papajoe222

I have two; Luhr Jensen WoodChopper and Cordell CrazyShad.

One of the best ways to 'read' the bottom is by using a heavy jig or C-rig. Changes in the bottom type and the presence and type of cover will be transmitted up the line to you better than other types of lures. By dragging either set-up along the bottom, you'll also be able to tell when there is an increase in depth (when you can't feel the bottom the weight is either dropping, or a fish has picked up your offering. By counting down your presentation you'll have a good idea of the depth where your cast landed. The other benefit to these two presentations is that they can be worked as slow or fast as you like, though you may need to go heavy if you want to work extremely fast. Did I mention they are fish catchers? Once you find fish, you can always go to another technique as you will know the depth and type of cover or structure. All you need to do is pick one that works best for those conditions, or you could just stick with what you're using.

I like a Kalin's Lunker grub ghost (clear salt and pepper) or smoke.

First cast was a #3 Mepps squirrel tail. First five bass were on a single Colorado blade spinnerbait.

Gee. The game has been played for over a hundred years on a professional level. I've been a fan for over sixty years and I can't recall ever reading that the way the game is supposed to be played included language that prohibited over running or sliding being an automatic out for anyone other than that runner. Deep dish sports shows try's to make it sound like the rule was always there. Then why not just enforce the existing ruling?

With the longer lengths offered currently, this 'problem' isn't going to be easily solved. Think of it as balancing out the rod on a fulcrum with the pivot point being the grip. Without moving that pivot point, your best option is to add weight to the short end. You can take the reel out of the formula as its weight is being held by the angler. Add a lure hanging from the rod tip and you are again dealing with a tip heavy rod. Now change the angle of the rod to bring its center of gravity below the reel. You've accomplished the same thing without adding weight. The solution, IMO, is to hold the rod tip up at 10:00-11:00 rather than straight out or only slightly raised

Are you nose hooking the bait?

I use a 7ft. Med./Fast for the majority of my tube fishing. I can toss a 3-4in. tube with a 1/16oz. jig with no problem. The only time I go to a Light action rod is when I downsize to 2.5in. or smaller tubes.

I use 30lb. braid on both baitcasters and spinning reels, but I wouldn't use it on any spinning reel smaller than say a 30 size.

It just may be that you hold the rod in a different position when you're on shore. I don't know about you, but I cast a lot farther when I'm in a boat and standing than I do from shore. In the back of my head I'm concerned that I'll catch an overhanging branch or something and end up having to do surgery on the line.

Original, Floating Rapala and Smithwick Devils Horse

Sometimes I do them all at the same time.

I use them at night, during the day, spring, summer, fall and even in my dreams. I love a short arm single spin (no trailer hook) run across the top of a weed bed only to let it helicopter down the edge when I reach it. It's also a great drop bait for ledges. During the summer, I switch between a Colorado and an oversized willow blade at night. Sometimes they just prefer that different vibration.

Welcome. If there is good cover (rocks, wood) on the bottom, that is a good place to fish. An easy answer to the lure question is crankbaits. Different ones run at different depths. Check the package when purchasing. You'll want one that will bump the bottom cover. When you feel it bump something, pause your retrieve. The lure will float up over the cover, or a fish will hit it. Shorten up on your casting distance and you'll likely eliminate a good majority of backlashes. Distance will come with experience.

Sounds to me like you were targeting and catching the males. If you were up in the spawning areas that's likely the case. The other thing that may be happening is you're catching the more aggressive, smaller fish. Bigger fish, unlike those smaller ones, rarely chase down their prey. They also don't feed as often. That doesn't mean they only prefer larger prey, only that because they don't waste energy chasing or following prey, they don't need to feed as frequently. When they aren't feeding, they will be holding in a secure spot: Tight to cover, or deep. Finesse tactics, those being presenting your offering close to, or on top of cover and keeping it in close proximity for more than a split second, target them. The size of your offering matters less than the location. If you're going to use faster presentations, be sure to bounce them off of the cover, not just run them past it. One more tip: Multiple casts and make them from multiple angles. All this is time consuming. That is why most tourney anglers will go for a limit of smaller fish before targeting bigger ones.

You can use a plain ball jig and 'stupid' rig it. It'll still have that enticing fall and it's just as weedless as T-rigging. It's actually better in weeds because the weight is part of the jig and doesn't separate from the tube and wrap line around the weeds.

Sauce?? I go with a rub. Gotta let the flavor of the meat come out, not cover it up.

I love baseball, but (aside from the DH), the recent rules aimed toward speeding up the game and preventing injuries are an insult to the game. Players like Rose and Fisk would make fun of that kind of pampering of players.

Try using a loop knot to attach them. It'll give it the most freedom to move.

If you want to get the most action out of a tube, go with an internal tube jig. BP TenderTube jig heads should work well on a 2in. tube. The hook's bend will likely be into the skirt area, but I've done that before on 3in. tubes and it didn't seem to have any negative effects.

I've cleaned a number of river fish with beer bottle caps in their stomachs. Made me wonder what they'd been drinking.

Check out ' How to read a topo map' on YouTube There are a few that show the structure and what it looks like on a topo map.

The only purpose of the seal on a bearing is to keep contaminates out and/or the bearings in. Many companies use nylon seals or metal ones, the nylon being of different colors. What really matters is the ABEC rating. Ceramic or steel, the overall rating is what's important.

Simple Green (or any cleaner/degreaser) and a tooth brush. Be sure to rinse.

Tubes are my go to bait in gin clear water. On one small lake I fish, I can see bottom in 17ft. if water. I stick with either translucent colors like smoke, or attempt to match the bottom color as close as I can. I use an internal jig and either drag it, or stroke it. Sometimes I'll drop shot a smaller, nose hooked tube, but only if I see suspended fish on my sonar. I'll stick with pumpkinseed or watermelon seed then.