papajoe222

A spoon, I believe it was a red/white Daredevil. Didn't catch anything on it until an elderly gentleman told me it should wobble and not spin. Once I slowed down the retrieve, I began catching walleye and an occasional pike. To this day, it's an effort for me to fish most any lure fast.

My thinking is similar to CJ's. except I don't take color into account until I've contacted (caught or lost a fish or two) fish. I'll start out looking for active fish shallow and work my way deeper until I contact fish. Fish that depth with the same presentation/speed unless I'm fishing deep and slow and the fish are active, in which case, I'll switch to a faster presentation. Somewhere between the shallows and deep structure I anticipate contacting fish. Once I do, I stick with that depth and adjust my offering/presentation if or when I feel the bite has slowed. BTW, Welcome to the forums. After you get back from fishing, stop by the introductions forum and tell us a little about yourself.

I love fishing top-water baits (who doesn't?) and I'm always looking to try something I've never used. The Cordell Pencil Popper caught my eye, but it's just too big. Does anyone know if this style bait comes in a smaller size (4-5in.) and if so, where can I find them?

If you're the type that likes to keep plastics in their original packaging, give Flambeau's 1/2 Satchel a look. It had dividers so you can separate by type, or color and it holds a lot of baits. http://www.cabelas.com/product/flambeau-reg-4510-tuff-tainer-reg-super-half-satchel/1316445.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dflambeau%252B1%252F2%252Bsatchel%26x%3D10%26y%3D6%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%252BProducts&Ntt=flambeau+1%2F2+satchel

Drop shotting. I put a box together with everything I needed a couple of seasons ago, caught a nice bass under tough conditions the first time I tried it, but haven't opened the box since.

I second the 'heavier for deeper' train of thought, although the only time I find myself throwing something heavier than 3/4oz. is when I'm targeting the toothy critters.

NEVER, Now go to bed without any desert and you're grounded until you apologize.

I've had mine for five years or so and I can tell you they are worth the cost and then some. I fish Muskegon Bay every April (missed last year) It is invariably cold, rainy and windy. After four hours on the water, everyone else is frozen, wet, or both but the only discomfort I feel is in my hands. As I'm a growing boy, I may need to purchase another set of rain gear for cold conditions and I wouldn't dream of looking at anything but the 100mph. BPS. I'll likely hang on to my current set just in case I get back under 200lb.

He's a poet and doesn't know it.

I use a pair of jeweler's split ring pliers for replacing #4 and #6 trebles and some #2 depending on the size O ring they can be used for some of the smaller hooks. The only time I use an oval ring is on the line tie of the lure. Mustad Tripple Grip are a decent replacement as are Eagle Claw's Lazer Sharp 3X if you're looking for a round bend. Both are available in bulk packs which will help in keeping your cost down. I know it adds a bit to the cost of replacing hooks, but I recommend replacing the O rings when changing out hooks on older Muskie lures. They're cheap and can ensure landing a monster that could stress an old one to the breaking point.

Like yourself, I prefer mono for a leader along with a light wire hook. Almost without exception, I'll use a glass bead, sometimes I even use one when T-rigging. As for weights, you can't beat a tungsten weight for sensitivity, but when sound makes a difference, I find that double glass beads and a brass weight work best.

This is strictly a personal observation that is based on the history of my favorite lake, it has everything to do with the forage and in this case that is bluegills; From ice-out until they're on the beds, if it doesn't have an orange belly, I either won't use it or I'll give it one. It isn't that I can't catch some on a bait without it, I just seem to catch more with it. BTW, the fish in my Avitar was caught in April on a Bomber Long A with, you guessed it, an orange belly.

Welcome to BassResource You can find some great deals at garage sales and flea markets if you know the value of what you're buying. I recently picked up a box of cranks for $5. Most were garbage, but a number of them just needed new hooks. Online auction sites are another place you can find bargains, but again it's a 'buyer beware' If you're looking for more of the same lures you mentioned and can post a pic or two, I'm sure someone here can point you in the right direction.

The Sol is, hands down, my favorite reel. It can handle lighter lures (paired to the right rod) as well as baits in the 3/8oz. range. The gearing is a little slower than what some anglers prefer, but I believe the IPT is around 26in. which isn't all that slow. You stole that combo on the value of the reel alone and as was mentioned, there are a ton of upgrades available including gear swaps. BTW, the reason you can't find any reviews on this reel is because it's been out of production for a number of years, but is still very popular.

It would help to know the depth yo plan on targeting, but I'll attempt a general answer that you can adjust to conditions. Casting parallel to the drop with a crank that is tuned to run either slightly left or right (depending on which way you're facing) will keep it close to the drop, or banging into it . This is what I believe you want. Changing to cranks with different running depths will allow you to cover depths down to about 20ft. Walking a jig down a steep drop or up it, is a task that even the best anglers find extremely difficult. If there is enough taper to successfully accomplish it, that would be the way to approach depths below what a crank can reach. The deepest I've ever caught a bass was 30ft. so I couldn't comment on your concerns over catching deep fish.

Although I love tubes, I have to say that my favorite is a home tied hair jig. Just started tying my own because they work so well in cold water and moving water. There's just something about catching fish on something I made that makes it more enjoyable.

I'd go with the same skirt on both (chart/white), the first with chrome Colorado/Willow blades and the second with gold blades (same configuration). Chrome for bright days and gold for overcast.

Not familiar with either, but if you move this to the Rod, Reel and Line forum I'm sure you'll get plenty of responses.

Thanks for the replies everyone. The fact that he received it as a gift was the main reason for my hesitation. I took him up on the offer and offered having some fresh crabs shipped in so he can make us some of the best crab cakes this side of the east coast, not that I had alterior motives.

I'm looking to pick up a good reel with some line capacity and a good drag. A friend has a Curado 300E that he's used very little and is willing to let go, but I have no idea what a used one in good condition is worth and don't want to steal it from a friend for $100. He received it as a gift and I don't think he's aware of what it cost new. What reasonable offer would you consider for one?

Your Apple TV also has YouTube and there are a ton of informative videos on the site, one of which is BassResource. Use the search mode and enter whatever specifics your looking for (eg. 'topwater frog fishing), you'll have plenty of videos to choose from.

That line is a decent choice for our neck of the woods although I personally prefer 30lb. braid. I fished 12lb. Stren on my jig rod for years until I started using braid.

I have both, but since I discovered the Flambeau with Z Rust, they are all I purchase now. Their 1/2 satchel is great for storing your soft plastics in their original bags. I can grab what I need before heading out and stuff the majority of it in two of them.

Like Tom, I'll use a football jig almost exclusively on hard or rocky structure, Mostly 1/2oz. as the majority is done in less than 20ft. I'll keep it in contact with the bottom as much as possible and pause it when it makes contact with anything. Tom gives some great advice to anyone just getting into jig fishing, or that wants to up their game and this applies to a C-rig also listen up: "I cast a football jig anywhere from 60' to 120' and work it either down hill, sideways or uphill, depending on what the bass react to." That is the kind of information sharing that makes this site so great. Thanks Tom

Congrats to you both. Great story too.