Ozark_Basser

Those actually look pretty good. I think I'll have to try some of those.

I'm just trying to figure out how you would get a 5 lb + bass out of that with a medium powered rod.

I know it looks pretty ugly. That's because it is, but this thing has caught me more big smallmouth than any other bait. It's a Rebel F30s in gold/black. Big smallmouth to me where I live is 3 lbs +. I change out the saltwater hooks for some size two gammies and take off the split ring at the line tie. It floats and doesn't suspend, but I feel that's what gets it bit more than anything. Unlike newer floating jerkbaits, it floats up fast. So fast that with a standard jerk pause jerk jerk retrieve, you have to fish it on fluoro or it won't stay underwater. Its action is unlike other jerk baits which is a very wide wobble as opposed to a tight shimmy when just reeled straight in. They quit making it for years until recently. So a few years back I had to hit my grandpa up who has crates, yes I said crates of them. I just want to know if they work as well in other waters or just my own. In my opinion you can't find a better bait for plus size smallies when fishing shallow in the warmer months.

If I'm not in the boat, or if I feel I'm on a spot with a lot of fish, I'll usually run a jig through a spot where i caught a fish on a crankbait or some other moving bait.

I used to use it all the time just because it was cheap and worked fine for what I was using it for. Longevity is an issue. It gets really easy to break off with 14 lb test once you've had it on your reel for like a week, especially in the summer. I've also had two and three pound bass break me off in grass with 14 lb test, which really shouldn't happen as often as it has.

I thought you were a mono guy? Haha just kidding. Vanish behaves a lot like mono to me. Another one you should try in that price range is Seaguar Red Label. I change it up depending on budget, but Red Label is tough to beat for the price.

I'm sure you can find some bass held up in shallow cover, especially if the water is stained up, but post frontal fishing seems to be harder regardless. I'd break out the flipping stick.

That and the few hundred dollars for start up costs to make your own. I make my own and you've got me beat by 70-80 cents.

Brand is subjective. If you are fishing some really thick stuff I'd get a heavy action rod in the 7' to 7'6" range. I fish laydowns and scattered grass with a 7'MH fast action rod.

Sounds like a go to me. It will cost you a little less than a dollar per jig. That's as good as it gets.

I really don't fish buzzbaits all that much on my lake because its so deep and usually pretty clear. I usually opt for a spook as far as top water goes and a frog in some places.

Buzzbaits are a good choice any time fish are up shallow and on the edge of cover which would occur a lot in the prespawn. In the post spawn, fish will recede out to the edges once again. Also there is the bluegill and shad spawn during the post spawn, so there will be a lot of bass up shallow chasing. Post spawn is a time of the year that's pretty popular for top water fishing. Dirty water is also a place where this bait does well.

I think that's a pretty good deal. You can powder coat them if you want, but you don't have to. Do the ones he is selling have weedguards?

Really any time you see fish coming up to bust shad or other baitfish is a good time which happens a lot in the fall. Clear water is where this bait seems to shine the most and can have some serious drawing power. In clear ponds, I've caught some big bass at dusk with a super spook.

Yamamoto swimbait

That is awesome. One decked out canoe. Probably worth about as much as my bass boat

On my canoe,I don't have any racks, but if I did they would have the rods laying down just because I float through some hairy spots sometimes.

Sorry Mike if I'm spreading misinformation. I was going by the the sizing on the Getbit website. Its the only place I've bought guides from.

People tend to forget that spots are actually river fish. River spots compared to lake spots are beasts though.

It should say the size of the guide (5 or 5.5 for example) and the diameter of the tube in mm. It should be a snug fit when slipped on dry without the tip top adhesive. What are using to measure your tip diameter? Calipers work great. Digital calipers are even easier. Try some different sites if it doesn't show both measurements.

Jerkbaits are a lot of fun to fish with. I use a jerk pause jerk jerk pause cadence with bigger pauses in cold water. Once the water gets over about 55 degrees, i only pause about one or two seconds. Make sure you are jerking on slack line. This is key if you want the most action out of the bait. Braid with a fluoro leader makes this a lot easier. Jerkbaits are the only treble hook baits I like with braid.

As far as sheer pulling power, I feel it goes to the spot. But if they got drunk one night and took it outside, I'd say smallie.

It can, but I like mono on most topwaters due to its stretch. It's all about preference though.

Very true. Although not as chunky, even though that spot I caught was much chunkier than your average creek bass, every time I catch a 17" smallie in current it feels like a beast.Well winter's over now. No four pounders but caught some decent creek bass. I figured if I put myself on blast haha I'd put in the time to make sure I caught that twenty incher, but that wasn't the case. Spring is here and summer is just around the corner. I'm making it a mission to catch that 20" 4 lb smallie before the end of the year. Its happened before so I don't see why not.

Which Ozark stream were you fishing?