Big239Fish

If it keeps or culls, it's nice enough.

Mike pretty much nailed it. That's how our fish down here in SWFL like it most of the time

If I miss one on a spook, I'll pause it a few seconds, then twitch it once or twice really slow, then pause it again. Usually it'll bring another strike. If not, I throw a similar colored fluke out to it.

Are you using braid or fluoro? (Or mono)

Got hit freakishly close to the "sensitive area" with a 1.25oz tungsten about 3 months ago when I set the hook on what I thought was a huge bite... I now twist my body a bit when I set the hook and make darn sure it's a bite before I do.

I use 3 trailers when imitating craws. Rage chunk, Yum's craw papi, and a KVD sweet chunk. Which one I use depends on what I have the most of at the time haha. For swim jigs its either a double tail grub in the spring or a small swimbait in the summer/fall. Worked out pretty well so far. Especially the swimbait trailer. KVD 4" swimmin caffeine shad works like a charm in summer.

That thats what I would think...

Not often enough that I notice its a problem. I do lose one here and there, but mostly it slides right on up the line past the knot (if I dont have a twistlock hook) and stays up there until I have to re-rig. My main problem is remembering to stock up on twistlocks when walmart gets them...

That's what I do whenever I fish swim baits or flukes. Put a small casting weight dangling freely in the belly of the hook. Works wonders. Makes the bait fall dead flat on a semi slack line. Got the tip from him, tried I once, been doing it ever since.

I second the previous.

Per D&M's Facebook, they are in fact discontinued.... Great. I just picked up my first few from them and really liked them. Looks like its time to hit TW hard for them.

Jigs are my absolute go-to bait. I just have so much confidence in them and (feel like) I'm pretty well versed in them. The only type of jig I don't throw (not much at least) is a football. But that's mainly because I don't have many places that I would need a football jig over anything else. Punch jigs and heavy cover flipping setup is a 7'3 Heavy Falcon Rod (the Jason Christie series) with an Okuma Citrix 7.3:1 spooled with 65# Power pro. Swim jigs and lighter cover flipping setup is a 7' Medium Heavy Abu Garcia with an Abu Orra SX in 7.1:1 spooled with 15# Seaguar Abrasx Fluorocarbon. South Florida bass always seem to hit a jig. Swim jigs have a swim bait trailer 90% of the time! the other 10% is in the post spawn when I'll put a double tail grub on it to slow roll it. Flipping jigs are always trailed with either a Yum Craw Papi or Craw Chunk. Most of the time I try to match the trailer and jig colors, unless the water is muddy then I'll throw a black/blue jig with an electric blue trailer. I've honestly never used a trailer hook on a jig. I may have to try that.

Hey anyone been out to Lake Trafford recently? If so, how is it right now? Heard its been making a comeback and want to try it out, but don't want to waste a day.

Change up your bait every so often. The weight sounds good, 1 1/2 oz is pretty much a go to size for matted messes. I like the Zoom speed craws (I think Zoom makes them.....) and the U Vibe Craws. Both work really well for me in punching situations. Also, I can't remember who makes these or what they're called, but they work really well also.

Upgrade your hooks. Even with a MH rod that floro ought to be stretching enough to get you that rubber band effect that you should have with fishin cranks. Sounds to me like you may just need something that penetrates the mouth better.

I'm probably alone or in a very small minority, but I use a 4.7:1 for my lipless cranks. Granted I'm young and can crank it real quick and do most of the time, but that forces my impatient self to slow it down when I need to. It works for me, and thats what's really important. Whatever works for you.

The only bait I would add (it may have been mentioned and I didnt see it) would be a yamamoto swim senko in black/blue for the muddy water. I texas rig it with an 1/8 or 3/16 oz weight and do pretty well, and that tail gives off some good noise to 'em. And if you happen to find some clear water, just pinch the swim tail off and fish it like a normal senko. Pretty nice baits IMO.

Idk how fast the current is there (been to Buffalo a million times, never fished while there) but growin up fishing the James river for Smallies, I used 5/16 and 3/8 oz weights around rapids and let the current carry it a bit but it got down there pretty good.

"When in doubt, set. The hook" - Bill Dance Usually when something in my brain or gut says to me "Jay you should think about setting the hook here soon..." I typically just say OK and yank.

I'm "better" at catching fish when I'm with someone who enjoys it like I do and really gets into finding the pattern vs. casting and praying for bites. Since there aren't too many people in Naples like that, and my dad doesn't fish, I'm mostly a loner. It is what it is.

Right before the daily rains I've been doin well on SLOWLY worked poppers, and then right after the frog bite picks up pretty good. That's here in naples, idk about everywhere else

West wall is always a solid place to find some numbers. Size mixes in for most of the year. Up north of Roland Martin's and east of Monkey Box there's a pretty good size patch of eelgrass that holds hawgs this time of year. Cast and swim a jig and drop it when it reaches a bald spot. Boom!

ViolinGuy pretty much covered it all. Can't stress the point about not stepping foot on the dock enough. Use the banks next to it and cast at it. My advice is a little different than his, but the same in a lot of aspects. Try soft plastics, spinner baits and some top waters first (warning- top water is the gateway to the obsession. You have been warned). Those three will cover all depths and situations for now. Learn and become proficient with those and then go from there. Try different presentations with each. Read these forums and the articles on the site (they are priceless when it comes to learning about the sport) and talk to other guys. But most of all, there are as many baits, presentations, and "secrets" to catch a bass as there are trees in the forest. Learn from the articles and in talking to other fishermen, and then fine tune with what you learn in your experience. Welcome to the obsession. Hope you slam 'em!