Paul Roberts

Absolutely. Proximity is first -you gotta be at least close to the fish to get a reaction. That usually means putting a lure right down there next to their faces. If their faces are near the bottom, which is where active fish holding out and moving in would be, then you gotta be there too. How close can be surprising to many newbs. You're probing for sweet spots, and they can be small, and you gotta be close. Certain approach angles will get you there, others simply won't. Most of the time, you are not straining water, but the land/cover under that water. The right baits and the right approach angles get it done. I've often chuckled to myself that fishing for bass away from shore is like hunting rabbits, except you can't see the "bushes" they're hiding in or near -you gotta feel for 'em. Sonar will get you close, but the rest is by contact.

Girvan -is that you??

-Get to know, and then fine tune your braking system(s). -Start with a heavy lure and let it do the pitching. As you get better you can go lighter. -Hopefully you have a rod with a soft enough tip -this helps. -Practice until your "educated thumb" can start to take over some of the braking work.

Depends on cover you are fishing in/around, and hook wire diameter. 10 mono/CoP and a 5/0 Superline hook is asking for lost fish. 10# is at the very light end of a Med weight jig/worm setup. Below that is finesse. IMO, a medium power setup for skirted jigs and T-rigged worms, say, would be 12# or 14# lines -diam at .012 to .014, since break ratings are all over the place. As to FC, IMO you gain little but the rather large price increase, for water less than 8feet deep. I use braid a lot, (usu 20#w/spinning, 30# w/casting) which casts further, offers exceptional sensitivity, thin diameter, and you can add any leader you want. I carry leader spools in my tackle bag to cover any situation. Only drawback to braid I see is in strong wind -it gets blown around a bit. FC tames wind the best, 2nd is water saturated mono/CoP -keep the spool damp and it will saturate in 10min.

Well, I don't know that worm specifically, but swimming tail worms are a GoTo for me. I've used the 6" Mr.Twister for years, and still like them. I swim them from the surface on down. I T-rig them or use a weedless jighead like a Brewer's Slider head (heavy "U" hook model), or an Owner SledHead.

16" and 4lbs! Do they even look like "bass"! ;D I assume they fed?

18 MN LM over 4. Man, that's a big day. Curious: How many of those were over 5? Over 6?

I think cabin fever is really setting in here . Thanks, BB.

Balance the biggest spool against with lightest weight.

Nice post. Thanks.

+1 BILLION. That's a personal choice. The way I see it, understanding fishing is about understanding nature. And it's far from simple. But I understand your point. You don't need to understand nature to go fishing, or to catch a bunch of fish. It's what floats my boat is all. Writing answers to people's questions helps me collect ideas better. Like everyone, I'm here to learn and that's what I'm doing, in my own way.

I guess I should have said: Look over the side and see how far down you can see. Instead, I offered definitions of what clear, stained, muddy actually mean.

Show off! ;D So...what makes them so good? Is this a Stradivarius kind of thing?

Hmmm, maybe "transparency" would be a better word than 'purity'. A lot of deadly toxins are crystal clear ;D Secchi disks aside, this is a simplistic version that I found in my own notes: Underwater Visibility (Six Variables) > Sun Angle (RANGE: Midday (max angle above horizon) to Midnight (max angle below horizon) > Water Clarity (RANGE: Crystal-clear to Muddy) > Sky Clarity (RANGE: Cloud-free to Heavy Overcast) > Wave Action (RANGE: Flat (minimal refraction) to Sharp Chop (max refraction) > Lure Depth (Even gin-clear water has a twilight depth) > Sun or Shade (RANGE: Full Sun to Full Shade (the wild card) Roger Nice table Roger. I can't think of anything else to add to it. Water can be "impure" with anything, not just toxins -except water. ;D So, tell me all, was my answer too complicated?

Ahhhh..the "short-line syndrome". When they get close less leeway for error, esp with a green fish. They can easily pull off due to rod angle in close and less stretch in a short line. When they get close, lead them with the rod until they and you are ready. At some point they'll stop fighting and become placid. Then get the fish coming toward you smoothly to your thumb -don't try to bring your thumb to the fish (very far) -just like with a net. If you are reaching or grabbing, you are risking losing em. Always keep the fish's head under water. Often when you bring one close, bc of rod angle pulling upwards, they may make a head-thrash or jump. Don't let em do it. Drop the rod to the side and snub em down. You do these things and you won't lose many, with any lure type. Jigs tend to have good hook gaps, but the compact weight in the mouth allows them to throw a lure with any slack. As to that spot -if you caught one there always throw back. Bass are not usually alone. As you fish such a spot, pay close attention to where the fish was and try to hit the same spot again, before probing on. And then re-visit it. Pay attention to what the jig was doing: falling, accelerating, paused, speed, ... This might give you a clue as what the fish want.

Prune away! The bass are more interested in the trunk, rather than the branches.

I have 3 "Heddon Wood" CBs I bought back in the 80s. Got em on clearance I remember, for a song. They are long billed wood plugs with an internal rattle. Anybody remember these? Who made them?

I have 6 or 8 of them I bought in the mid 80s) that have had very little use. Have to look em up to see which models they are.

Yup. (I'm gonna make one outta play-doh, and shoot it real fuzzy -just to try and stump him ).

I think that might not be a Sebile, Looks more like the Strike King "whatever they call it" lol.

Interesting. S'more random thoughts: Fish have retinal receptors that are triggered by certain patterns of movement through the visual field. These vary amongst fish species. Not a lot of species have been looked at but some common fw species have and two common patterns are rising and falling objects.

x2 ~ It starts with boat position, hard to get the right angle with the wrong boat position. After covering a point or drop off, I love getting right up in the skinny water and throwing out over the edge and dragging a bait up the ridge. Sometimes this is the difference in getting a few more bites out of a spot. Other times it's the only way to get bit. A-Jay I think there's a little more to that. It's a "strike zone" thing -one a lot of anglers don't recognize I think. Bringing a lure up a drop forces a fish into the position of having to react, or allow that "food" to escape into the shallows. Changing depth is something bass do only when necessary, bc they are exposed nearer the surface, and bc of the water pressure change. In this way, depth change can represent an "edge". A lure rising up above them can be a strong trigger. It's why strikes so often occur right at the boat, when your lure is heading up toward the surface. It's potential food that's about to get away, inciting a reaction. Similarly, the lip of a drop is a classic "strike zone" for shore anglers.

I have 'em! They're even in the box! I just seem to never get it done. Old dog thing I think. I've also spent quite a bit of time drilling and weighting other plugs. I seem to be reluctant to drill into a Rap. I seem to have some kind of reverence for them that I do not have with plastic baits. Maybe something sentimental there too it seems. Old dog stuff I guess. ;D Funny I've spent inordinate amounts of time and money trying to get just that very look, with a plastic bait -Husky's, Rogues, Daiwa's, Matzuo, Bagley's, Storm, ...and any nice looking knock off I'll put under the knife. But an Original Floating Rapala?? I..I..can't do it. What would Laurie Rapala think of me? Would he rollover in his grave, or be ashamed of me for my timidity? It's rough being an old dog. ;D I worry about ruining the action with the weights so I don't add much and I definitely work to keep it balanced. However, I'm a fan of the Husky Jerks and the Rogues as well. The action of the original floater is classic. Yeah, being balsa they are super responsive. Where you tie it (if you tie direct) affects action greatly. If you want more wobble and flash, push the knot to the bottom of the eye -it'll almost wobble in place this way. Want less, push it up. When I first break em out for the year, or when water is flat calm and you have to be subtle, I bend the eye down a bit and it gives that wide wobble. With a little tug, the plug makes a single half roll -deadly! The #9 jointed does this well too. When the water warms further (~60) I abandon the twitch and pause thing altogether and start waking a #13. I remove the front treble to get the head up a bit, then bend the line tie down. Lands quietly and works really well. I added a #11 jointed this year to try as a waking bait. Oooooo....I can't wait.

Ditto. It runs about 3-4ft. They have a new one, Thug, that runs to 6 I think -not square but snag resistant, and a tad pricey for a something you'll be throwing into a tree. I also really like a Bill Dance Excalibur/Bomber that I found at Dick's a few years ago -got two left. But they appear to be gone. BPS XPS(I think) has a square lip that is nice, but is a tad small in my book -at 2". Lesseee... Oh yes! The 1/4oz SpeedTrap -GREAT plug. 2-1/2", runs to 6ft with a big wide square lip. Good plug, although a tad light. Lesseee...OK I looked in my box: Manns Elite C4 -good plug, runs to 4ft. And ...the most snagless of them all.... the Wiggle Wart. They run a bit deeper than the others, to 10ft, but are amazing. By far the most snagproof plug I've used. Almost weird, bury one deep in a milfoil clump and with a firm pull it somehow comes out clean most of the time.

I think you are right about that. But then again, I caught plenty of bass with skirted jigs w/o a trailer before I got sophisticated and learned that pork was needed ;D . Raul, I agree that pork is a pain, but it's one I've gotten used to. If there is one rod ALWAYS rigged and ready to fly, it's a Jig-n-pig. It's the first rod I rig for every trip. The first thing I put in my tackle bag is those pork jars and every thing ELSE can just moooooove over lol. I keep a plastic zip-lock sandwich baggie in my tackle bag, to close around a rigged JnP as it hangs on my rod keeper to keep it from drying out during the day. The first thing I do at the end of the day is put that precious little frog back into it's jar. Did I say I love my pork frogs? :-*