islandbass

Me too! I finally tried it for the first time earlier this week and I really like the potential I see with this technique. I dragged it, and hopped it and dead stuck it. I tried spot removers and some other brand and believe the spot removers were much better. I also used a roboworm. Thanks for the write up, jb! 8-)

Nearly skunked, but determination, persistence, and a willingness to change up ( a weakness of mine) were most helpful today. Headed to the lake on the way to work with only about 25 minutes to fish. Quickly prepped one spinning and one casting rig for drop shot and a popper respectively. Started with the drop shot with a 2.5 watermelon sniper snub and worked it the way I usually do, by working the slack, but could only convince the 3 dinks to come out and pay my lure a visit. 12 minutes go by, with nothing. So I put the spinning rig down and toss the popper around. Nine minutes pass and once again, nothing. My mind goes into over analysis mode as I begin to pack up my stuff and by the time I finish putting most everything away, it arrives at the conclusion: 1) I need to go with something that was longer and red. It seems my first pack of Zoom trick worms fit the bill and I quickly nose hook it. 2) Use a more aggressive method of working the bait, in other words less working the slack and being subtle and more wiggling and jiggling the bait to death. With barely a minute left, I didn't have the time to make a cast, so I opened the bail long enough to allow what I eyed as enough line to drop the trick worm by the dock. With my backpack on, my plastics bag on my left shoulder, casting rig in my left hand, and drop shot rig in my right hand, I dropped the rod's tip down to the location I intended along the dock's side. As soon as the weight hit bottom, I wiggled the living dickens out of the worm. For those who might not know, this is one way I do not prefer to use as a first choice when working a bait while drop shotting. Like a bolt of lightning, a small bass streaked out from under the dock and annihilated the trick worm. She hit it so hard I didn't have to set the hook. Since it was a small bass, I didn't do a Tiger Wood's fist pump but instead allowed a sigh of relief out that I wasn't going to work empty handed. Ever fish before going to work and not catch anything? It's a crappy feeling. Yeah, she was small, but heck, at least I wasn't going to work skunked. A Concern about how the Fish was Hooked After raising the fish up I realized that the hook penetrated well past the bass' hard, palette and was centered between the eyes. It has happened once before and I am a concerned that the hook is harming the fish going all the way through that. This time it was a size 2 gammy and last time a size 2 owner mosquito. Both times the hits were ultra aggressive and now that I had the opportunity to see the bass smash the bait, I know that there was no delay on my part on the hook set (because there wasn't one) to have contributed to it being hooked as it did. Has anyone else hooked a bass drop shotting where the hook went through the upper palette? Most of the time I see the hook in the corner of the mouth or if it is in the palette, it doesn't go through. Perhaps it is a testament to the sharpness of the hooks, but such piercing power seems excessive to me. What are your thoughts? Is this more common that I suspect or what? Once I caught a perch who hit my 3 senko in such a hard fashion that the offset straight shank hook I was using went through the poor fish's eye! I also saw the hit so there was no late reaction on my part. I felt pretty bad that I might have hurt the fish's chances of survival. Once again, the drop shot comes through for me. Conditions: Overcast, best guess 60 degrees Gear: 2-piece mh compre, 2500 symetre, 2-piece clarus, 201 curado DHSV Lures: Sniper snub, Zoom Trick Worm, Rapala Skitter pop Line: 8# vanish (I know! My brother spooled my reel with it so I need to use it up! I am beginning to trust this line less and less) and 12# Yozuri Fluoro

Look no further that Sea Guar's Invizx flurcarbon line. You will not regret it. I use 6#

Man, I am the opposite of you. I started out bass fishing with cranks and didn't throw a soft plastic until nearly my second season in fishing. I am very comfortable with cranks but this year I forced myself to expand into soft plastics. Learning the drop shot has been a great plus and I'm off to more soft plastics like t-rigs. As a matter if fact, I've only thrown a cb twice this season and I guess I still have my touch. Caught a nice 4 lber in a 30 minute outing about 3 weeks ago. ;D The cb recs that have been given are pretty much what I use.

I paint mine the old fashion way, with hand brushes and water clean up acrylics. I appreciate the advice on the airbrushes. I think it's time I looked into getting one. The popper in my avatar was painted with a hand brush. I too like painting the least for any baits I make.

Other than them being a bit on the "heavy" side, they are okay. I bought a 6'6" MH at Walmart for jigs and t-rigs, but it has never seen a day of fishing. Why? Why? Shortly afterward, I stumbled upon a MH Shimano Crucial for $59. I snatched that up and it immediately took the LR's spot. I still have it around as a guest rod. The newer ones I see now look better but I believe they are still made with IM6 graphite and have stainless steel guides. I think you would be better off getting a Shimano Convergence. They cost about the same and it will come with much better guides and a lifetime warranty. Much lighter too!! Remember one of the enemies of sensitivity is weight, at least that's what I hear Loomis folks tell me anyway. One of your local sporting goods store probably carries Shimano Convergence rods ($39.99) Good luck!

I take my time to tie them. Rushing knots leads to half-a$$ tied knots, which can lead to lost fish. Better to lose a minute or two of fishing time than to lose the potential fish of a lifetime. I guess that tells you how fast I tie my knots. : I find that line with memory in it take the longest to tie when the coiled section of line comes into play when making the knot. Don't worry about the speed at which you tie your knots. I think it is better to focus on the quality with which you tie them. It takes me the longest in the winter with subfreezing temps and frozen fingers. A 45 second palomar. Then, I wind up cutting the standing end two times in a row. That's a shame! ;D

First let me say, Excellent Tip!!! I can see a couple ways to get around the stickiness of electrical tape in those conditions. The rod can be easily cleaned with Goo Gone. This stuff is great for removing sticky things, even gum from hair. It is a citrus based degreaser and it shouldn't harm the graphite. Chemical engineers, please confirm!! I suppose that an alternative to E-Tape is perhaps painter's tape. I think the come in colors other than blue. I myself might take a similar route, but instead of tape, perhaps a thin piece of velcro. It could be removed at any time and there would not be any sticky residue. Thanks, JB!!! -IB

Call me a bookworm geek type, but I have kept the following info on books that I've read I deemed worthy to re-read and re-check out from the public library: Bass Only Knowing Bass Keith A. Jones, PhD ISBN: 1-59228-616-X ISBN: 1-58574-523-5 paperback IB's note: A Scientific Approach to Catching more bass. It is a wonder how few bass anglers have taken the effort to read or find this books. Their loss. This book dispels a few myths bass anglers hold true. Want to know which ones? Read the book!! J Largemouth Bass Don Oster ISBN: 0-86573-005-9 ISBN: 0-86573-016-4 (paperback) Successful Bass Fishing Ken Schultz ISBN: 0-07-057236-4 Circle on Bass - Bass Wisdom from a Master Homer Circle ISBN: 1-55821-463-1 In Pursuit of Giant Bass Bill Murphy ISBN: 0-9633120-0-6 IB's Note: Great Read Covers the stitching technique and how to anchor your boat. Another keeper. Bass Angler's Almanac John Weiss ISBN: 1-58574-214-7 Sow Belly Monte Burke ISBN: 0-525-94863-5 ISBN: 0-452-28715-4 Paperback IB's Note: Great book about the search for big bass. Not Bass books but still well worth the reading. Title: What Fish See Author: Colin J, Kageyama, O.D., F.C.O.V.D. ISBN: 1-57188-140-9 IB's Note: Tons of information about the color shift that happens underwater. While it mainly focuses on steelhead and salmon, the knowledge Dr. Kageyama imparts is invaluable for bass anglers too. BTW, there is a bass section that I found most informative. I have become a better angler after reading this book. Make better, more educated selections in your choices for lure colors. Title: How Fish Work Fish Biology and Angling Author: Thomas J. Sholsheth, DVM, MPVM ISBN: 1-57188-239-1 IB's Note: It turns out fish focus on seeing polarized light. This book, though informative is more technical in its style. If you enjoy reading technical articles, you'll like its format. I plan to buy this book.

I used to use the Gammy split shot drop shot hooks and they are excellent, but the Mossuito hooks are a bit cheaper adn come with more hooks. I have been using the latter for most of this season and I think I like them more than the gammies. Size 2 or 4 from both companies. Oh yeah. If I need to T-rig my bait then the Owner down shot hook (not sure of the name but it looks like a mini ewg) is my hook of choice.

Get him or her a small spinning reel. My daughter learned to use one at 5 and kids being what they are, are very fast learners. She took my old green curado away from me at 6 1/2. Besides, you will be making such a purchase somewhere down the road for him or her anyway. There are a few decent spinning reels out there that can be had for about the price of a good spincaster, like the abu g cardinal that are easy on the wallet. If not, the the reels already suggested will do. You kid might outlive that reel very soon though. Good luck!

I've used both and they're good so far. My observations are: Siege appears to be more abrasion resistant. Elite appears to be more limp. Yet, if I am not mistaken they have the same line diameter and that has me a bit perplexed. Both have great castibility and seem to resist memory better than mono from other companies. If you are fishing heavier cover or need the abrasion resistance, then I say go with siege. If you are facing open water (less cover) and prefer a more limp line, then go with elite. I look forward to hearing what other have to say.

If you ask me, I think it is because back in the day, such reels only had handles on the right side. So regardless of whether or not one was right handed, you had learn it. I think such users reprogrammed their mind and muscles to do so that it is now second nature. Bottom line, it is now second nature to them. As a relative new comer to fishing and with the availability of reels to have left handed handles, I choose them. I have however taught myself to fish both ways now, but my primary preference is a reel in which the left hand turns the handle. It also leads me to believe that the inventor of the baitcaster must have been left handed. BTW, what reel is it that you want that doesn't come left handed? Just curious. The only ones I can think of are the 100 Citica, Orange Pixy, and Curado 300.

If you ask me, it leads me to think the baitcast reel was invented by a left hand dominant person as others have said. Bottom line, use the reel with the handle on the side most comfortable to use for you and if you have the time, learn to fish the opposite way. It takes a little reprogramming, but it can be done.

I'll just fill you in on some other things to help you save you the trouble of discovering it later for yourself, as one who also came from a spinning background. In addition to the adage, "It's all in the thumb," just remember this: Before the lure (or whatever you have at the end of the line) hits anything, be it the water's surface, the ground, a tree, a shrub, or another boat, your thumb MUST stop the spool from spinning. You may feather it to a stop or stop it dead cold. It doesn't matter. The spool must be stopped. Assuming the reel is properly adjusted to throw the lure and it isn't too windy, knowing this will help to prevent many potential backlashes. As proof, it was the only thing I told my daughter when she was 6 and she got it down really fast. Her first comment after her first cast with a baitcaster: "Papi, this is so much easier to use that the other (spinning) reel." I practically welled up with tears of joy. I also taught this to my buddy who never held a baitcaster in his life, or let alone know what one was. He didn't backlash once. Good luck!

I have been using Invizx for almost a year now and this was my first fc line I ever tried. It was awesome from the get go. I couldn't believe how limp it is. So I agree with your findings, and they have also been mine. My decision to try SeaGuar came after reading one of LR's recommendations. When I looked for it in my area, the regular seaGuar was not to be found, but Inviszx was so I bought a spool. I am a bit spoiled too. The going price for a filler spool of Invivzx is $12.97. Yee hah!

That is the result of line being placed back on the spool loosely over a period of time and an occassional start of the retrieve with too much slack on the angler's side of the bail. It happens at a higher frequency over time when casts are made where the lure has already hit the water and yet line is still coming off in an excessive amount AND the start of the retrieve is made with loose line on your side of the bail. Another culprit is right before the start of the retrieve... If the line is not on the roller (eg, on the side opposite the roller, it might self correct, but it won't before a couple of revolutions of line are made incorrectly onto the spool. It all adds up incrementally to make that "Thuupp" cast. 1) Never begin retrieval of line with slack on your side of the bail. Move your rod to either side to bring the line taut before the retrieve AND to ensure that your line falls into the roller and not the opposite side. This alone can greatly reduce the occurrence of that "thuwuppp" cast. Closing the bail manually helps, but that is not enough. If I see that the line on top of the spool starts to look loose, I will make a mega cast to get all of that loose line off of the spool, hold my rod between the foregrip and first guide with the line between my hand and rod to create some tension and crank the line back onto the spool with some tension. No more nests and no more "Thuwupps"

Thanks! I have the same rod (and scored it for $59.00!) but have not had a chance to really use it yet since I have been on a Drop Shot fix. ;D However, fiddling with it in the yard, It can easily pitch 1/4 oz jigs for sure. With regard to the Clarus rods, as Raul said they are great bang for the buck. I too have one, but not that model. They are sufficiently sensitive, but the Crucial I have is even more sensitive. This not a negative comment on the clarus, because it is a good rod. The other plus with the Crucial is that it is lighter and sports lighter and tougher guides.The type of guides a rod possesses is becoming more of a factor in rods that I am buying, unless a deal on the price is too good to not take. $59 on a clarus is definitely money well spent. Heck you can get two clarus' for the price of one crucial. In addition, not to rattle your bait monkey's cage, but aren't the Cumara's coming out soon? Down boy!! Get back in your cage! ;D

My findings are the same as yours. I was disappointed with this lure's castibility. When compared to the Xrap or the DT series, it is sorely lacking. I've only fished with it one time and put it away because it was windy. This is coming from a huge rapala fan. I am glad I bought them when they were on sale. This new bait is a combination of the Shad Rap and the Floating Minnow if I am not mistaken.

great report!!! Maybe next time it couldn't hurt to have a couple of these:

I second this recommendation. I am very impressed with the performance of Siege and I have used it in 10, 12 and 20#. The way this mono resists the setting of memory is remarkable. THey have a smoke gray color and that is the one I use.

The gut feeling of mine that I have come to trust when it comes to knowing when to fish had created an overwhelming urge to go the a nearby lake this evening. I got all of the honey do items on my list done pronto! The conditions lately have been a mild cooling from relatively warm temperatures and sunny to gray clouds and overcast skies. My nephew, two-year-old son, and I arrived at the lake at about 8:00 PM made our way to the dock. Darkness was well set into motion. Not surprisingly, the fish were already active. They watched the small fish pursue even smaller fish as I tied prepped their rods with the lure of their choice. Despite my recommendation of tying on a crankbait, both of them chose to use some homemade, hand-tied bucktail jigs. I had already decided to go with a crankbait, but since I already had a popper tied on from a previous trip, I thought I'd give it a few casts. Even with all of the activity on the water, the popper failed to produce, but I didn't think that it would. Many previous outings last year under similar conditions have yielded the same result. Then, as I begin tying on the crankbait, my son tells me that he just dropped his Superman rod into the drink. I kept warning him not to slash at the water's surface because he might drop it, but I guess some lessons and best learned the hard way. It was already dark and there was no way that I or any of the swimmers (bless them for trying to recover it in about 6' of water) were going to be able to find it. He was very upset gave a resounding, No! when I offered to have him fish with my rod, crossed arms and face! Oh well. He needed to cool off. The first few casts were fruitless but they told me where the top of the grass line was. I tried to mimic the speed at which I thought the little ones were being chased. Then, I made one cast just in front of some pads and worked it over some grass, allowing the crankbait to touch the top of the grass so I could rip through it. The rip was followed with a pause and then a couple turns of the crank with another pause. On that pause, I felt the take and it wasn't subtle at all! This was not a drop shot nibble. This was an authoritative, I want you, you tasty looking crankbait type of strike. I started to reel up the remaining slack and the bass did the rest to make the line taut, essentially setting the hook on itself. I was very excited because I knew it was a good-sized fish. I was also not fearful of losing it at all. In retrospect, I was actually quite calm until I realized that the line I had on the reel was 6# test and the rod in hand was rated for 8-17. I loosened my drag slightly to compensate. I called my nephew over and offered to have him take on the fight but he declined, even after I insisted. Bummer. I told my son to come and fight it and he told me he only catches little fish. Goodness gracious!! I'm going to need to have a talk with both of them! She fought hard and tough and I can count two moments of stalemate in the fight. Her pull was reminiscent of a chum and her vigor that of a smallmouth. She was most impressive throughout the battle. I kept steady pressure throughout the bout and my patience was about to pay dividends. When she finally surfaced, I noticed immediately that her aggressive strike placed both trebles in her mouth. Yikes! With a three-beam guardrail in my way, I would be forced to reach for her under the lowest rail and risk a treble or two in my hand if she gave a last second shake for freedom. Fortunately, she played dead and that made it easier for me grab her. I lipped her and I couldn't believe I was Iaconelli-ing at the top of my lungs. I did not however run around the dock as if it were the deck of the boat. My nephew snapped a few photos. He also declined a picture with the bass so I placed her into the water with both hands to let her go. The swimmers in the water were close by and one of them jokingly asked, You mean I'm swimming in this lake with something that big? Despite being stoked, I also felt a bit sad. My son lost his rod (next time he's going to use the leash I devised) and try as I might I can't seem to get them into bass. I guess there's always next time. One last thing to note: Right after the catch, the activity ceased. There might be something to the theory of fish releasing those panic chemicals to warn others. My nephew noticed it the same time I did. He's well on his way to becoming a great and observant angler! Don't know her weight but I could care less. A Little Jimmy Houston love. Conditions: Overcast, mild Rod/Reel: 6'6 2-piece MH Shimano Compre/Daiwa 1500 Line: 6# Stren Mono (first time fishing with this line. Thumbs up!) Lure: Rapala DT6, Firetiger pattern (I knew this was the ticket tonight) Location: Steel Lake, WA

As an owner of one myself, I agree with Raul 100% I have a Med Action 2-piece and it has served me very well. It is the complement to the new compre I acquired last week. IM7 Graphite, Alumunium Oxide Guides, Fuji Reel seat, lifetime warranty; at that price point it is very tough to beat. It is sufficiently sensitve for non to very light weighted soft plastics. I have worked, smallie beavers, yum dingers, senkos, hula grubs, tubes, and drop shotted with it with great success in a 30 plus bass day. Not too shabby for a two piece. 8-)

If you don't need the most sensitive rod for this application (i.e. soft plastics), what techniques you you find in need of the most sensitive rod? I find small plastics to entice the most subtle of all bites more often than not. You make a good point. After reading my post over, I can see that I made it sound like like the compre lacks in sensitivity. I agree with you that worming is where sensitivity is a must and the more a rod possesses, the merrier. I guess that when I wrote that, I was thinking that some might think of this as a lesser rod. Fortunately, this rod does not suffer nor is it lacking in the sensitivity department, and I have found it more than capable of detecting the subtle bites that can be experienced when drop shotting. As I mentioned, it is sufficiently sensitive for soft plastics. I had the chance to fish with this rod and landed over 20 bass one day drop shotting and wormin' and even throwing inline spinners with it and never failed to land the bass or lose on the hook set. I do have rods in my arsenal to handle the worming and the jigging but most are baitcasters and I have one excellent drop shot spinning rod. In addition, they are one-piece rods that I cannot fit into my vehicle for a quick run to the lake for a quick outing on the way home. However, I wanted a spinning rod to supplement my drop shot rod that had to be a two piece so that I could also use it as my trunk rod that wasn't so costly that if my car got broken into and had stuff stolen, the loss would be easier to swallow. You know as well as I do, there are not many bass rods "off the shelf" that are two piece to begin with, let alone fit the bill to suit my needs. So this compre fits well. -ib

No, it was a Shimano Compre. The price tag had fenwick printings on it. I thought the people made a mistake. I got an $89 rod for $54.95.