Turtle135

I do avoid casting to bass that are obviously guarding a nest but in my area it is fairly easy to choose different locations (creeks, rivers, lakes and tidal waters) where the bass are either largely still in prespawn or already into post spawn mode.

For me it is all about the hook used. One 3/8th ounce powder painted football head is pretty much just like the next but if it was poured on a hook that I do not like that would be a deal breaker. What I like in a jig seems to be constantly evolving. This is why I do not get into pouring my own as I doubt it would ever be cost efficient buying the molds. My cost per jig is down around a buck each, which works for me. Seibert, Janns Netcraft, Lure Parts Online, Fishing Skirts - I buy different heads from each of them (I am still searching for the perfect swim jig)

just sent you a PM

Works for me, I am sure I can find some 12" largemouth to come out and play!

All the jig skirts I tie have some rubber in them (some have all rubber). My best producing jig is half a tab of black round rubber & half a tab of brown rubber (I can wire tie one up in about 30 seconds). If you want the flat square rubber skirt making material " fishingskirts . com " still carries that. I am going to pick some up and give it a try.

Lucky Craft Pointer 100, suspending jerkbait

Trilene XT mono in various pound tests for 98% of my bass fishing.

I did not. Jigging spoon? Not something I normally carry. That is the nice thing about this lake, hardly anyone fishes this lake in January - February so I have the run of the place! --------------------------------------------------------- I suppose I could try swimming an underspin at their level. I do see these bass suspending like this during the cold water period frequently. Just curious if someone else sees this during the cold water period and goes to a certain presentation (or if these bass should be ignored and my best bet is to look for bass not suspended like this).

The bottom of the creek channel would be down at 30 to 35 feet and the big marks were 7 to 10 feet off the bottom.

I posted the Saturday and Sunday skunk on the local 90 acre public lake. Water was 41 - 42 on Saturday and 44 - 45 on Sunday. We got a lot of rain during the week before which took out the ice that had covered the lake most of February. The rain did do a number on the visibility, knocking it back from 4 feet down to about a foot. I tried all my usual winter tactics and spots to no avail. Did some cruising around and was marking a lot of big fish suspended over the creek channel. The bottom of the creek channel would be down at 30 to 35 feet and the big marks were 7 to 10 feet off the bottom. There are carp in this lake but I don't think they suspend? I could id other pods of fish that looked like sunfish and other pods of fish that looked like crappie (vertical stacking). No shad in this lake by the way. I strongly suspect the big marks were largemouth. I put a football jig down to bump the edges of the creek channel and to drag the channel itself. I also put a lipless crankbait down there and stroked it off the bottom. I have never caught them when I see that condition. Anybody else ever have some success when they are suspended like that?

I believe Martin's theory is that the braid backing makes the "center core" of a baitcasters spool lighter (which he believes leads to longer casts). Makes sense, more weight on the outside of the object that is spinning should generally allow the spool to maintain spinning speed longer. Never tried it. If I am using backing I use old monofilament (which is inexpensive).

When sitting still that great big skirt is really just window dressing for the trailer. Those rubber strands float up and away from the trailer making for a rather intimidating presentation to a small bass (which is why the mop jig is considered a big fish lure). When I am fishing that style jig I will let it drop straight down on a slack line. Then I let it still still for a 10 count. A couple of twitches then still again. Then bump it forward 6-12 inches and again wait. The theory is that the living rubber does much of the attraction for you as those strands stay in motion.

I currently favor this head for coming through wood. It is the classic brush puppy head from Lure Parts Online. Since I tie my own skirts my cost per jig is around a $ 1.00 each (so I am less worried when it feels like I am about to lose one).

Are you thinking of the AMI calculator (on the anglingmasters website)? That site went down back in 2014 right in the middle of a tournament I was in that used that calculator. Quite the disaster. I do not think that site or calculator were ever recovered.

I compete in that type of tournament all the time. Was in one that ran from mid-December to mid-February and some anglers in the Mid-Atlantic Region posted 6-7 pound bass. You would not have known it was winter from looking at the leader board.

Take a look at SOT Kayaks that are designed for standing. I fish out of a Wilderness Systems Ride 115 (stable enough to stand, cast, set the hook and land fish).

I have always found "profile" and "action" are more important than the "color". If you are fishing where the bass are (and that is the most critical part of the game) and you get the profile and action correct the bass will let you know. You can then start to play around with color to see if you can improve that bite. IMHO color comes into play with how visible your presentation will be. Does that color contrast or blend into the water color, bottom color or the sky if the bass is looking up at your lure. A couple of simple guidelines. In muddy off color water colors like black, black/blue and chartreuse will help the bass see your lure. In clear water a more natural color is the place to start. Good luck and keep after them!

I get over the air HD signals very well where I live which gives me the networks, PBS and another 5-6 useful channels. Then for $ 25.00 a month I subscribe to "Sling TV" (not to be confused with the "Sling Box" devices) which pipes typical TV content in via the internet. (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN News, ESPNU, SEC Network. CNN, AMC, TNT, A&E, TBS, etc.), It also has the Disney Channel for the kids. Google Sling TV and you can see their channel lineup. Sling TV is in year two of operation and while they were a little buggy in the beginning they have been rock solid for me for the last 6-7 months. I do use the Roku 3 to pipe the content over to my TV via a HDMI cable. This keeps my computer free.

so was the bass 11.10 pounds (177.6 ounces, aka 11 pounds 1.6 ounces) or was it 11.625 pounds (186 ounces, aka 11 pounds 10 ounces) I promise, this will be the last math question I will ask today! Just an awesome bass for Delaware either way!

11 pounds and 10 ounces would be 11.625 pounds. So this bass was 11 pounds and 1.6 ounces (11.10 pounds) assuming I am reading the reports correctly.

As a youngster back in the mid 1970's I was fishing a local lake and doing well with the bass that particular day. I distinctly remember thinking to myself (rather smugly) that I was getting pretty good at this bass catching thing. Maybe 3 or 4 casts later I hook a fish that I could not stop with my medium spinning rod (probably had 8 pound test mono strung). I have never been connected to a fish with that much line out before or since. I fought that fish for over 10 minutes slowly gaining line and was finally winning the battle. About 30 feet out the hook pull out and rocketed just past my head. Never got a look at the fish. It has only been 40 years. I'm certain in another 40 years it will pain me less because I should be well dead by then.

One thing to consider fishing from a kayak, you do not have the same hook setting power seated as you do standing up. A longer rod moves more line, hits em harder and sticks em better. I do like a shorter rod for handling and casting accuracy so I have settled on rods that are 7'.

Awesome bass! For that water that is serious trophy! Congratulations, sounds like you had to earn that one with the weather. p.s. - you have to be careful with the vertical hold on a big bass without supporting the weight as you can get some stretching in the narrow connective tissue at the base of the neck where the head meets the body of the bass, it can cause a miss-aligned jaw, particularly if the bass does not hold still and starts bouncing around

I was in the same boat. I believe my problem was fishing in too many tournaments. Too many tournament days, too much pre-fishing for tournaments and spending too much time on bodies of water where the big ones do not swim. I started fishing at a pace more conducive to generating bites and using presentations that appeal to a wider size range of largemouth bass. The whole thing lead to a rather unfulfilled year. This season, as soon as the ice melts away from the right bodies of water I plan to be out there all day crawling a big jig at a snail's pace. Operation "PB 2016" will soon commence! Good luck to you!

H-Seas, the mfg, lists 20 pound test "monofilament" at .018" diameter. I suspect it is similar to Trilene XT, a fairly "fat" line that over-tests on break strength as the attributes they list: "high impact strength, excellent abrasion resistance and superior knot strength". http://www.afwhiseas.com/Grand-Slam-Mono-s/1845.htm