TommyBass

As some others have stated, it probably matters which state you are in. In Indiana, you don't 'own' water, unless your property surrounds it. Anyone who's property touches that water is allowed full surface access. For instance, if there is a subdivision with houses surrounding the pond, and the county road touches the pond, you can fish there as long as you don't walk into someones back yard. You can also launch a boat there, and fish anywhere on the pond you wish (dropping anchor may become a grey point lol). Same would go for any of the home owners living around it. The land owners own the ground underneath the water. IF the pond were to dry up, then the owner's boundary's would become fully enforceable as they appear on a plat map.

The advantages of an electric steer with i-pilot are starting to outweigh the advantages of cable steer. They turn plenty fast enough, I've owned a Terrova for 6 years after always tournament fishing with cable steers. I'll never go back. The only disadvantage of the electric steer in my eyes is that you cannot 'feel' the position of the motor. It requires the occasional glance to see head positioning and direction. Other than that, spot lock, auto pilot, and just about everything else make it hard to compete with. You'll see lots more Terrovas and Ulterras in years to come.

Thanks for the input guys, good discussion with a lot of great information! I'm going to give some brighter colors a whirl and try a few other techniques out while I'm at it.

Good points Senile... Structure in this lake is really lacking, at least prime time by the book off shore stuff. Most of these fish are related to the main type of structure in that they are semi close to the steepest banks. The steepest banks here fall from the bank out to the old creek channel, which is about a one foot depth change for every 1-2 ft out. It is on these banks that these fish are located 4-6 ft down, just suspended over the deepest area, which varies from 8-15 ft. Do any of you experience that the jerkbait's 'pause' needs to be extended in the dirtier water? For instance, maybe let it sit 10 seconds instead of the 5 you would in clear water? What about soft stick baits (ie senkos)? Has anyone had luck substituting these out in similar scenarios for hard jerkbaits? I know that doesn't solve any visibility issue, but maybe a different look.

I've thought of the lipless crankbait Sam, but was too scared to waste my time on it. I didn't know if bass would hit one at the speed I'd need to run it to keep it at 4 ft or so over that water. I'll give it a shot if you think that'll work in 43 degree water.

What about action on your trailer craw? Do you use something toned down for the winter like a standard zoom chunk or higher action like a rage? I didn't know if you meant a rage "baby craw" or just meaning a small craw trailer? Thanks for the advice!

Ok, so I have some fish located off of main lake points in my midwest resevoir. The fish seem to be off of the bank a ways, and suspended in 4-6 ft of water over 8,10, even 14 feet of water. I know this seems like a pretty classic jerkbait bite, but the water in this lake is fairly stained, maybe 1 ft visibility at best. Water temps are running 43-45 degrees mid morning. What are your suggestions on how to catch these fish? My issue with the jerkbait is fish don't really come to it from a distance, as they can't see it well. So your really fishing a pretty slow technique only hoping to run close to a fish. But is there really a better option? Not sure if spinnerbaits or shallow cranks are too much for this time of year, and my standby classics like the jig and carolina rig are all fishing under them. Or should I maybe keep with the jerkbait and try a bright color or? Any help please!?!?

Nice boat man, congrats!!!

Personally, I can tell alot more using the traditional sonar than down imaging. If money is no option, yes, it is nice to have that option and can give great detail. But when I am fishing a tournament, 9/10 times my bow HDS-7 is set to standard sonar. Bottom hardness and make up show much better, and it seems more 'real time' to me for some reason. Drop shotting using downscan is much harder as well. Now side scan is a different story, its pretty much worth it all around

I replaced mine after one broke with a standard kayak kind you get from Bass Pro or wherever. Its the kind that comes with its own base and the plastic plug screws in and out. I had to take a drill and make the hole in the pontoon a little larger, then it slid right in. Then drill holes for your screws. Make sure you use a good sealant around the screw holes (2) and around the edge of the plug insert itself. Honestly I like this style better than the kind that comes on it. Lot easier to get back in. http://www.basspro.com/Replacement-Kayak-1-Drain-Plug-Assembly/product/10225363/

How does that not make sense to you? A guy's truck gets tampered with while he talks to another guy down at the ramp. It just so happens that this other guy is friends with the missing guy that has been gone a suspisciously long time. In the SAME area that his truck was tampered with at. If anything you'd think he would have seen someone doing it. Granted, no, he dosn't have any proof. But it would leave me suspicious too. It could also be total coincidence.

I thought about a 1 oz too, but I didn't know how well that would work for me wanting to make a random 'wake' cast up shallow occaisionally. Guess I could just put up two different sizes on two different rods....

Thanks for the replies, thats some good information to start with. How heavy of a spinnerbait would you recommend for fishing 8-15 ft weed lines? I can't deceide between 1/2 and 3/4. I will most likely be using at least a small trailer so that will add a little resistance.

Hello all, I'm heading out to fish a lake soon that constantly produces good bags with this technique. Problem is, I have no experience doing it. It has vast weed beds that run from just under the surface down to 15ft +. The water isn't super clear, but it has 4-5' visibility on most days. From what I can tell, most people catch these fish 10-18 ft deep around these beds. My question is, how do you guys do this technique? What do you look for on your sonar to know where to start? The last time I fished the lake I noticed some fish holding 2-3 ft off the bottom in 18 ft of water just on the outisde edge of these beds. Do you try to keep the bait in a certain zone, or slow roll it toward the bottom in areas that meet the depth criteria? I'm not a seasoned spinnerbait or weed fisherman, I'm more of a jig and brushpile type of guy I've read all the articles I can find so far, and they just arn't satisfying my thirst for knowledge! Any help with this technique would be greatly appreciated! PS... any advice on something other than a spinnerbait that would also work in this scenario would be helpful too. Last year, anything texas rig or jig oriented would catch a fish for me. Its not my home lake so I don't know of too many brush piles to hone on. A chatterbait was my best bite then.

Interesting, I may have to give this a shot in my next practice round or two. Do you reel as fast as you possibly can? Or more of a general tough grind it out reel motion?

In the newly posted instructional video on Jigs, Mark states that he simply reels fast and lifts his rod to set the hook on bass with his jig. Have any of you ever tried this approach? With any success? It seems too easy to me, but jigs can be hard for me to hook up with occaisionally. I don't doubt it would work on smaller fish, but I really question the 4+ lb fish that have the extra thick mouths. The thick mouth doubled with the weed guard on the jig make it seem really hard to hookset a fish by simply reeling a 7:1 reel. Any experience / opions?

Its not so much of a general 'if it matters' thing as it is the pressure the lake has. Fish that hardly ever see fisherman (ie... remote quarries and pits) are not nearly as weary as fish that are on, say, Bull Shoals. I have a pond that is very clear, and I can GUARENTEE you that the line's diameter and or visbility matters to those pressured fish. I fish for crappie alot in there, and braided line catches may 1/5 what low dia. mono or fluoro do. Lower visibility line will always get your the same or more bites, so its hard not to choose that path. There is no reasoning behind lower visbility line ever getting you LESS bites obviously, just the part about getting them to the boat I think its one of the more important factors, as much or more than your bait. Fish don't turn down artificial lures because they 'see the hook'. They don't have logic and or the ability to know exactly what a hook is and or looks like. They will simply turn a bait down because it dosn't look natural (excluding reaction bites). The hook may make the lure look not natural, but its not because its a "hook". I don't get any more bites on my practice 'no hook' baits than i do my tournament baits that are identical with hooks.

Lakes here in Indiana are down several feet. Lowest I have seen most of them in the last 20+ years. Not really changed my summer fishing though, the fish are still holding on the same structure and cover, its just shallower than normal. A few of my shallower (4-5ft spots) arn't holding fish now though, since they are now out of or in 1-2 ft of water its rather hot at that depth.

Looks to me like the Duncan and San Diego Jam knots are basically the same thing, only maybe lest line twisting on the Duncan? How does the Yo-Zuri Hybrid do on handling?

I love FC line other than the break offs I have had. I have never tried anything larger than 15lb, so 17lb is scaring me. I used to tie the Trilene knot all the time until I discovered the Palomar. I feel its better in alot of situations, and I NEVER have issues with mono with it. But that may be my issue with the FC so I will go back to trying that and see if it helps. Thanks for the tip. Any other suggestions?

Here is my question. Which line do you think would be most visible? Standard clear 14 lb mono such as stren original or trilene easy cast (something like that)... or a 17-20lb flurocarbon? For some reason I have ALOT of trouble with breakoffs on flurocarbon (using a palomar knot and 14lb test). I have alot less on the line I currently use (Trilene Max) but I really crave the sensitivity I gain with the flurocarbon. I fish alot of wood and rock so I know most of my problems come there. I was thinking if I upgraded to heavier-duty flurocarbon it may solve some issues but I'm not sure. 1) for castibility and 2) visbility I fish semi-clear to stained waters so visbility does matter a lot, especially since the lake is highly pressured. Any tips or ideas? Or maybe even another line to try? For the most part the fluro I have used is Berkley 100% and Spiderwire flurocarbon.

I've honestly never had an issue on hot weather days. I have a 31 gallon livewell. I installed a two-stone aerator (one stone on each side of the livewell) and I put it on a timer. I also put my freshwater pump on a timer. The more weight I have in the livewell, the higher the frequency I set each to. More than 3 fish and the bubbler stays on all the time (it has low current draw). I'm not saying that adding ice or H2O2 won't help, I just think common sense needs to come to play. Some of the 'fish protecting products' on the market are basically stimulants, and I feel like they actually stress / drug the fish more. Just be careful of the products you add, and don't become a mad chemist on the water because something is marketed or you read that it should help. For one thing, you can not leave your freshwater pump off all day just because your keeping a good temperature and adding oxygen. Fish secrete ammonia and other wastes that build up in your livewell, many of which are toxic once built up. You need to drain / overflow the livewell once in awhile to help with that. Even if its not to lethal levels, those wastes add stress just the same as no oxygen.

Not really sure how that works, dosn't the direction the fish is going and depth of bite determine your direction at all? I always try to set away from the fish's swim direction... and since I can't set left well it normally means I try to set it up so I have to set it to the right. In otherwords, I like to go down banks with my starboard side toward the bank. When you cast 45 deg ahead, the fish 9/10 times will swim away from the bank in a right to left motion. Then, my left to right hookset lines up alot better, and I miss far less fish.

The issue is more with jigs and texas rigged plastics than anything. Sharp hookset motions. @SirSnookAlot, the same arm is setting the hook the the good way and the bad way. I have no issues to the right, as its a natural and instinctive 'pull' inward toward my body. Its when my forearm has to rotate out away from my body over my elbow that the issue occurs. Maybe I need to get more torso twist in there on the left handed hookset or something. If you don't think about it odds are you set the hook 90% to your combo's strong side. Basically, if I am holding the rod in my left hand, I set it better to the right. If its a spinning reel and I am holding the rod in my right hand, I set it better to my left. I just can't find the good motion needed for the 'off' hand.

Well I'm glad its not just me. I always know what direction I am going to set it, but there are situations when its unavoidable. For instance, sometimes me and my partner will parallel the bank. If you are driving down the bank with the port side being closest to the bank, and I am standing on the left front of the boat... I have to swing left. Swinging right puts it right into his grill piece lol. I've been trying to work on a 10-11 oclock swing, I'll let you know how that goes. The reel and sweep works decently, but I generally am in an area / situation when a good hookset is needed... and that method seems to lose me alot of fish halfway to the boat.