1984isNOW

Pretty low temps, particularly overnight for like a week. What do you do? While we're here, let's get the fall transition thread going - break it down like this Clear water approach= Dingey water approach= Pond approach = Lake approach = All waters I'll be honest, I spent a good chunk of time fishing golf courses, it's totally cheating. But I feel like the fluke is... always worth throwing... But a solid fall producer. And then a popper, getting closer to sunset. Also a hard jerkbait. Clear water, idk, I'm new to it. Clear to me is over 6-10 ft visibility. Pat Cullen convinced me the buzzbait should be thrown everywhere all year long no matter the water. I'm trying it this year. The extra early transition/cold snap on clear water got me confused right now.

My cousin scoffed at the idea of ever working, said if he ever got a full time job he'd make less then he does from housing assistance and EBT. Also I know if you go to college they give you less amount on your EBT. The system is designed to keep us separated by class/wealth and make little obedient lemmings who will never challenge the powers that be, can't bite that hand that feeds right? I don't blame business capitalizing on the opportunity to make more money by marketing to the top tier wealth holders. It's the artificial inflation that impacts us regular guys that bothers me, like same team bro chill. I couldn't afford a Jonny bass boat or Pelican Catch pwr a couole years ago, still can't today especially since they've gone up hundreds of dollars. I'm just learning to care a lot less about money, and think if it'll make me or my family happy let's just do it (within reason of course, a bass boat is unreasonable haha)

I would never on purpose kill any fish, but those idiots don't understand how ecosystems work. A simple 5 minute required video with purchase of fishing license would make enough of a difference. Sometimes bank fishing it's tough not to have a bass slap the grass. I'd love to see some info on bass getting a little dirty and the impact.

@Pat Brown/ 1/8 huh, that's little. Into shallow cover or over deeper water? I been buzzing a lot of this summer, lost 3 buzzbaits already. Gonna start making my own. How's the squeak on that one? Heavy fast with braid, interesting. How's that heavy fast cast the light lure? I started throwing it on a mh moderate fast and a medium fastish (slow side of fast) with 12 or 15# Big Game and noticed more hook ups, also remind myself to point rod tip at fish before hook set, seems that extra second helps connect.

4/o ewg on 30#braid into Lillie's, the bigger hook helps with weight. Don't even think about how to work it, sometimes let it sit sometimes move it sometimes wonder what the heck you're doing and why even bother fishing and then catch one and say "oh yeah, that feeling" Don't tell anybody but throw pink

What's your set up? Including the lure itself I agree 100%, sometimes it's hard to accept that there's a day the fish just say no to it haha

One of the reasons I started building my own rods is so I could build myself a stout spinning rod and not have a handle that's 4-6 inches too long like many salt water rods. Can spec it exactly how I want and make sure it's exactly what I need. Going custom just makes the most sense.

There's a water round here that I saw an eel so big it I almost jumped. Easily over 3.5 ft, dangerous to fish there at night though. But if you say that's big fish then maybe I'll take the risk.

Eelllsss???

"Days" you say? You're known for wetting lines at 2am, these fish were caught in daylight? I've got way too much growth here for chatterbaits, they only chatter for a second then stop after finding a new hat made of milfoil or some other weed. Wakebaits may have a place, but narrow coverage. I only have 1, I'll give it a go.

Doin what?

Hope I didn't hurt the poor bastad then haha, he ripped a hole in my net and i hadn't been on my kayak in a while. It was an awkward endeavor unhooking the thrashing jerk and it took a little longer than I had hoped, plus I know their boney jaws can be fragile. Thanks for sharing your thoughts yall

Does the size of other species indicate a likelihood of larger bass? Obviously the ecosystem is healthy enough to sustain big predators, but they're not all doing the same stuff. Is there a correlation to size of all species in an ecosystem? Of course there are different variables like preferred habitat for each species etc, but I just mean in general.

Thanks for the suggestions yall I'm happy with unpainted since they're cheaper, nail polish has been doing the trick for me perfectly fine. Type of heads? D. All of the above haha I think presently swim jigs and some kind of arky/skipping jig are top of list.. variety of weights.. I don't understand why there are jigs still made that aren't vertical tie or recessed. It just makes more sense. I can't pour jigs, no ventilation or space for it.

August has sucked so far, but I've only been able to fish in unfavorable conditions, in the same spots, soo weedy I can only use the same things. But I've now got a question for another post soon, punching in a kayak, I think that's my only option at this point.

I'm new to jigs, threw'em a bunch the beginning of the season, until the weeds made it impossible. Never got hit on the fall the hop or the bounce, but a slow drag bagged me a few late spring/early summer bass. I got real excited about that, then the weeds came in. All the weeds Every weed I can't let anything make contact with the bottom anywhere I fish, but it's pushed me to use a top water bladed jig (buzzbait) which has been productive up until the last few outings (I think I blew up my own spot haha, not many spots to shore fish around here) But I'm sold on the jig when the waters clear up towards the fall, at least i hope they produce for me.

At First Uptons looked good, until I found out it's not a fishing lure, it's a fish catheter, looks painful. I'll stick with ol' monster and have some SK anaconda to try.

My buddy is new to fishing, I got him totally hooked the past few years. I ended up moving across state essentially and we only get to fish together a few times a year now, or really get together at all. The last time we fished together we each caught a few, and at one point he pulled a bass in between some bushes over the bank. Maybe a pound or so, and to put it back he just launched it over the bushes. I absolutely freaked on'em! He's my friend, so I can freely say "whatbthe fudge are you thinking you moron, why would you do that? Is that what your kids do so you think it's okay, just punt a fish like that into the water? Could you imagine doing a belly flop on that same scale you idiot! Next time get as close as you can and as softly as possible get the fish back in, sometimes a little throw is just how it has to be, but don't shot put the d**n thing" If I saw him kayaking at me holding a big bass out of the water I mightve whacked'em with my paddle and reminded him he's now destroyed the chance of one of his kids (or any kid) catching that awesome bass. Here's a related question @ALL how do you prevent a bass from thrashing when holding by the jaw? I was weighing a chunky bass a few weeks ago that started thrashing pretty good once clipped to the grippers and scale. I tried to tell'em to stop, and apologized as I unclipped him and let's go. Same, good call

They do what they're told we'll haha @rangerjockey I'm pretty sure they market the zbone as one step up in carbon material over the helium. But regardless I can build a $500 rod myself for anywhere between $150-2 $200 depending on my Configuration, add a hundred bucks for ti guides on just okay sale (little rich for my blood) It's all about timing for sales and all that

As long as you pay for shipping, but I bet I'd get it right the first time. Knowing how you fish and from what I've seen of your posts I already know what I'd recommend for a build, so long as my memory serves me correctly haha.

This is exactly what I had in mind when I grabbed the zillion sv tw on sale (218). I found that 1 tick more on the brakes actually causes a longer cast, greater line control, no fluff, smooth cast, far cast. It absolutely zings buzzbaits, any further and hook sets would just be hook gentle tugs out of a fishes mouth. @FryDog62 I can't even imagine casting a 3/8oz buzzbait further than I am now, and I'd hate to see this thing cast a lipless and get hit on landing. I'd recommend finding a cream that has MSM in it, it's practically a miracle drug. That and arnica oil, but definitely the msm. Sometimes you can find the two together. Rub on your elbow a few times a day and you'll eventually forget which elbow even hurt. I'm happy to share more about it if anybody is curious, I happened to spend some time a while back researching it for mine and my dad's aches and pains.

Kistler is the reason I build rods now, rods that are unbelievable! They were using North Fork Composites for blanks and charging 500 bucks, same blank (if you time it on sale) is like 80 bucks. Look at their custom rod options, they charge like 150 bucks extra on top of the component cost upgrading from EVA to go to carbon fiber grips... I'm pretty sure the blank I have from them is after NFC, and hear their NFC days were the glory days. But that 150 dollar upcharge is disgusting for carbon fiber grips sold around 12-24 dollars. I'll givem the blank is bonkers sensitive, but they're gouging right there without a doubt 100%. For budget options I did well enough with Zebco from Wally World until I knew better, but anything not contact they're probably just as fine.

This makes me question my existence... I'm be back for the rest

@Alex Ball thanks for sharing man. How do you measure sensitivity? When you say accuracy of specs, as compared to what standard? You mention an industry standard, what is that because I've only ever seen absolute chaos, even within brand and rod line. You're first measurement of load is very interesting, could you share screenshots? Action, technically, is supposed to represent how quickly a rod will snap back to straight, and not anything to do with the bend (the confusion is the absolute correlation between the two). I don't often share my fantasies with people, but I share that one with you. Accuracy and consistency across brands... impossible. Intentional. Consistency leads to informed consumers and less sales when anglers are "searching for the perfect _______ rod." Have you looked into building your own rods? Ever heard of the Common Cents System? Kistler makes a killer rod, I had to learn not to set my hook into every blade of grass I felt. 7ft Hmh xf, yup that's a heavy medium heavy not their light medium heavy, they've already made a greater attempt at accuracy than any other brands since everybody's MH might be 1/4-3/4 or even 3/8-1...

@Alex Ball what is your scoring system for rods and reels? And how did you measure that 35% flex in that rod?