papajoe222

Welcome to BR The more information you can provide as to the type of lake, water clarity, fishing from the bank, etc. the better your chances of getting useful information. You can also try the fishing location forum, I believe Illinois is under the northeast. You can access it by clicking on the forums tab. A new page will load. Just scroll down until you see it. Generally, the same techniques that you used in SC will work, but always keep in mind that you need to locate the fish first. It's possible you are fishing dead water. A good place to start is on the web. Do a search on the lake that you're targeting. Most have a site or two with fishing reports that can point you in the right direction.

If a lake has a decent population of big pike, it's a good bet there is also a good population of bass. Pike prefer forage that, like themselves, have difficulty making quick turns because, unlike bass, they capture their prey using their mouth. Perch, young walleye, etc. As for recommendations on particular lakes, you can do a search of the fishing locations forum/central bass fishing and also ask there.

I'll add something I believe a lot of anglers overlook when fishing lures and it's more important with spinnerbaits than some others. Straight, mono-speed retrieves may catch fish, but changing speed, angles, or bumping it into cover on your retrieve will get you bit more often. Add to that, the bite is usually more agressive resulting in good hook-ups. Spinnerbaits can be used to cover the entire water column, not just the upper few feet. When fished shallow, it's a great target bait. Cast it past a target and try bumping that piece of cover, or at the very least, pop your rod tip so the spinner's cadence is interrupted. When allowed to sink deep, it's great as a search bait when covering large pieces of structure like points, or ledges. Drop down a size or two on the main blade to keep it in the zone, or allow it to sink to the bottom a few times during the retrieve.

You're pegging the weight, so there is no need for the bead. Unlike a C-rig, the weight isn't sliding down and banging the knot and when pegged, the weight isn't knocking against the glass bead emitting noise. The only useful thing it may do is add a bit of color, but you want the fish to focus on the plastic, not the weight or the bead. Like most things in this sport, personal preference and confidence play a major role in how we do things. If using a bead is your thing, go for it.

The problem is that it's a spinning reel. Get a real reel (get it?) and put it on a real rod, not a fairy wand. That should get this thread going. Seriously, I've never had an issue with my Daiwas, so I can't comment on their customer service.

The two adjustments work on different parts of the cast. Spool tension keeps the line from peeling off faster than the spool is spinning at the start of a cast and brakes slow the spool down during the lure's flight so it doesn't spin faster than the line is coming off. Start with one or the other, but be sure to adjust both accordingly. What works best for you will be trial and error. Many anglers set the spool tension on the light side and use their thumb to control the initial spool start up and slow down. Others rely solely on the reels ability to control backlash.

The problem is a result of the equipment you are using. Although the hooks are small, the bait is hard and when a fish takes it in its mouth and closes it, a good hook-set is needed to expose the hooks to flesh. Many times, the fish will hook themselves attempting to expel the lure. Either way, you need line with some stretch, but not so much that you can't get the hooks to penetrate 10-12lb. is the norm for fluorocarbon. The other thing to consider is the rod and how you position it during the retrieve. Keep the tip pointed down and use a rod with a med/med heavy power and a moderate action. Keeping the tip down allows you to move more line when sweep setting the hook while cranking the reel.

The best retrieve that I've found is just fast enough to get the spoon wobbling from side to side, but not spinning. Depending on the size, normally the bigger you go, the slower you need to retrieve it. A slow retrieve will also get the spoon deeper in the water column. As with most lures, varying your retrieve will get you bit more than just chuck and winding. The big ones are great for trolling for pike and muskie.

For all you frugal bassers, or those that just can't bring themselves to pay retail for a Whopper Plopper...................Here You Go: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Whopper-Plopper-Topwater-Floating-Fishing-Lure-Rotating-Tail-Up-Water-Crankbaits/163711147690?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=463220574123&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649 Not recommending them and, no I haven't purchased or used one. Just spreading the word.

Thanks OtP. I figured somewhere around half of what it sold for new and $60 comes in just under that.

Sadly, I'm at that age where friends begin to expire more and more frequently. Not only am I left with a void that can never be filled, I also end up acquiring my buddies fishing and shooting gear. I'm a gear junkie, but so was a friend I lost back in May. His wife gave me over half of his fishing gear and although I was grateful, I just can't keep the majority of it. I'll keep two of the rods I made for him to help keep his memory in hand so to speak, but he was a lefty and although I've tried on many occasions to adapt to left handed baitcasters, it's never going to happen. I intend to sell them and give the money to his care giver. I have an idea of the value of the Abu STX, but am clueless about the Citica 201E. It's in excellent condition, but I don't think it's an upper end reel. I don't want to under price any of these reels, but I do need them to sell. Any ideas, recommendations as to a reasonable price to put on these?

Currently, in northern Minnesota, the SM will be the bass to target on most lakes. The LM may either be spawning, or in post spawn. A tube dragged along while drifting is a good bet. Use a heavier jig than when casting. You don’t need to let out a lot of line either. Gentility raising and lowering your rod top will add some more action. Don’t be surprised if you catch more walleye with it compared to the live bait rig.

What Catt said about hooks. You want a hook with a lot of bite, a hook with its point in line with eye has little bite to it. Its effectiveness relies on the fish biting down and compressing the plastic. The more the point is offset from the eye, the more bite. Straight shank hooks normally offer the most bite. As for size, 2X the plastic diameter is a good starting point. I, personally, go one size up from there, or more. One tip when using big worms; when you first detect the bite, set the hook. The longer you delay, the better the chance that worm will get balled up inside its mouth and you’ll be trying to set the hook through two or three times as much plastic.

Most of the big chain sporting goods stores sell spinning combos at your price. For bass and walleye in WI, I’d recommend a Med. Power rod rated for 1/4oz-3/8oz lures. I doubt the action will be listed, but Med/Fast is a good, middle of the road action. Chances are the reel will already be spooled with 8-10lb. test line. Be sure to set the reel’s drag properly and have fun.

Also, check the pawl on your level wind to make sure it isn't worn, or it may need to be adjusted tighter so it doesn't jump the gear at one side or the other.

Jig Swimbait Crankbait Wacky Rig Jig....wait, I said that already...............ummmmm C-Rig

If anyone finds a customized Zara Spook (bone/red gills/orange belly, with hand tied feathered treble and oval split ring), I'm offering $20 for its return.

Welcome The same as it has been for the last few decades; Jig/plastic trailer. The trailer changes throughout the seasons and the jig's weight often does, too. I kept a fishing log for years and would review it during the off season. It (the jig) accounted for over 50% of my catches year after year. It also produced most of my biggest catches each year.

I fished pits exclusively in my early days of bassin' and making the adjustment to natural bodies of water was difficult for me because they didn't have that sharp drop to deep water that I was used to fishing. With pits, other than during the spawn, it's all about the drop-off and how the fish are relating to it at any given time. Bright, cloudless days they'll tend to suspend 30-50ft. from the drop. Overcast days will find them roaming close to the drop and windy cloudy days will be the ones you'll remember because they'll be up high and close to or on the shelves. Depth is the key, not only for their location, but for you to be able to control your presentation to a specific depth. A great rule of thumb is to start out at the depth of light penetration and work from there up or down depending on the conditions. Cover is all but nonexistent, but when you find some, especially at that magic depth, it'll hold numbers. The presentation I started with most of the time was a hair jig suspended under a slip bobber. No doubt about whether or not I was targeting the same depth with each cast. If you love top-water (who doesn't?), a Spook will draw them up from down under like no other.

What jig hook are those and did you make the mold yourself?

I'll normally attack a point by paralleling casting, working my way down the side with the more gradual slope or the side the wind is blowing in to. I fish mainly natural lakes and points rarely extend out more than 50yrds. If one does, I'll divide it into sections going deep to shallow and back out again as I move down the sides. One of the most important things I've learned recently is that boat positioning/casting angle can, at times, make the difference between catching and casting practice. That one piece of knowledge has kept the skunk away on a number of occasions when I applied it to fishing points. Bottom line is that no one way of doing things is the best way.

Missing some key information, I'm going to go out on a limb and say those spots don't hold fish in numbers the majority of the time. There are many key factors that need to be present for a spot to consistently hold fish and often times one missing ingredient will ruin it. One example; Banks on the west side of the lake frequently fall into this category as they receive little wind driven current. The presence of forage is reduced as is their food supply. The chain continues up the ladder to the bass and other large fish.

I was recently given a bunch of St. Croix rods by one of my daughter's co-workers. Once I came down from the cloud, I checked them out good. Two had broken guides and one, the Med/Light Fast casting rod had one bent so bad, I didn't even attempt bending it back to position. It's rated for 8-14lb. line and 1/4-5/8oz. lures. This seems more in line with a Med power rod. Anyone own one of these? Are St. Croix rods generally heavier powered than their listing? I planned on replacing the guide and using it for wacky rigs and drop shotting, but after checking out the specs I'm thinking in-line spinners and1/4oz. blade baits.

Snaps, yes. Snap swivels, no. I just remove the split ring (if it has one). When using one with crankbaits, be sure to check your knot on occasion. I tend to get lazy when using a snap and not checking has cost me a fish or two.

I'll offer a tip or two on waking spinnerbaits Go one size smaller on the back blade, that'll help eliminate the bait rolling on it's side. The other is to let the blade break the surface occasionally during your retrieve. It has the same effect as bumping cover or changing speed....a deadly combination of speed and another triggering factor.