BD

I have never seen this and it should be being used by all of us! It's not bait btw. terminal tackle...

Man seeing you guys make this stuff really upsets me lol. I have a terminal tackle INVENTION, and can't get anyone of the lure manufacturers to email me back. It's so genius in it's simplicity and it's something I can 110% guarantee we would all use them!!!

On the craknkbait side, try and find a square billed bait that only dives 2-5'...depending on how bad the grass actually is. I personally would be throwing plastics. Worms work year round, and you can fish a worm in every type of cover known.

I can almost bet you'll be amazed at what the shocking shows. 8-)

Yes, not only this, but remember sun position starts to change as we get closer to D.S.T (for those who observe it.) The sun dictates a huge role because it's where warmer temp's are starting to show, and the baitfish, the plants, the crawdads (if you have them etc) all rely on the temp difference. Find the part of the lake that's 1 or 2 degrees difference, then try and find the MOST immediate deep water access that is close to this warmer area. Fish that deeper area!

My rod and reel (main pole, I have a back up which I will state shortly.) Pflueger president on an 6.6' all star MH. I ONLY fish (and RW knows this) yo-zuri line. I have tried a jillion line companies, and nothing, NOTHING, touches yo-zuri hybrid. Spinning reel is a shakespeare caterra w/ cajun red 8lb. I use this mainly for drop shot/finesse fishing. I also use now a daiwa procaster on a bass pro 7' MH rod. This is mainly for flipping/pitching, and the free floating spool for light lures. When (I am in OK) "spring" comes I am fishing beds, bank fishing, or from a boat but working back. Bigger fish will be either 'deep' waiting to come up, or she'll be in shallow to spawn. Sight fishing is a must and polarized glasses allows me to see. The water temp was (a couple of weeks ago) 49, so we are VERY close to spawn...weather permitting of course. Jerkbaits, jigs, swimbaits, worms are what I want for beds. I like to take my time and make the fish bite out of reaction. Look for nice hard bottoms, with access to a deep shelf, hump, anything for the big females to escape if she feels threatened. A male on a bed. I let the buzzbait basically hit him, and he took it. One taken on a jig.

I agree on the v bottom. I should have probably prefaced my original post, with "choppy waters" is a relative word. We don't fish in anything over 15mph winds usually. (my buddy has a skeeter, and then another friend has the bass pro flat bottom.) We make it a point to fish pretty much 'normal blue-bird sky days', but I got your point five. I also feel the flat bottom should perform provided I buy a higher height boat, one that's beam is big, and overall longer than most. I have been fishing since I was a little LITTLE kid, and now that the wife and I are settled in the house, it's time for me to never be home So the hull makes a tremendous difference as far as handling, wind drag (or the lack thereof), stability, etc. I understand that. From my point of view on flat bottoms, I would have a 'win-win' all the way around. The way at this point I see it, I get to fish lakes that have an overwise motor sized limit, "ponds", lakes with NO motor access, somewhat "normal" lakes (we don't fish 10,000 acre lakes anyways), and no gas money, no oil money, no starting problems, and a boat that weighs 400 lb's vs 1400 lb's. I am still "cautious" (I am far from a sissie, just think about stuff like this) though overall, have any of you been in a flat bottom, and been concerned something was going to happen, or had a close call where you almost went over? I fish in 32 degree weather too, and the next statement may explain more my concern. One of our family friends lost his son in front of his eyes in a normal boat. I guess they caught a nice wave, threw the youngest son out. They were fishing in winter, and he basically drown, but he really died of hypothermia. So for me, there has always been that in the back of my mind. When I take my buddy's skeeter out alone, I am just fine, but there are days where winds from 15 mph make that water white cap, and I am thinking at that point more about the boat, than I am fishing. Is a 14' really wide beamed, flat bottom going to make me concerned or not I guess is my real question. I already know why this type of boat is more beneficial to me, than a regular boat..... Thanks members.

I am wanting to get a used flat bottom/jon/hunting boat (whatever you want to call them.) I have a friend who got one from bass pro and he just rigged a trolling motor only (stick driven.) He was saying he never has opened the trolling motor fully up, because it could throw him out. The "dilemma" I am faced with as far a decisions go like this: I could save more up and buy a v hulled boat, or not. The wife likes to fish too. Seats aren't a concern as much as how are flat bottoms to get around in with the bench going across the beam? Turning over the the #1 factor for me especially if I am going to fish alone. I was thinking a flat bottom is very stable right? I would like to be able to fish lakes that have a motor size limit, and a flat bottom covers this too. Get a powerful trolling motor and I should be able to move that dude right? Flat bottoms can be scratched all up and take hits from wood. I could also rig a motor if I ever wanted to also. I CPR ONLY, livewell not needed, nor baitwell. Should I just buy a bass pro special rig it with a finder, the trolling motor, and call it good? Is it very scary to use a flat bottom out in the main part of lake with just a trolling motor? Does choppy water come in the boat or not really? I know that may be a weird question...I am thinking that flat dude wouldn't be a problem except for moving slow lol Looking for all the best advice you can give, and especially information from flat bottom owners!! Thanks.

They look great indeed. Did you scent them too?

Those rods are lovely.

Two thumbs up....priceless!!! lol

Bigger bass usually aren't one to chase, unless the right conditions present themselves. I have seen bass in bursts swim fast.

texas rigging is probably the #1 thing i would recommend. you asked how the fish get caught with this rig....the hook is inside the plastic, correct, but you pull when you feel a fish, and the hook becomes exposed...man this is hard to explain over the net lol. you have the hook inside the bait, the fish takes the lure, so when you're pulling (hooksetting) the hook then PULLS through the bait, making the hook penetrate the fishs lip. i would also recommend a jig w/ a weedguard on it. same thing applies really. the hook is usually not going to catch on anything during retrieve, so when the bass picks it up, you hookset the jig as well.

I couldn't even pretend to remember. tons!

Three things I would have never thought I would see while fishing...all have happened this year. A catfish caught on a rooster tail A catfish caught on a plastic worm t-rigged. for bass A perch caught on a huge buzzbait (compared to his size) The only thing left for me to see is a perch caught on a jig lol

I am in Tulsa and fish often. The boat slips around grand.... I think I have fished every lake around us by now lol

Well guys I went fishing this morning before having to handle some other business. I caught two stitching. One weighted almost 2lb's, which where I was fishing this morning, is a good fish. The other one came unbuttoned as soon as it broke water surface...my fault here for reeling to fast. To be honest I was not thinking this would work very well, but once I started and really started feeling the bottom (like murphy pointed out), I could see this retrieve being a must know technique. My only real question at this point is was I going to fast. I will tell you what I did this morning. First off I know Bill liked to use the non-teeth sinkers, I only had in my bag the crimp kind. I used two of those at 8 inches from the hook. I used two because those he liked weigh more, and two because I was throwing into the wind. (btw it was 32 out, water probably 59) I would let it fall completely, then slowly reel up until I felt the weights on the bottom. From here....this is where I know I need more practice at the technique itself. I was doing fine on the pull down with my 3 fingers, but I really couldn't tell how far back I was pulling. I mean yeah, you can see line coming back, but it's like a 6:3:1 baitcaster....you never realize how much line is really coming in. I think next time I use the stitch, I am going to REALLY only pull down 1 inch or something. I also now know why he said only let a few feet out at a time, then reel back up to taught. My line was wrapping all over the handles at times, and I could see where this would cause a severe problem, when it really counts. I did what you guys said. I felt the taps and then pulls, let the line out, reeled up and popped him. Anymore really good advice you want to post or things you have noticed more and more each time you stitch? Thanks again!

Sorry I missed that post, I could have put something together in photoshop. If you want another one, email me photos guys...PM me for the address.

This (almost a year) years was 6lbs. The 16th however, I caught 2 5lb'ers around a boat slip on Okemah, and we would have won the tourney that day, had we entered. This upcoming weeks though, I am going to land my piglet for the year.

This topic has been moved to [link=http://bassresource.com/cgi-bin/bass_fish/YaBB.pl?board=Fishing_Tackle_ID;action=display;num=1130192716;start=0]Fishing Tackle[/link] by Low_Budget_Hookers.

Get Bill Murphy's "In Pursuit of Giant Bass"

Stitching involves holding the line though. Am I suppose to set the hook by pulling the line I have in my hand? ???

woo's clues...bass pro outdoor library 10$

Ok I think I understand the technique now. (I've been reading Bill Murphy's book) I can see how this would be VERY useful and plan to try it out soon. My question I guess is once you feel the fish (I've got no problem here), is it best to hurry and start taking to slack up, or let the fish (if it's going to) take that extra feet of line you have sitting below you, out? I ask because alot of times bass will spit something back out, so I am sitting here thinking "if it takes the line out it's going to quickly spit the bait out." How do you all retrieve the line once the fish is on there? I would also like to know what you all have noticed as the #1 single thing to do (retrieve wise) once you've got one...do I immediately but quietly, start quickly reeling in slack line, or let the line be? Thanks.

I would have stayed with a black and blue jig all day, with a crawdad trailer. And I would have fished slow slow, and around all the timber (structure) I could have found.