Ozark_Basser

In ponds, they'll be up on the shoreline buried up in cover with a small strike zone. In other words, fish the same stuff you always do but make repeated casts tight to cover with a bait you have confidence in. I've been doing better in the late afternoon as well.

Sunline FX2 actually sinks as well. It's weird because it's kinda made for frogging. Either way, Sunline FX2 is almost second to none stuff if you want to try some good braid.

I don't fish any northern lakes, but a lipless crankbait ripped out of the grass is a good way to catch fish all year. I'll even do the same technique in shallow pressured waters with no grass to get one to bite.

I own both. Never had a problem with either. I've owned the previous generations as well. Never had a problem. I guess I'm lucky. Casting is kind of up to you, but with 50 lb braid with all the breaks turned off except one on the centrifugal brake (STX only) on a 7 foot MH I can bomb a frog .....too far.

For fishing lighter jigs in less than 20 ft of water ... yep

How's the fishing pressure?

Sounds like a good name for a thread lol. "Baits that you use that don't catch fish in water temps below 50 degrees"

Really good article. I didn't know gravel and clay bottoms held heat so well in the winter. Thanks for posting this.

I honestly don't feel it matters too much when it comes to trailers having no action in winter as long as the water isn't just about freezing temperature, but I do like pork on round rubber jigs for a good slow fall in the winter. I feel that is most important when it comes to jigs in the winter. Especially shallow jig fishing in the winter. Don't get too hung up on that whole no action for winter fishing, it doesn't get that cold where you live.

I catch a lot of 1-2 pounders. The weird thing is that I catch as many 3 lb + bass as I do < 1 lb fish. I don't even own a spinning rod or a rod powered lower than MH

Beaver can be hard. It takes on water from Table Rock to prevent flooding which changes the conditions a lot. A lot of folks around there will just drive up to Table Rock or over to Bull Shoals. You really need a good fishfinder to consistently do well throughout the year at all three.

7'MH Casting Rod with some tip to it. Spinnerbait fishing to me is all about making a bunch of roll casts with extreme accuracy. A good soft tip makes roll casts easier and allows the spinnerbait to enter the water quietly. Anything over 7' is just too long for the way i throw a spinnerbait.

This is just about word for word what I would've said. Only thing I would add is to look at jigs from Dirty Jigs. They're not hand tied but those colors are legit. Also the Fred Roumbanis Boom Boom swimjig with a spinnerbait blade on the back has got me some real good bites this year.

Uncle Josh's website has the Kicker Frog in white. They probably have some more trailers in white as well. www.unclejosh.com/P/KICKERFROG/542

Spinnerbaits are one of my most productive baits as well. Pulled this baby out of the Arkansas River today in 45 degree water with a spinnerbait. You know she's a pretty goodun' if she barely fits in the shot from this angle lol. She was about 4 lbs I'd say. She went 20 inches though. I don't carry a scale anymore. Need to get another one. I'm 6'3 with basketball palming size hands if that helps with the size comparison. I've only thrown the one's with big colorado blades a few times at night. It's the only bait I could think of.

TFO

I love everything revo and have never had an issue with a single one. I own the stx gen 3 and use it is my favorite baitcasting reel in that price range. They are a solid workhorse of a reel. Only reels I love more are the zillions, but they tend to hurt the pocketbook a little more.

I'll take snakes over bears and cougars any day. When the water comes up I always target places that provide refuge from current and fish REALLY tight to cover. I've always found it harder to catch a bunch of good fish with higher water than lower water though. I love it when the water gets real low in the summer. Those bass get really predictable and they feed a whole lot more. You just can't let em know you're there.

Just fish the whole general area around that road bed. If you can't see where the road goes into the water, you're gonna be guessing anyways. You SHOULD feel a bottom difference, but from my experience fishing road beds, it just depends on what surrounds the roadbed whether you know you are on it or not. Does that make sense? Another good suggestion is look for rock transition on the bank (boulders to smaller rocks, smaller rocks to pea gravel, rock to clay etc.) If you find transitions like these at the spots I mentioned, fish them HARD. That creek channel is super deep around that dam. Don't fish that deep. But definitely fish that highspot to the east of the dam. How clear is the water on this lake? If it's real clear, they will generally be deeper. If it's stained up some, they'll be shallower.

Your best bet is gonna be on the west side of the lake due to there being a lot more vertical structure. Bluffs hold fish year round, but the two best spots I saw were the roadbed adjacent to the island and the end of the bluff on the north shore of the west side of the lake. I'd fish the road bed and the shallow shoreline adjacent to the northwest. The next spot is directly across the lake. Take your finger and follow the road bed from the north shore to the south shore. I'd definitley check out that whole "flat" from the nearest bluff section (east of the roadbed) to the first primary point going into the narrow section headed for the dam (west of the roadbed). Both these spots are good because they are "flats" adjacent to vertical structure. This is where those winter fish that hang around these spots move up to feed. The first spot also has a roadbed which is a big plus. The second spot has tons of structure variations and a channel swing adjacent to that primary point I was talking about. Both these spots scream wiggle wart, jerkbait, and jig and pig. Check around with the locals on what tends to work on your lake though. I fish Bull Shoals and Table Rock. They are set up a lot like this lake and neither have vegetation. Edit: also the first real big cove just east of the roadbed around the middle of the lake. See how it goes from bluff walls to a flat around the corner where it says 10'? Pattern that kind of stuff around the lake. PS I can't see the symbols too well and that would make it much easier to explain the location of these spots. Sorry.

I think that is a great deal if the mechanical condition is pretty spot on. Buy it. See how it fishes. Take it to get cleaned if you have to.

Spinnerbaits with a big ole single colorado blade. I've only used them at night, but I've never gotten a bite on one.

Depends on how deep you're talking, but I've lost tons of squarebills and DT 6's from the bank this fall in rip rap. Your gonna lose a lot more baits from the bank regardless so I don't mess with deep cranking uphill.

They both relate to either one.

All I can tell you is to definitely wear gloves. Preferably ones with the thumbs cut out if you throw a baitcaster. That's about it. All I ever do is where a coat or a hoodie with a long sleeve under it, then take one or the other off if I get warm after fishing for a bit.