rgasr63

Lizards are in my stack all year long. They catch fish and usually it is the larger ones. Yum's Carolina pumpkin chartreuse and a white Zoom lizard work for the pre spawn on thru the early fall for me.

Don't forget the DT-4 and all those dozens of square bills that are saved up. I don't change any hooks or hardware until the bait runs right and it catches a couple of fish.

I'm sorry I am a little late to see your post. I'm praying for you. It is tough to have the right words now but you're part of our community here on BR. Love you bro.

Great catch!!!!

Cork is a issue maybe you might have to work around that. Shimano still makes the fx series rod. They are made very well. My grands use this rod when they go fishing with me. My understanding is the only thing that has changed with them is the color over the years. They have ceramic guides also. These rods are inexpensive so it don't cost a lot to try one

Bass Pro also has those old style boxes with the blue rust protection dividers I really have not had any trouble with them at all. Sometimes Walmart sells a couple styles of them too.

There is a old saying that states you can't get a hit unless you swing the bat. That Nessie bait or something like it is something that I personally didn't feel like it would produce for me but I was wrong. I wish to encourage you just to try. I can say that the Nessie works for me.

Pearl and chartreuse is my favorite.

Well shallow water is the condition for the question so I could go with a 7.5 Culprit grape worm 1/8-1/4 tungsten bullet weight 3/0 Owner worm hook. Mostly not pegged unless heavy vegetation then a peg and a 3/8 weight to start out with. There are so many different baits to be used according to what the area looks like that there will always be room to negotiate. I guess you got to start somewhere.

Great catch!!

I have thrown white when I sight fish beds. But I use 2 different colors otherwise. Carolina pumpkin/chartreuse and a BPS black light works most any other time.

Grape, junebug,redbug,Calif 420, and watermelon red make 70 percent of the time.

Send me a note on PM and I will send you some take offs most of them are #4 and #6

The Strike King Menace worm or the Zoom Z Craw were probably the most favored. I actually caught a bunch with a Berkley Choppo. When I couldn't get bit with one of those pot luck

I will always carry and fish a plastic worm. The Zoom Trick Worm is the decades top producer followed by a Culprit. People around me get hung up on the creature baits and the stick baits so much that a old school worm can be just as productive. It has been my go to lure for a lot longer than this thread started. I don't foresee a change in that for me.