geo g

The only constant is change itself!!!!!! We will survive.

No, you have a good collection of lures. As long as you have senko's we are good!!!!!!!

Braid is sensitive and has little stretch, so if fish are biting, I think the problem is your hook setting technique. Make sure you reel down any slack and then set the hook hard. I have often seen people that don't reel down any slack before setting, or they drop there rod tip before the set, without taking up the slack by reeling down. Any slack before the set is not good. This just takes practice, once you get it, it will come automatically. You will not have to think about it!

There is no one best lure for all over the country this time of year. It depends on conditions, weather patterns, depth, water temps, current, and structure. Under tough conditions, If I had only one bait for all conditions, anywhere in the south and east coast, it would be a 4 to 6 inch senko, watermelon red, Texas rigged,with floro line, weightless, to a light 1/16 weight. It has saved me on tough days all over the east coast from Florida to Maine. You can throw it in the junk, open water, deep, shallow, fished fast or slow, dead stick, jerked, pulled slow along the bottom. It has caught fish of all size for me. It may not be the best all the time, but it is a steady producer. It is something I don't leave home without.

Water running from a culvert, small stream, or past big rocks, tree stumps, or any other type of structure, when the water flows past any of them, it leaves slack water on the back side. Fish can rest easily in these areas without fighting the current and using energy, until the next easy meal comes along to them. Its like hanging out in the kitchen all day, just chill en with your feet up! The food comes to you, instead of you searching for it. Fish all these slack waters when the waters are running. Bigger fish know to rest and wait in these key spots. If you look at the surface you can easily see where the structure, and slack water is located. It leaves what looks like a swirl of water behind the structure. First try throwing up current and let the bait move with the current past the point. It might look like an easy meal to the fish. If that doesn't work, throw behind the structure and let it settle down in the slack. Good luck, that is all for now.

Water will be up, fish the new flooded areas, lots of things in there to eat. Also areas with current. Look for the slack areas adjacent to the current flow. Big bass love to hang out in the slack areas and ambush stuff floating bye. I would keep an eye out for small streams flowing into coves along the river, and use noisy baits in the off color water.

I can't believe how this topic has legs! What a waste of time, I'm out.

To be perfectly honest, in the whole scheme of things it doesn't matter what you buy. If your happy with cheap stuff, that is good for you. They also have the right to buy expensive stuff, if they chose too. This whole conversation is a big waste of time, but that's only one persons humble opinion. I'm sure someone will feel differently about that!!!!!!!!!

The whole time I'm out fishing I think about what the bait is doing and what i'm feeling on the bottom, or how the bait is performing. Is it working like it should. Do I need more weight or less weight. What type of bottom is it hitting, wood or weeds, sand, or rock. Keep the line out of the pad-V. Are any weeds suddenly moving on their own. Have I hit the rock wall, or has it cleared the weed lines. When it comes to the hook set, the thinking just stops. From the slightest bump, to a line moving off, to the line changing speed on the fall. At that point I go on automatic pilot, and the hook set starts. Its all reaction, and instinct, at that point, and its always the same. The hook set is something I never think about. Its all speed and reaction! I live for that moment in time, regardless of fish size!

No, but I always thank them for coming out to play.

25+ is just a afternoon rain for us. Should have been here for Irma with 125 MPH for hours at a time, and numerous tornadoes in the outer bands. The tornadoes did a lot of the damage. They said it will take 4 to 6 months to pick up all the debris from this little storm!!!! Now that's a storm!

Big storms with high winds effect everything in our shallow bowl lakes here in Florida. First of all they blow floating vegetation all over the lake, changing the entire look of the place. Places you could not fish may be clear of all vegetation, and your favorite spots can be totally blocked by floating stuff. They blow down trees on the shore, and blow them right into the lake. They tear up docks and structure on the shore, that can become hazards while running the lake. Then the water rises big time, sometimes doubling the quantity of water in the lake. The winds stir up the muck bottom turning clear water to a chocolate milk. With all the run off from roads, parking lots, and septic tanks it sometimes leads to fish kills from pollutants. A good hurricane can screw things up for a long time!!!!!!!

I agree with you 100%, nothing worse then the ramp hawgs. Over the years I have had to wait for long periods of time for these thoughtless guys. It doesn't happen that often, but these guys have no respect for others.

We have all been there and done the crazy stuff. S*** happens to everyone if you fish often. Don't let it bother you much, just restock and go find your personal best!

Get them a nice gift card for where they shop. Let them get what they want, when they need it. Also makes it easy for you. I tell my kids all the time, I really appreciate gift cards. They love it, and I love it.

Lol, no one ever said it would always be easy. I often catch bass of all sizes with weighted senkos. General rule is use the least weight necessary to get the job done. If it gets too windy for you, look for cover, or go home!

Very simple, when windy add some weight, keep slack out of your line. Change to another bait.

I agree with Scott F, use braid and keep an eye on your line for the slightest twitch. Braid is a lot more sensitive, and will float on the surface. Its not the hook, as much as a late hook set!

I have no problem sharing spots or saying what I'm using. Just because you know a spot or a bait doesn't mean you can catch fish. Over the years I have had plenty of friends and people who became friends, help me with locations and hot spots. I have no fear of company when I go fishing. If you want to know where and how, just ask!!!!!!!

I have fished everyday for months at a time, without a day off. I fish from the boat on weekends and from the bank during the week. I am surrounded by man made lakes and fish a different lake almost everyday. Fishing is my therapy, and my form of mental relaxation. Put on my ear buds, Pandora, and its just me and the fish. Any stress from the day just melts away. It just doesn't get any better then that!

Congrats guys, that is a wonderful gesture for the guys that put their life on the line for this country. How long does it take to make one of these rods? Thanks for taking the time and effort to make their day.

I spent a few days in Sarasota for a long weekend and caught some bass in a small run off pond along a local road. Go on Google earth and check any water bodies in the area your staying. In Florida a go to bait during tough times is the 4" senko in watermelon red, Texas rigged with a 1/32 bullet weight. Fish it slow, with small jerks and long pauses. This works all over the south east, and will catch bass of all sizes. Good luck, can't help you any more then that.

In south Florida water temps in the mid 70's is perfect black bass top water action all day long. Its in the low 90's here right now, so it will be late November before you see the ideal temps. Our savior down here is Peacock, and other exotic fishing when the temps climb into the 90's. They love it hot, and sunny.

That may be true for lakes with borders. But down here with the everglades, bass are so far out in the glades feeding on all the bugs, frogs, snakes, and everything else that lives in there, you can't get to them in a bass boat, an air boat maybe! Fishing four, or five hours, in the this heat, for one or two scattered bass just isn't my cup of tea! I know guys that will do that, and I respect them for their perseverance.

My wife always encourages me to go fishing, and always asks about the days catch. She thinks she is married to a world class fisherman. Lol, I never burst her bubble, by telling whole story!!!!!!!!!!