nbbassin

For the last couple years I have been using a ned head with a skirt on it and a craw type trailer. They look a lot like the jigs link above. Work pretty good.

The local tackle store owner taught me a lot of rigging and what to look for. I was maybe 13 at the time and took it all in. He show me how to a texas rig a Ringworm in Smoke with chart tail on 2/0 EWG hook with 1/8 sinker, 27 years later I still throw that bait. Show me how to rig a carolina rig he used brass sinkers and until tungstentook over I still used 1/2 brass sinkers. There is a local tournament here named after him.

Usually 6 to 12 lbs test, 8 /10 90% of the time. braid to fluro or straight fluro. Depends on the technique I still use mono smaller rivers where the snag factor it higher to save money. Hi-vis braid for bottom fishing, or dropshot. Green for everything else. Seaguar Sunline, Daiwa and Berkley are the lines of choice, depends on availability.

I would love to watch tournaments without livescope. I have lost interest. I have livescope but I don't want to watch someone watch a screen.

I like the smaller frogs, Pad crasher JR or Spro Jr

Never quit, went from fishing 4 days a week to about 2 times a month to back to twice a week. Depends on work, family life, and expenses. I have my fishing/duck boat still , but prefer kayak now.

For cranks something with a long bill so it stays down in the current and doesn't roll, a short arm spinnerbait so it doesn't roll., Tube on a 3/4 head, grub, jig worm, Ned etc Lighter stuff on the edges. A popper at the end of the white water too.

Braid to fluro or straight fluro depends on the technique, but general setup spinning is 8lbs to 10bs and baitcasting is 12 to 12. I use the bright color braid for things like dropshot or ned but , usually it is green or gray.

Troll a weight 4 or 5" fluke texas rigged. I have been meaning to try trolling a donkey rig with two different weights and an A rig with swimbaits. An underspin could be killer too. We used to troll for trout and there was always some kind of flashing metal like cowbells, dodger or spinner.

I love the white water, use the current to position the lure. The smallies wait by the the edge for something drift by in the eddies. Also have my second rod with something heavy to get down through the current to fish the rocks and wood that lighter lures never get to.

I watch all the and follow a few leagues, MLF, NPFL, BASS, WON, APEX. I prefer the AAA tournaments. I find it harder and harder to watch any smallmouth dropshot or livescope tournaments, so around July I stop watching them this year. I like grinder tournaments like the Chesapeake bay, Red river etc. I follow west coast and Japanese anglers because I like the finesse approach or big swimbaits.

Check the deep holes and places just out of the current. I'll use a split shot rig with a cut tail worm, or reaper or grub with the tail cut on spinning gear. I hold some line in my hand like I'm fly fishing to detect bites and to position the bait just right.

Watch you shadow if possible, in rivers fast moving shadows means hawk/osprey is overhead.

Fished team tournaments in 2000 and 2001. I was 19 and we did pretty good. My boat motor blew up and between paying for school and life there wasn't any money to spare. I would fish one tomorrow if someone ask, but not really going lay out the cash on my own. I was thinking of taking a vacation being a co angler in BFL, more of learning experience then competition for me.