Dogface

My leader test depends on what fish I'm after, what lure I'm using, and the water I'm fishing. Since you are using the right test braid I'd buy some 6 lb., 8 lb., 10 lb., and maybe 12 lb. leaders and change the leader as needed. For example, if I'm fishing a clear water river for smallmouth with a small swimbait I might use a 6 lb. leader. If I'm fishing a weed-choked pond for LM using a wacky rigged worm I would use a 10 or 12 lb. leader.

Terrova

No. An older MinnKota.

I did get all my questions answered and did get the unit. I did not get the FFS which was another $1,000 to $1,700 depending on the transducer. BP is going to install it this week as part of the package. Just an FYI. No one at Cabela's could tell me what the "$100 in Bonus Bucks" was that was in the offer. It turns out I was supposed to get a $100 card or credit to use in the store. BPS in Springfield told me it had to be issued in the store so I hopefully will get it when they install the unit. I would like to apply it to the purchase price if possible.

I think the way you work a jerk bait is only limited by your imagination. I am not limited to working a jerk bait the "right way". The wrong way works a lot of times.

If the only problem is that it is gummed up I'd try to clean it up. They make a tool to lube shielded cables. I used it on my throttle and shift cables. The tool I used was loaned to me and I do not have it handy to refer to right now. I'll try to find the name and info. It was not hard to do and it worked.

Most if not all newly manufactured batteries have a date stamp on them. If it is a Walmart EverStart made specifically for them and the date indicates the battery is less than one year old you should not have a problem.

First of all ?. It was a good thing he had a flotation device on and his kill switch. I see many who don't use either of theirs. I made a rope ladder to climb back into the boat when duck hunting but it was a pain to use. I just climb up on the motor cavitation plate.

??? Congratulations!!!

Mike Thank you. I called the local Cabela's and they weren't sure what I needed for FFS. The guy was nice but admitted the ad had him confused. He suggested I call during the day but you answered my question.

BPS has the Lowrance HDS-12 Live on sale and it comes with the 3-in-1 Active Imaging Transducer for $2,000. Is this a good deal or just hype? Is the included transducer used for FFS? I looked in their catalog and cannot find the unit listed. I know nothing about FFS but I'd like to try it w/o spending a whole lot of money. (Yea, I know 2 grand is a lot of money) I do have two Hummingbird side-scan units on my boat now. I would replace the bow-mounted unit with the FFS. None of the units are networked and the boat is all 12V including the TM. Any advice and suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks!! I have been BFS fishing for a long time, I just didn't know it. Seriously I have been fishing downsized baits and rigs that they now call BFS and it does produce. I will try the Mojo rig.

Great idea. I may try that. I have a few places it might work.

I'd bet if she was here she would be commenting about the nice man she met at the ramp. You probably made her day because she needed someone to talk to and that was a good thing.

Yes, drop shotting can be boring but depending on the time and place it can be effective. I also agree about the chatterbait. I thought it was one of the most popular baits out there.

For me, the first one is not surprising but the others are.

I actually had some jig heads that came with it. I'll post a photo if I can find them. As for rigging them, who knows? That's probably why I still have a bunch. I can't figure it out. ?

These were in a kit from Cabela's.

Cabela's? I may have some. I'll look.

There are times when I will only take a few baits with me. Sometimes they are baits that I am very confident using like a Ned or Wacky rig but at other times I'll take a bait I am not familiar with or confident in and force myself to learn to fish it. I am surprised there are so many posting to this thread techniques they do not use or have no confidence in. I enjoy finding out why and how to make baits work. It's part of the fishing experience for me.

I suspect fish do wise up. When I first started fishing the plopper I caught a lot of fish on the waters I fished regularly. Now the bite has dropped off and "maybe" I caught 1 or 2 fish on the plopper last year. Why? Who knows but like I said I suspect fish do wise up. I fish a private pond in NE PA. It belongs to a friend and I actually stocked it when he first bought the land. I know the pond and the fish or at least I thought I did. Last October my son and I were fishing the pond. In about 2 hours we had caught 5 or 6 bass each. Five or six bass each was not a good day on this pond but the pond does get slow late in the year. It was getting dark and we started to get ready to leave. As we were packing up I realized I had a fluke rigged in my box. I have never fished a fluke in this pond. EVER! I said I was going to make a cast or two with the fluke. I made 17 casts (I started counting because I started catching fish immediately) and caught 16 bass. I do not know why they bit but I suspect it was because those fish had never seen a fluke.

I have a few Damiki Vault baits and a few Silver Buddies. I also have a few Chinese copies of the Damiki baits that work well. Most of mine are 3/8 oz and I have one or two 1/2 oz. All of mine are in some kind of natural bait fish color except for a few "fire tiger". I also have the Little George tail spinner. Another good bait for deep or suspended fish. Another type I just thought of is the jigging raps from Rapala and Moonshine.

I saw that also. I have trouble bringing myself to tear up a good-looking crawfish bait but I have tried it. if you tear the claws off some crawfish baits they look a lot like a hellgrammite another great bass bait. Is that the reason claw-less crawfish get bit?

You didn't mention the depth but since it's a reservoir I'd suspect it is deep. I'd go with Dwight's suggestion and add a tail spinner but a blade bait would be my first choice. Since you don't have side scan I'd mark the bait balls with buoy move off a little and fish below them with the blade bait.

I'm surprised no one mentioned the Rapala BX Waking Minnow. I have one and caught a few fish on it but I do not fish it often. I fish it making a slow wake. I speed it up if I see a disturbance in the area of the bait because I noticed that the hits come after I start to crank it faster and the lure dives under the water a few inches.