FryDog62

I’ve considered moving there due to family in that area. Have watched quite a few YouTube videos on the lakes near Denver. Bass are more 1-2 lbs with the occasional bigger fish. The Bassmasters league winning bag is typically 8-10 lbs. So bass are overall not what you’d find elsewhere but they are there. Obviously there are trout in the streams and reservoirs. But some of the best fishing is for walleye (and some very big ones) as well as some quality wipers.

Great ideas ?

Interesting article on a big fish caught in a state not known for big bass... kind of like Minnesota. Was caught on a mop jig which is one of my favorite lures when hunting for size. Wonder if there is a double digit bass that will be caught here someday, and if not on live bait, if it will be on something like the big mop?? Angler Catches Giant Bass in Unlikely State This is something we certainly didn't expect to see, to be quite honest. Angler John Huckstep caught a 13.2-pound bass in Virginia last week! We've never really heard much about big bass coming from Virginia, but apparently some monster bass live there. Huckstep is known for his big bass prowess and is a respected angler throughout the state. He was kind enough to share some of the details of his incredible catch with us. Huckstep fooled the 13-pounder with a black/blue-colored Buckeye Lures Mop Jigwith a Zoom Swimmin' Chunk in sapphire blue.

I experiment and have had success fishing lures of every color except Green Pumpkin...

Any opinion on the Levante jerkbait rod? I know it was recalled, but once they have the blank fixed....

Well the spoiler alert is I didn’t have a very good day on the water, although I did pick the right pattern. Had the topwater bite been anything like we expected it could have been a highly productive day. Steve definitely is quite a talented and persistent angler and not just a pitch man for product...

I have both Helium and Dobyns Champ rods... both very good. Helium tends to be lighter and more sensitive and I prefer for bottom contact. They tend to be more XF where Dobyns are typically Fast. I prefer Dobyns action for flipping... all personal preference of course..

Cool story, it’s amazing sometimes what great sight-feeders smallmouth are. My PB was caught when I cast too close to shore and wrapped around a branch. Wacky worm dangling above, the fish came out of the water twice to get it. Quite an attitude they have too!

In fairness I think 3 of those fish were Steve’s. I lost a pretty good one too, but he beat me pretty good. The show aired last January and is probably in re-run cyberspace somewhere

One of the better river stringers I’ve had, caught by my friend Steve and I... again, near the headwaters of the Miss where the water gets skinny..

Only one way to fish it in my opinion or you lose the unique action of the bubble tail: •5 inch Caffeine Shad •Owner 3/32 oz Twistlock Light hook which allows it to stay horizontal •Cast, let it sink, swim, dying action. It will slow, tail will flutter slightly, change directions and swim again. •If no strike, give it 2-3 twitches and let it swim/flutter/die again. •If you can skip it under docks or along weed lines it is extremely effective with this technique. Can also fish it faster and cover water like a traditional Jerkbait. Twitch 2-3 times, pause... rinse/repeat. It is fairly weedless vs. the treble hooks on a jerkbait.

I took my 80 year old dad to Camp Manitou in NW Ontario in June a few years back. We had a couple 100 fish days. All were smallmouth between 14-16 inches. Not much bigger than that except some lake trout and the occasional muskellunge.

-NRX 852 MXF/Steez SV TW for Wacky/Ned -Tatula Elite 7-0 M-MH/Tat SV TW for Caffeine Shad - Phenix Feather MH XF 7-1/Daiwa Alpha SV for Neko/tubes -Zolo Toadface 7-2 MH-H/Tat SV TW for Chatterbaits/Frogs -Dobyns 746 Champ/ Lew’s Super Duty for Flippin

I would lean Daiwa Fuego reel, the Lew’s I’ve had at that price range tend to wear/squeal within a couple years. I think any of those rods could work, although I would not opt for the St. Croix. MH and H in the SC lineup are thicker, tip-heavy rods.

Throwing a light plastic, or skipping a weightless Senko is kind of the ultimate test for a finesse type of baitcasting reel. After using several brands - Shimano, Lew’s, Abu, etc. the only one that I can consistently use for the really light stuff are the Daiwa SV spool reels. (And specifically, not the Tatula or even Zillion for 3/16 oz or less) The reels that work best for the ultra light stuff for me are the Steez SV TW or the Alpha SV. And even these if you are casting into the wind or skipping a weightless lure, will take practice and adjustments. But it can be done and once dialed in is effective and enjoyable. 3rd and 4th place reels for light plastics (although I wouldn’t skip with them) would be Curado 70 and Daiwa 100 (on sale now at Am Legacy from $159 now $89). I also find it helpful to go down as low as 20 lb braid to cast the light stuff on the Steez and Alpha. Have found it helps in casting distance and have not found it to bury into the spool at that diameter very often. 15 pound might be pushing it though...

Wow, that’s quite a journey... sounds like you’re back but being careful which is good. Funny thing, because I was over-compensating for my surgically repaired right wrist, and the tendinitis in my right elbow... I started over-using my left (less dominant) arm for everything (casting, lawn work, snow shoveling, etc.) and Was JUST at the orthopedic clinic yesterday for shoulder area pain. Diagnosed with a strained bicep tendon. Did my first round of PT last night. Hopefully it fixes it, but if not I may ask you for a referral of a doc to perform that Topaz procedure

I also wonder if there is a significant difference between what a largemouth vs. smallmouth sees since smallies tend to be much more of a sight-feeder..

I do think the “gray zone” has some variations that can make a difference in terms of noticeable contrast - on the light gray/white end of the spectrum - and on the dark gray/black end. My best plastic color for smallmouth is white, my best jig color for largemouth is black.

In general, I find the 1/4 and 3/8 too light for most applications. They tend to “float up” on retrieve. I use 1/2 occasionally, 3/4 most of the time and occasionally the 1 oz. 3/4 oz is standard for me and I find even 13-14 inch fish absolutely choke it due to its compact size. IMO, the heavier sizes stay in the strike zone much better. That said, my usual set up is a Megabass Braillist 7’5” MH, Fast action, 30 lb braid, on a Tatula SV. The Braillist is great when retrieving with bottom contact (lake flats, river channels for smb) and you can cast it a mile. It also has the backbone when fishing in/around weeds - which I do a lot for both largemouth and walleye. I use the Tatula SV because the DS actually skips well, under docks and overhangs, which I don’t do a lot with a 7’5” rod but it works when your going down a bank and the right piece of cover presents itself. I use mostly braid but for clear water smallies I tie on a 10 lb YZH leader for invisibility. I did experiment some last year with the 1/2 and 3/4 oz DS on a Kistler H3 7’1” MH, XF, with Sufix Advance mono 8 lb and it worked well too.

Yes, and why not jig-heads too? When you’re out in the wind/waves digging thru tackle trays looking for just the right jig - sometimes a 1/2 oz tungsten jig head can look the same size as a 3/8 oz lead. I’ll admit to going home that night and putting jigs on a postage scale and marking them with a Sharpie for next time, but it eventually rubs off...

C’mon Man, when you make a spinnerbait make one more turn of the wire and close off the r-bend into an enclosed loop!!

1) Senko 2) The bubble tail Caffeine Shad 3) Chatterbait

Big fan of All-Terrain Grassmaster Jigs - I hope the new ownership doesn’t mess with the best “weed” jig on the market ( I have dozens of 1/2 & 3/4 oz GM jigs)

I’ve had: • Bi-lateral carpal tunnel surgery 1983 •Bi-lateral Pisiform (bone) removal 2015/16 (both wrists) •Right wrist Scaphoid Lunate ligament removed/snipped/debrided/ nerves removed/etc. •Left thumb trigger finger snippage Would you use the Theraband Flexbar to relieve your right elbow tendinitis, risk further carpal tunnel damage, or just give up fishing and take up Checkers instead ?!?

I agree on spinning for ice fishing, but I do use the Daiwa 100 I mentioned above for vertical drop-shotting in open water so it is a potential for ice jigging..