Mobasser

I have some that I use for panfish and stocked trout. Between the three are St Croix Premiere, and old Berkeley Hank Parker rod, and a Falcon 5'6 ultralight. The St Croix is 6'6 with a soft whippy tip. The others are much faster action. I use four pound mono with all of them. I like the fast action ultralights the best.

A-Jay, great post. I think you know where I stand on this topic. It's never" just a dog". It's a friend, loyal companion and much more. I am, and will always be a dog lover- to the core.

Guido Bug was my all time favourite. I used both sizes. Now I mostly use the Zoom Critter Craw. I always liked craw baits with long antennae out front.

Not sure what or how your fishing? Bass strike different ways. If your hopping a soft plastic bait on the bottom, most strikes will come on the fall. You'll feel a " tap". Take up slack and set the hook. You could be getting snagged, or I've just wasted my time making this response because this post is bogus? I don't know...

Mike, I can't explain it. I think Catt has mentioned here that he hasn't done good on the full size Brush Hog either. I gave my big ones to my grandson and his buddy. My own observation is that most creature baits get taken for crawfish. They don't have to have the exact shape of a craw.

My all time fave is the Baby Brush Hog. For some reason, I haven't done well on the full size Brush Hog.

I posted about the Tennessee handle spinning rods in August of 2021. I now have four of them. Mine are a Charlie Brewer 50th anniversary rod, an old Lews Speed stick, and two made by All Pro. Two are cork, two are graphite. When I made my initial post, some folks had never heard of them, and some( mostly older guys) had used them, and a few still used them. IMO, it's the best, and most comfortable handle available. Once your reel is mounted, you get a smooth feel, and works well in cold weather too. I use Scotch brand #33 electrical tape, which never comes loose or gets sticky, even in the hottest weather. At one time, Lews, Shimano, and others offered this handle style. Now, it seems they've lost popularity. Do any members here like or prefer the old Tennessee handle style?

Looks like a great place.

I used it also. I don't remember this line making any difference in numbers of fish caught. Line color is one of those debates that is ongoing for bass fisherman.

Not sure exactly what rod/ action your using, but sometimes a rod with a little tip flex can help land fish. Rods like this offer a give during the fight. Super stiff rods are good for many things, but there's a learning curve with them.

Koz, way 2 go! I'm glad to hear this story, and glad to know that you've helped him.

If, like many of us, you fish plastic worms, spinnerbaits, or top waters, etc, your fishing old school lures. Almost everything we fish today is the same, or a slight variation of a lure that was invented at least fifty years ago. Today's baits have better hooks, better paint, better skirts etc, but the concept is the same.

Tried and True always. I try to put the odds in my favor.

I enjoy the hunt and the fight because you never know what will happen? I had a six pounder roll in acting lazy one time. The next week, a three pound bass fought like crazy. You never know how they'll act. But, that's what keeps you coming back for more.

Zoom Finesse Worm. Junebug and watermelon.

The way I learned was cast with my right hand, switch to hold the rod with my left hand and reel with my right. I'm too old and set in my ways to change now.

Catt, I agree. When they won't hit on top after numerous cast, it becomes a waste of time. At that point fish bottom baits or mid depth baits.Its a fact. We can't force feed bass under any conditions.

I'm not a fan of using glue to attach plastic baits to lead head jigs. Depending on the hook shank keeper, I need to do it at times. I'm looking for the best possible glue for this. Needing something thick, and that dries quickly. What is the best glue for attaching plastic baits to lead head jigs?

Pad fields can be deceiving. There could be a fifty foot wide pad field, but only a small section will hold fish. The part that does hold fish is because there's something different in that area. A small dropoff, some rocks, a sunken log that you can't see from above etc. It's the structure and cover below the pads that makes a difference. This is where the fish will hang out.

There was a well known pro angler named John Powell, who fished in early B.A.S.S. tournaments under Ray Scott. He always fished shallow, regardless of conditions. His main bait was a Creme Scoundrel worm. He took some friendly teasing from other guys who said he fished in a tractor rut full of rain water. But he qualified for six classics, and won or placed in the top ten many times with his shallow water approach.Fishing shallow was his style, and he did very well with it. They say there's always some fish hanging around the shallows. I think it's true.

I'm sending positive thoughts your way. Hoping your wife fully recovers.

I have a small fire pit in my backyard. A few times from spring into the latest fall, we'll make a campfire, and sit back and enjoy it. My favourite time for this is in the fall, when it's cooler. On every camping trip I've been on, the campfire is always the gathering place. Folks always like to sit around the campfire, and just talk about things while staring into the fire. With a campfire, I'm always reminded of my older brother. We camped out many times by the big pond on our grandfather's farm, and we were allowed to have a small campfire, while we set out lines for catfish. I loved a campfire back then, and I still love them now. There's something special about a campfire with family and friends. Do you like campfires also?

I like lighter rods overall. More comfortable to use. I sometimes swap reels around on different rods to get the best feel.

Jar, I sure hope you get feeling better soon. Sounds like a really bad deal you've been through.

I'll say rods also. Rods have become so much lighter and more sensitive than when I started.