bp_fowler

I did recently purchase such a rod. AG Vendetta 7’ Med/Mod topped with an AG Black Max. Budget outfit, not ready to go all in with a pricier setup just yet.

A few years back we moved to my wife’s home town. It was a bit of a change for me to be living in a more rural area especially one where I didn’t know anyone. My wife was tired of me loafing around the house and said I needed a hobby. I saw that most folks around these parts like to hunt and fish. I dabbled in both growing up but fishing was the easier/cheaper (ha!) of the two options so after a cursory internet search I got a budget spinning combo, a pack of green pumpkin senkos, some hooks and bullet sinkers and off I went to stalk the banks of the numerous local lakes and reservoirs. It being the middle of August I was hit or miss at first, but once I hooked into a 5+ pound Bass at family friend’s farm pond I knew that this was it for me and I haven’t looked back since. This past summer I took my son with me fishing. For his first time I showed him how to tie on a Texas rig with the same green pumpkin senkos. He landed 6 fish that day and now all he wants to do is fish which is fine by me.

As you can guess from the title I’m brand new to cranking. When I look at the selection of Crankbaits out there I’m a bit overwhelmed. There’s square bills, flat sides, lipless, medium and deep divers and don’t even get me started on the colors. I’m a bit clueless where to begin. Are there any specific make/model(s) or general recommendations that you folks would suggest for a bank angler just starting out? A few good options that would cover most of the situations I’d encounter from the bank would be great.

I finally got back out today I was worried that I wouldn’t get to fish any before it got too cold out. Had a decent day though and what made it especially cool was that it was my first time fishing a Jerkbait. I decided to try it out since it’s fall and what not. It did not disappoint and while none of the fish I caught were very big I still had a blast. I also learned jerkbaits can catch crappie as well.

Not to hijack the thread, but I’ve never seen ned rigs with EWG hooks before might I ask who makes those?

Like others have said, I carry a ziploc bag specifically for used soft plastics. I’ll use them again for their intended purpose or trim the damaged section and use them for trailers or what have you.

@TnRiver46 I’ve used them with either weighted belly hooks or Texas rigged them with a light weight (1/16 or 1/8) pegged tight up to the nose of the bait. I did it that way because I was trying to keep them weedless. I recently figured out that was redundant because I could just fish a swim jig if I’m that concerned about weeds. I was thinking I would buy swim bait jig heads and start using them more in open water, but after reading this thread I like the idea of using ball heads better because 1) I already have some and 2) they seem a bit more versatile.

I’m a fan also. Have used both 2.75” Yum Pulse and 3.75” Rage Swimmers. I have never rigged them with a ball head jig though. For those of you that do, are you bottom bouncing or swimming them? Maybe both?

Our wives must be related. Maybe they’re not related after all. Yes. Every. Single. Time. In fact, every rod and reel that I own was purchased there. As far as my other tackle it’s 50/50 between Wally World and the local B&T.

Well, been on a bit of a slump since late August, 1-2 dinks here and there and got skunked a lot more than I was used to. Went out for a few hours yesterday hoping my luck would finally turn. Caught 3 adjacent to the boat ramp which was a minor miracle considering the amount of traffic that was out there. Have a procedure scheduled this week and might be laid up for a little while. So if this may have been my last trip of the year at least I got to end it it on somewhat of a high note.

Another vote for the football jig here. At least that’s gonna be my first choice. After that the shaky head/Neko rig, and mojo rig.

My kit is pretty similar to yours, the differences being: 1. Ned rig - I like a finesse shaky head instead. 2. Walking bait - The only topwater I carry is a popper 3. I almost always have flukes with me if not already tied on one of my rods

I hear you, I see a lot of trash left by other anglers on the bank, night crawler containers, empty bottles and cans. I’ve almost tripped and broken fell several times because I got my feet tangled in fishing line people have left behind on the bank. I always was it up and stick it in my pocket or tackle bag.

Black and/or Bubblegum ?

Jigs, specifically casting jigs. I do alright on swim jigs and football jigs. Drop shot. Not only have I never caught a fish I’ve never even gotten bit. Topwaters, all varieties. I keep throwing them though because I want so desperately for them to work because they seem like a lot of fun. Strengths? I guess I would say it’s my willingness to go places that other shore based anglers fear to tread. I believe it has put onto fish that that I wouldn’t have caught otherwise.

Happy birthday! @ol'crickety

I ask because my bar is set pretty low, as long as it’s above 50 degrees and it’s not thundering and lightning out, I’ll be out there. I know some folks will only go if the barometric pressure, temperature, prevailing winds, and/or phase of the moon indicate the fish will be biting. What about you? Do you only fish when conditions are favorable? Or do you ever go fishing even when the conditions are not optimal for catching bass?

I would say I have the opposite problem. I can’t catch diddly squat on a hard jerkbait but I do pretty good, including 2/3 my biggest fish this year, (the lone outlier was with a swim jig)on a fluke.

Yes. I mean that literally, as in this is my first year bass fishing seriously.

Certainly some valid criticisms here. I guess I just have a soft spot for the things. I got my start in bass fishing with t-rigged senkos. My very first bass and my PB were caught using them. For a while they were the only thing I fished.

Okay, I gotta ask, why all the hate for senkos? I thought they were a staple bait for bass fishing. Please don’t beat me up too much ?

Previously when I had fished this lake most of my fish were caught in two locations. The first is a point next to the where the primary feeder creek empties into the lake. This is also where I got my one only bite of the day while casting across the mouth of the creek towards some cattails and bushes. The other spot was towards the lower end of the lake adjacent to the dam. This was one of the few areas on this lake where the weeds were patchy enough for me to get a lure in there. The water is murky and that didn’t change much with the rise in water. There were other spots that I fished but they had not been productive in the past so I’m not sure why I thought they would be now. Actually I know why, normally the weed line is pretty thick and broad. So broad in fact that even if I bombed it out there with all my might I could just barely get past the outside edge of the weeds in some places. I figured since the water was up I might be able to pick off a few swimming above the newly submerged weeds.

We’ve been getting slammed with rain the past week or so here. I gave it 24hrs since the last rain and went out to one of my fishing spots ( a 63 acre reservoir) for a few hours. When I arrived I observed that the water had risen considerably maybe close to a foot. I remembered that folks say bass follow rising water. So I proceeded to fish around the new shoreline which had previously been surrounded by milfoil from the bank out to 25-30 yards at the furthest. I also tried to pitch in and around the newly flooded cover. Unfortunately besides one fish that I hooked but came off. Skunked. So is it true that bass follow the rising water? Or am I missing something here?

I swear you catch what have to be some of the most aesthetically pleasing fish I’ve ever seen. Beautiful fish!

Yup.