Glaucus

Nah. Just like I don't go out shopping for something I already have and don't need and/or won't use just because I got a coupon for half off. You didn't save $5 on that tackle you didn't need. You spent $5.

Literally only need the Ned Rig (1/10oz ShroomZ head with weedguard and Finesse TRD in Coppertruese) and Whopper Plopper (75 or 90).

With the Whopper Plopper. Offering a plethora of different colors/patterns, but outside of solid colors like Powder, Bone, and Loon, they're all clear and see through on the bottom. If the fish really pay that much attention, they'll get a good visual on what looks like a machine. Maybe they can identify various parts. I will never understand why some people stress over which color/pattern, or why there are articles on which colors for this and that. Looking at the bottom of a Bluegill pattern, I see a machine, not a Bluegill. Looking at the bottom of a Munky Butt pattern, I see a machine, not a Munky Butt. It's white, black, or literally anything because it doesn't matter. Thread inspired by a fishing buddy who called me from DSG earlier wanting to know what color to get, but he didn't want Bone or Loon. He wanted something "cool." Dude, pick a color that you would hang on the wall or literally close your eyes and pick blindly because it doesn't matter.

Was that 2-5 pounds on a scale or 2-5 pounds by inexperienced eyesight? Because 5 pound bass in NY is great. 5 pound bass in NY on hotdogs is harder to believe in that Bigfoot.

OK. So. I'm not a grub fisherman (yet), but I want to get into it for change of pace. You see, I'm hitting a particular river with the Ned for Smallies. As I've noticed the bite slow down a little bit, I picked up some Johnson Swimming Grubs and they were really good. Fished those for a few days until I lost the pack to snags and bent hooks. Went back to the Ned and it was better than ever. Coincidence? No idea, but I like the idea of showing them something different yet in some ways similar to keep a good bite going. In my research, I have decided on 4 inch Kalin's Grubs. My research also lead me to Gopher Big John heads, but if they're out of business, I won't bother. So what size hook is good for 3 inch and 4 inch grubs? I'll be using a 1/8 oz Jighead in the river current. There are several heads I like and I don't need input on that. Just really lost on hook size.

Kalin's Grubs: Are the Lunker Grubs salt impregnated or is the salt only on the outside? Goper Mushroom Jigheads: Are the Big John Jigheads too long for the 4 inch Kalin's Grubs?

I recently used FishUSA for my first ever online fishing supplies order (I like to buy everything in person). Their selection was huge, prices good, and shipping fast and well packaged. I, too, had to look outside of TW because they didn't have everything I needed.

Species doesn't matter - it's the lures you're using. Medium is too light for some techniques, perfect for some, and too heavy for others. In general, there's no reason for a bass fisherman to go as low as ultralight. ML is generally as low as you'll see anyone go, and that's for finesse and some smallmouth techniques. Also, if you could only have 1 combo, you'd want a MH if LMB are your target, and M if SMB are your target.

I've been throwing all sorts of lures for years. More recently I've primarily been throwing Senkos in various techniques in ponds for LMB and the Ned Rig in rivers for SMB. I'm catching a ton of small fish. I'm also catching a lot of good fish. I'm also catching a good amount of big fish. Point is, I'm catching a lot of fish. I like to catch bass. I'm tired of the days of power fishing for a few good bites or going out with the mindset of big fish only and sometimes being skunked. Big fish bite the finesse baits too. I'd rather catch 20 small fish, 5 good fish, and 1 giant fish, than 5 good fish and a couple big fish. I don't do this for money, for skill, or for digits. Nothing wrong with a ton of fish on top of good fish. This month, the Ned has produced the 3 biggest SMB out of a small local river that my fishing circle has ever seen come out of it. They're not "absolute giants", but they are huge for this water, and wouldn't have been caught without the Ned because I've lived by this river since I was a kid and nothing like these have come off topwaters, cranks, spinners, swimbaits, jigs, worms, etc.

Bout time I get one step ahead of the pros

100% pickerel. Look at the eyes.

Post a picture. I'm not downloading that.

Waiting on the other couple to start wading today and this happened. What an amazing start!

Like with all things, sometimes you get the bad apple.

You still have to change the oil and spark plugs on a Ferrari just as you do on a Honda Civic. No maintenance on a machine, and it will eventually develop problems. And eventually all machines break down completely.

I've been a big believer in fluoro leaders, especially braid to fluoro, due to everything we're told about the near invisibility factor. It's always worked for me, so no questions asked. However, for the better part of the summer I've been pretty much exclusively fishing rivers for smallies with the Ned Rig using braid to fluoro. If I'm not in the yak or in a position to wade, I lose a lot of rigs because of rocks and debris, especially at the dams. It's been a giant pain in the butt having to retie leaders on top of having to retie the rigs. Eventually I said screw it and put straight 8lb straight mono on (pops the bait free easier than braid) and noticed zero difference in numbers and size, from the dark muddy water of the dams to the clear green tea water down stream where you can see every rock, fish, and stick on the bottom. So I ordered my Ned Rig specific setup (Fenwick Eagle ML/F with a President 25) and decided to go with 6lb Yozuri. It's been beautiful. So do we put too much stock and focus on the supposed necessity of fluoro leaders? I'm thinking so. I can see it making a difference in some places under some conditions, I guess. I went to a crystal clear pond with a couple of friends yesterday and fished Senkos on straight braid with no leader and didn't notice a darn bit of difference either. I don't want to cut fluoro out of my equation necessarily, but it is nice seeing no difference and being able to skip that step of tying the leader.

Same. It's not the reason I fish for bass. Some guys are obsessed with the size they catch and the skills they acquire over time. That's perfectly fine to have those goals. Personally, I fish for bass because I like to catch them, I like the methods for catching them, and I like being out on the water in nature. The moment I obsess over digits and stop using certain techniques because they are "do nothing", my passion would be lost and my reasons changed.

Eh not really true. Many great fishermen don't care about getting the digits. 3.5-4. If I had to guess more accurately I'd say 3.8.

Pfffft that bass was a bluegill in the belly away from being 10. Counts all the same in my book.

Around 3lb

Before the 75, I only used 90s on a M for river Smallmouth and 110s on a MH for pond and lake Largemouth. I've got some 75s that I want to use for river Smallmouth. They're heavier than a 90 but lighter than a 110. I can't decide on a M or MH.

It's not very big. Hit every spot accessible to you. It's the Ned, you don't have to do anything special. Just find them by hitting spots and you should catch quite a few.

My OCD is so dadgum bad that I respool my reels every week or two during the season. Braid, copoly, fluoro, mono, it don't matter. My gear has to maintain perfection or my mind is so distracted that I can't fish. Def would not accept those rods, even if it won't impact anything or can be fixed on my own. Just can't do it.

The Whopper Plopper has made buzzbaits obsolete for me personally. I don't fish a lot surface or just barely subsurface vegetation. The WP simply catches more fish and has better action. My opinion only. Everyone has what works for them.

Using 1/10 and 1/15 ounce heads and finesse TRDs with 6-8 pound line, no way.