hawgenvy

I have an MB I've been using for two years on a MH rod and it is used at least weekly. I do no maintenance at all. Works fine, no problems yet, casts well, comfortable to hold, feels pretty solid. No backlashes. When I fish with it I don't think about it. Holding up same as new. Seems to be a good value.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Irma the bass in southeast Florida have been biting better than expected for this time of year. Went out bank fishing tonight on a local golf course with Sandra, the only woman I know who's into bass fishing and knows how to do it. I nailed this 6 or 7 pounder (estimated, digital scale batteries were dead). Her fish probably was around 4 1/2. We had a great time hunting the green monsters. Most everything is back to normal around here, besides the uprooted trees all over the place.

My wife says fishing is boring until you catch a fish. Then it's disgusting.

The drive home from work today was eerily quiet. Traffic was strangely light, and for a change the drivers were not speeding or zig-zagging. People must have been trying to conserve gas ahead of Hurricane Irma. Later, at a gathering at our neighbor's house all were nervous, checking the forecast every few minutes: Irma inching ever closer. Most of the neighbors drinking more than usual. Later my wife started moving stuff around our shuttered up house, just to stay busy. I guess I was on edge, too. So, naturally, I grabbed a good rod and some Rage Tail Menace Grubs and headed out to a pond. Only one fish tonight, a feisty 4.2 that smashed the bait the instant it entered the water. As if she saw it coming. That fish will give me something to think about tomorrow and the next day, as the monster approaches.

Went out tonight bank fishing a local pond from 7 to 8 pm and caught this 6+ on my last cast, as the sky became dark. I was tossing a Menace grub, and at first I was hopping it back slowly. I caught a bunch of dinks that way, kind of finessing the bait, because in the summer here fish are often shy. But on my final cast, just for the hell of it, I burned it back really fast -- and this pig slammed it hard!

Did you weigh that pig?

You'll want to match the original size in most cases. I'm admittedly not much of an expert on treble hooks as I mainly fish soft plastics here in Florida. I do use Megabass Vision 110s and their original hooks are flimsy but so sticky sharp that I try not to switch them out until bent or dull. Then I put on size 6 "Gamakatsu Triple EWG Short Shank Magic Eye" hooks which have worked well and have maintained the proper fore-aft balance and suspending ability in those jerkbaits. Those factors are especially important in jerkbaits. For lipless cranks I usually upgrade and sometimes upsize. Consider size 4 "Mustad KVD Elite Triple Grip Treble 1x Strong." That's what I've been putting on the LiveTarget lipless cranks I use most often. Dont know whether you should change out the Red-eye Shad hooks before they get bent or dull, but these Mustads should work. Don't know about the WP, but I have been thinking about changing the hooks on the three I own. Hopefully you'll get some more knowledgeable replies, so I'll stay tuned as well.

I've been thinking about you Catt. Hoping the wise man of Toledo Bend is high and dry!

Okay, I know this isn't a bass that 3 year old Colin caught, but since it's his first fish I thought I'd throw these photos in. This is from last week at Colin's great grandma's stocked farm pond in NH. My son in law is teaching his nephew Colin how to fish.

Usually the swim guard of a standard bass jig does the job fairly well, especially in jig designs where the weed guard extends close to the hook point. Those jigs that have an Arky, or pointy, head will slip through vegetation better than round or football head designs. Another option is the Strike King Swinging Swim Jig and others of similar construction that don't have a weed guard. The Swinging jig has instead an attached free swinging wide gap hook upon which the trailer can be Texas rigged in a weedless manner.

LMB certainly may shoal, that is they often stay together in groups of similar sized individuals, but I don't believe they literally school, which involves coordinated swimming in the same direction. Check out the Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoaling_and_schooling

If you want something light weight and truly salt water safe, check out the specs on the new Lew's Custom Inshore reel. Only 6.6 oz and 7.5:1. Aluminum frame. Drag up to 20 lbs, which is practically unheard of in a low profile reel. Sounds ideal for your needs, unless you don't like the white and blue look. Only $199, but not avail till Sept 28 on TW. I wouldn't mind trying out that reel by pulling a huge snook out of wood pilings on #65 braid!

Caught my first smallie ever, today! My wife and I are visiting friends in Cape Cod. Caught this guy by wading out in a bathing suit into Lake Seymour behind my friend Ron's house. Gorgeous summer afternoon. I tossed a chartreuse spinnerbait towards something busting bait in the shallows, and voila! Fun! Then we went clamming in the bay at sunset and harvested a pail full of quahogs in 20 minutes. Tomorrow we eat clams and lobstas. I like it up here!

The best technique is versatility. But, if I had to choose: Summer: wacky senko, fluke, T-rigged Rage Menace Fall: jerkbait, trap, swim jig, wacky senko Winter: swimbait, jigs, swim jig, chatterbait, spinnerbait, frogs, senko, Burner worm Spring: swimbait, frogs, jig, large worms, senko (I think I may have trouble with decisions)

The more people fish a body of water the harder it is to catch fish there. It's called fishing pressure. Heavily fished lakes may have tons of fish, but they can be very hard to catch. It is a simple fact that bass learn. It is proven that even microscopic creatures can learn. I can tell you that I have just about single handedly pressured some ponds. For this reason I try to rotate the small bodies of water I fish and the lures that I use.

I live and fish in South Florida but will be visiting southern NH for a couple of days in mid August. I was invited to fish for trout in a small private pond that is stocked with rainbows. Is it likely there are bass in there as well, and might it be worthwhile targeting them? I am thinking any bass in there might be very fat if they are feeding on the plentiful trout.

Sometimes there is only so much you can do. Once you've tried all the areas and all the likely lures, it may be time to try a different pond. Remember also that every time you set the hook you are educating a fish what not to eat, and by frequenting a small pond you will eventually teach the whole class.

Florida is too hot. I don't even want to go outside until October. I'm seriously considering Antarctica. Okay, maybe California -- on the coast for the mild weather, but not too far from a beautiful lake with giant bass.

I always use at least a small weight because in my own head I believe that with a weight the tail wiggles better when the grub drops, such as after you first cast it or when you yo-yo the bait. Otherwise you have to retrieve it to get the swimming motion from the rage tail flanges. Also, I tend to get bites soon after the bait hits the water, as it drops head first for the bottom. Anyway, my preferred retrieve is swimming it along the bottom, and the weight keeps it down there. I always separate the little tail connector to maximize swimming action. I haven't even tried the Menace Grub weightless, but maybe I will.

Bamboo cane pole. Ten feet for ten bucks.

If I had just one bait to pick for Florida summer pond fishing it would be a Strike King Twin Tail Rage Menace in Candy Craw, T-rigged on a 4-0 EWG with a pegged 1/4 oz weight. It's been ridiculous all summer.

A T-rigged Strike King Rage Twin Tail Menace Grub came through for me again today. The fish were aggressive this evening, after today's cooling, aerating downpour.

Exactly

The other day in the evening, when the water was muddy after a rain, the only way I could catch a bass (LM) was on a wacky senko cast out and retrieved noisily along the surface for a few feet to get their attention. Then I let it sink, and that's when they nailed it. Caught 6 fish that way in 6 casts. Um, maybe it was five. Anyway, simply casting out and letting it sink didn't work at all that day.

For floating hydrilla mats or lily pads, I'll use a jig or something like that pictured in the post above with the Menace grub. But that wont get through hyacinth or pennywort.