Ozark_Basser

Welcome to the forum!

I just ordered some 20# p line cxx for leader material for swimbaits. Used to throw them on 20-25 # big game.

The truth is you're probably gonna find fish up shallow and deep no matter what the water level is. If your strength is fishing shallow water, I wouldn't just go offshore fishing just because the water level dropped and vice versa. I would try something I had confidence in and take note of my success while paying attention to the water level, water temp, etc.

A few stories popped in my head, but I'm afraid they wouldn't be BR appropriate.

I don't think you need to go higher than 15-17# for casting jigs around cover. I use 16# sniper or sunline fc leader around some pretty gnarly stuff. For flipping I think you're spot on with the 25# though. You could probably get away with 20#, but if your water isn't all that clear, I'd stick with the 25#.

I always throw them on a keel weighted twist lock hook because I like to throw them into cover. 1/8 oz weighted hooks + bait throw well on a medium. 3/16 oz throw well on a medium heavy which is what I usually throw them on.

Spooks and poppers. You can buy one of each and usually hang on to them for a long time.

I feel smallmouth are more predictable and easier to pattern. They also seem more aggressive and will go out of their way more to bite a lure than largemouth. This goes for clear water smallmouth. Dirty water smallies are a different story.

Good job! I just ordered the exact same rat the other day. I can't wait to fish it, especially at night.

Nice!

Hula grubs, reapers, stick baits, beavers

A keel weighted hook will keep it from rolling, but you're better off doing a twitch twitch pause sort of retrieve like Ajay suggested.

For catfish, it's nice to have a reel with a clicker also.

The first lure to hit the water depends on cover, depth, water clarity, etc. I love fishing deep diving crankbaits, but I'm not going to toss them in some lilly pads lol. If I could fish a frog everywhere I fish, I would.

This is your problem.

I like to think of it as more of a team effort.

The only things I don't use with braid or braid with a leader are crankbaits, spooks, and big heavy football jigs fished deep.

If you don't mind me asking, how do you do your epoxy ramps? Very clean work.

Nice job. Did you catch those offshore?

I would throw something not too many people have probably thrown at it. A glide bait or any other big swimbait. Or a reaper on a dropshot or maybe some new plastic that just came out.

Me and my five year old nephew, Hunter, went out for a couple hours today. Wind blew from the East all day, and they were biting better today than they have been all week. Fish were caught on beetle spins, spinnerbaits, senkos, and the biggest one at 4.5 pounds was caught on a t rigged Jackall iShad in blue pearl shad. We caught more, but here are the ones we took pictures of.

People have been fishing a rig like this on my home waters for a long time. Most of them just tear the legs off a twin tail grub though and throw it on a 1/16 oz ball head.

I have seen posts where a zman rep personally said to just leave them in the bag and not on a hook or in a tackle box. They could melt otherwise.

I think the thing with zmans baits is you're supposed to just leave them in the,bag until you want to use them. I don't think they will rust your hook, but they could react with the hook, jighead , or paint on the jigheads which could cause melting.