Flushdraw

I think colors can be location and bait specific. Some days, color makes all the difference and the next it doesn't seem to matter much. For Senkos, I've tried over a dozen colors. The hands-down winner for me is Emerald/blue flake (junebug) followed by the GP/watermelon laminate, and just GP. For other T-rig plastics... watermelon black flake, watermelon/red flake, GP, junebug, and maybe plum. Shad colors have worked well with flukes and swim baits. Colors that seem to be consistently horrible...White, black, black/blue, and watermelon gold flake.

The T-rig is my favorite way to fish. I usually use a pegged 1/8 to 1/4oz bullet on either a medium heavy or heavy rod. Most used hook is a 3/0 Gammy Heavy Cover flippin hook. If I could only choose one soft plastic, it would be a Fat Ika in watermelon black flake. My two other confidence baits are the 8” bull worm in watermelon red flake and the Berkley Pit Boss in almost any color. Notable mention to a weightless Yamatanuki side hooked with the same flippin hook. I'm still testing these, but so far, so good.

The CDC is laughable. Google makes for a horrible doctor. Listen to your own body first. You know better than any doctor. Do what feels good to you. If it feels like too much, take a break. Sincerely wishing the best for you.

Same here in Texas! The bass don't know it's Fall yet. Thank you, Glenn. I've never thrown a swim jig, but it's on my short list.

Great post. I'll be honest, I'm not yet at the point of being a trophy hunter. I'm pretty impatient for an angler. I'm a single dad of 3 kiddos and my fishing times are usually an hour to two MAX. I'm a newbie and still at the baby phase of thinking catching any fish is good. If I go out fishing and catch nothing, then that just sucks! In the last year or so, I'm slowly changing to where I'm willing to sacrifice quantity for larger fish. Yeah, I know I just contradicted myself. I want to target bigger fish, but still end my day with putting fish in the boat...if that makes sense.

After reading all the responses, I think I may stick to using a short leader (1-3ft) if for no other reason than to have an easier break-off point should my line get stuck. I'm not going to sweat it, though. I very well may go straight braid in some circumstances. I don't think it's a deal-breaker in stained water.

It doesn't matter. Owner also sells the screw locks in packs. The 1/8oz 1/0 hook comes with the small screw lock. Owner has the best screws on the market by far, imo. Anyways...I replaced mine with the next size up. Makes a difference long term if you throw a lot of swimbaits. Not needed, but if you fall in love with them a worthy upgrade.

OP, I started out the same way as you...using swimbaits. It may be user error but either way I'd trash those hooks. The Owner Flashing Swimmer has fantastic hooks and is built to last. I use the 1//8 oz in a 1/0 hook. These are fairly easy to find locally around here. Good luck.

I've accidentally gut hooked and killed bass. This mostly happens when fishing a Senko (for me anyhow). Now when I fish finesse plastics, I fish them fairly fast. When a fish is truly gut hooked, I cut my line close to the hook and hope for the best. As far as pliers go...I buy used medical pliers on ebay. You can buy a German made work of art for about $10-$20. They'll last a lifetime if you don't lose them. The quality isn't even close to "fishing pliers".

I recently switched to the Alberto knot. A vast improvement over the double uni, imo. I haven't tried the "improved" version, though. Great vid!

Oh, I do. I love his simple style. He's a great teacher. I just watched his "hook set with a jig" video for my third or fourth time. That one is gold. My other two favorite channels are Matt Stefan and BassFishingHQ (Tyler Bergen). Glenn and these two channels have greatly improved my fishing skills. I wish I would have found them at the very beginning. I would have saved a ton of money and been a much better angler by now.

Good advice. I'm a widower with 3 kids. Night fishing would be tough for me, although that sounds like fun. Yeah, this forum is fantastic! I wish I could find someone local that could coach me. My fishing buddy is a great guy who has lots of experience, but I out fish him in weight and numbers consistently. I've got one "friend" who works at a tackle shop. I've run into him several times on local ponds. He's the guy that caught the 10 pounder. He's a loner. Maybe I should buy him lunch.

Manvel? I grew up in Liverpool...kind of neighbors. I just moved to Texas City which means I have a free pass to the dike anytime I like. My closest bass pond is 20 minutes away. The TC dike is a 5 minute drive. I may have to throw a line in. A swimbait on an Owner Flashy Swimmer should catch something.

Thanks, Tom. That makes a lot of sense. The question is how to find these large bass in near featureless water. The pond I've been fishing recently is a rectangle with emergent grass growing from the bank to about 10' out. There is just one area on a corner with a nice clump of cattails. That's the area I've pulled almost every fish out.

Yeah, that's why I'm using 50. Maybe it's overkill, but these bass will dive under the grass and getting them out can be tricky. Those are two things I didn't consider. Thanks. Not South Houston...south of Houston. I'm generally fishing the League City area and south of there. You're right, though. Most of that area and also north into The Woodlands is < 6" visibility. The bayous down here are all like that too.