards that every item they bring to market must meet. If the experts at doing this are in a certain country, or OEM, I am cool with a company using 3 OEM's to make my reel, swimbait etc... My point is Reaction Strike is always accused of simply copying other's baits and then selling them cheap, but if you do some research you find that the companies complaining (or used to a few years ago) were killing Reaction Strike, but then were using them to build their lures, and it is common to find that most swimbaits of quality are made in the same few factories overseas, it does not mean they are all equal. I know some companies that sell $50 swimbaits actually use 2-3 OEM's to build there baits in order to keep secrets, and because some engineers are better at building certain parts or using materials better than other's. When you see a $200 swim bait, that lure has probably been in the hands of dozens of the best lure designers in the world and the reason it costs so much is most likely the R & D and extra testing to make sure they are putting their name on Top notch baits..I know Lunker Punker went overseas for some baits, but it helped the company from what I have been told, and I have heard the baits are still awesome, so when buying swim baits, it is a wild market place if you start breaking down what is what...I guess that is the point of my ramble...but if felt good.

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Cabela's and Academy have swimbait versions that are less expensive and the Cabela's brands are actually really nice and for the price I was looking at the $5 Spro Knock off and it is pretty good only I don't know about Matzuo hooks, but I have a friend who tells me Matzuo Hooks are legit and as good as VMC trebles, but I just ordered some of the Cabela's hardbaits when they were on sale..They have a sebile Magic swimmer Knock off or same bait, I can't tell, hooks different and rings, but for $5 it is good for using in areas you may lose it, the Spro BBZ is great, but they have a knock off that is such a good knock off it weighs the same, swims the same, and only has different hooks, but I would doubt Spro would let them copy it direct, so I still think $5 can't be as good as the one's I pay $20 plus for. I know with the Sebile's, the action when they sink is the key, they shake very subtle, but the Rad swimmer has stiffer Joints, I have only seen the Cabelas Spro version being reeled so I can't tell how it falls. They make a Live Image version of the Bass Pro..same Oem at least I am 90% certain, kind of like how Reaction Strike uses the same OEM and copies everyone's baits and lures, and for $5 they swim great and look awesome, I have only seen them on a day when comparing lures when nothing was hitting. I tried the Academy swimbaits and the bluegill bait is pretty good, problem is the baits with one small hook need a much larger ring and hook and quality baits come with a large Owner treble stinger 41 which is an expensive hook..... I would order the bass pro but other House brands are on par and half the price, plus you can find Sebiles on line right now for under $10, I can't imagine the bass pro version being better than the Magic swimmer, or better than the Spro and 3:16 versions all low in price right now. Reaction Strike makes the Revolution shad that is $2.99 for 3" and $4 for 4" and if you are chucking and winding and don't mind adding a much larger hook, they are not bad..great wake bait for sure, but Reaction Strike makes more than half the baits we buy anyhow so their own stuff never sells since they do not advertise it...The LV revolution lipless cranks are tungsten weighted in front and have a unique sound, terrible hooks which are expected but sizes and action that no other lipless can re-produce at least from the 30 I have tried. Still another 100 out there.

I like to throw topwaters all year long and if they want a topwater, and if you are near fish, you should know right away if they will strike. If they do not hit the walking lure, try a smaller popper, maybe something faster like a buzzbait or even working a prop bait like a torpedo or double prop during the spawn is a great way to catch fish over flats...I think Shad and baitfish dye all year round, float to the surface, struggle on the surface, lizards, frogs fall in the water all year long in the south, so I have had success on lures like a Rapala Floater F-9 silver black, or gold, or the smaller Walkers in 50-90mm in cold as well as poppers, I tend to use small one's but I am sure larger one's would work. My best fish this year came on a colder morning and on a 90mm Sebile Splasher which is the biggest Popper in my box, and I wasn't walking it but causing a rucus, so it was a pull, pause, yank, pause...and it worked for about an hour and landed me a nice 6.5-7lb fish...My friends would say 4lbs. but they need glasses.

I use them on certain rods and I only use the top quality smallest and strongest one's that I can find....I grew up anti snap, anti any extra hardware, and my brother still gives me looks when I have a snap on the line, but I find if you have the right size, it can give your lure better action than the regular ring or pull point that comes with the lure. I like the Spro snaps as they are strong for the size, but I also use saltwater grade snaps from Tsunami, Owner, and the paper clip Owner's...I only stick with black or any dull color, I don't like silver....I always change split rings and put a oval line tie since I do prefer the rapala knot when I am fishing clear water and not using flurocarbon, but I never feel 100% confident int that knot...My Advice, is always buy top quality terminal tackle, snaps, swivels, hooks, line, rings, since that is the stuff that will cost you the fish of a lifetime, and saving $2 for Eagle Claw snaps vs. Spro to me is not worth it, and I am not knocking Eagle claw....I need lot's of positive reviews for snaps.