Why's This In Here?

[Josh Smith]

Ever open your tackle box and wonder this?

 

I have a large tackle box that I take on boats.  However, when shore fishing, I prefer to carry a smaller tackle box, a two-drawer Plano.

 

The top is filled with worm hooks, bullet weights, and topwater lures.

 

The middle drawer is packed with crankbaits. 

 

I keep my jigs in the bottom, in a small drawer I bought.

 

Now, here's the thing:  I use my crankbaits for maybe 1% of my fishing.  I have no idea why I have so many in there, but I can't bring myself to remove 'em!

 

I think I'll swap spots with the jigs so I have easier jig access, but dang -- I can't figure out why I carry so many crankbaits with me!

 

Josh

[FinCulture]

I know that feeling, especially because the majority of my fishing is from shore. By the way I know a guy who could use those crankbaits lol

[einscodek]

I know this.. they look so dang good.. but the plastics and spinners kick their butt in my experience.. yet I always bring them too

[FinCulture]

you really just have to know how to fish them and you'll start to find some success. Persistence is key!

[Josh Smith]

 

you really just have to know how to fish them and you'll start to find some success. Persistence is key!

 

 

Oh, I do fish them, in water that allows them to be effective.  I don't fish that water often.

 

The lake I usually fish is covered in vegetation with about 25% of the surface (and most of the surface reachable from shore) being covered with mat or with densely-packed weeds that come right up to the top.  No plug I've found works well there from early summer to late fall.

 

Late fall, the lipless crankbaits work well. 

 

I do like the square bills for river fishing on the rocks, but the rivers are still up way too high to do anything with 'em right now.

 

I like the jerkbaits too, but again, it's all timber and salad that I'm fishing and they lose their action very fast.

 

Josh

[Cgolf]

Oh, I do fish them, in water that allows them to be effective. I don't fish that water often.

The lake I usually fish is covered in vegetation with about 25% of the surface (and most of the surface reachable from shore) being covered with mat or with densely-packed weeds that come right up to the top. No plug I've found works well there from early summer to late fall.

Late fall, the lipless crankbaits work well.

I do like the square bills for river fishing on the rocks, but the rivers are still up way too high to do anything with 'em right now.

I like the jerkbaits too, but again, it's all timber and salad that I'm fishing and they lose their action very fast.

Josh

I find crank baits on the river to be my number 1 option. Fish seem to love baits as they bounce off the rocks. I have also had a ton of success with cranks as the water rises. Depending on how much it rises I may have to switch to a deeper diver. They actually seem to work better in high water, which usually has a bit more flow. You can fish them at a normal pace, where as a soft plastic you will have to up the weight to fight the flow which can kill the presentation.

When the river is running cool/cold xraps come through the rocks really well and catch a lot of fish. For the depths I fish I needed to go with smaller size to keep from snagging on the rocks.

[Bluebasser86]

Ever lost a bait in your own tackle bag? I did it a few years ago with one of my favorite poppers. I'd fished it that morning and remembered putting it on the console of my boat, thought it must have blown out and was gone forever, even offered a reward if anyone found it and returned it. Found it 2 months later hiding in my deep diving crankbait box for some reason (I rarely fished deep cranks then). It was this Zell Pop.

[Senko lover]

Ever open your tackle box and wonder this?

 

I have a large tackle box that I take on boats.  However, when shore fishing, I prefer to carry a smaller tackle box, a two-drawer Plano.

 

The top is filled with worm hooks, bullet weights, and topwater lures.

 

The middle drawer is packed with crankbaits. 

 

I keep my jigs in the bottom, in a small drawer I bought.

 

Now, here's the thing:  I use my crankbaits for maybe 1% of my fishing.  I have no idea why I have so many in there, but I can't bring myself to remove 'em!

 

I think I'll swap spots with the jigs so I have easier jig access, but dang -- I can't figure out why I carry so many crankbaits with me!

 

Josh

 

Haha, I'm with you. I just traded the crankbaits I don't use and some old soft plastics for a spinning reel. Works for me . 

[Josh Smith]

I find crank baits on the river to be my number 1 option. Fish seem to love baits as they bounce off the rocks. I have also had a ton of success with cranks as the water rises. Depending on how much it rises I may have to switch to a deeper diver. They actually seem to work better in high water, which usually has a bit more flow. You can fish them at a normal pace, where as a soft plastic you will have to up the weight to fight the flow which can kill the presentation.

When the river is running cool/cold xraps come through the rocks really well and catch a lot of fish. For the depths I fish I needed to go with smaller size to keep from snagging on the rocks.

 

Oh, I gotcha'.  We are still at many feet above flood stage due to rain.  It's unprecedented.  The Salamonie emergency spillway was used for the first time in history.

 

Both Mississinewa and Salamonie Reservoirs were a couple feet below capacity and they had to let out. 

 

There was no access.  As the rivers go down, they're leaving impassable muck behind that will have to dry before we can reach the rivers.

 

Salamonie River is generally knee to hip high on me.  Now it, along with the Wabash and Mississinewa, are well over my head.  

 

If we get to river fish at all, it'll be early to late fall.  But they should be letting out for winter pool anyway around that time... so I don't know.

 

Josh 

[Cgolf]

Oh, I gotcha'.  We are still at many feet above flood stage due to rain.  It's unprecedented.  The Salamonie emergency spillway was used for the first time in history.

 

Both Mississinewa and Salamonie Reservoirs were a couple feet below capacity and they had to let out. 

 

There was no access.  As the rivers go down, they're leaving impassable muck behind that will have to dry before we can reach the rivers.

 

Salamonie River is generally knee to hip high on me.  Now it, along with the Wabash and Mississinewa, are well over my head.  

 

If we get to river fish at all, it'll be early to late fall.  But they should be letting out for winter pool anyway around that time... so I don't know.

 

Josh

Wow that bites. I am lucky here, I have seen the river I fish go up 20 feet in some areas, but it is fishable as the waters recede. I only can fish the river as it comes up 4-5 feet anything over that is not safe to fish. Thankfully that hasn't happened to us in a couple of years. It is funny to see the carp come out to the edge of the floodwaters and watch them swim over a parking lot.

[Surfcaster]

Ever lost a bait in your own tackle bag? I did it a few years ago with one of my favorite poppers. I'd fished it that morning and remembered putting it on the console of my boat, thought it must have blown out and was gone forever, even offered a reward if anyone found it and returned it. Found it 2 months later hiding in my deep diving crankbait box for some reason (I rarely fished deep cranks then). It was this Zell Pop.

That gives you a good excuse to use the reward money to buy more fishing stuff.

[robster80]

Ever lost a bait in your own tackle bag? I did it a few years ago with one of my favorite poppers. I'd fished it that morning and remembered putting it on the console of my boat, thought it must have blown out and was gone forever, even offered a reward if anyone found it and returned it. Found it 2 months later hiding in my deep diving crankbait box for some reason (I rarely fished deep cranks then). It was this Zell Pop.

yea it looks like that zell pop has caught a fish or two

[Big Bait Fishing]

sounds like you need to label your tackle boxes for specific places you fish , that's what i started doing , i was finding my self bringing stuff i KNOW i wasn't going to use , bought an extra bait casket (Bas Mafia) and loaded it with just stuff i needed for this lake i'm hitting everyday in the evening . i'm just bringing a few jigs , some Red Eye Shads , and some 5'' stick baits.