BoatSquirrel

Great reminder—thanks! Buzzbait is a consistent bite getter that also catches hawgs.

Bill’s son was two grades below me in high school—1986. I tried to pay him $20 to aquire one for me. Still waiting on that...

I almost posted this same topic and have been experimenting with knots. Cant get an FG to bite with light line but Alberto is not quite strong enough even with 9 wraps. Saw an old utube video of the double alberto and it seems to be an improvement. Run your braid through the leader loop, then pull it back through and do 6 turns up and back with both strands of braid like a regular alberto. Finish with 3 tags. Good luck man! https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WGH65RGH2C4

I am in the same boat! I have been busy with athletic endeavors for the last 25 years and I come back to my beloved bass fishing to find a shocking number of jackleg fishermen and wakeboat yahoos on the lakes. I do not care if you are fishing a tournament, thats no reason to cut me off! So here is my solution: I fish big lakes as little as possible from now till deer season. If I do fish one, I put in mid afternoon on Sunday once the tournament boys are done. Maybe a few less idiots out there. But for the most part, its weekdays, small water, and rivers till November. Good luck, be safe, and live to fish another day!

Regardless of brand, braid to leader on a long medium action rod. When they eat it just reel, sweep set, and haul them in- just like on a crankbait.

The Coosa River lakes are actually near Birmingham and Lewis Smith is just up the road in Jasper. Or, why not have the expo in Huntsville if you want to fish Guntersville as it is only 30 minutes away? Because BASS still has not figured out that the sport is about the anglers. Having the expo/weigh-in in Birmingham is one of laziness and self importance from BASS, “Lets just have it here at our HQ and we can all sleep in our own beds”...except the anglers of course. The MLF anglers are all laughing!

So the 2020 Classic has been announced for Birmingham, AL, and the actual fishing will take place an hour and a half north at Lake Guntersville. Say this out loud and see if it makes sense: “We will have the tournament at the lake, then have all of the competitors drive an hour and a half south to the expo where they will all wait hours in line weighing in, then they get to drive another hour and a half back up to the lake where their hotels are, all on zero sleep.” For some lucky anglers, they will get to do this 3 days in a row! And how great would it be to be a bass crammed into a livewell for twelve hours! Sounds like a great way to run off three quarters of your field to a new, angler and natural resource focused league. Apparently BASS has learned absolutely nothing from their last eight months in business.

I have the M 7’ Aird and use it for 1.5 squarebills. Its about as stiff as a whip. I would say the MH for your neko. Good inexpensive rod.

You have the right buzzbait. Buzzbaits are an overlooked big fish bait. Check your line for nicks and keep your hook sharp.

The days of DVDs are largely gone for me.

Like the auto manufacturers used to say about their NASCAR sponsorships, win on Sunday, sell on Monday. Print or e-advertising is VERY expensive. Rapala can sponsor dozens of guys for the cost of one ad. IKE wacks them on BASS Live in the classic on a DT6 and yells “in the face!” and by lunchtime on Monday the shelves are empty. A successful angler can turn numbers like nothing else.

MLF pro Edwin Evers finishes 7 at Chickamauga fishing only a dropshot in 1-4 feet: “The drop-shot rig included a 6-9 Bass Pro Shops Platinum spinning rod, a Platinum spinning reel spooled with XVS Hyper Braid, and a 10-pound fluorocarbon leader tied to a 1/0 hook, with a 4.75-inch Berkley Bottom Hopper worm in green pumpkin, and weights ranging from 3/16-to 3/8-ounce, depending on conditions.”

7 foot, heavy action seems to be a good length for being able to cast accurately and still haul a fatty out of the slop.

Absolutely that is a jerkbait sir, possibly the original. As a kid, I would cast it out, twitch it a few times on the surface, then reel it back in. Just for kicks I started to add twitches, pauses, and jerks into the retrieve and the bass approved! My shallow water jerkbait bite was on, and has been is a killer ever since.

Junger is right. Lots of variables. Could be fish seeing your line, maybe they do not like the frog color. Try a follow up bait like a wacky rigged senko. Good opportunity to experiment!

You will find a long stream of posts on this site bemoaning lost lures and fish when using fluoroclear. I have experienced the random breakoffs others have written about. Watched my brother cast three lures in a row off with this line. It is just not dependable. Line is one of the places in fishing where you truly get what you pay for.

Usual order, at least in TN, gizzard shad first at around 60 degree water, then bass second, threadfin shad, then bluegill last.

Snaps are best used with treble hook baits. Single hook baits like worms, jigs and even topwater frogs require a strong, fast hookset which snaps are not made for. With treble hook lures, I use a lighter, side sweep hookset, and crank them in. I remove the front split ring and use snaps on all of my crankbaits, jerkbaits, topwaters like poppers or spooks. Not sure of Owner’s sizes but VMC crankbait snaps run a size 0 for 3/8-5/8 lures, a 1 for up to 1 oz. Good luck man.

How about a 13 Fishing Defy in MH power, fast action for $59. 15 lb PowerPro with a Seaguar Red leader on a Pflueger President reel. Cheap, effective, and I can skip a senko into your pocket from 50 feet!

I have bags of them left including some 12” black that are going to be swimming through some Tennessee milfoil soon!

Size 8 and 10 Rapala XRap in silver, moss back shiner, and clown.

Just when I had every combo for every situation I needed, about 25, I went and broke my #1 topwater rod yesterday. Oh the tragedy!!!

Fluoro is a tool, like a less stretchy mono that sinks and is very sensitive. Allows crankbaits and jerkbait to run deeper. Russ E, you are correct, sir. I would also throw Invizx into the acceptable fluoros readily available. Having multiple guns, saws, hammers, and rods is always better than just one!

Rapala #9 Shadrap with 12lb fluoro.

Why do people hate spinning rods?