CDMeyer

3/0 to 4/0 hook and if you want to T-Rig it I'd use a smaller weight, Braid works well especially if your in the stumps..... Good Luck

Thanks for the help guys, I got so frustrated yesterday I went to the back of my boat to switch baits. Then realized why I had tried this in the first place (to get better) so I just went back up to the front of the boat and on my second cast landed a 2-05 (not bad for Wisconsin).... then onto my next lesson "Lipless Crank baits" caught a 1-5 or so on that and then went to a crankbait... never caught a bass on one before and landed a little one but it'll do. Thanks for all the help

I have never caught a Bass on a crank bait, and our lake is set up where it is not really deep and finding schooling bass is near impossible. So I was reading in a Bassmaster magazine that a person should throw a crank bait to the shore and then drag it off into the deeper water. Does anybody have any tips on fishing crank baits in the shallows?

Thanks for the help on how to start jig fishing. I went out last night in the same spots I T-rig (so I knew fish were there). I had a ton of bites but Could not set the hook on any of them. One of the later responses to my first post said set it right away because the bass feel the weight in there mouth (I had not seen that prior to going out fishing) is this what I need to do, and does anybody have any other tips?

For color I would use what is natural to the area..... for instance where I fish we have a ton of baby bluegill... so I use a bait with a little flicker of blue in it. So just match the forage in your pond.

I would use R2S Elite Frogs they are hands down the best. You want the frog to have a lot of action so I always keep the rod tip down and the but of the rod almost under my arm pit... the I jerk it back (I know this is hard to explain but if it helps look up John Crews doing this that is where I learned this technique. I also wouldn't worry about not having any bass hit a top water frog.... this is irresistible to bass.

I have always been just a shoreline Texas Rig angler.... and although I am catching them pretty good I want to widen my skills. So have invested in some jigs but every time I use them I seem to get more weeds than Texas rigging and most importantly no fish.... so I have very little faith in them. I need just a general run down of how to jig fish. being the lake I fish in very shallow can I still fish the same spots I do with Texas rig because I know fish are there?

I use Gander Mountain Boxes but it sounds like you have quite a view. But This is what I am in the proses of doing, putting up a peg board found the hangers they use in stores and put them on the peg board. then when I go out I will grab the bag I will use and maybe put them into 5 Gander Boxes.

My best guess for you would be to use any of the ABU GARCIA rods. I fish tournaments and these rods provided me with all the power and flexibility I ever need for hard baits. I personally use the Abu Garcia Veritas Medium action rod when I throw crank baits. But I would suggest also giving the medium heavy a look too... and see which one will better fit your style. As for the rod that you said recently broke... I would use the Abu Garcia vendetta.... I have the 6' 9" medium light for when I use soft plastics and I think it is the best rod I have ever owned.

Well the biggest part of fishing for me I truly believe isn't the weather or the lake, or spot, it is all MENTAL. It seems like when I go out confident, I catch fish, and if I do not have confidence I second guess my self all day and barely catch anything. This may not seem like much but If you go back to what is your personal strong point and just fish that technique, I grantee you will be bringing 'em in. So don't worry about spots, weather, baits, etc..... Just go to your best technique that has proven itself before and go out knowing you will catch fish and watch what happens (I know it is hard to be confident when your in a slump) but the only way to get out of that slump is to catch fish, and you catch fish by being CONFIDENT!

The Bassmaster Elite Series is coming to La Crosse, in the Mississippi River Rumble. I one day hope to be at that level and I will be volunteering back stage this year. Does have any good questions to ask them to better my fishing skills?

Well it is hard to give an exact set-up not knowing depth and everything. But I would weightless a soft plastic craw (creature bait), or if there are a lot of lily pads maybe a frog?

Hey welcome to the sport, once your in your in! But if I was you I would start to throw a spinner bait and or a crank bait.

I have a bass tournament coming up on July 7th. The tournament is a FLW BFL Great Lakes Division and will be on the Mississippi (La Crosse, Wisconsin), I will be a co-angler. I plan on pre-fishing but are there any other tips anybody has so I may be better prepared.

I live on a small lake, but mostly fish texas rig on the shore. But this spring the weather has been very "out of the norm" meaning very cold. It is finaly now just warming up, so does anybody have any ideas on what to use? I know this is broad but I would really appreciate any help!

I think the use of braid when Texas- rigging is more than appropriate! If I am Texas-rigging in a heavy cover area I use Spider Wire 20lb Stealth-Camo. This blends right in with my cover and provides me with all the strength I need when rearing up on a bass. As for Carolina-rigging I do not know that is not my specialty, but Texas-rigging is so if I were you I would rig a rod with braid for Texas-rigging. You will be reaping the rewards! Trust me.

This sounds like a perfect chance to use a Texas-Rigged bait. I'd use a creature bait and if that does not work use a worm. Pitch it and flip it in there but make sure you use strong line, braid to be exact.

Hey I got a couple of questions and I would like to hear some people's input. I fish a very shallow lake and mostly Texas-Rig it but I would like to start to crank bait fishing. Does any body have any tips for fishing in shallow water exp:( Where to fish, structure and other cover). Then what is a good crank bait to use in these waters?