Bassin_Fin@tic

Carolina rig guy:(I guess this could technically be effective.) Theres a fellow that fishes the local tournaments around here that does nothing and I mean absolutely nothing but use carolina rigs,regardless of the lake or location. The strange part of it is that he fans out out 3-4 rigs then sets his rods in rod holders.Then lets it sit like fishing live bait.Every 5-10 minutes he reels a couple feet and just lets it sit. He catches fish too but very seldom gets in the money from what I have heard.I can't see how this is a good idea because of gut hooking the hell out of the fish. Theres another fellow I have been encountering recently in one of my honey hole ponds that does the same thing with texas rigs from the shore.The worst part is that me and my buddy work the hell out of "his" bank before he shows up and catch nothing.Then this guy shows up and within 10 mins he has at least 2 fish. I cannot force myself to fish like that even when I try. : Theres another guy I know that tries to pitch with 3 inches of line hanging down with his rod parallel to the water while pumping his whole arm back and forth only to inevitably have his bait fly stright up in the air and back down. It is humorous to say the least but the part that gets me is when he won't listen when I say "look,like this" or "use your wrist"."What do you mean use your wrist??!!" I have since saved myself the aggravation of instructing such people.Some folks are too proud to let someone help them I guess. :

Agree. Would also like to add that if in the event you you get any type of lockup or backlash while trying to "lob" that thing your light line will instantaneously snap and you'll watch your bait sail into the horizon.

I like braid too,but as always everything has it's disadvantages.braid can be a real mother on certain topwaters as it tends to foul the front hooks and or props. Double prop baits in particular. > To the original question:Reel until you feel the bass or SEE your line moving off rapidly in one direction,put pressure on them and try not to yank.This isn't a texas rigged worm and good trebles should hang any fish that takes a sniff at it.Easier said then done,and even the best of us get an itchy trigger finger sometimes. Once you get better at it then the blowups won't faze you as much and when a fish just completely misses your lure you will be able to keep it in the zone,pause and twitch,or make the bait run like hell.If they are hot and heavy on a topwater bite they will come back to it or another fish may take a swipe at it after the first one.Schooling fish will usually compete to see who gets it first. Another suggestion is to keep a plastic bait handy to followup the misses,usually a slow sinking seductive type bait..I like zoom flukes,senkos,trickworms or a lightly weighted 5 inch grub.Black for dark water or if they are on a shad bite and also hitting white topwaters I like to use whites for the followup baits. Throw them right to the area where the fish struck.

I like them and they catch pretty well.The only problem is getting a hold of one of the "good ones" As with most any crank they are not all equal. They are great for tossing in those hidden depths full of snarly brush.You won't have to go on prozac after you lose one.

Go get em buddy, and report back.

Good deal man.He looks stoked holding that fish.I would be too...it has been a good long while since I hung one that big.

Certainly! I have been know to work certain baits just like a jerkbait. What about the places and times when you absolutely cannot contact bottom because sticky nasty pond scum and/or muck? This technique works great.

Thats not even right! ;D It looks like pure evil.

You want a milkbone??? ;D Just kidding m8. Ya know me.

Whats the album name so I can have an easier time trying to search it?

The most I've done for experimentation into whether it is better or not is using it on bedding fish. Sometimes it seems that they really respond to the foreign odors invading the nest and I also noticed that they tend to crush the bait rather well instead of hit and spit.

The Lurenet site just says to use a 5/0 ewg.I am guessing however that is for the smaller sized one. They also state that the bigger one is about the size of an original zara spook.I really doubt that a 5/0 would be big enough for that thick of a bait.I am thinking more like 7/0 or even one of the gammy g-mag hooks. We'll see though.I can't wait to get a hold of some! If hookups are tough I want to try to find a way to add a stinger hook as well. I got ideas 8-) Will post whenever I get some of these. Yes I did see them in the Bass Pro Fall mini catalogue.Hooray!

On the extrememly rare occasion that I would throw a jitterbug I prefer the jointed one.The biggest differences are a more pronounced wobble and a louder plopping sound.The sound of the jointed resembles a buzzbait. Like others will say just use a very slow steady retrieve.Some people like to pause it but I personnally haven't had any success doing so...yet. It's a great bait but it just doesn'tseem to work around here very well.Why? Who knows.Thats why I seldom use it.

Tks for letting me know .....The Dicks around here are just that in litteral terms...they stink...never nothing in stock and always the last to get it,probably because the market around these parts is dominated by the saltwater stuff.

Unfortunately NO! Been trying like heck to get a hold of some. Lurenet the supplier is still showing out of stock and havent seen any listed in other stores yet. I am very curious about this bait since I am a dog walking maniac. I am already thinking of possible ways to modify it too like putting a large worm rattle in the rear end and gluing it in.

I do quite well with black spooks and torpedos in that kind of water.Frog pattern is great as well. Use the standard size torpedo(I think it is called baby,not tiny or teeny). I normally start with an aggressive popping retrieve with a hard snap in dirty water.No dice? Then use more pauses and a smoother quieter retrieve. Cast into or as near as possible to any visable cover and use over top of shallow humps and points

Leader length is an important and often overlooked aspect of the carolina rig.If your on fish but not getting the kind of bites you desire try switching lengths and of course baits as well.Certain baits perform better for me on shorter or longer leaders as well. The longer the leader the less action on the bait.It won't swing around and glide as much,it will move in a wide slow motion.A shorter leader causes the bait to move more frantically. I like a nice long leader in clear water and a shorter one around 18 inches or so in dirty water. If your ever in shallow clear water or even a swimming pool toss it out and retrieve steady and you'll see the difference in action the different lengths makes

Drop shot with a shakey head as the sinker.No probs, here but haven't done it that much yet.

x2,bobber or freeline,and/or cut,preferrably the head. Also like live or cut shiners.In a pinch a ball of minnows will work too.If you can use a cast net then your standard threadfin shads are killer as well. I stay away from livers and crawlers as they attract too many turtles.Large soft shells with their "ET phone home" neck are no joke to tangle with.

True.The prob I have with the 7 is that is is too fat. I want to find more baits that are longer but have similar width to the 5 or 6 inch senko.

I found mine at WAL-MART,but naturally the color selection is bad. Tackle warehouse has them too. This is the best knock off bait I have found so far and I prefer it over the gambler ace,yum dinger,bps stick,tiki sticks(capital sin?).The action is superb for the price. I like the green pumkin/chart swirl color.

El grande Boa! Awesome bait Not cheap :-/ It's all good if you've got mend-it though. [ftp]http://elgrandelures.com/Store.html[/ftp] Also check out the mexistick.I haven't used it though.

Heard that one but it is still a classic! ;D

Thats funny right there and a good way of puttting it into perspective.

Naturally topwater! Explosions are all good we know that, but the thing about it that turns me on is knowing that I did whatever I did to anger that fish. Subtle twitch,loud pop,burning the dog,pause,slow it down,speed it up,etc... I love taking advantage of the predator instinct and seeing and hearing the results of my efforts.