BuffaloBass716

You guys are going to make me trying all of them! haha

Thanks for the help guys! I'm sure I can get the job done with the rod I have. I do want to get a baitcaster at some point but right now I just don't have the money.

Well I don't have much, right now I have 2 3600 series plano boxes, one for terminal tackle, one for hard baits. Next I have a plano elite series worm bag that fits 20+ soft plastic bags, then a index card box with a few bottles of JJ's magic. I put my hand towel around that to keep it safe while transporting. In the small front pocket I have extra spools of line, forceps, pliers, snacks, and any other small necessities. Ohh, and I forgot to mention that I use the water bottle holders on the sides to carry my rods. I have 2-piece rods because I use my bike to travel and fish. I just tie them up tight and use a rubber band around the tip to hold them steady. This keeps my hands free while bike riding and it's incredibly easy to have all your fishing gear on your back and have the ability to walk through tall grass and brush and going up and down steep inclines. My system could be better but as of right now, I still have what I need to go out and catch some fish when I can.

Haha Id rather be able to cast further because on stuck on the bank and covering the most water I can would definitely be fine with me. I've never tried top water in the river I fish, but early in the morning before the sun gets too high and the boat traffic get unbearable is when I want to try it.

I was thinking some thing along the lines of a walking bait like the super spook jr or puppy. Would the 1/4oz zara puppy cast a good distance with 10# PP?

What types of top water baits would I be able to get away with with a MF spinning rod? I want to use some sort or top water over submerged grass near the shore for LMB and possible further out in open water for Smallies. Any suggestions?

What color produces the best for you guys for clear water smallies? For me lately, a 4.5" Sexy shad color roboworm is the only worm I can get bit on. In the past I've have a few on Green pumpkin neon but with all the colors available on TW, I'm not sure which other colors I should try.

Anyone going tomorrow (8/7/14) for the opening? It's suppose to be very busy so expect heavy traffic. I imagine there must be some good deals the opening week. Oh, and I think I read somewhere that Joe Teti (Cast member from Dual Survival on Discovery Channel) will be there this weekend. I need to make it out there eventually to go check it out.

I actually have a 7' MF Abu Vengeance (the two piece version) with a 6930 Pflueger President with 10# braid and I've caught both my largemouth and Smallmouth personal best's using it. Both in the 4-5 lbs range. It's the only set up I can currently afford but I've never have a problem with a fish being to big...

That looks like an awesome spot!

Would you guys use a square bill in water over 10ft with some current? I fish a river and its pretty weedy now that its summer. I don't own many hard baits at all but when would you opt for a round bill over a square bill?

I haven't been out lately at all, but when I do, I can usually only grind out one maybe two smallmouth on the Niagara River. The only way I can get a bite is to heave a 3/8 or 1/2 oz dropshot as far as I can get it, to get as deep as I can. It also doesn't help that in the summer everyday on the Upper river is a zoo after like 10am. So far, May has been my favorite month for smallmouth because the smallmouth are shallow for bank beaters to catch and its still cold enough to keep most recreational boaters away.

I wish I had some structure like that to catch consistent smallmouth in the summer from the bank. Ever since mid June, after the pre spawn, smallie fishing hasn't been for me.

I've heard of using a jig as the weight on a dropshot set up but have any of you guys uses to hooks on the main line at different lengths from the weight to cover more of the water column?

Bring some kitty treats next time. Problem solved!

I just started fishing I dropshot earlier this year using both a dropshot hook and a regular EWG worm hook. I actually prefer using a worm hook for a few reasons... I can set the hook the same way without having to worry about losing a fish or anything like that. Its weedless, I have a ton of weeds and grass that starts to really grow in late summer. Finally, the last reason is I get I reuse the plastic plenty more times then what I noticed with nose hooking with a dropshot hook. The worm gets ripped off a lot more. Of course you may loose some action while using a off set worm hook but to the fish around here don't seem to mind. I started using it in a pretty deep part of the river I fish and it also has a decent amount of current so I go with a fairly heavy weight. As soon as it hit the bottom it immediately start to drift and I can feel it ticking off rocks and I occasionally twitch the rod as it drifts, then when it hits some slowly water I seems like a get most hits during that time (I use it for Smallmouth though) I'm not sure if this technique is the proper way of using the dropshot rig but it catches fish for me!

Murky Water : Dark colors, Black, blue, junebug Stained Water: Green pumpkin, Browns, chartreuse colors Clear Water: Green pumpkin (again), Watermelons, smoke The waters around me are very clear most days so almost all my colors are variants of green pumpkins and watermelon colors with different fleck. I still find myself looking at all the colors they have for different plastics on TW and I say to myself "I should try those colors next time..." haha, just try a few for each water condition and slowly try more if you want.

I do the same thing with a regular backpack. I have some Plano boxes and a small soft plastic bag inside, then I use the water bottle holders on the sides for my rods. I tie them to the middle near the handle at the top and I can ride anywhere! It's a really good set up for us younger fisherman without cars yet.

Here's what you do if you want to catch bass... Step one, head to a Gander Mountain or Bass Pro and pick up some 3/0 off set worm hooks and then browse the wall of overwhelming soft plastics and locate some Zoom trick worms and YUM dingers, both in Watermelon and Green pumpkin if the water you fish is relatively clear. If it's darker, get some in black or junebug color. Step two, head to the water and tie on your new hooks with your new plastics and get ready to set the hook. But seriously, this will catch fish anywhere. There is an endless amount of baits to use and techniques to try, way to many for me to list so step three would be read everything on Bassresourse and watch there videos too. Keep learning and gain knowledge about the bass themselves. Oh, and welcome to the forums! I'm positive more people will help out too! Your journey has just begun...

Thanks guys, I am definitely going to give them a call to let them know. Hopefully if people see a game warden at the spot every so often, it'll make that area a little better with time.

The fishing section in my local Walmart is a joke. It consists of a few outrageously colored soft plastics scattered on the floor with cheaply made terminal tackle and overpriced hard baits. Sometimes you get lucky and find a box of sale items that you have to dig up from the bottom to find the good stuff. haha

I fish a spot where there is always other people there, and occasionally its just ridiculous. Out of the years I've been fishing there, not once have I been stopped and asked for my fishing license. My theory is that since there is never anybody checking for fishing licensing or making sure people aren't keeping bass that don't measure to the standards of NYS, everybody just congregates to this area because they can get away with it. Anyway... Do you guys think that if I called my local DEC number and ask for a officer to check people occasionally, they would take my advice? I can guarantee that people fish there illegally, and trash the place as well. In my eyes, there should be an officer there at least once a day in the evening, and can honestly probably catch and fine a hand full of people. If they have their paper work in order, great, if they don't, they should be fined the $250 and have their fishing tackle taken away. Plain and simple.

7' Abu Garcia Vengeance MF 10# Power Pro with a 10# Red Label leader, about 6-7 feet Pflueger President 6930 I like to use the megastrike mega tube on a megastrike ShakE2 jig head. This allowed you to feel the bottom perfectly because the shakey head weight is on the outside of the tube and it also keeps the hook weedless. I've only used the 1/4oz size and worked well. You could go lighter or heavier depending on current and depth. I used this set up to catch my personal best smallmouth earlier this year, drifting the tube over rocks and boulders, occasionally hoping/twitching.

Hopefully during the summer I will be able to figure out a certain bait they will hit better now that I have a bit more experience on bass behavior. I know the all bass wont be doing the same thing during the seasonal periods so finding the ones that are within my reach and picking the right way to catch them will be the key! haha