J Francho

Not sure how you know there isn't a fish where you cast to, if you're not sight fishing. I just cast to where I'm casting to. Most of my lakes are overgrown just after spawn. It doesn't really matter, but unless you're throwing them on the bank, and hopping them in the water (excellent technique for frogs and rats), I just don't assume there isn't a fish there. My goal is to have the jig enter the water quietly (if possible) and glide down in front of a fish. Sometimes you have change jigs or trailers to adjust ROF and/profile that they prefer. Sometimes you have to do this 20 times, and on the 21st drop, they bite. I definitely use and recommend your idea to cast beyond the area you want to fish with moving baits, either letting them sink or dive to depth so they are in the bite zone when they go by the fish. But "drop baits" like jigs and punch rigs and the like, are that - drop in their face baits. A traditional Texas rigged worm, that's also where I'd go beyond where I wanted fish, but alas, many times that worm never makes it to the bottom before BOOM. I'm not gonna tell you you're wrong, but I'm gonna tell you try and think like this for a day or month, and see if it improves your bites. I don't think I'm in the minority among successful jig fishers when I make these suggestions. Try it with a different philosophy, see what happens. Assume you're getting bit a second or two after the bait hits the water. Be ready for the *tap* 'cause that's all it is on a slack line.

Here's how I see it. If you're getting stars for lots of posts, please take a close look at what you're typing. Chances are you have an attitude problem as well as a profanity problem. I swear like a sailor in person - ask people that know me. I can't help it, I'm from western NY, it's how we talk. I don't have any issue with getting censored by the auto filters here. Why? Because I think through what I'm typing, and I have the ability to filter myself. Here's the relevant sections about the stars you are seeing, from the Forum Rules & FAQs:

I'll try to dig up a pic.

2-6 rods, a few deep 3700 size boxes in the crate, small anchor, graph and battery, assorted tools for hook removal and rigging, fish grip, scale, towel, ditch bag with a change of clothes and towel if it's cold, cooler for food and drink, camera, phone, bump board, 1st aid, and a net. I added a T-Reigns track mount with a cull tag attached for photo fish. Put the fish in the clip, back in the water, get your camera ready, and pull your fish out. Highly recommend it - no slack cord to get in the way.

I just use a pair of linesman pliers.

Yeah, I agree with that. Up here, dragging a football jig is the way, and that is a really slow presentation. Not really anything like the usual summer jigging in weeds and trees.

I think I'd put additional bow support on there. Otherwise, it looks cool!

I can't remember ever making it 30 seconds! I'm looking for active fish, not some dummy that has to stare at it's lunch forever to decide to take a bite, lol. I'm sure I'll take some flack for that, but it's just my impatience as well.

I'm dubious whenever someone says I only need spinning or I only need casting gear. It always seems to be a little egotistical. This post wasn't like that at all. Good honest questions. Paul probably nailed it when he talked about baits that pull back. I also find that casting gear is easier to fish seated in a kayak, canoe, or small jonboat. It keeps your hands on the same level, so no crook in your back either. I can control a cast pretty well on a spinning rod feathering line as it peels off the spool, but not like I can thumb a casting reel's spool. Try and do a deep drop with a baitcaster though, and it's worse than watching paint dry. I'd rather open the bail, and let the bait fall. Spinning gear is nicer when it's really cold too. Your fingers always get wet with a baitcaster. Lastly, line twist drives me nuts. It's inevitable with spinning gear. Almost never happens with casting gear. Those are my takes on it. I have quite a few of both, and also a couple clicker reels, centrepins, and fly reels. I even keep a trusty 25 year old Zebco 33 hanging around. If you're fishing, it's all good!

Then you're missing bites when you aren't sight fishing. I'd say more than half my bites come on the initial drop, if I'm fishing active fish. Generally that's all I'm looking for. I that fails, then I slow it down, and try to "finesse" a bite. Also, by initial drop I just mean the moments after the jig hits the water and drops to the target. It may be the first cast, or the 25th cast to that target. Often times, you cant really hop a jig around in submerged timber, under a dock, or in heavy weeds. I'm not even so sure I'm emulating a crayfish, though it looks like that to *me*. Most of the time I think the bass just reacts to a vulnerable prey item. I don't know if I'm that great a jig fisherman, but I use them a lot, and I don't overthink the fishing part nearly as much as the consideration I put into what type of jig I'm going to use.

Happy Birthday!

If you go SI, you cannot use the glue in hull method.

My second biggest LMB from NY came on a tiny 3.8" finesse type worm on a 1/16 oz. wacky jig. My biggest came on a 10" Power Worm. Both were over 7. You never know what the big girls want. The largest was luck. I've neither heard of, nor myself caught anything even remotely close to that size in that water. The no. 2 fish came from a lake well know for fish. A buddy has two over 7 and one over 8 from that place.

Pretty fish! Nice work.

Always obscure small waters' location, including making sure any embedded GPS/location metadata is stripped out. Crop tight, eliminate background objects if you can. Best plan, don't post it on social media.

Shallow or deep makes no difference on spinning gear, if the spool is filled properly. All a shallow spool does is eliminate the need for a backer and the annoying connection knot.

GPS is more a must have, but that comes with pretty much any decent unit these days. I use DI along with the regular sonar more often than SI, though SI is a VERY useful tool when you're in search mode.

We're talking about FLIPPING. Flipping and pitching are not interchangeable terms. The spool is always engaged during a flip. When you pull line from between the stripper guide and the reel, it can become dislodged from the narrow section of the TWS wing.That can't be good on a hookset...

Funny, because when they came out there was pretty much no marketing, and zero mention on the internet of them. (No one wanted to say it on the web, lol)

So others don't get confused, trimming a brush guard so it is SHORTER makes it stiffer. THINNING a weed guard by trimming out a few fibers makes it softer.

I've only used Gamma leaders. Not reel fill line.

yep! Of course you are, and if it's the one company that gets replaced with "***" when you post, then you'll know that's the one that wants nothing to do with us. I use St. Croix, G.Loomis, Shimano, Daiwa, Pinnacle, Okuma, Fenwick, and Browning rods. See - that was easy!

$45 flat shipping? I'll pass.

Helix 5 with SI fits, though I added a map chip.

Location is a better strategy for big bass. Once you have that, cover, bottom composition, physical structure of the area, and cover will dictate what bait is best, or will even work. No sense tossing a treble hook hard gill in a slop field, when a frog, jig, or punch rig is more suitable.