papajoe222

If you have the reel's schematic, look closely at the way the drag stack (washers) alternate. Some reels also have a drag washer under the main gear. If yours does, you may have placed it in the stack, or misplaced it. I just checked the schematic for a Black Max and noticed ther3e is a washer between the metal pressure washer of the drag and the IAR sleve. If its missing, there won't be enough pressure applied to the drag assembly.

I'll change presentation before changing color if I'm getting short strikes, or follows. Many times, a change in direction (up, down, left, or right) or speed is all it takes. I approach changing color only after that, or switching to a lure with a different profile (flat sided crank to a fat one, or minnow profile).

I go with a heavier weight and low rod tip when it gets windy. Both help keep the bow out of your line and when it's windy, it's easy to miss that line jump/twitch you'd normally see. I also go with a pegged weight. Unpegged, the fish could have it for some time before you feel it.

Not up here, we call them bream, or sunnies. If I can get close to them, I like throwing a tube. If they spook easily, I opt for a shallow running crank in a gill pattern.

Yea, that sudden drop in pressure really seems to turn them on. I was likely as close to getting struck by lightning as I ever will be because I was catching fish at a rate of about one every five casts and didn't want the action to end. I beached my boat and ran to my truck as a bolt of lightning hit a shoreline tree about 50-60yrds. from where I beached it. I waited out the squall and went back to fishing, but only caught two fish in the hour that followed. It wasn't the first time I'd been on the water when the action turned hectic, but I guarantee it'll be the last time I don't get my fat behind off the water when the light show gets going.

I always try to get by with the lightest weight I can. Although I don't fish muck bottom, I do fish submerged weeds and a light weight will not penetrate into them. Have you tried a lighter weight?

I rarely get up early, but I stay up until well after sunrise on night fishing trips. Today was one of the rare times I headed out in the morning (4:30), but I was off the water by 8:00.

X3

That was the first thing I checked. Checked the cable for kinks as it's so long I thought that might have happened when I tucked it under the deck.

I used a St.Croix TRS60MLF for hair jigs for years. Plenty of backbone and I liked the fast action. May be a little short for making long casts, but what it lacks there, it more than makes up for in balance and sensitivity.

Although not ideal, they will work. One suggestion no matter what type weight you use is to use a snell knot on a straight shank hook. It gives the hook a cam action during the hook-set.

I really liked the Havock floating worm. I think it was called a Bottom Hopper. Last year I tried out the Zoom Z3 Trick Worm and I really like the color options even though I only use three of them.

Plastics offer a much more color options than pork does. What they don't offer is the flavor and that was the number one reason I continued to use them years after plastic versions arrived. One modification I made was to add a little weight to the hook shank just above where the bend begins. The result was the pork would remain pattern side up and would all but eliminate line twist. Find a way to keep them wet and one will last a long time.

I just replaced my bow mounted Lowrance with my first Humminbird and I'm having difficulty navigating the menu. The main issue is that I can't find the way to turn off the simulator. Until I can figure out how to do that, adjusting the various settings is moot. It was in simulator mode when I first turned it on (before connecting the transducer) and I went through the menu options setting things to my liking. Anyone familiar with this unit that can help a guy out? I have the manual and for the life of me can't find the subject anyplace in it. FYI, the transducer is mounted on my TM, if that makes any difference.

It depends on the equipment I'm using. For my Med/Mod combo, I like light wire hooks for ease of penetration. https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/mustad-ultrapoint-kvd-elite-round-bend-treble-hook For bigger baits and a Med Hvy/ Mod combo, I go with a hook that's a little more stout and seems to hold on to the fish extremely well. https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/vmc-outbarb-1x-treble-hook I'm not a big fan of 3X short shank trebles as I had difficulty getting good hook sets and seemed to loose more fish with them.

Bass on beds will leave if they see you, so they still may be in the spawn cycle. If you happen upon two bass cruising together, it's just beginning for them, but if you see a lone male on a bed the female has done her thing and is off resting. I was catching males off beds that I couldn't see in 68 degree water over this week-end.

You could have weighed it from its butt hole (please don’t) and it would still weigh the same. Angle it hangs from has nothing to do with it. Very nice fish. Your PB?

What is your intended use? Soft plastics......go with the more sensitive rod hard baits (jigs not included).....go with the better reel.

Mega strike They land and don’t fall on their side and you can rock them without moving the jig.

Although I have a majority of Daiwa baitcasters, they aren't the only ones and none of them are paired to a Daiwa rod as I don't even own one. Most of the rods I use regularly, I've built myself, but I grew up using St.Croix rods and still do, but haven't purchased one in quite a while.

Awesome customer service. That is the type of store that would get repeat business from me and the type of sales person that knows what sells isn't the product as much as the way it's presented.

Ya had to go wake up the monkey, didn't ya?

I couldn't say, but I like the thicker nose on that worm compared to a Culprit. Mann's made a very similar bait a while back, but I don't think it's in production anymore. 13 Fishing Big Squirm Ribbon Tail Worm looks about as close as I have. Hit whatever you choose with JJ's, or Spike-It garlic dye and go for it.

So many different types of soft plastics, it's hard to narrow down one color. For me; Worms would be purple, jig trailers black and blue, tubes smoke, grubs white, stick worms green pumpkin.........I could go on and on.

I've been thinking about getting a drone, not so much to search out beds, but to get a better view of the water from above. Years ago I took the family to Florida for vacation and, on a tram about 150ft. above ground level, I could see the bass in the ponds below and their location in relation to the weeds. That type of info could really prove useful for the limited time (3-4hrs.) I'm able to be on the water. A good depth finder helps reduce non fishing time, but I think it'd be awesome to look down while buzzing the lake.