papajoe222

Back in the day when a floating Rapala was the only minnow bait out there, we did exactly that to get the bait down for walleye. From split shot we graduated to rubber core sinkers that we could slide up and down the line to get the bait closer to, or farther from the bottom. Next came adding a swivel below the weight to keep the lure running true. I currently use that tactic to present small, crappie crankbaits and square bills in deep water, but keep that trick to yourself because if word gets out, I'll come looking for you.

Actually, with mono's stretch 12lb. may be a good choice. You'll loose a little distance on the cast, but gain a little in sensitivity and better hook sets. Whatever shakey jig you choose, I'd start with a light wire version from shore. Hook sets will be easier and the lighter wire hook can be straightened out with a steady pull on the line if you get hung up. 3/16-5/16oz. will keep you in touch with what's going on on the business end and will also keep it on the bottom if, or when you decide to shake it in place.

What's the diameter of the braid you're using? Some braids can be .40mm+ and some as little as .17. Check the package and I'd bet yours is a thicker line and you likely didn't spool it very tight.

Line stretch has been a factor for decades and many an angler still uses basically the same line he did back then. If you're loosing fish when then jump, learn to distinguish when they are coming up and drop your rod tip while reeling. If you're loosing them on a long cast, a second hook set when you're in a good, or better position will insure getting that hook's point past the barb. Lastly, you need to match your gear to the size hooks on your baits. A big single hook on a spinner bait or jig requires heavier line and a rod with some backbone vs. say a small crankbait with #6 trebles. BTW, fluorocarbon lines do stretch, but quality ones stretch much less and transmit more information back to the angler, than mono, or copolymers. They generally have a higher test to line diameter also.

If I had to pull my boat to Mexico, I'd have to apply for citizenship because I couldn't afford to pull it home and I sure wouldn't leave it there.

I base all my tackle choices on the structure and cover I'm fishing. Wood cover requires beefier line, rod, hooks, and with weeds and rocks it depends. I'll swim and arkie style jig just about anywhere, including over weed beds that I know are uniform. I'll switch to a pointed jig with a fairly stout hook for weeds with a lot of pockets or ones that are growing on an uneven bottom. The reason I opt for the arkie style more often than not is I can fish it in many different ways, including letting it fall to the bottom and crawling it along. If the cover changes on a piece of structure, or there's another type of cover mixed in with it, I just switch up my presentation without having to switch baits.

What you are experiencing are the different phases of pre-spawn. When you were catching fish with water temps in the 50's, both males and females were cruising those spots for two reasons; to feed and to check out potential spawning sites. By the time those temps rise into the 60's, their focus shifts more toward spawning and the males and females will start pairing up looking to build nests. The males will stay fairly shallow and the females will venture in and out of the shallows until the actual spawn takes place. Do like the females and go from the potential spawning areas to the nearest deeper water in your search for them, that is if you want to catch less aggressive fish (read fewer fish, but bigger).

If you are pi$$ed because you were fishing at the time, you should be. If it's because they were fishing around your dock, you are among most dock owners. Not because they feel they own the water around and under their docks, but because for every angler that can put a lure exactly where they want it and never hit your personal property, there are 25 that will attempt to do so. You should have said something either way. On a couple of lakes that I fish, dock owners run string, a few inches above the top and below the bottom of their docks in an effort to deter fishing. They have every right to keep you from trespassing to collect any lures that get entangled in the string, just as you have every right to fish the water around and under said dock (depending on local laws. All it takes is one hot head on either side of this 'fence' to stir up trouble.

Big bass are/get big because they are better predators than the majority of bass in any given body of water. Part of being a good predator is avoiding detection and in the case of bass that applies to both their quarry and those that prey upon them. Is that being smarter than the other bass, a result of genetics, or just a percentage of fish that were never, or rarely caught? I don't care about how accurate the terms used to describe their behavior are, only that the facts surrounding how to catch them are. Some of that information is much more misleading that the statement that big bass get big because they're smart.

What conditions are you faced with as far as cover and structure. For so merged vegetation, you can't beat braid for rippin a trap. 15-17lb BigGame or 10-12lb fluoro for docks and rocks. Your rod and reel choices are right on the money for most presentations.

I love them for Texas rigging tubes and they work exceptionally well. I still prefer an offset EWG for internal weights as the skipGap is difficult to thread through the weight.

NO. Most are full of lures or colors that didn't sell. if you're going to stock up, do it with confidence baits in colors that work for you. A different color, or brand is fine for the occasional one lure purchase to try something new, if it doesn't work for you then you're only out the cost of that one. Wait for sales, clearances or find deals online. I have multiple packs of my favorite soft plastics and at least one extra of my hard baits. If you want to experiment with color, get a bottle or two of SpikeIt or JJ's

I assume you're asking about rust on hooks and unless it's just light surface rust, I recommend replacing them. Once it gets to pitting, it has affected the integrity of the metal, I wouldn't risk loosing a big fish for the cost of a hook or two.

Almost all my reels are geared 6.3.1. the exception being my cranking reel and a 7.1:1 i use for jigs and buzzbaits. I find That I get into a comfortable/familiar rhythm when chucking and winding and can't adjust for reel speed as easily as I can when working a bait

I left my wallet in my car and was stopped in Wisconsin one time. DNR wanted to fine me, but had no way of IDing me. They were going to confiscate my boat and gear. I pointed out all they needed to do was run my boat registration. The idiots were able to get it and my DL information from another state but couldn't get my info from their own department.

What WRB said. Finding the spot where feeding takes place is more important than finding the forage. Quality size fish don't feed when the forage is suspended. They lie in wait. They don't need to be actively feeding to catch them either. Find the spot on the nearest structure change at the depth you marked the school and you've a good shot at getting into some action. Don't mark the spot, place it a cast farther up the structure and anchor or use it as a reference.

I agree with small jaw about flipping in clear water. You can still target the laydiwns from a distance. If they're totally submerged, a floating minnow bait twitched above them can be effective. One piece of advice for fishing super clear water. Go small, or go fast and sometimes you need to do both.

My favorite is one of the smaller 'crappie cranks' offered by a few companies. Bomber's Fat Free Guppy is one that comes to mind. If a brush pile, or laydown is being used by either bass or crappie, they will usually fall for one of these. For walleye and bass alike, an in-line spinner is a great choice.

My suggestion is to put your rods in your car, go out and scan a section of the water with your electronics looking for structure and baitfish. If there is cover there also, so much for the better. Go back to your car, get your rods and fish those spots with an appropriate presentation. If you still don't catch anything and others are.......................take up golf.

Hands down, Costa's 580G in green mirror. The color is great for me as I'm partially color blind, but the glass is what puts them above the others. Unless you're concerned with breakage, i.e. shattering when your glasses get hit by a flying tungsten weight, in which case I opt for my WileyX. Please don't skimp on cost when it comes to your eyes. A $100-$200 pair of glasses may sound like a lot, but you won't be replacing them and you sure won't be leaving them on the counter at MickeyD's. If they last five years, your investment is only $20-$40 a year. Your eyes will thank you 20yrs. from now.

It depends on how fast and how deep the river is that you'll be fishing. 1/4 is a good weight for depth of about 8ft. or less as you are able to keep it off the bottom. In deeper water or with strong current, a 1/2oz could be a better option. I'd say get one or two and try them. If they don't work, or you end up loosing them to snags, you can always go back to the 14oz.

Seeing as it hasn't been asked, what lb. test did you purchase? I find manageability problems begin with 12lb. and only get worse. Yes, it's stiffer than mono and yes I hate it, but it has it's advantages, so I treat it like some presentations I'm not too fond of. Sorry Spider, I didn't read all the way through your reply.

'And there you have it folks, another testimonial to individual preference and confidence.' The pros will recommend this or that when it comes to what, where, when and how to use a particular bait and I let that information whirl around that empty space between my ears where it normally gets lost. I've been reverting back to the K.I.S.S. line of thinking for just about all lure choices.

If a bait I'm using has been a decent producer and I purchase a similar one from another company and it doesn't produce over a number of outings, regardless of color (I'd only buy it in a similar color), I toss it. If I've never used that style bait, I'll use it when conditions say it's the best choice. Again, if it doesn't produce after a couple of chances, it goes in the 'I got caught, not any fish' pile.

I go for less action in the early spring and move to something with more action and a smaller size closer to the spawn. After that it's big, bulky and a lot of action. The only time I'll opt for a big trailer with less action is when punching and then it's a big tube the majority of the time. This works for me. Switch up through the season and see what works for you.