RipzLipz

@Derek1 We’ll see if any bass like it. Probably going to T-rig it with an Owner Oversized Worm Hook. Will probably have to trim a couple segments off the tail for a jig trailer.

I fish a few waters where panfish are the predominant baitfish for bass. I prefer a big Colorado blade retrieved slow & steady. Single or double usually produce but the Booyah Blade spinnerbaits have been what gets bit for me. Budget is relative as if you buy cheap, the components are also of lesser quality. I’m delving into a different brand this year in Greenfish Tackle High Class Blade double Colorados & Cumberland Tackle spinners for night fishing - huge single bladed Colorados. We’ll see if they get any big bites or not.

TW sale damages again. Ledgerock 6" D-Craw:

Nice pig @Pat Brown

Late delivery. Sweet Fish on left & Silver Powdered Shad/Baitfish on right. Last photo above, Flashing Wagasaki on top, Dark Thunder Clear Bait on bottom. Flashing Wagasaki has a stronger pink to it than closeup shows. Sweet Fish on top, Powdered Shad/Baitfish on bottom. Sweet Fish looks more natural & closer to what I’d expect locally. The Powdered Baitfish is flashier. Powdered Ayu looked to be a good one as well but unavailable at the moment. The Ayu was similar to Powdered Baitfish but a bit darker with greens (to me) & a visible yellow dot just behind gill plate area.

More stuff my "financial advisor" said I needed. Those Keitech Clear Lake Hitch colors look good.

Baitwrx has 1000yd spools of 12, 15, & 17lb Tatsu fluorocarbon line for $150. 20lb is $180. That’s quite a deal, especially for the 15lb & higher. https://bait-wrx.com/collections/bargain-cove/products/copy-of-seaguar-tatsu-fluorocarbon-line-1000yd-spools?variant=42963525435617

@Blue Raider Bob Sorry to hear about your bad trip. Sounds like one of many out of state trips I’ve had in recent years. Still waiting on hearing back from injector rebuilder as to what’s going on with our 2008 Optimax.

@Otter17 You could also consider a weighted hook underspin, like an Owner Flashy Swimmer or equivalent. If the factory weight is not heavy enough, tungsten putty or lead wire can be added quite easily & diameter of swimbait is typically not an issue & rig is weedless. You could also T-rig a swimbait & peg the weight at the nose for same effect as a jig head minus the exposed hook, simple & tackle serves more purposes than a jig head might. For my SB jig heads, I like Picasso Smart Mouth (without underspin) with light enough weight options for A-rigs & a bevy of hook sizes without going too small plus your choice of Mustad or Gamakatsu hooks. A bit on the pricier side. Picasso also sells a separate underspin harness to slide onto most jig heads keeper area with hooks over 3/0: https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Picasso_Single_Barrel_Underspin_Harness_Modified_2pk/descpage-PSBUSHM.html Use the non-modified version for hooks smaller than 2/0.

@Drawdown Answers are all over the place & typically are - nothing wrong with that. Some anglers like matching painted heads, some don’t care & use unpainted. I don’t believe it matters about the paint but what does matter is the hook & I feel you get what you pay for in that regard. Owner is my preferred hook of choice but Mustad, Gamakatsu, VMC, Eagle Claw/Trokar, just to name a few, are other well known/used brands that will probably work just as well as any. There are quite a few Japanese brands of which I’ve never used that might also be worthy contenders. Whichever brand you choose, get one with a good bait keeper so your bait doesn’t slide down the hook & I feel it’s reassuring to know the brand of hook being used in any jig not made by a known hook manufacturer. I don’t skimp on line or hooks. Just how I choose to roll, as I don’t wish for that potential PB to come off due to a dull or cheap hook that might bend out or break. With all that said, have your pick of the litter: https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/catpage-SWBJGHD.html

@Creek Pirate Nice smallie bud! @ol'crickety Every day is getting closer to piggie time! 🐷🐽🐷🐽🐷🐽

In addition to the above, knowing what it feels like to drag through certain substrates (bottom composition) might add a piece to the puzzle in determining what is holding fish that outing. For example, if you know the difference between what a gravel bottom versus a soft or mud bottom feels like, this can assist in eliminating potentially unproductive areas more quickly. Bass can hold in certain areas that transition from one substrate into another. Being able to feel the change in composition might locate & put fish in the boat. Shell beds are popular areas to try & fish because in some bodies of water, they can hold boatloads of bass. Some anglers can tell the difference between gravel & shell beds just by dragging their jigs/weights through them. I am of the opinion that part of fishing is an angler trying to paint a more complete picture of what’s going on around them, especially below the surface of the water. The more complete the picture, the higher chance of success an angler might be able to achieve. Stack as many of the odds in your favor & positive things are bound to happen.

@Choporoz That bug sure gets bit. My favorite jig trailer. Claws need to be beefed up a bit where they join the body though. I have too many bluegill/redear bite them off. You think it hit you hard - we got 4-5 inches of snow in ~6-7hrs. Will be gone by Monday or Tuesday though. ~25°F today, ~40° tomorrow & ~50° Monday. Should be fishing Tuesday or Wednesday here. 😂

@fin Thanks for the info. Their website no longer exists & last post on Facebook was 2 years ago. I’m guessing like many small lure makers, they’ve gone out of business once the COVID surge ended. ETA: Ordered some of the 5" & 6" D-craws to try out. A lake I fish gets a lot of jig bites. Will see if some of the larger bass go for an oversized offering. I guess Ledgerock used to make a 7.5" version of the D-craw.

@thediscochef Get on some of this to help prevent it from turning into something worse if you haven’t already. I get ear & sinus infections if the sun rises or sets & this stuff helps keep it at bay or recover much faster more often than not.