papajoe222

LOL. Actually, it has likely been ten years since I purchased an actual Rat-L-Trap.

I'll play along: Daiwa, St.Croix and Strike King RageTail. I'd add Mustad, but you asked for three.

I just picked-up a new one today and wondered why the price increase. Then I noticed the Mustad logo on the packaging. Tripple grip hooks! The first thing I’ve always done is switch out the hooks on Traps with exactly those hooks. I’m glad to see that, not only Bill Lewis, but lure manufactures are wising up to the fact that anglers want quality hardware on the baits they throw. Would you rather pay an extra dollar or so for a bait with quality hardware or pay less for the same bait with merely acceptable hooks and rings?

I use a St. Croix 6ft. Med.Lt./Fast for most of my Slider fishing, but I've also used a baitcaster built on a Forecast blank with the same specs. The majority of jig heads are 1/8oz. or 3/16oz.

Does the Chick Magnet have rattles?

Yes, although a craw tube might be a bit much, a 3.75in, or 3.5in. tube is a mainstay for largemouth and I have fished them in water as shallow as one foot. Just adjust your weight to match the depth/wind/cover.

I opt for a craw tube when punching. I like the option of filling the cavity with attractant and the fact that it gives off bubbles as it falls. For river fishing, however, I think you'd be wise to try a 4in. tube. I modify mine by cutting the tentacles to just behind the hook. The slightest current gets them moving.

The last rod I purchased with a crosswrap was back in the late 90's and it was a high-end rod. Their absence is one of the reasons I began building my own rods. Crosswraps, inlays, and decorative trim bands are what I learned to do once I mastered wrapping guides. Now I have exactly the power/action I want with an eye catching finish.

I'd recommend Original Stren, or Trilene XT as your mono choice. Both hold up better than most monofilaments, but you're going to cut off if you don't hook them on the edge of their mouth. Have you considered using a buzzbait? I've only had one pike cut me off when using a buzzer and a wire leader won't impair its action.

I just picked up my first jointed swimbait, a 6in. one. and was wondering how you guys work them? I'm not concerned with what equipment/line to use, just things like rod tip up or down. moving the bait with the rod or reel, etc.

I fish mine on a 7ft. MH/F rod, but I rarely use a weight over 1/4oz. and I don't use heavy wire hooks. I'm sure the same rod would work well with heavier weights and hooks. This is my regular worm rod and I don't switch out to something different just because I'm using a longer worm.

I go silent under tough conditions and combine them with a slow irratic retrieve. Another instance is under heavy fishing pressure like the last day of a long week-end. Super clear water is the norm on my home lake and I always reach for a silent crank first.

I did exactly this after swimming to catch up to my boat after falling overboard. I didn't have the energy to pull myself into the boat, even after hanging on the side for a few minutes to rest. Since then, I wear my inflateable whenever I'm alone.

I use the original Gitzit tubes, not finesse tubes, and catch plenty of bass in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin. I do best with internal jigs with the hook exposed and T-rigged with a small, pegged weight skipping docks. I would imagine a finesse size tube would work just as well, maybe better under tough conditions.

As far as bedding fish grabbing and moving it off the bed, it's a possibility. Another is panfish, who will grab it and move it away from others, which is more common than you may think. I doubt that changing your hook would make much, if any, difference. I use an offset, round bend worm hook and I know lots of guys that swear by an EWG. Unless you actually see bass doing this, I really wouldn't change anything. Even if it is bass, there isn't much you can do but keep on doing.

In my experience, bass will attack their prey from any direction, but swallow it head first. One indicator that the bass you just caught was in a positive mood, is the location of your bait/hook in its mouth. If you're catching them on the front treble of your hard bait, that's a good indication. If it's on the back treble, that fish was either in a neutral mood, or you were slow on the hookset.

The biggest drawback to your approach is that once you find active fish on one of those spots, fished it and moved to another spot the feeding window will, or could be over. Major and minor feeding windows are relatively short. Add to that the fact that tomorrow's windows will likely be at a different time and you haven't acquired much in the way of repeatable information. I have no idea what, if any, timing strategies the pros use. I personally think that they are saying they were in the right place at the right time, not that it was their plan to be there at a specific time.

I actually prefer post-spawn/summer water temps. I will admit that early pre-spawn is best for the big girls, but locating them in fluctuating water temps. is a real challenge. It's much easier, for me, to locate and pattern them once the spawn is over.

I normally make two 400mi. And one 250mi. trips pulling the boat. This year, one of the longer trips has already been scrubbed because of gas prices and the wife is already putting pressure to do so with one or the other remaining. The other lakes I fish are all within 100mi. and I feel fishing them is worth the expense. One less reel, or rod purchase this season should even out fishing cost for me.

This is actually not that uncommon. I don’t let it deter me from giving it a try immediately. Chances are, if the spot held fish, there are still some there and you’ll likely be throwing something different. I’ve followed other anglers that have caught fish ahead of me and still done well (slower boat). I’ve also left and returned later with nothing to show for it.

Your rod position may have something to do with it. I've seen guys point the rod tip directly inline with the line they're reeling in. That takes the rod's sensitivity out of feeling the bite. Slightly pointing it up, down, or to the side will put the rod to work for you, if that's what you're doing.

IMO, no. The activity level of the fish will increase, or decrease their strike zone. A lure can draw the attention of a fish and possibly get one to follow. What a buzzbait, or other noisy lure, can do is trigger a bass' agressive nature and get them to strike. That is one reason you should make multiple casts to a piece of cover as it make take three or more to trip that trigger.

Go with shallow and medium divers with different bill types and body sizes. The bill will dictate not only the depth it will run, but how much it will wobble. When I'm targeting a specific depth, I'll change the body size to larger or smaller (the bait not including the bill), as often times the fish will show a preference toward one or the other. IMO, that size is more important than the bait's color.

I really don't plan on doing anything different this season. You asked for topwater recommendations and two must haves, IMO, are a buzzbait and a hollow body frog. Don't limit yourself to fishing visible cover with these lures. Both will draw fish from cover. The exception would be tough conditions. Then you want to be as close to the cover as possible and slow your retrieve speed as much as possible.

Dragging, using a sideways sweep, followed by a pause as you recover line. I like to keep tension on the line as I recover to maintain contact with the weight. My hookset uses the same sideways sweep only faster and reeling at the same time.