Nick

One size doesn't fit all in bass fishing, even in cold water. Beyond the local climate, some days can be a big bait day and others will be a small bait day. Lot's of other factors help determine the the best approach to take on a particular day. Those who are locked in to one size bait may be missing out. Speed is quite a bit more important to me in cold water than size, and food souces and depth usually trump speed. Some would say that it's not how big it is, it's how you use it.

Thanks. I'm going to try tonite!

Because we have so many shallow streams, we're sort of the jet boat capital, so I'd probably elect to go to Troutt and Sons near St. James, MO. They can be found with a simple search, but I'd vernture a guess of around $1200 to convert. Then you might recoup some $ if your sell your original lower unit.

I'd look carefully at a Fenwick GLC if they have any near you. I nearly cried when I broke one I liked so much. If they still use the same grade of graphite, it had a lot better sensitivity than other makes at a low price point. And the handle really fit my hand well. Bass Pro also makes some pretty good rods that go on sale during their annual Spring Fishing blowout that should run 50-$60, but you'll have to wait about 2 months.

First, the fellows that don't like the Mann's 1 minus. Send 'em to me. They don't wake as much as go a few inches deep. We catch them good on these esp. in the baby size. Next, don't waste money on the Megabass Anthrax. What wuz I thinkin? You might want to read my post on boiling model A Bombers. I'm serious about this. Last, Bagley made a Bulgin B which nearly vibrated the rod out of my hand and caught them good until the bait was torn up. And the search goes on.... problem is the swim jig is often an overall better lure selection.

How do their hybrid lines work for you?

He's a great competitor, rule bender, and cagey business man. Tournament angling suits him.

Agreed, Mr. Booyah. Also, don't try to push your pro down the bank by casting ahead, or within a few feet of his cast. One can look at the co-angler experience ion the BFL as a mighty cheap guide trip with a possible money reward at the end.

can't get the darn thing apart. Have looked for diagrams but can't find any on the web. Sideplate opposite handle just doesn't want to come loose. Reel mechanics, please help.

The Strike King versions were terrible. To me it's like a bed of nails.... too many points for easy penetration.

Rory, Due to the evergrowing number of boats on our streams, I get pretty tight lipped about which specific river location, but all of the ones in MO from the Current, the Piney's Gasconade, Meramec, Niangua, James, Osage, and 11 Point all have a good winter fishery if one is willing to locate the bass and get the timning factor down. I've been learning the winter fisheries for 30 years and the bite is very consistent. Go give it a twirl.

Streams: superfluke during warm water season or a 4"senko and smallie beaver Green pumpkin on a stand up jig head in colder water. Flatwater: 4 inch grub or tube (These fish normally aren't real picky.)

Keep an open mind when pursuing largies during the spawn. For soft plastics in the bed, I like to see the bait so I go with a high contrast color, so white often gets the nod if I can get bit on it. An angler learns to judge what bait and action will trigger the fish to bite when one contacts the heart of the bed that the fish is defending, the "sweet spot." Often lots of appendages that quiver get the bass to remove the marauding bait from his bed. Changing sizes and profiles of baits often is a good idea so switching lures every cast until one gets a positive response from a bed fish such as a gill flair, a dorsal fin rise, or quick turn and address is desirable. The idea is to keep the lure in the bed in motion, but not tp remove it from the bed itself. This can be accomplished with a dropshot approach as long as the angler manipulates the rod tip to get the action desired. Although at times a T-rigged bait which stirs up the bottom is more effective. Often one must back away from the bed 30 -50 feet and let the bass settle a bit. A bass that cannot see your boat and you is easier to catch. Aggravating is a sneaky tactic, but it often involves purposely striking the fish with part of your lure or weight, and I don't think tht is good sportsmanship. Last year I decided to give minnow baits more of a try and was impressed with how fast I could catch the protective males. A floating large size minnow such as a Bomber Model A lightly twitched over the bed was a perfect choice. It's a large bait that forces fish to defend their territory, and because it floats over the bed, one can pause it there for a very long time Even a minute giving it tiny twitches occasionally which aggravates the bass into striking. At a cost of $5, it's a very good choice esp. after bass have laid eggs. I must say, though, that I get just as much as a thrill fooling the bass into taking the lure at this time so I rarely set the hook to actually catch the fish except if I am in a high dollar tourney. I don't want to deplete that bass' energy reserves because some males will stay on a nest for as long as 4 weeks, the latter two often spent protecting the tiny fry. I fish the topwater with dull and/ or missing hooks. I enjoy the strikes. Most of these bass are pretty stressed and lack energy for a good fight anyway. If I lose a once in a lifetime bass goofing around like this, I'm still pretty confident that I can catch her a few minutes or a day later if necessary.

Baitcaster, and the fluke might be the easiest bait of all- time to skip. Chuck that baby 30 feet under low hanging trees. Try it.

Consider yourself lucky or blessed to fish that much. Lot's of people just can't afford it any more.

Although I own many high $ lures, I think these are many of the best values for a price conscious angler: Crankbait: model A Bomber, Norman N, or fat boy, Wiggle Wart from Storm (check Lurenet for Friday specials) Jerk Bait: husky jerk or slash bait from Rapala, Topwater: a small Jumpin minnow and Pop r from Rebel Spinnerbaits, get some custom made ones from Hunter Creek for $3 (superior quality) Soft plastics from Zoom, Jigs: Jewel or Omega jigs for less than $3. Line: Cabela's flourocarbon in 400 or 600 yard spools or Yo Zuri Hybrid Hooks: Sohumi makes a really good EWG worm hook

Some of the baitmakers on this site would probably make you three just like it for the same price. A walking biat that looks like a frog....not that special.

The super fluke is a fish catching machine for anyone who takes time to use it properly. It is best in clearer waters around cover particularly when the bass are beginning to look for beds thru the warm weather months. It's very quiet and natural looking so that's why is shines in clear environs. A great dock bait when fish suspend in fall, and an amazing big smallie bait all thru the warm weather season in moving water and in clear lakes when the fish are 10 feet or less. Only two colors truly needed: all white and watermelon (and many dip the tails in chartreuse dye). Most fishing is done just with a 4/0 or 5/0 EWG hook, but the nail and even a split shot crimped on about 10 inches ahead of the bait gives it a real cool action. Some use the double fluke rig also with great results. To all those who don't like the fluke, you should have been fishing with me the last decade.

For northern bass 50 degrees is a pretty well defined point for thinking! about slowing down, but a good crankbait, jig, or spinnerbait bite can be had down into the lower 40's. GENERALLY, slow down, but generalities are made to be broken. In winter the larger fish tend to bite more consistently and the smaller fish nearly disappear thankfully. Below 40, I tend to disappear from the fishing holes!

The lure "swing back" could only be caused by braking the spool too abruptly with your thumb and/or raising the rod tip while you are braking the spool with your thumb as the lure impacts the surface. Relax the thumb a bit on the spool to let a few inches of line pay out, and check your rod position to see if you are shortening the line with an upsweep of the rod tip. As the others said, relax the spool tension and your thumb. I'd also bet that you get more swingback as you impart more energy into the pitch. (Like braking a car going real fast.That abrupt stop with get you some line kickback.) For a remedy, start with closer targets using less pitching force for practice until you learn to relax the spool tension and thumb. A nice, easy pendulum swing of the jig coupled with a smooth release of the thumb, slower,smoother braking and success will come immediately.

Some. Be observant. If you spot bass feeding on shad. or a bass rips your worm as you are fast reeling it back to the boat to make another cast, the bass are giving you a sign to speed up. Some days it's a matter of covering more water esp. if fishing shallow weeds and flats where the bass are somewhat scattered; or if you are fishing some new water and must do it quickly, it's hard to beat faster moving baits to get a feel for the new water. Once a prime area is located, then it could be time to slow down to cover the area more thoroughly with your favorites.

Lunker by Underwood gets my wote too. He was a real pioneer who looked at largemouth behavior in Texas lakes through years of scuba diving. Check your library. Another oldie but goodie was Jason Lucas' book on bass fishing. From an upper Midwestern perspective from the 60's and earlier. We get a good peek at one of the pioneers of the sport. Can't remember the exact title.

Aluma, I tie my own hair. 1/8 oz. preferably tiny football head, 2/0 hook, a secret Mr. Mitch weedguard, and usually brown maribou for hair. Mitch is my buddy, and he molds a very supple double strand weedguard head. We use a small split tail trailer. I also use a special 1/8 oz. Alabama poured Mr. Hulan style with a 3/0 hook. One of the biggest mistakes I think smallie anglers make is to use about 3x the amount of hair needed. Smaller, more compact is better in my clear waters. I throw it on a small baitcaster with 8lb. flouro. I throw this little jig in winter, and often nothing else. Have lots of converts.

All you jig guys: never use a 1/8 or smaller bass jig. They don't work in clear, cold water. ;D

Our stream's temps dropped 3 degrees in 24 hours, and the bite was cut by 2/3. From 41 to 38 degrees the bite just gets tougher. Super slow with the jigs from 6-12 feet deep. Caught a total of 27 smallies over the two days. I didn't take pictures today, but I will submit this pic as my best stream smallie of the winter season so far.