papajoe222

Either this, or I'll switch out the spool on my reel to one with straight mono.

This is one reason I don't set the hook when I see the splash. When they actually come back they rarely make a big splash when taking it. It just disappears. With buzzbaits, I immediately stop, drop the rod and cast my follow-up to the spot and let it free fall.

If I'm fishing behind a bunch of other guys, I like to tune a bluegill imitating, shallow running crank so it runs under the docks and target the shady side. It will run under the dock and even if it doesn't bump a pillar or cross member, being out of tune it looks like it's attempting to escape something. It's also a great way to trigger strikes under cold front conditions.

It also imitates a craw scooting backwards when popped. It's a great alternative to 'stupid' rigging although the action on the fall is different. It will 'back up' when falling on slack line getting it under the edges of docks and overhangs you can't skip under because they're too close to the water's surface.

In warmer water (65+), I like something with a lot of action when I hop it so I go with a paddle tail grub. If I'm dragging it, a curly tail grub gets the call. In cooler water I like something that floats so the jig will sit with a nose down attitude. I dead stick a lot under those temps and want a trailer that's smaller. A 2in. tube or the tail end of a Havoc bottom hopper fill the bill then.

Either the Super Spook Jr. or their one knocker. Add an oval split ring and you're good to go.

Just received some Norman cranks that have been on back order. I should be happy as I've been out of two of my favorite colors, tomato craw green and red ear, for a while. The bummer is they are no longer made in America. Guess I'll be searching that auction site to stock up before they become collector priced I knew it was inevitable, but I was hoping it wouldn't happen for a while. What is that Chinese saying about embracing change?

I'll tell you one thing. Fishing a drop shot in 3-4ft. waves, it'll look lik you're stroking a jig. And Glenn says you want move your rod as little as possible when drop shotting He should fish Erie or Michigan with a 'slight' breeze sometime.

Other than the spawn, I don't believe any particular moon phase is better than another. However, I do think that the moon's position in the sky has a lot to do with feeding activity. Because from one day to the next, the time of day it rises and sets differs so much is the reason,IMO, you can see major activity occurring mid-day despite 'poor' conditions. I try to be on the water an hour or so before it peaks and have noticed recently a major activity level occurring 2-2.5hrs. after. On my home water anyway.

I have a Humminbird DI amounted to my MotorGuide it's one of the smaller units. The transducer is mounted under the motor and the cable is run up the shaft. You can purchase a special mount that protects the transducer. My total cost was under $200

Sounds more like line twist if it's wrapping itself around your rod tip. Try cutting off whatever you have tied on. Let out about thirty yards of line, close the bail and idle sccross the lake. That will take out the majority of twist.

I do three things to a frog before it ever hits the water. Shorten the legs. Bluegill often grab the legs and pull the frog under. Sharpen the hooks. Yea, straight out of the box and every time I take it out of my box. Slightly bed the hooks out from the body unless it's really soft . Like all top waters, I wait until I feel the fish. Take up the slack, feel the fish, swing for the fences

I'll do one of two things on the same retrieve. I'll either stop the retrieve if I'd been reeling fairly fast, or speed up if I'd been reeling slow. No love. Replicate and do just the opposite. If I still don't get bit, but the lure and retrieve were producing, I'd just stick with the pattern and chalk it up to a fish that was unwilling to commit. If the bumping is the only response I've been getting, I'll either downsize or change colors. In Florida, try switching colors first. For some reason they can be very color selective.

Depending on the company, A M/H power may be too much for throwing weightless Senkos. Also if you combine that with a Fast, or X-Fast action, you can rule out using it for cranks IMO. My suggestion is to take your reel with you, mount it on a prospective rod and run the line through the guides. Hold the rod as you normally do and see how it feels. Then, with five or six feet of line hanging from the tip, grab the end of the line and pull down loading the rod. Is the bend in the rod more or less than you prefer? Double check the line and lure ratings against what you normally use and when everything meets your expectations, you've found your rod. I am curious as to where on the blank your Tournament ZX's broke. Where you attempting to unsnag a lure, casting, or setting the hook/playing a fish?

The lure the OP mentioned is a lipless crank and although rod position plays a minor role in how deep it runs, letting it sink to a desired depth is the key

If you fish spinnerbaits, then control the depth the same way. Cast it out, close your bail and let it sink to the desired depth before starting your retrieve. Reel too fast and it will rise, or too slow and it will run deeper.

What Catt said. Plus, even if the spot produced I'll return to it later. With shallow water fish, it may take a day or more for another fish to take up residence on a piece of cover, but with fish relating to structure, they can move on off a spot multiple times. Especially if conditions change.

If you have access to those little rubber bands used on dental braces or can cut a small section of surgical tubing about that size, slip it over the R bend and then tie your line on. I use this method when fishing waters with pike and muskie and attach the spinnerbait with a leader. I've never had the snap slide down or up the arm doing this. IN a pinch, you can bite off a section of plastic worm and push the R bend through it.

How experienced are you at removing hooks from yourself. Seriously. Inexperience with them in addition to using them at night is asking for trouble. Even when using a headlamp or some other lighting in the boat or on shore, any bait can come flying back at you from the water, not to mention handling a fish with one in their mouth.

NO, NO, NO scale. In my mind, my PB can be whatever weight I want it to be. It all depends who I'm talking too and how many drinks I've had. If I'd weighed it, I'd have to tell the truth. This way it isn't a lie because I don't know for sure how big it was.

Once you weigh 'em, they stop growing.

What brand and lb. test mono are you using?? I also use a graphite cranking rod with a softer tip and was having a similar problem last year. I switched to 8lb. Yo-Zuri Hybrid from 10lb. Trilene on the same rod/reel. My problem wasn't tearing out the hooks, it was not getting a good hook-set when the took the bait all the way into their mouth.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but it appears to be around 18in. and in the 4lb. catagory. Nice fish though. What'd you get her on. Looks like you were fishing from the bank.

Catching big fish is all about putting the bait where they are. Big, or small, an easy meal is what gets them. The only time I buy into the 'big bait, big fish' theory is when I'm fishing for muskie and catch bass. Those fish are prey for the big boys and they are on the move and burning energy to stay alive, so a big meal translates to your argument of less energy spent for a bigger reward. Many of the bigger fish that I've caught (I'm a northern boy too), I've done so on 3.75in. tubes and compact jig/trailer combinations. I've also caught 8in. bass on a 6in. lure. My advice to you is don't let your wife see our responses. Show her some magazine article that proves your point.

I like to dead stick a floating worm on a shakey head. Using a heavy jig, I can drag it along until I contact cover, or it free falls down a drop. I'll stop it, let it sit for 30 seconds or so, shake it and wait again. A Havoc BottomHopper will wave with the slightest movement or current and really holds the Spike-It garlic scent. I always add scent when dead sticking.