you

I wish zoom made these in a 'baby' size like flukes and brush hogs. Love the standard UV speedworm, but I usually get better results with the gambler 5" paddle tail worm after cutting the tail manually. I use 4-5", texas-rigged curly-tail grubs for similar applications, too. Fantastic for topwater.

As a born Michigander, this made me chuckle. Might offend a few Yoopers to learn they're not on the 'mainland'

Regarding question #1, this made me think of those adhesive-backed foam pads for furniture/speakers/etc. You could try sticking one or two small ones to the top of a bait. Might not last long but they are cheap.

Spring here has been weird. We didn't really have a 'winter' (even by Florida standards), and I haven't been successful with the same shallow-water patterns as past springs. Still catching fish, but not as many and not as large on average. Shad activity has been odd, too. Kinda frustrating but there's always something to learn. Pickerel fishing has been fabulous, though. Same for inshore gulf species.

Bowfin in the summer and pickerel in the winter. Both are a lot of fun. Other centrarchids I love besides LMB are redbreasts and stumpknockers--both have beautiful colors and aggressive fights on light gear. Suwannee bass are always a treat to see, but I'm not in their territory often. And then saltwater: obviously reds and specks, but by-catch like lizardfish and ladyfish are fun, too.

Second that. There's a lake I fish where a shooting broke out over parking (https://mynews13.com/fl/orlando/news/2017/09/29/argument_over_parkin). Love fishing there, but I feel a little sad whenever I launch. Don't be those people, don't be an a**hole, realize that everyone on the lake to have a good time. That's my dogma.

@ol'crickety what do you see as the biggest functional difference between those old reels and current models? Start-up inertia? Braking? Just curious about your perspective on long-term trends in technology. I fish ~95% spinning gear. The other 5% is split between baitcasters and fly rods, with the baitcasters primarily used for anything with multiple trebles to avoid catching the line during a cast. Don't see many more advantages for kayak fishing where you are close to the water.

I don't see too many beds from a kayak before I'm right on top of them. If I don't spook a bedding bass, I won't try too hard to catch them. Feels bad catching more than a couple of bed bass in a year, personally. Can't judge others for it though--sight fishing is always exhilarating. Sight fishing bowfin is a lot more exciting, IMO. Better fights and more 10lbers!

I love 1/16 because it will sit on top of thick, submerged weeds without falling through and hanging up. Shape doesn't seem to matter, no matter what I've tried.

My mind immediately went to the Buck 110, so this:

Y'all ever stop using a brand of lure/tackle for reasons other than its ability to catch fish? I recently replaced my Kalins grubs--couldn't stand the sharp chemical smell anymore. Lot's of baits smell like some industrial slurry, but these were too much, even though I loved the action and caught plenty of bass with them.

As someone who doesn't fish professionally, I've no opinion on it's use in the big leagues. A few folks have already noted a salient truth: the pros' job is to advertise. The point about accessibility in high school leagues (or, say, opens) resonates with me, though. If FFS is beneficial enough that it stratifies the field between users and non-users, that's an issue that will ultimately dampen interest and participation in the sport. Not great. In lakes around here, I've noticed quite a few more boats spending their time offshore. It takes pressure off the bank where I usually patrol, not only for the fish, but the added experience of seeing more birds, otters, turtles, flowers, trees, etc. More power to the offshore folks if they are catching 'em, but I go fishing to get away from screens. Regardless of what happens with electronics in competitions, I would love to see the conversation shift to conservation. Do we need to revise bag limits in response to more effective harvest by folks with FFS? Are other factors like pollution or invasive species having more of an impact? Protecting the sport means protecting the ecosystems where it's played.

These gimmicks are always funny. The promo page certainly shows a benefit if you store your hooks in saltwater for three months between use. Sharpen the hook (or bump it on a few rocks) and you expose it to oxidation again. I also agree with Mike L that hook coatings don't significantly affect hook penetration. Sharpness, wire diameter, line stretch, rod action, and hookset force do that. I love Gamakatsu hooks, and the regular coating is fine. I use them regularly in saltwater without issue. Would not be surprised if the price on these gets bumped a bit higher than the regular hooks during their next inflation adjustment. Standard promo cycle.

I have a Lew's speed stick (UL 6'8"). Its construction and action are both excellent, but it handles like a medium-light. Also have a couple Lew's medium spinning rods (both 7', carbon fire and custom series) that are on the stiffer/faster end, so my only concern with a 6'6" would be the tip action. Might not be the best choice for casting light baits. Probably a great choice for heavier lures or jigging, though. What application do you have in mind? I have no experience with Shimano rods.

Lol, yep. I'll add green pumpkin magic and bluegill. Sight flash if it's for saltwater.

If this includes extinct animals: Choice 1. Neanderthal - Just to know how they think. Choice 2. Megalodon - Why not? If this is limited to extant species: Choice 1. The immortal jellyfish (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turritopsis_dohrnii) - Life cycles be damned. Choice 2. Almost any owl - They're nocturnal, have swivels for a neck, and vomit the skeletons of their victims. SO. METAL.

Anybody know of a good handbook or online resource for aquatic plant identification?

1. For me, the best months are February and March, but it depends. The best days will be on a warming trend after it's been (relatively) cold. Rising temps will concentrate fish shallow and make them aggressive toward many presentations--classic late prespawn. 2. I agree with @Don51. I'm no trophy hunter, and I've never used shiners, but anecdotally this is common. Most folks I run into who tell me about catching 8-10 pounders on this or that lake say they were using shiners, either freelining or under a big float near grasslines.

I'm in the worm camp, too. Specifically the speed worm. So dang versatile. . . . but it is hard to argue with this

It's hard to imagine 1/16 oz making that much of a difference around shallow cypress habitat, but if pressure's high, money's on the line, and deck space isn't limited, who knows. As soon as I wrote that, I remembered that I'll occasionally switch between weightless kut tails and roboworms in the same habitat, just in case ROF makes a difference. Maybe I'm just a hypocrite 🙂

70ish? I usually only pay attention to river temps via USGS. Not sure about lakes. The first few cold fronts of the year usually throw fish for a loop around here. Once things stabilize into a winter pattern of occasional cold fronds rolling off the continent, the fishing gets more predictable, regardless of temp. I'm always praying for the prefrontal days to come on the weekend. Lots of schooling action and surface activity then.

I use them as long as I can until trimming torn portions, turning the bait upside down, etc. no longer work, then they go in the trash. Occasionally I think about buying a few molds and gear to remelt everything, but never have. I'd rather tie more flies. Already have the gear for that.

Didn't get a weight, but my largest on an ultralight was a 22" LMB. Fun fight! As a kid, my main setup was a cheap 5'6" UL and a twister tail in a 1/32 oz jighead, usually fishing for whatever would bite. Bass were common, with plenty in the 16-18" range over the years. I bring a UL on every trip, usually a 6'8" lews setup. It performs well for bass, even in cypress swamps, but it's a completely different style of fighting. Much more strategy. Spadderdock is usually the biggest obstacle, even more than wood.

If it's chilly on the water, then long underwear, long pants, and rain pants. The only rule is no cotton--just synthetics or wool. Cold, wet cotton is miserable, if not dangerous. In my sit-in kayak, cold water means sitting in a refrigerator for hours. On the colder days, I'll have thick wool socks or shearling mocs while I'm in the boat. Luckily it never gets too cold around here.

Dicks fishing section is weird. In the branch near me, it has expanded and contracted over the years. Aside from a few basics, there is rapid and unusual turnover of products, to the point where I think they are just randomly testing the market and quickly shipping out out items that are in demand elsewhere. Their bargain bins can be great, but it's hit or miss, too. I don't rely on dicks for any regular purchases, but you can check what they have in stock online. Unlike BPS, the online stock info has always been correct for me (no 'limited stock' BS).