papajoe222

A little background that led to this post. For most of this season, I only landed 50% of my fish. I started questioning my line/rod choice for the presentation I used, but knew they weren't the problem, I was. I had wrist surgery done last week and it dawned on my that the reason for my dismal hook-up ratio was in how I was holding the rod. Normally when cranking or using a buzzbait, my rod tip is down and pointed toward the lure. Because of wrist discomfort, unaware to me,I'd been holding the rod tip angled to the side. That one factor reduced the amount of line I moved on a hook-set and was likely the reason for my misses. Because I always reel the slack out of my line with Texas rigged plastic presentations, I wasn't doing that and my hook-up ratio didn't suffer. So, for you guys that are having problems with fish becoming unbuttoned, take a look at your rod position. It just may be the easy fix to your dilemma.

There are many different finesse presentations, some of which actually produce better with bigger/longer baits. In other words, the bait doesn't have to be small for a presentation to be considered finesse. A split-shot (Mojo) rig, shakey head, and wacky rigs are examples. You could use that bait for any of those presentations, My favorite is weightless using a size 1 or 1/0 circle hook run through the egg sack and left exposed. I use casting gear, but spinning is better suited to this technique.

There are a couple of 'tools' you can use other than your eyes to find both structure and cover. You can use both of them in conjunction with a topography map, or without one. The first is either a jig, or a Texas rigged worm (preferably with a pegged bullet weight). Cast it out and either close the bail on your spinning reel, or turn the handle on your baitcaster. Begin counting to yourself as soon as the lure hits the water and stop when the line goes slack. This will give you the approximate depth close to where you had cast. Now fan cast the area doing the same thing each time. Any difference in your 'count' is a difference in depth. The second is a crank bait. You should know approximately how deep the bait runs. About 1/3 of the way back to you, it will reach its maximum diving depth. If you contact bottom quicker than that, the water is shallower than the maximum depth the crank can reach and if you don't contact it at all, the water is deeper. The advantage of a crank over a jig, is that it will tell you more about the bottom composition and it will expose any cover in its path back to you. The third is a good pair of polarized sunglasses to help you see into the water better.

I have to disagree. Back in the day, most baitcasters, including low profile ones had drag ratings of 8lb. or 9lb. and I never had, and still don't have, slippage on the hook set unless I have the drag set extremely light.

This time of year, I normally use a 3/8oz. hair jig for targeting the 14-18ft. range. Normally, it's white with some strands of mylar and either blue or brown hair. My most productive retrieve is stroking it off the bottom and letting it sit for 3-5 seconds. I tie them myself, but purchase the jig heads in bulk.

Is that what you call yours?

I fished spinning gear for the first 30yrs and could put a lure exactly where I wanted it 9 out of 10 times. My dad said I had my arm calibrated perfectly. I switched to baitcasting about 30yrs ago and lost that ability with spinning gear somewhere along the way. After a wrist injury followed by a shoulder one, I learned to roll cast. I got so good at it, I never learned to pitch with any degree of accuracy. I just back off 10yrds or so and gently drop it in there. The only time I cast overhand is when fishing cranks, that's also the only time I backlash!

Class!

I actually get mine off that auction site and add my own rings and hooks. I tend to loose them more often than other baits, so I go cheap.

I gave up trying to find some and just started throwing blade baits. Same tight wiggle without the added sound. The only thing I don't do with them is use them in wood cover. For some reason, unlike a lipless, that back treble wants to catch the wood.

While I'm recovering from minor arm surgery, I decided to build up my depleting inventory of hair jigs. I keep the smelly tails in a bag that also holds some bags of feathers and thought of adding them to the jigs. My thinking is that the longer neck hackle would extend past the hair and move more easily when the jig wasn't being worked. Anyone ever tried this? I also added some blood quill to a couple of white jigs and they really jump out at you when you look at them, I hope they grab the attention of a few bass.?

If you don't mind, I'm going to steal this line. I had a mouth full of coffee when I began reading.....my screen is now enjoying that beverage.

Great info, Bulldog. I knew memory didn't fail me, but as I get older I question it more and more. I don't plan on getting rid of my Daiwas, but I'm looking for another cranking reel and that is the presentation I most often experience back-lashes. Thanks

Hopefully I can explain this so you can visualize how to do it. First, you need a barrel swivel with line ties big enough to pass a hook point/barb through. Now pass the end of your line through one of the openings. Then tie on your hook and run the point through the nose of your worm as you'd normally do, but before inserting the hook point back into the worm or plastic to make it a weedless rig, run the barrel swivel up the line so you have enough slack to run the hook point through the other opening in the swivel. Now when you pull on the line, the swivel will have one eye above the worm and the other under the bend in the hook. Finish rigging the worm and try pulling its tail. The swivel will keep the worm from sliding down the hook. I use this hack frequently on my C-rigs when using big/long worms, mainly because I already am using a swivel for the rigging. I waste very few worms, even when catching multiple fish. The ones I do, almost always tear off below the hook bend and I've yet to have one slip down the hook and ball up at the bend.

Is it a misconception that reels with magnetic anti-backlash systems work primarily at the end of a cast and those that use a braking system do so at the beginning? It would appear to me that the faster the spool spins, at the beginning of the cast, either system would be at it's peak benefit. Am I wrong? All of my Daiwas use magnets and I love my Daiwas, but I find that when I do back-lash it's almost always early in the cast before my thumb comes into play. I have a Lew's that combines both systems that I rarely have an issue with, but then again, it doesn't get used on a regular basis so it's difficult to determine if the combination system is a better fit for me.

Curious as to their intended application? I use 1/0 and 2/0 for gliding tubes along weed edges. I've tried using smaller paddle tail swimbaits and grubs, but they need a heavier weight to activate their action.

Bass that are targeting bluegill, whether they are spawning or not, will stage at the first depth change away from them and only enter their zone when actively feeding. Yes, there are bass that will inhabit the same areas as the gills, but they aren't there to feed. The reason is more likely because of the cover. Those staging away from the gill activity can be caught with slower, vertical presentations while the bass that are mingling with the gills will succumb to a fast moving reaction style bait. As those cover areas usually consist of weeds, rocks, or brush a spinnerbait, buzzbait, or fast moving swim jig can elicit a reaction strike from them. Those same tactics will work when the staging bass move in to feed on the gills.

I would be a much better fisherman if I could access all the information I've accumulated that pertains to the here and now when I'm on the water. I get tunnel vision once I drop the T/M and grab a rod. I'm lucky to remember to explore the entire water column, or change retrieve speeds when searching for that first fish. My 'intuition' and logic doesn't kick in until I do and sometimes that takes up all my time on the water that day.

Takin it day by day. How about you? Like minds. Thinking 6ft. Med/Mod/fast, pistol grip, with 1/2 oz. in the middle of lure rating. I’ve been building on MHX blanks of late, but leaning toward Rainshadow or Forecast if they’re still available. Any recommendations on blank brand?

I'm going to build a rod specifically for Spooks and other walking topwaters and wonder what you would recommend for power/action in a blank. My current rod that it will replace, doesn't list action or power, just lure weight recommendation. Thanks

not that 20 cents each (the ones I use are) is a lot to waste, but I'd like to know what 9cent stops you use for holding worm weights? Anything over a 3/8oz. weight and the smaller/cheaper ones end up sliding up my line.

purple with the last inch or two dipped in JJ's. Watermelon seed in shallower water. Ever wonder how they came up with that color name, or what Rx they were taking?

i hope you launch the boat first, or that fluid thing you mentioned could be its engine. ?

too many rods? is that a trick question? i have 31 and i'm contemplating adding another. all but two walleye trolling rods see some action every season. then again, i normally keep six on deck and another 4-8 in the locker.

though not ideal for panfish, a med/light rated for 4-10lb. line and 3/16-3/8oz in the length of your choosing. (moderate /fast action if it's noted on the blank)