LunkerLust

On windy days I head to a lily pad lake for some pitchin'. The pads usually slow me down enough to get in the day. If it's really windy, I'll head for the coves that happen to be fairly calm. I mostly fish out of a canoe so it can be maddening.

Thanks guys. I haven't tried Candlewood mainly because I fish mostly from a canoe, and it's usually tough going in the lakes that have the water skiers and jet skies. Almost got swamped in Besek lake this year, Highland last year and Bantam a couple of years ago.

With gas around $4 now, I'd like my trips to at least have the potential of catching a quality fish.

It's not just a vertical method for me. I also like to flip it out around 20-30 ft, from the boat and work it back until it's vertical. I'll fish water from 4-20 ft deep this way. I occasionally shore fish with the drop shot down to a foot or so.

I like the Owner SSW #2 straight shank, very sharp.

If you don't drop shot fish that much, keep the rod that you like for the other methods that you fish most often. I've used rods from medium to ultra lites for drop shotting and caught fish with all. I think that the baits and line are more important.

I have never taken a bass, catch and release only. For people that do I would say PLEASE take only smaller bass, 2 lbs or less, to make up a meal. From what I've read, all southern bass above 5 lbs are egg laying females, that translates to northern bass over about 3 lbs are the main egg layers as well. To insure the life and quality of your lakes, catch and release the larger bass that you get, have your banguet on a limit of smaller bass, along with trout, crappie and catfish.

I like Owner offset wide gap hooks. I use 4/0 for brush hogs, 3/0 for tubes, and 2/0 for trick worms. They're strong, they're sharp, and the price is right.

I have tried them, this year, and so far so good. No problems with bait movement and they do seem to reduce line twist a little. I like them for a different reason. I sometimes drop shot from shore and also in a couple of lakes that have alot of rocks and or rip rap. I get a number of break offs when the weights get caught in the rocks. With the Spinshot hooks, I tie a palomar knot with my either 6# or 8# line to the top hole but I tie the weight to the bottom one using 4# line with just an overhand knot. If I get stuck I'll lose the weight, but I get the hook and bait back, at least.

I would highly recommend getting an inexpensive fish finder. I bought a Fish Easy for less than $100 and it has saved me a lot of time by not fishing in unproductive water. If you catch one in 10' of water, you can circle the lake in the 8'-12' zone and maybe get a few more. It also sounds like your lakes would be ideal for doing some drop shotting, clear water and fishing pressure. Make sure that the bait is a foot or so above the weeds and muck. Drop shot fishing helps to overcome some of the crummy weather conditions mentioned above.

fish307, never heard of that one, but yes the 300yd spool is what I was looking for. Thanks

I was just online looking for the Yozuri 6# and couldn't find it. Some places had 8# mist green or 6# clear, close but no cigar. If memory serves, doesn't Roadwarrior like the Yozuri 6# ? Your source please. I just read that the 8# has a breaking strength of 12 lbs and for the 6# it's 11.9 lbs, I thought that I'd like to try the slightly thinner line for drop shotting.

The Owner 4/0 wide gap hook has the same size gap as the Gammmie 5/0 and is 1/2" shorter, it seems to fit the Ikas perfectly. I used to miss alot of hookups before with other brands and sizes.

I like the smaller size of the tungsten weights, but I think the prices are much too high. However, if I thought that I would never lose any, I would use them for everything. I do use some, but only in lakes with few snags and no pickerel.

Too add something to my post above, I put an Owner 4/0 next to a Gammie 5/0 wide gap and the gap is the same, but the Owner is about 1/2' shorter. I think the shorter hooks will better catch the jaw and not further in.

I actually have thought about this before and thought I was the only one. Two things, Owner hooks that have the same wide gap as Gammies are a little shorter in length. Not quite as far into the mouth = just missing the eye. I also always hook the bait as far to the fat end as possible, sometimes just a 1/4'' makes a big difference. Usually when I hook the eye, it's a small bass that bites a bigger bait with a bigger hook.

I use a Team All Star 7' H rod with a Revo reel for fishing brush hogs in the heaviest slop. And an All Star Platinum also with a Revo for worms and tubes in lighter weeds and pads.

Wow, a lot of responses, thanks guys. I was originally going with the Sedona because of their Line Management system, to keep line twist at a minimun when drop shotting I have been becoming a bit of a Shimano guy myself, but it sounds like the President is hard to beat, even up to $100. Another thing that I just noticed is the President 20 is lighter than the Sedona 10. Plus the 20 is $10 cheaper than the bigger sizes. Sounds like a win, win...win!

I also use a spinning rod for frog baits. It's an old MH Lightning rod. Maybe 20-30 casts per trip, alot of splashes, few hookups. I have tried baitcasters but frankly, I can't cast them. I use 'em for flippin', underhanded.

I have been using them for a couple of weeks and so far so good. They do seem to lessen line twist a little but the main reason that I like them is because I use lighter line to tie on the weight. If the weight gets stuck in the rocks or rip rap, I don't lose the hook and bait when the line breaks, just the weight. They seem plenty sharp, and the action is good. The only negative so far is that the little swivel can bend if you pull it free after being stuck.

I am looking for another drop shot reel and am kinda stuck between these two. The Sedona is supposed to be really good at reducing line twist. The President is lighter and very smooth, not sure about line twist though. I'd like to hear your opinions.

I just bought, and have been using the VMC spinshot hooks because of the snagging weight problem. The hook comes with a small swivel in the eye, so you can tie the weight on with a lighter line. If it gets stuck, it will break off, but you'll get the hook and bait back.

The reason I mentioned Saltonstall is because I thought the same baits should work on your private lake. It sounds like you're using all the right stuff already. I just posted a question about 7" Tora Tubes, in another forum, a friend of mine caught a 7 1/2 lber on one.

Thanks deep, some interesting info to be sure, he didn't mention hook sizes though.

Just bought a bag, mainly because a local guy caught a 7 1/2 lber on one, last year. I fogot to ask him what size hooks he used, these things are HUGE! So that's my question, what hooks to use? Also, if you've used them, let me know how you did.