BigAngus752

Walked through the Walmart fishing aisle (as you always should when at Walmart for any reason) and found these Strike King "jig packs" on clearance for $2.46 each. They each contain one jig and two Rage Menace trailers. I bought one of each style and color.

Central Illinois here also. I fished all winter at least once or twice a month. Either when we had a freakish thaw and I had water open nearby or I drove to Clinton Lake and shore fished at the bridge downstream from the hot water discharge. I caught at least small LMs each time and almost always on a Ned rig. I got the boat out of storage recently and put it back together. I took it to Clinton Lake today (North Fork) to sort it out and make sure everything was working properly. Unfortunately the water was chocolate milk and 49 degrees. I threw some lures around for awhile but it was pretty hopeless. Muddy water is my nemesis. The boat is totally squared away though so I should be set as things get better in the next few weeks.

Agree. Just to add to this; I tend to throw a smaller frog toward the end of the season when the lily pads are thinning out or if it's really bright/sunny and the vegetation is not really thick. I suggest you trim the legs, especially on the smaller frogs.

I'm certain many will disagree and probably have reasons to dispute my theory, however I just can't get myself to spend a lot of money on a frog rod. I prefer to spend money on rods for techniques that really require a higher end rod. I know you love the Tatula rods, but all you really need is a sturdy tree branch that has a tip suitable for casting a hollow-body frog. I have a 7'0 Daiwa Aird ($50) and a 7'6 Powell Inferno ($90) and both have been absolutely perfect frog rods. Each has a Revo SX on it and I had a group of four fisherman literally gather on the shore (while I was in my boat) last year to watch and talk about me casting a hollow frog with the Powell because I can hurl it so far (on 50lb braid). I just don't need the "feel" of a high end rod to fish with a frog. I just have to be able to cast. Perhaps cost isn't a concern for you so absolutely buy what you want. Just a suggestion if you could stand to save $50 or $100 to use for something else.

Thanks!

My son and I just arrived in Lavonia GA today and I just discovered that Anderson SC has THREE sporting goods stores that we don’t have at home. We have other commitments so I have only a mlittle time tomorrow. Which store is going to have the best IN STORE prices on name brand lures and tackle? Academy, Grady’s, or Sportsman Warehouse? Academy is already leading for me because I like their H20 cranks but if one of the others is likely to have cheaper name brand plastics and terminal tackle then it will win out. Thanks in advance.

I, also, suggest you take a hard look at KastKing. A 2000 size Sharky would serve you well and leave you money ahead to afford a better rod. I am just as pleased with my KastKing Sharky as I am with my Daiwa Fuego and Pflueger XT.

And we still keep spooling the 65lb braid! LOL!

I regularly don't catch any fish which leaves more fish for the other fishermen. You’re welcome.

I own blue mirrored, gray, and 2 pair of amber (different brands). The blue and gray sit in the glove box of my boat. The only thing I ever wear is amber. Could just be the quality of the lens I suppose, but amber makes the others seem useless.

A micrometer would. Anytime two pieces of metal rub or pound against each other for an extended period of time they begin to take on a complimentary (matching) shape. Every time. Even if your naked eye can't see it. Your races are going to be slightly concave in some area that doesn't match the new bearings and that will be enough to cut your bearing life in half.

Ned rig. Very light standup jig head with a Zman TRD (or 1/2 a ZinkerZ). I prefer the Coppertruese color. Throw it out. Let it sit. Shake it gently. Slowly drag it toward you. Let it sit...you get the idea. For even better luck: Do this on an afternoon on the side of the pond that has gotten the most sunlight that day. I did this around New Years when we had a thaw and the pond ice opened. The results are in the “Lastest catch pics” thread. ?

Just looked at Geneva last night! Are they heavily pressured since they are so close to Chicago and Milwaukee?

Or 5 stars and a written review that says, “I just got my rod/reel/lure delivered by UPS and it looks awesome! Can’t wait to try is out!” So 5 stars for how it looks sitting on your kitchen table. Very helpful.

Thanks for the info. I was having trouble wrapping my head around that. Like saying I can shoot AT the deer as long as I don’t HIT the deer. LOL

This will sound like a dumb question to the Wisconsin folks, but I'm from Illinois so... I'm looking for a place to fish for a couple days in late May. I hear good things about Lake Owen but I don't have any experience with "fishing seasons". I see that the regulations for Lake Owen are no limit LM and one SM, but the "fishing season" doesn't start until June 16th. Is that just for keeping bass? Can I fish Owen in May and target bass and release them? I am a catch and release guy anyway but I want to make sure I'm legal. Side note: I'm really hoping to target SM. If you have any suggestions for lakes closer to the Illinois border that hold better populations of SM than Lake Owen please share. Just looking for small water only please! Thank you!

American society has become so inoculated to violence and drama that it takes "over-the-top" behavior to attract attention. These YouTubers that you speak of aren't sportsman and the fact that their behavior is aligned with the sport of fishing is just incidental. They are only seeking attention. I doubt they care much about the subject matter. Their videos definitely aren't geared toward any of us. I actively seek out Gary Klein, Greg Hackney, and our favorite @Glenn when I want to watch a video of someone that truly has a passion not only for fishing but also for teaching.

I have experienced this also. Here's the problem; if the pond is that heavily pressured with people using "live" or "food" bait then you basically have a bath tub full of hand-fed bass and they aren't going to pay attention to your fake food. Like @Glaucus advised, get there during the times the bass are most likely to feed naturally and when the people aren't there. Very, very early or late after dark. If you are fishing next to people who are tossing chicken gizzards at the bass then you better have a pocket full of chicken gizzards. That pond is just too small.

That's perfect. Thank you

Well I wasn't sure, but I feel better about the 5200 now. I've also ordered some closed end rivets to replace a few of them. No reason to take a chance. Thanks for the help.

Up until recently I had been using a 7ft. Powell Inferno M/XF spinning rod. I love how much sensitivity it has for feeling the bottom, even with 6lb mono on it, but it was a bear to cast and I sometimes lost fish because it was so stiff. I recently picked up a Falcon Jason Christie Finesse spinning rod (7ft M/Mod Fast) and I've fished it once. The casting difference was huge and, although I didn't have quite the bottom feel, I had much better control over the fish once it was on. I'm sticking with the Falcon for ned rigs.

Thanks, I'm aware of the need for proper surface prep. I've been restoring classic cars and motorcycles since I was young. Proper surface prep wouldn't have made the bed liner any more useful. It's just the wrong product. I'm more concerned about my lack of knowledge regarding the 3M sealer. Expert surface prep for high material bonding will be pointless if it will be mechanically removed when the boat gets dragged on the bottom every time I pull it in and out of the water. I'm really feeling like this is the way to go also. I'm a "fix it right the first time" person. Thanks much.

I picked up this little Jon over the weekend for $100. The owner said that some of the rivets seep and he tried to mitigate it by using an aerosol can of bed liner, which didn't work. I have ground off the bed liner from the bottom of the boat to bare the rivets. I plan to use a hammer and dolly to re-seat all of them and then I will seal each with 3M 5200. I have two problem spots; one is a rivet with a missing head and the other is either a poorly done weld or, more likely, an aluminum rivet that was pounded in with a hammer. Here are my questions: 1. Is 3M 5200 strong enough to use to seal the two problem areas with no other repair? Or do you suggest another fix? I considered drilling out the the two rivets and hammering in a small carriage bolt (and sealing with 5200). 2. Is the 3M 5200 tough enough to stay on the bottom of the boat and not get scraped off? Should I cover it with something? Paint, bed liner, I even thought about putting some strips of ice and water shield (roofing material) over the rivets after I seal them with 5200. That stuff sticks to anything and is nearly impossible to scrape off. It would provide padding and protection for the 5200 and the rivets. 3. The previous owner also sprayed bed liner on the rivets INSIDE the boat. That seems pointless since you can't reach the stem of the rivet where it comes through the hull due to the frame ribs. I do not intend to scrape that and seal the inside with 5200. I plan to just leave it and put in a plywood floor. What say you? 4. Is one 10oz tube of 3M 5200 enough to hit all the rivets on the bottom of the boat? I haven't done this before so any suggestions are appreciated! Thank you

I use both Rat-L-Traps and Red Eye Shad cranks and both are excellent. Honestly, if you are just trying out lipless to see if you like them you should find some Cotton Cordell lipless crankbaits. Many times you can find them at Walmart for about $2 each. They are light and sink slowly compared to the Red Eye Shad but they are very inexpensive and that encourages me to throw them into places that I'm likely to not get them back. And that catches fish. I've never tried a Megabass jerk but they sure do get good reviews. I use Rapala and Strike King jerks and have good luck. I think @Fishin' Fool had a great suggestion with the flukes. Get some weighted swimbait hooks and some flukes and paddle tails. I love paddle tails by themselves or as trailers on spinnerbaits and bladed jigs. We are opposite ends of the spectrum. I fish a lot of T-rigs and Carolina Rigs but I've never caught a fish on wacky rig and I have little experience with jigs. This year I am devoting every outing to jigs and plastics. I'm putting the cranks away...if I can stand to do so!

@Dens228 gives you good advice. If you want to simplify the crankbait idea just get some natural-colored lipless cranks. You can fish them at any depth and when you can see so far down there's no guesswork. I'm assuming the fish are holding in the weeds/grass and with water that clear it's ideal for running a lipless right above the very tips of the weeds. Let it tick the tops of the vegetation like a bait fish swimming through the weeds. If you get hung just rip it through (which might get you bit) and then slow it down again. It's really cool to be quietly watching that lipless as you reel it along and then see a LM fly out of the weeds and hit it like a freight train. Gives me a jolt every time. My #1 producer in 2018 was a shad-colored lipless crank. There just isn't a wrong way to fish it.