Willzx225

x2 on the pause before setting the hook. The first few times I went out with a paddle tail swimbait I missed the first few until I started pausing.

Catt, don't forget bass. Big Mean Bass ;D

I typically pitch more than flip but I find myself flipping when I have two distinct conditions. The first is extremely muddy water because the fish get in so tight to cover and are not easily spooked that you can almost drop the bait over the side of the boat and catch them. The second condition is when I am in stained water and I am going down a uniform bank. My favorite would be flipping to water willows or arrowhead reeds in stained/tanic water. I pitch anytime I am covering cover that isn't as uniform IE. blowdowns, docks, etc. and when the water is clearer therefor causing the fish to be spooky. Keep in mind that I am pitching 90% of the time typically.

Cart, I will be filing that little bit of info in the memory bank if I ever get the chance to get out that way. That is good stuff to know! Thanks

Any of the WEC baits (though I don't really think of them as that old) One of my all time favorite older baits is the Bomber Speed Shad but like many crankbaits out there. The older ones are much better.

I am planning a trip to Kentucky Lake sometime in Late May early June for some ledge fishing and was wondering if anybody could recommend a guide in the area. I will be taking my boat but was interested in getting a guide for the first day to show me around a little. Thanks

Some but not with the consistancy of a ledge that has a change or some form of cover. The fish use the ledges as a highway so I guess it is possible to catch them when they are traveling from point A to point B but it isn't nearly as consistant as where two types of cover/structure mix.

I tend to find more on the outside bends but never have been too certain why. Maybe that is where stuff exits the current flow and settles in that bend? That is a good question and I would love to know if anyone else knows the true reason for this?

I have found ledges without cover to produce as long as they have something that forms a transition. IE a bend, change in bottom composition, or a change in the severity of the ledge. Anything that produces an "edge" will hold fish it doesn't always have to have cover, but cover tends to enhance a ledge.

Good observations but keep in mind that the Potomac is tidally influenced so it shares the same characteristics as the salt. I have found the best concentrations of mussels in channel bends or where the lake or river makes a turn. This tells me that the mussels tend to like some current in order to bring the nutrients that they are filtering out of the water to them. I don't have any biological evidence to support this but this is my hypothesis so take it with a grain of salt.

These are all great baits for fall cranking. I mainly use the WEC Hickey but I'm mainly refering to when they are dialed into the tiny shad. The ones that are about 3/4 - 1" long. I might be missing the boat but I can't seem to get them to consistantly commit to larger baits.

I have two of the crucials and love them! I would highly recommend them

This same phenomenon happens to me when I put fish in the livewell in tournaments. I catch what I think is a 5 and by the time I get him to weigh in 4 hrs later he is 4. The worst is when you catch a big one in the first hour. He has 8 hrs to shrink then! ;D

I'm just curious to see what everyones favorite fall crankbait is when chasing the bass that are keyed in on very small shad? Mine would have to be either a RC.5 or Sebile Flat Shad.

The first time I really used them I caught 5 that totaled around 22lbs and had one over 8. Then everyone jumped on the band wagon :'(

SHHHHH!!!!!! 1/4 med bill works the best for me with a zoom fluke

I agree with everyone that this is a great post. Finding the prevailing pattern for the conditions is the main key in successful bass fishing if you ask me. There are no secret baits that catch fish in areas that there are no fish. Plain and simple. While I agree with what Sam said about using smaller baits and not going to them until it is often too late, I do think it had more to do with the environment then the competitors just downsizing to get bites. I think they had a few things that we need to focus on that pushed them to using smaller baits. First is that it is a river system and most (not always of course) of the time smaller baits prevail due to the typically smaller forage. Secondly, they were fishing a body of water where a 3lber is a very good fish, one that could make you a hero. But this is all just my opinion

x2! Just move out deeper with them. That would probably be your best bet since you already have confidence in them.

For the last two years it has to be the 4.25" Yum Vibra King tube

Andy, I was refering to the larger one (2nd link) but I do have the smaller one and I use it for my spare trebles, split rings,etc.

Old Manns smell was the best followed by Netbait and Charlies. Good call on the Charlie's Dink!

I also was very sceptical about these until I tried the terminal tackle organizer. I have been blown away by that box and now have two of them. I can fit what used to take up 4 3700 boxes in two of these. I have one that I have all of my hooks and weights and the other I have shakey heads, drop shot stuff, and swimbait stuff.

You were about to get struck by lightning it sounds like. Smart move in getting out of there quickly!

2' into the bushes in may with overcast skies and a slight drizzle on Buggs Island. ;D

I agree with dick. I leave mine on auto and once I get over the fish I am going to drop shot or spoon I zoom in. I am using an x135 and as long as I drop my bait next to the transducer I can watch it the whole way down. When you get around an active school you can watch the fish go down or up to get your bait. It is one of the coolest things I have seen.