IgotWood

In the northeast, they usually drain the reservoirs really low for the winter. It always amazed me to see them like that. No better time do do some recon. Not sure if they do that where you live though.

@Jig Man Curious to know how this worked for you?

In the middle of where the hook bend would be. I tried to post another pic but I'm computer illiterate and can't figure out how to make the file smaller. If you check out the instagram post I gave the link to, there is a short 30 second video.

If you want to use a craw, I like the SK Rage Lobster. It's long, so you will probably have to bite off a piece of the head. I also really like the SK Rage Menace on a swim jig. Its a little smaller and more compact. Both options are great.

The other pics I have in my phone are too large to post. Essentially you are taking th hook bend out of the equation. It is only the jighead holding the bait in place. It allows for better hook exposure during the strike and the bait moves out of the way of the hook resulting in fewer tears.

@Jig Man if you have instagram, I made a little post about it here. I used to run this page, but I recently started a new job and I don't really have the time for it for a couple years so I relinquished the account to my business partner. I'll still post a few pics tomorrow when I get home. https://www.instagram.com/p/CiAWFkeOU5J/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Chain works, but it can be rather noisy. As mentioned, Da' Bomb is a great option. @biggin for a hard bottom river, check out Tornado Anchors. They are designed for drift boats. A little pricey, but a very cool concept. I've used them before (on a drift boat)...they work very well!

I thought I made a post about this a few years ago, but I couldn't find it. I am on a 24hr shift at work today. I'll post a few pics when I get home tomorrow.

There is a really simple hack which hugely extends the life of swim baits rigged on jig heads. Measure where the hook will penetrate and be exposed and cut a small hole from the back of the bait through the belly. A 1/2"-3/4" slice through the bait will usually do the trick for 3.8 and bigger. This improves hook up ratio and helps prevent the bait from tears where the hook is exposed. The bait is able to move a bit more where the bend of the hook is. It does make the tail sag a bit in your hand, but you can see it when the bait is in the water, and it also adds bit more action to the bait. Winter fishing for stripers in CT, I'd easily go through 3-4 packs of baits on a decent night. After learning this trick, I can usually get through a night on one pack.

Neck gaiters are too tight and too warm. I like the hooded fishing shirts these days. It seems just about everyone makes them, but I really like the shirts from Simms. They make a few different styles. They are super light, and loose fitting which helps keep you cool . The hood fits loosely over a ball cap and gives you coverage on your neck, ears, and most of your face.

On my home lake the fishing really turns on as soon as the water hits the mid 50s. Squarebills, spinnerbaits, swimjigs, and standard jigs do well. This bite holds out for a couple weeks and then the fish move onto the beds and shift gears. This kinda blew my mind, but a few years ago a guy I would often see on the lake was smashing big bass. He was pitching frogs at standing timber in 3'-6'. I couldn't believe it. When he'd miss a fish, he'd immediately follow up with a jig n craw. I tried it, and I was amazed at how productive it was. This really changed the way I fish in the spring. On overcast days or windy days, I'd swap the frog out for a spinnerbait or a squarebill, and the jig for a weightless senko and slow down my presentations.

Many fishermen look forward to the Fall, but frankly, fall is the toughest part of the year for me. I am usually very consistent through spring and summer, but by mid-September, every pattern I'd dialed in on in the summer is out the window! I notice the fish move off of the structure and off the banks, and bait is schooling up offshore. Locating fish isn't usually too difficult, but for some reason getting bites is. I have had good days when the fish are obviously on the feed. However, there are many more days when I can locate the bait, and locate the fish very close by, and just cannot get bit. Honestly by the time October rolls around I'm already looking forward to January and February. The fishing may not be red hot, but I can generally dial in on a pattern and have some fun.

I prefer slim profiled trailers. A 6" speed worm with about an inch bitten off is a winner. And, not so secret, but perhaps forgotten about; Lunker City Slug Go in 6". Another option that I have had some success with are synthetic pork rinds. There are several of them out there these days, but a while back I bought some Otter Tails which I still have. I've done well with them on bladed and non-bladed swim jigs.

I was fortunate to have some great mentors teach me how to fish when I was a child. I didn't get into bass fishing until I was about 30. I moved to VA, where striper fishing in the surf and fly fishing for trout are not really a thing. There was a small lake right next to my house. I bought a bag of senkos and dragged my kayak in there, and the rest is history haha. I didn't have anyone to teach me the ropes in bass fishing. I resorted to this forum and have learned a TON. I also learned a lot from watching guys like Timmy Horton, Chad Hoover, and Iaconelli.