T-Billy

That's all we have in my neck of the woods. There's only two options, let it frustrate you, or embrace the challenge, and put in the time to learn how to catch those fish.

I skip a TRD Bug under docks and pontoons all summer. All the docks on our lakes are floating with just a few steel posts. I can normally get the fish out from under them on 6# XT without issue. I'm mediocre at skipping with casting gear, but that's gonna change in 22. I really dialed in a shoreline brush bite last summer that lasted clear up into Nov. when they draw the lakes down. There's lots of low overhanging trees along with the brush. Upping my skipping game will allow me to fish this stuff more efficiently/productively.

Ultra Molds 3.5" Sweet Craw, 6th Sense 3/0 Flippin Hook, snelled, Dr Scotts tungsten flippin weight, 40# 832. It's also great with a spider skirt welded to it and fished on an Arky or Football jig. Also my Chatterbait trailer of choice when I'm fishing it along the bottom.

You often won't feel the bite on a split shot or mojo rig, but it doesn't matter. They will hold that bait and swim with it a long time. Don't worry about it. Just go throw it. You can't learn it if your not throwing it.

LOL. I gave up on that a few years ago. Apparently the fish think I'm terrible at it, which is fine with me. I hate throwing that rig. Same scenario is about to go down at my house. No idea when I'll find a house in this crazy market, but I'm getting rid of a bunch of stuff in preparation. I had my best year fishing ever in 21. Anything that wasn't putting fish in the boat last year, ain't riding along this year.

Same here. Rage Craw has nothing on the ol twin tail.

Great jig trailer.

I agree with those above who stated it's just a mental game at this point. Success builds confidence. Wanna get good with a T rig? Take only that with you, put it in your hand and keep it there. Over time you'll get really good with it. I think your on the right track there. The T rig and ned are both techniques that every bass angler should dedicate the time to get good with. They both produce year round, shallow and deep. Those rods never leave my deck and get used nearly every trip.

My jig rod. Sweet spot is 3/8 - 3/4. I have two and couldn't be happier with 'em. You can do alot with this rod. $129 and beats a lot of competitors that cost twice as much.

Black is the only color worm I fish anymore. Sunny or cloudy, clear or stained, they eat it. There's been lots of days when they were nipping at Green Pumpkin, or Watermelon, or Red Shad, but would choke black. Never saw the reverse, so I just don't bother with other colors anymore. Black gets it done, with or without blue flake, doesn't seem to matter.

I guess since I helped derail Mo's thread I should contribute something useful. In cold water, say less than 50 degrees I usually start with a drag and subtle shakes. Once it's above 50 I kind of default to hopping and shaking it with my rod tip high in cover. In open water fishing structure, I do the same thing to start, but sweep my rod tip parallel to the surface instead of tip up. I'll change it up depending how the fish are reacting. Always gotta keep an open mind.

10-4. Of course that was before Glenn gave @TnRiver46 a ban hammer. I wouldn't dream of posting it nowadays. ?

The only Tuf Line I ever tried was the flouro coated stuff years ago. Don't recall the name. That line was awesome until the flouro coating started to fail, which unfortunately didn't take long. Too bad, it was smooth, handled great, cast a country mile, and held its color. These days it's 832. Handles great, and tough as nails.

You dirty dog. You KNOW we're all gonna be walking around with that stuck in our heads all morning!!! ? Edit to add: I'm guilty of the same offense. I once posted a link to the video in a thread. I was kind of afraid I'd get a whammy for it. LOL.

They're a great value for sure. They've relegated my Dobyns and Abu's to moving bait duty. I love ARK's formula of using the same blanks across multiple lines with guides and seats dictating the price point. It enables us to buy different series online and get what we're expecting. The Tharp Series doesn't have a model comparable to the Cobb One More so I ordered it and got exactly what I was expecting. Kudos to ARK for that.

Atta boy!!! On the upside that 2pc might even fit in the doghouse with ya depending on the size of your dog!!! ? Make your next purchase something nice for the wife. Happy wife, happy life. ?

Once the pre-front/early front aggressive bite shuts down, I typically look for sheltered areas and fish a jig or T-rig tight to cover. This bite usually holds up for me until the wind dies down. If I'm chasing smallies, I'll let the wind carry me along a break or across a flat, and generally be stroking a tube or T-rigged beaver. Again, this will usually produce until the wind turns off.

Those ARK blanks are awesome. That's a great deal on a Lancer. The 6'10" ML is great for Neds. I've been using the Tharp version.

Casting: ARK Tharp Series: Gunterville/Super Duty, King Cobra/Super Duty, Money Maker/Super Duty, Hammer/Pro SP, B-Hittay/Speed Spool LFS x2, One Eyed Jack/SLX MGL, ARK Cobb: One More/Tournament MB, Phenix Feather 7'1" L/Curado BFS, Feather 7'1" ML/Curado 71 MGL. Spinning: Spinning rods are for crappie now that I have those Feathers. Those things are SWEET!!!

21 saw me switch to braid and straight shanks for all my flippin and pitchin, and I really upped my heavy cover game. The plan for 22 is to round that out by improving my skipping. I also want to spend some time getting better offshore. Our little reservoirs don't have a lot of offshore structure, but they do have some old roadbeds and building foundations. I'd like to get better at consistently catching fish out deep.

I've broken both wrists and have tendonitis in my elbows. Not a fan of jerkbaits anymore. I'll suck it up and throw them if I gotta, but if I can get them to bite something else I'll be going that route.

T rig. Wood and weeds. The thicker, the better.

I'm also a fan of the K.I.S.S. system.

Don't automatically think deep. There are often bass shallow, especially on sunny afternoons.