jimmyjoe

For me, it depends on depth and water clarity. I start out with a Bomber 13A in Chartreuse Minnow. Later in spring, I move to a Bomber 15A in Silver and Blue. Third stage is deeper with a Rapala Countdown in Silver. I can get a few post-spawn with various jerkbaits, but the spring bite is the one that I really like. jj

Too high a set of expectations has ruined many a day. That applies to everything in human endeavor, not just fishing. Sometimes we need to learn that reality is not our enemy. jj

@A-Jay You Are On A ROLL Lately! Does winter always do this to you? ??? jj

The Rapala split ring pliers aren't bad, and they're available most places that I've seen. jj

Something like the Mann's 1-Minus? I don't know otherwise. jj

He's remembered for the HR record, but I thought that he had the RBI record, too. Great player, great team player, and great man. jj p.s. - I just looked it up. Yep. He held the RBI record, too.

So far, so good. But which jerkbaits are you trying to use? jj

Aha! You're working for the Bait Monkey, aren't you? I can see $ going bye-bye. ??? jj

My favorite jerkbait is 1/4 oz., and I only throw it on ML/F spinning gear. Although I have experimented with 3/8 oz. jerkbaits, my "good ol' reliable" jerks are 1/2 - 1 oz. A casting setup is fine for those. If distance is important to you (I'm a shorecaster, too) then you need to use a setup that maximizes distance just like any other lure. However ..... that may not be what you want for actually manipulating the lure and feeling the hit. Although I like "softer" rods, I make an exception for jerkbaits. To me, a jerkbait is worthless unless it can give you an action that other lures can't give you. I can get that action with a stiff-tip rod. For the small jerkbaits, I use both mono and (experimentally) braid. But for the big ones, I use mono exclusively. So ........ which jerkbaits and at which weight are you trying to use? jj

You're looking at semantic (advertising) differences, NOT scientific differences. jj

Yeah ..... totally different than the way I use them. It looks like 14# Advance might be the right answer for you. Good luck! jj

I think you're probably correct ....... if it's moving fast and the visibility isn't good. However, I also think (this is an opinion, mind you) that the slower you retrieve a lure and the clearer the water, the more difference patterns make. The vast majority of my fishing is done in water that resembles mud, and I count on contrast and water displacement, not color or pattern. That's why "shad" is my number one. But the most difficult fishing I face is clear water, because I see it so seldom around here. That's when patterns seem to stand out. jj

The winter's getting to you, isn't it? I prefer full cork grips. Because I'm a shorecaster, I like 2 lengths; 6' in cover and 7'-02" to 8' in the open. I like my actions to be what are called "progressive". I find that hard to describe in words, but I know it when I see it. And that goes for spinning as well as casting rods. For me, spinning gear is for 6 lb. line or less. I don't like spinning reels over 9 oz. because they feel clumsy. I definitely like an anti-reverse switch. In casting reels, I like low-profile because I have arthritis. But if it weren't for that, I'd go Ambassadeur all the way, for both nylon and braided line. I guess that insinuates two things: 1) that I like centrifugal cast control, and 2) that I like synchronized levelwind. I guess both are correct, although this Daiwa Magforce-Z is something that I think I could really like. The only other thing that I look for is a reel seat on my spinning rods that is down-locking. I hate up-locking reel seats. Other than that, I'm good to go. ? jj

That drive home is one reason I take the nap at lunchtime. In recent years I've been prone to almost falling asleep at the wheel if I drive late in the day. Scared the (*%*#) out of me. The nap stops that. Just a tip from an old guy (who wants to get older). ? jj

I wish I was smart enough to think of stuff like that! ? JJ

Isn't it great when we're down to our last sawbuck, something that we really need just shows up like magic from out of the blue? It's almost as if someone were watching out for us, eh? ? jj

I notice you're in the Midwest. So am I. Baby Bass is probably my #2 color, behind shad. And a Bandit 200 in Crappie is a lure that I have to have in my box all the time. Both are very productive. The Baby Bass is productive because bass are cannibalistic. The Crappie pattern is productive because in some lakes the crappie spawn produces fry so numerous that the result is a veritable feast. The Baby Bass is productive all year long. The Crappie pattern is usually most productive in the late summer and early fall. These "rules" are for smaller and mid-sized bass, not the "big mamas". Mid-size bass move around and move in to attack lures. Big mamas are masters of ambush and patience. Targeting bigger fish takes knowledge of where they are and which presentation to use. That's something I'm still trying to learn. jj

The relaxation and serenity are definitely a big part of it for me. Would I be fishing if I had to compete with loads of other people, crowded together and crossing lines and jabbering all the time? NO! So maybe I don't really love fishing as much as I thought, eh? Maybe not. jj

You, my friend, have one heck of a constitution! That Gatorade is tough stuff! ?????? jj p.s. - 40 years ago, it was cacciatore salami. p.p.s. - I just did a more accurate count. It was fifty years ago. Oh, my!

I actually take a break at lunchtime, so I eat and take a nap. (Old people are allowed to do that ? ). I have a bigmouth thermos, and in cool or cold weather, I have it full of hot stew or soup. In hot weather I take whatever's quick and convenient. But still, ...... I don't skip the nap. ? jj

Ah ...... I see. Thought I was really on to something there, for a minute. ??? jj

Many catfish fishermen where I am LOVE the Daiwa SS tournament reels, especially the SS1600. They say that they're ultra-reliable, and the drag can't be beat. Now that I think about it, I believe that Daiwa originally marketed the SS Tournament series to carp fishermen. I know, that sounds crazy, but I could swear that I saw that somewhere. It would explain the drag. jj

He means "Medium/Moderate", for medium power and moderate action. And don't be afraid to ask questions. That's how we learn. ? jj

This point cannot be overstated. Where the river had a levee, I have walked over it and seen fish jet away from the shore. I was 50-60 feet from the shoreline. They knew I was there. Never underestimate the sensitivity of a fish's lateral line. jj

Don't worry. In this new world, "gimmickyness" is a VERY handy word! ? jj