everythingthatswims

I caught this wild brook trout that had to go at least 20 miles downriver during massive flood. It ate a 4" texas rigged senko. Same week I caught a stocked trout in that river, he only had to travel 10 miles downriver though. The river reaches 80 degrees during summer.

I whoop them with it. All three sizes have their time and place. Very versatile bait and cheap too!

Rapala DT series in "Old School" color will cover it all!

I did that once bluegill fishing

I use a 9" glide bait to find schools of river walleye

I bet all species will hit a live shiner drifted with a couple split shot...No shame with live bait in the winter!

I went into Dick's to buy ONE jerkbait..... Then I saw a 6'8" Mojobass spinning rod on sale for $69.97........

Largemouth were doing strange things today. I caught a bunch sight fishing, which shouldn't happen this time of year. You may have set some sort of topwater record though!

It does get frustrating in High School tournaments when a really good boat captain that can flat out fish puts the kids with him on fish that those kids couldn't even come close to finding by themselves, but it's part of the game so we gotta live with it. Virginia B.A.S.S. state qualifying events and state championship are all about the skill of the kids, boat captains can't pick where to go or what to throw, I really like that format. Putting fish in the boat is a lot better than what I bet many kids did in the event you fished. Keep after it and you'll have one of those magical days!

I think fish definitely can get turned off by seeing their buddy get yanked away from them. I've watched it happen in clear water.

The most fun for me is finding a really solid pattern, catching fish where fish "aren't supposed to be" according to the locals, and catching bass in really tough conditions. Most challenging is keeping my head screwed on straight in a tournament.

I can't bring myself to change hooks on a bait I know I'm gonna lose quickly. Anyone who fishes from the bank with crankbaits can relate. Lots of rocks and trees where I fish, and when they want a shad rap I'm showing them a shad rap even when it gets expensive . I lost two shad raps in that outing.

Jig. Jig it as much as you can while keeping it at the right depth letting it drift in the current. I usually do 6-12" hops while following it with my rod and watching for the line to jump or stop on the fall. Ideally you want the fish to be directly in front of you or slightly downstream of you when making this presentation.

Get a rebel floater in the small size, has the same tight wobble as a shad rap and runs super shallow. If it's that shallow the smallies have probably headed to a wintering hole, if you find them you find them all.

Shad rap!!!

Don't worry I touch them up with a file so they are sticky, I do need some new ones though.

I have 3 that cover most situations for me....5" Roboworm with a very light weight on light line for when it's tough, a trick worm 75% of the time, and when I'm hunting a big girl I'll throw a magnum 'ol monster.

There's a lake I fish that has a decent population of really big bass. Last winter the goal I set was to catch one of those big ones this year. I fished a lot out there from March through November. I hooked two this summer that had to be over 7lbs, one on a buzzbait that spit the hook, and another on a spook that ran me around a tree and broke 15lb line, then proceeded to jump until she threw the bait. It's not like they aren't in there, I usually see one every time I go. I just want to catch one of the darn things.

Baby d-bomb is still catching here in VA. I had to go to a 1/16oz texas rig though, the fish are so slow that 1/8th was not doing it. They don't really fight in these temperatures

It doesn't skip as easily but it definitely skips. doesn't get hung on docks or brush either!

The difference in size and activity on this thread vs "latest catch pics thread" is very interesting to me

I like the strike king football heads. I don't know why anyone wouldn't want to use a football head, they stand up way better and dont get hung up as bad. I also hate screw loc shakey heads, even if I'm going to tear up more baits I wanna get anything between the fish's mouth and my hook out of the way!

I have pretty much switched to a 1/16oz weedless wacky head and a trick worm. Way cheaper, and shows them something a little different. Plenty of nice fish caught on that rig for me.

If I want to catch a variety of species, I will use live shiners, and if I can keep them alive, shad and herring. I don't use live bait to go and target bass. I have been thinking about trying some 6-8" gizzard shad at a place I fish with lots of smart largemouth that feed on bait that size, mainly because I want to watch them chase it down. In my opinion if you can keep a shad/herring alive long enough to use it for bait, you have the right to do so!