justfishin

I am not a big crankbait thrower but, as far as Rapalas go, I do like the Shad Rap on the lower Potomac in MD and the no. 10-12 jerk bait suspender in Tenn. Shad on the Upper Potomac and Susquehanna in PA for smallies. They are a blast when the fish are on them!

Use a 6'-6'6'' rod in M-MH. I have always used the Shimano 2000 Stradic. It is what you like to use that is important. Silver Thread in green #8 is perfect. I use BPS Excel in #6-#8 and love it. It just works for me. Make sure you purchase a fast to X-fast action rod. You won't be sorry. Good luck.

I have to agree with " fourbizzle " some of my best days have been on the most miserable,windy,2'roller days. I think that it turns things on personally. I think when someone says that this is just the opposite that they are just not feeling the bites as well. When it gets windy I usually use jigs and soft plastics with added weight and, at least for me switch to a spinnerbait a lot. Riprap and the eddie side of wind blown areas are two great places to start your search when the wind jumps up.

I live in Western MD and this was one of the slowest as well as longest turnovers I have seen in a lot of years. In some areas, even now, I do not think it is complete. The mixture of cold nights but yet, very warm days has been unreal here. Just when you would think the water should be around 45-55 you look at your temp gauge when you first put in and it reads an unbelievable 62-66 in some areas. The fish must have loved it because they have been really biting well. No complaints here. They have been fat and sassy. It has been a late fall extention of that pre-winter feeding binge.

You are planning a smallmouth fishing trip and " You are taking your wife ". Let me refrase that, you are planning a smallmouth fishing trip and " You are taking your wife? " One more time " Why are you taking your wife ? ". Just pulling your chain for fun. It just reminded me of a friend that cannot go on a fishing trip unless his wife can attend. That is fine with me-if she fished or had another agenda. We took her once and she complained for three days, I am bored. How long are we going to be out here ? Is there a place to shop, take me in , I am hungry. We were nice and polite but, explained to our friend, in a very nice manner, that,that,thats all folks !!! , lol. Have fun.

I throw a lot of flukes for smallies and the other day ( old age is taking its toll ) I remember a advertisment for " Salty Flukes ". I just cannot for the life of me remember where. I like the idea of a little more weight that some salt would add. Have any of you seen this add? If so, what company is making them?

This is only my opinion but, I feel that the first part of your letter is true to the tee ( plank. gets blown,followed by baitfish,followed by the bass. Also, I think the wrinkled water from the wind gives you some added stealth. I also feel that the wind can create more current than you think and that the fish move with the current or to get out of it. I like to fish the backside of anything blocking the wind blown created current. I also feel that the colder the water the more this holds true.

I think that bass sometime strike in anger,and sometimes for food. I will say one thing, if you don't " sore lip " them, there is a big chance they will stike again. Smallmouth are famous for the strike and miss. I use a lot of Zara Spooks on big smallies and when they miss them I usually just keep working my lure back to the boat and then throw a wacky worm or fluke back to the general area and 75% of the time they will hit them. I always have a backup ready. Good luck.

I would like to thank all the guys that replied to my questions on my new rod building endeaver. Your info was most helpfu. I am a " newbie " to this post and find it refreshing to find other fisherman that really know what they are talking about. This is good stuff. Have a great gobbler day. By the way, any of you who are near the Susquehanna in Harrisburg PA, it is running around 6' and the smallies are rockin !!! Fish between the Front Street ramp and the Campground but, focus near the Statue. Dark melon-purple flake, green pumpkin-red flake big salty gitzits and black hair jigs. Practice your back-reeling and hold on, they have been fisty,lol. Good luck.

I must be getting old. After all these years on the water I have decided to make my own rods. I am too particular to buy them OTC anymore. I looked into all that is involved and even though I have many years on the water and a college education I find myself lost, on where to begin. I have looked at the Stamina, Barlows, Netcraft cats. and chosing the right blanks, eyes, handles, and rapping is giving me a head ache, lol. Any suggestions? I am a Gator Rod and All Star Rod die hard and will not settle for less. I like fast to X-fast actions with the guts to support the good ones. I prefer,for smallies, 6-7' blanks in M-MH ( 8-17#,1/8-1/2 lure wt. or 1/4-5/8) and for green bass I prefer a 6-7' MH-H (10-20# or 12-30#, 1/4-1/2 and 1/2-11/2 lure wt.? Any suggestions on where to purchase these types of blanks. Also, I am looking for at least 50 m mod. I know, I am too particular but, I figure if it becomes to much of a pain I will continue to buy Gator and Team All Star OTC, lol. I need to get this out of my system,ha,ha. Thanks y'all, and good fishing.

Ha,Ha,Ha, my train of thought exactly but,seriously,I do like the idea of the Hell-Fire missles when those occasional guys come about 2' from your boat when you are on them in a Tourney,lol. Jim

I run a Jet-Boat on the Upper Potomoc and Susquehanna river in PA. I do have gortex gloves because. I am a die hard winter fisherman and my boat has stick steering and those morning runs are brrrrrrrrr-cold. After 35 years of doing this, let me tell you what my friends and I do. Use the nice warm gortex for the run and such but, buy yourself a case of those brown jersey gloves with the red inside. When one pair gets wet or damp,put them in a bag and put on a dry pair. This works great and the Jerseys are cheap by the case. Good luck. Jim

Why would you want to do that? Just use a sluggo or a fluke. Slugs are for the garden my friend.

Did you do that on the " twich,twich " or the pause. Hmmm, that injury looks familiar,lol. Like I always say, " d**n trouble hooks!!! ". Jim

Isn't that what life is all about? All the small insignificant things become more important as you get older and wiser. For instance, remember that first bass boat you owned for a couple of hundered bucks and couldn't wait to get on the water on the weekends, or that fishing rod that probably cost 19.99 that an old timer or family member bought you? Why do we remember these things and cherish them so much instead or that 40,000.00 dollar bass boat and those 350.00 rods and reels. Because they are just "stuff" without any meaning attached to them. If you have a thousand memorys stored up that make you smile or or touch your heart, you are wealthy beyond compare.

Hey Junior member. I am afraid that coming from a old dog to a new dog that the hook setting comes with experiance. Understanding what you feel on your rod comes with time on the water. I will say this, I do give it a slight second longer when I am using a big worm like a 12-15" that I use frequently or say a buzzbait or topwater, but, other than that, 99% of the time when I feel that famous-tick,mushy feeling or anything out of the ordinary I set the hook,period. It does not cost a dime to set that hook so don't give them time to spit it. Set that hook son,lol.

Ah, green bass and cold water! I live in MD. and do fish the Lower Potomoc,Deep Creek Lake,Youg. and such for LM,somewhat. I am a smallmouth fan. This time of year when I do go for greenies(non-tidal) I fish the main lake in 15-30 ft. of water. Usually on points and at the end of flats next to and in the creek channels. I always look for grass or stumps. Mostly grass. I usually use a black and blue half oz. jig, mojo a centipede,or let a 3/4 -1 oz spinnerbait fall slowly along the drop off. Small 4" ringworms and trick worms in green pumpkin, red shad,black or junebug work well also. As well as gitzits in this color. In my neck of the woods the greenies suspend a lot as well and I do use a fluke or senko with a 1/32-1/64th wt. to let it fall sloooooowly by them. I have found that creek channels with grass and trash work best for me this time of year. Fish slow and meticulous. The window is small this time of year. Go by your gut feeling. If it is in your head that " I know there are fish here", pick at it and you will catch them. Good luck my friend.

Other than spring, this is the best time of year my friend. From the beginning of Nov-1st few weeks of Jan. I live in Western Maryland and fish for smallmouth 99% of the time on the Upper Potomoc and the Susquehanna in Harrisburg PA. Up, muddy and 38-45 degree water temps are optimal as well as the river being on the rise. Just fish anything blocking the current flow. Small islands,shoreline trash, etc. The small eddies are the best. Use a green pumpkin red,dark melon purple flake,black red flake big gitzit on a quarter oz. head or a black hair jig. Start at the very bottom of the tail of the eddy and work your way up. Fish slow and slower. Let the gitzit do the work. Don't look for a big hit. Usually you will just feel a mushy ( like you are on some grass) feeling and set the hook hard. Use a 6-6'6" med to med heavy rod and 8# test. I like a rod rated for 8-17#line wt. and one eighth to half oz. lure weight. I have been doing this for 35 years and this formula will work for you,trust me. This is the time of year for a nice 5-6# smallie. Good luck my friend.