Mbirdsley

For my larger 3 hook rapalas and other similar baits that I use for casting/twitching( not trolling). I like to remove the very front treble so that there are only 2 trebles on it instead of three. I do this for two reasons first: it seems to cut down on snags and grass collecting up front. Secondly when the fish is flopping around it prevents all three hooks from getting stuck somewhere in the fish and unintentionally tearing the fish and or net up

Zoom tube in green pumpkin 4.0 inch. Around here it either looks like a goby or craw in the rivers.

That is a good point. I could see the chances of gut hooking a bass while using the offset hooks would be substantially higher than using either a wacky or octopus hook.

This may have been beat to death but, I am new. When selecting a hook for the wacky rig. what is the difference in using a hook designed for the wacky rig IE a Lazor Trokar wacky worm hook and a octopus style hook IE a Gamakatsu octopus hook? could a circle hook or similar also work? I mean I guess in reality any hook would work as I have seen people use offset worm hooks while fishing them wacky style.

I thought it might be a matzuo zander shad shallow diver mzs9s. But, the mzs9s only has two hooks. it looks like something matzuo would make with the flared gill plate

yes, Walmart has been having a lot of fishing tackle in there clearance section. I bought up a lot of the owner offset worm hooks for a dollar a pack. They also had Zman crawdadz greenpumkin orange claw 10 pack for 3 bucks (I only see them in 6 packs and not ten packs) I don't know if they pulled them from other stores because, I haven't seen them at that particular store. I also picked up two packs of mustad KVD duo-lock snaps 25 pcs for 50cent. Right now they have a lot Mustad KVD hooks but, they still want three bucks for em, I'm cheap ill wait until they go cheaper

I need to get back into the reloading room too but, for the last month my brain has been wired for fishing. Also, I need to get my t/c triumph receiver striped, painted and get the scope mounted. I have the mounts, scope, and all the tools to mount it I have just been putting it off. Even built a spray booth to paint the receiver and than like I said than I got fishing on the brain bad.

thanks for suggesting to change the size of the picture in the paint program. Worked like a champ.

so the weather is finally starting to break in the great state of Michigan. After fishing for the first time with the boat last week there were some things that I thought should have had with me. However, I did not have certain things. Big thing was that the lake I went too, when I arrived and started launching the boat I noticed a whole bunch of shad either dying or dead at the ramp. The Material about the lake that I had been studying said nothing about shad. I really have nothing other than cranks that mimic shad I made two stops yesterday on pay day 2nd picture is form Walmart where, they are still clearancing out tackle in the bargain section. from that section I picked up two packs of mustad KVD duo-lock snaps size 2 for 50 cents each. Also they had 10 packs of zman greenpumkin/orange craw crawdadz's for $3. From the regular section I bought Berkley pogy swimming shad in the white shad color( dead ringer for shad I think). Continuing with swim baits I bought pro blue red rage swimmers. Some Berkley blue black chigger craw for jigs or T-rigging, strike king blue/black 1/4 Minnie king spinner bait, eagle claw stand up jigs in 1/8 and 1/4, ad finally some 1/2 oz water gremlin worm slip sinkers for t-rigs 2nd stop at Duhnham's 1st pic. I bought a rapala husky jerk (HJ10) in Helsinki shad ( silver with a chartreuse stripe down middle) and 2 Booyah Boo jigs 3 /8 oz in greenpumkin and black/blue. These are the first bass jigs I have ever bought. I think I'm going to put the blue/black jigger craw and the greenpumkin crawdadz on the corresponding color jig for trailers. I am Going fishing either Sunday or Monday on the Saginaw bay. I am not sure yet if it will be for walleye or C&R small mouth yet. Decisions, Decisions

How do I post pictures. Every picture I try to up load I get a error that is says file is to large. How do I make a smaller picture file after I take it so it will post? I have tried cropping the photos smalle but, it will still will not let me. I'm alright with computers but, this has me stumped

I just need the eye to punch through the plastic to tie on to it. Then after tying it on the plastic. The plastic will close on the eye and the jig will sink back down. All you really see is just the line entering the top of the tube. This works for me.

So... how do you tie the fg knot out in the boat if you have to keep the braid tight? Using your teeth to keep the braid tight with your teeth will work? Looks like a good knot

No your right I did not wet the two knots before I pulled it tight. I have used the double uni knot For, braid to mono, two different monos of differing lbs together, or to splice line in after a break off. But, I do like the ease of the Alberto knot. It took me a lot practice to get the double Uni-knot to work.

I just finished up setting up my wacky rig/ really finesse rod and just stumbled on the Alberto knot. the knot is silly simple to tie. I usually use the double uni-knot when joining two different lines. The double uni-knot however, does not work very well with connecting braid to fluoro. the braid will cut through the fluoro like a hot knife through butter after tightening the knots. The Alberto knot seems very strong and also keeps a very low clean profile as it is going through the guides. This isn't groundbreaking or anything and I'm sure most here knew this. I was just pleased to learn something new.

Only real reg that sticks out that might be different from other states is that you cant drop shot on rivers or drowned river mouths. On the lakes you are fishing you wont have to worry about it. The only place you would get into trouble if you ventured into the channel that connects lake Charlevoix to lake Michigan. Any plastic that is green pumpkin ( I think they hammer it because it looks like a goby) or any thing that resembles a goby. Some data has indicated that the increase in smallmouth size is due to the fact that they have been gorging on gobies. Also, the bigger sizes could be due to the fact that the water has been clearing up due to various invasive mussles. On the deep cold lake like the one you plan on fishing the small mouth may or may not have even spawned by the time you are up there. This spring has been a very cold one even in mid-Michigan. Crystal lake (a deep 7 mile long lake) has not even lost its ice cover yet.

Only place you can not C and R bass during the closed walleye and northern season is on the Saginaw river and it’s tributaries m IE tittabawassee(below Sanford), bad river, flint, Shiawassee ( in Saginaw county) and the cass river. Actually you can but, only allowed live bait with no beads or spinners.

So this Wednesday it is supposed to be 56 degrees in the Great Lake State. The warmest it has been in weeks. I have picked a lake to fish with my 14 ft mirror craft. One I’ve never been to between lansing and st.johns. From what I have researched on this small 50ish acre lake. The water clarity is usually stained to muddy with a 16-18 foot hole just off a point on the western shore. The rest of it is 5-10 feet deep. The outside from google earth looks like it is ringed by dense vegetation in the summer time. There is also a creek that enters from the south west and exits in north east. Also, another creek enters on the east from another smaller lake. first thought is to fish where the two creeks enter the lake. 2nd would be the 16-18 inch hole. Thirdly just fish out side the weeds that rim the lake. I do have bright colored 3/8 spinner baits, shallow diving, medium diving, and deep diving creeks. Only thing I really don’t have is bright colored plastics. I have some but, most of it green pumpkin, Black/Blue, and other natural stuff. Would Texas rigging a blue and black Christie critter work this time of the year? Three other ideas come to my head are slow rolling the spinner baits and cranks around the creeks, maybe throwing a wacky rig around the creeks and deep hole. I figure the creeks and deeper hole will be the warmest along where opposite side of the lake the wind is blowing from. how does this sound? I have done a lot of fishing just not specifically for bass in lakes.

I don't personally keep bass to eat ( if it is hooked to deep to survive I would) and haven't eaten a bass in years. But, I have no problem and will not judge anybody keeping fish to eat. Bag limits are in place for reason. Like others have said in some lakes it may actually help keep balance in the eco system. The issue is that some bodies of water can handle people constantly taking fish and some can't. For example in the great lakes, fishermen will never put a dent in the fish population as long as the bag limit is followed. Other smaller lakes if too many fish are kept and it could severely hurt the population. A person just has to mindful of what body of water can handle. If I were to eat a bass it would be a 14-18inch (min in Michigan is 14) small mouth out of deep cold lake pan fried. MMM that actually sounds pretty good

Today while at Walmart I picked up a bomber 4A three pack of cranks creek craw, foxy shad, and moss back craw. Also Walmart for the last month and a half has been blowing out terminal tackle for the owner 5191 worm hooks of various sizes are only a dollar. I’ve never used them. I have Always used eagle claw or the gama worm hooks. Over the last week I’ve bought about 6 packs of them. I figure for a buck why not. Tried posting a pic but, the file is too big

I have a boat I just need to find somebody to fish with. Sometimes my work schedule only permits last minute trips. Within the last three months I have finally been able to get every other weekend off. For the last 8 years it’s basically been 7 days a week 8,10,12 hrs days. Plus throw in a 6 month old. However, right now I can get out 2 days a week. Anybody I do fish with I would consider them novice which ( I would consider my self maybe average), I don’t mind but, once in a while I’d like to fish with somebody who is above my skill level. I can’t get my friends to commit to even buying their own basic stuff like rods,reels, or even waders for river fishing.

I’m new here. I live about 40 minutes away from bay city. This will be the first full summer for my 14 ft mirror craft ( the road runner). I recieved last June As a wedding present. I plan hitting the bay hard for walleye and of course small mouth. I will be getting a bigger boat in about 2-3 years. I just don’t know if it will be more of a walleye type boat or more of a bass boat

On the small river that I fish all the time a 3.5-4 inch green pumpkin zoom tube gets hammered by the smallies. I usually only use a 1/16 or 1/8 tube jig on like 8 lbs Berkley xl line. Throw it out let it sink and slowly bring it back making sure it ticks the bottom. I think they think they are gobies. This also works for large mouths up shallow in lakes with sand and light vegetation bottoms. I need to learn t-rig those so they weed less

I’ll buy another rod and reel for Texas rigs and other heavy worm rigs. I bought this rod and reel mainly for jerk baits/cranks/spinner baits. The how to videos on this site are definitely some of the best thanks m..

The st.claire and Detroit rivers are considered part of the Great Lakes. Walleye season is still open right now on them. So I would take that as drop shotting being legal. All rivers/tributaries connected to the Saginaw bay are basically closed to all fishing except sucker And perch fishing due to the walleye/pike spawning going on. The only way you can fish suckers and perch right now is with live bait with no beads or spinners on the rigs. However, the Saginaw bay it is still legal to catch walleye and c&r bass right now

I have a couple of different spinning out fits. The one I think I want to rig for wacky rig. it is a 6’6 Berkley tactix with a quantum accurist reel; was thinking for this I would rig some high-vis braid and a floro leader. I guess my main thing is I am pretty good at small river fishing where I make my own in-line spinners, jigs, and sinkers. I just really havnt had much success lake fishing. I just feel like I get lucky and catch fish not knowing what I’m doing and catching fish. Im not sure on a couple things. When you are fishing Texas rigged jigs are you dragging them on the bottom or hopping them? What about drop shotting is it a verticals presentation or are you casting it out and reeling it in while maintains contact with bottom? 1st is my personal best large mouth on a tube in like three feet of water on Memorial Day 2nd photo is my personal best small mouth out of the shiawassee