Cheetahsneverprosper

I've been in that situation before, and usually they're going too fast to drag something like a carolina rig or drop shot out of the back of the boat. Any bottom contact bait, whether it's a ned rig or texas rig, is guaranteed to hang up and your boater isn't going to want to go back 100 feet to unsnag you. So you'll be doing nothing but breaking off and retying all day long. A good solution I've found is a 3.8 Keitech Fat Impact swimbait on an exposed hook like a Strike King Squadron jighead. I personally like the Owner Flashy Swimmer because it's weedless, but expect that you're going to lose a few baits to snags, so a more inexpensive jighead may be the way to go. Cast it out a good ways and run it as close to shore as you can. You'll be targeting fish hidden in the nooks and crannies that the boater may have missed. If the boat is going too fast for it to swim properly, give it some slack and let it glide for a second or two. Even click open the bail and let it go to the bottom before closing the bail and pulling it forward again. Sometimes there will be a fish on it when they hit it right as it dies. Eventually as you work it, your bait will end up so far in back of the boat that you'll need to reel in and start over. Use a longer rod, like 7'6" or so, to give you a good amount of slack to work the bait with. You'll also be fighting line stretch, so I highly recommend 20lb braid tied to a 2 or 3 foot fluorocarbon leader of 15 or 17 lbs. I wouldn't go less than 15lbs because when you do catch one, you'll be fighting the fish as well as the forward movement of the boat. As for it being called trolling, if you're holding the rod and physically working the bait, you can credibly claim that you're working the shoreline exactly like the boater is doing at the front. And if that's all he's giving you to work with, then you really have no choice.

There are some small to medium size ponds in the small town where I work. There used to be lots of largemouth in there and tons of bluegill and crappie. I'd go fishing at least 2 or 3 times per week, catch some nice bass and release them. What happened? Morons were constantly walking away with 20 or 30 or 50 panfish per person, and even any bass they caught. Within 4 years, every single pond in town was devoid of fish. What did the town do? Just this year they finally put up a few 'Catch and Release Only' signs. There aren't any fish, but it's catch and release only. Idiots.

As far as I know, this is not at all illegal in the BFLs. If a boater isn't on fish, I'm pretty sure it's fine to ask the Co if he has any good spots or ideas. Only thing you can't do is contact others by electronic means about fishing spots or methods during the tournament. As a Co, I shut up and keep suggestions to myself unless I'm specifically asked though, figuring that most boaters have been there practicing and already have a game plan. If they want my two cents worth, they'll usually ask for it at the pairings meeting.

I broke a rod on a fishing trip once and had few choices for a quick emergency replacement except for a GX2 6'6" Medium spinning rod. It's easily as stout as other brand's Medium Heavy. From my experience, you could put bigger lures on without breaking it. Just be prepared for sore arms by the end of the day because it's a log and weighs a ton.

If it's anything like the ponds in my area with weeds ringing it around all the edges, the bass may very well be hanging out on the outer edge of the weeds, waiting for small fish to swim past. I've had good luck throwing a swimbait diagonally outward and reeling it back towards (and partway along) the weed edge. But kill it just a foot or two before it reaches the weeds and let it fall. The bass can't resist darting out and hammering it as it flutters down like an injured or unsuspecting baitfish.

Couldn't wait any longer and just had to spend a few minutes after work fishing at a nearby retention pond. Water temp 40 Air temp 38 Caught three in 30 minutes on a drop shot/KVD Dream Shot. One 13 inches and two 15 inches, including this one. They're still deep, about 12 ft down with no interest yet in moving shallower until spring decides to show its face. It's looking like that won't be until about August. Hands were frozen after half an hour and couldn't stay out in the cold and wind any longer. But at least it's a start!

A couple ponds I fish most often have some decent size bass shallow and along the drop-off about 15-25ft out from shore. Those are obviously easy to reach. But the biggest ones (after the spawn anyway) live out deep and stay there where they're difficult to cast far enough to get a bait. Two methods I use to reach them far out. 1) The obious one. Use a heavy bait like a tungsten football jig or big swimbait or a Whopper Plopper. 2) If you have a good spinning reel with a relatively long rod, set it up with 18lb Gliss for your main fishing line. It's super lightweight, but strong and casts smoother and further than braid. Then tie a 3-4 ft. leader of 8 or 10# fluorocarbon onto it and rig up your preferred bait I like to use a Senko, either wacky or texas rigged, depending on how weedy it is. Or if the bass are finicky, I'll tie on a drop shot. Works like a charm and I've never had the Gliss line fail me. My barely adequate knot-tying abilities are a different matter.

The northern midwest lake I fish the most is fairly small, but deep, and thankfully has no public access. In over 15 years of almost constant fishing there, I can count on one hand the number of times I've seen anyone else going for bass or northern pike. Everyone I see is fishing for crappie and bluegill. Because of this, I basically have all the bass and northern to myself, and they're huge. I'm perfectly content for it to stay this way. Catch and release almost exclusively, unless it's deep hooked and I know it's going to die. Then it goes into the frying pan. If you don't like the taste of a larger bass on its own, try chopping up the fillet and mixing it with some wild rice and broccoli. Delicious.

Fish tank thermometer. Put a wacky o-ring on it and you can easily cast it out.

Yep, Wal-Mart. Or try Farm & Fleet if they have them in your area.

25-pack of VMC Octopus Hooks Size #1 at Wal-Mart for $5.83 In three years, I've never once had one break or bend out.

Gamakatsu hooks are still readily available on the Wal-Mart website and through their app. Their website pricing is weird.. sometimes you can randomly find things at clearance prices. I just stocked up on a bunch of Gamakatsu's Skip Gap hooks for just $2 per 6-pack. But Gamakatsus have completely disappeared from my local Wal-Mart in favor of Eagle Claw, and even those are only the most basic panfish, walley & catfish styles. Useless. I did just start using the Berkley Fusion hooks late last year though. As ww2farmer said, they're strong and sharp and the packaging is pretty slick. Here's the removable plastic insert you can put in a 3700 box, with the factory sticker showing what's in it. No extra labeling needed. Going to give the Berkley Fusions a bit more of a try this spring if the ice ever decides to melt.

It's pretty weedy in most of the ponds and lakes I fish in, so I usually go with a lighter 1/8 oz DS weight. Unless it's particularly windy, in which case I'll go up in weight until I can easily keep bottom contact. I almost always use the cylindrical ones, rather than round or teardrop, but I've never bothered using tungsten. At least not for fun fishing. Might try them for tournaments this coming year, in places where they're not likely to get snagged.

There's a pond near me that's exactly the same, stained water and very pressured from spring through September. But I can always count on catching bass using a drop shot with a wacky rigged Zoom Trick worm, or a nose hooked KVD Dream Shot. Both in Green Pumpkin, or a darker color if the water is heavily stained.

Vibrating jigs, spinnerbaits, something that makes noise and creates a lot of thump so the bass can zero in on it in low visibility. They may be holding tighter to cover, so maybe a jig with rattles and a good size trailer for fishing laydowns. Dark colors would probably help too.