J. M. Richardson

Something I love to do up in Wisconsin when the bass don't seem to be biting or I can't figure out the pattern I will switch to targeting northerns. What are you favorite lures for these teethy bad boys? Mine include: Blue Fox and DareDevele Spoons Thumper Spinner baits (single colorado blade) I've had northerns hit a weightless senko worm on my bass rig. Stripped the drag out on my favorite worm rod.

Northerns love these puppies as well. #8 a bit small for the northerns, but they will still eat it.

Up in Wisconsin chatterbaits catch me more northerns than anything. I like to use them where the cover is a little bit too much to throw a spinner bait into. I have found that chatterbaits work better on cloudy cool days in the early summer and fall.

This is a little late but if you ever get the chance to go back to german town check out Pine Lake or okauchee lake.

As a catcher of many dinks up in Wisconsin I have found in august that either top waters early in the morning or some nice small finesses jigs dropped right down into the wood or other shaded structure. A weightless senko is also a great producer when fished super slow on the bottom.

Anyone ever use these lures. I saw it at a local tackle shop and it says it's made over in Australia. It looks different and I think could be very productive. Haven't tried it out yet. Thought I'd see if they. I think they would make very effective Northern Pike baits if nothing else I'm not advertising here just putting the website for reference: http://www.wigstonslures.com.au/

I went fishing one day and casted from a pier and lost about a 17 inch bass but saw where it got hooked before it broke my line. The next night about the same time, I casted to the same place and hooked a bass, pulled it in, it was the same size and had a hole in its lip in the same place I hooked it the previous night. So yes, bass will bite more than once on the same bait.

I lose one lure almost every time I go out.

I like the Outkast tackle swim jigs, very good color selections and good weights. For a trailer I use their Fat Tail Grub 5" or a baby brush hog.

My favorite Lures for Pike are Red and White DareDevil spoons and big chatterbaits. Pike will eat just about any lure, I have caught them before on Tubes, Jerkbaits and stick worms. Also, big spinners with a single large colorado blade

I just recently purchased my first baitcaster last year. I got a cheapo Abu Garcia Black max, the thing only works well with heavy lures (spinnerbaits jigs and big cranks), but it does amazing with those. I love spinning reels for the fact I am very comfortable with them. I will be fishing an FLW Collegiate tournament later this year and had the chance to pick up a really nice rod and reel for cheap from one of my team's sponsors. I chose to get a really nice spinning combo in order to fish to my strengths. I think learning to use both effectively is the best strategy.

Just picked some of these up in the Rainbow color because they looked like they could produce. I bought the 3 inch model. How do you guys fish these? I've never used one before. I was thinking on a finesse hook split shot rig. Thanks in advance for the help

One of my favorite rods is an ugly stick. Use it mostly for panfishing since it is so flexible and light. But every now and then it's fun to throw a bass bait (weightless senkos or splishotted powerbait minnows on them) and catch a few. For the longest time, I had a cheap 20 quantum snapshot combo that caught me a ton of fish. It worked great until I hooked into a northern and it destroyed my drag

Looking at cutting my own topwater lures. Does anyone know where to get balsa wood that is thick enough for most lures?

Well, here in Iowa, the ice is finally off the lakes. Went out to a 40 acre gravel pit that has bass, crappies and gills. Didn't catch anything, but it was good to wet my lines. Mostly I went out to try out some new baits I have picked up during the long cold winter. Actually, I did almost catch something: a Large rock near the shore that almost took off my brand new Xcalibur lipless crank (which I had never thrown one before, must say i love the action on these things, can't wait to get in a boat and rip it through some grass). Maybe next time I will get some.

1. Look for anything sharp on land that can be turned into a hook (stone i can chip, glass bottle i can break). 2. Find long narrow stick to attach fishing line to. 3. catch whatever toads or other creatures happen to live on shore and use them for bait on my jerry rigged hook. 4. if possible, make a makeshift fish trap out of rocks and a small pool of water, place sticks with line hanging down with hooks and bait. 5. Find something I can use as clothes (you said all I had was fishing line) and light a fire. 6. Wait, and shoot off my flare gun to signal that i'm stranded, or that i caught dinner whichever i decide later.

I'm from Wisconsin, up here not so much in the fishing world, but a drinking fountain is a bubbler (when i moved to Iowa State University I asked somebody where the closest one was and they gave me a funny look, I actually had to think about what it was actually called for awhile). For fishing 'dere he is' 'fish OHN" (referring to getting bit)

I've had pike bite through braid ('dem teeth are sharp). have yet to have bite through a steel leader and have not had leaders affect my cranks and spoons. Only problem with steel leaders is that they don't work on jigs or spinners (which also seem to attract northerns). I'll look into lightweight titanium rigs this summer to see if i can get less visibility on my leader.

5.5 lb northern (yes I know it's not a bass) on 2lb mono using a mini-mite crappie jig and a 5 ft ultralight pole. 4lb LMB on 2lb line with live night crawlers (an incredibly fun way to catch bass on the weekend is just floating those fat worms underneath slip bobbers).

Try a scum frog popper in open water. Has the beauty of a scum frog and the water churning action of a popper, can be fished in weeds or open water depending on your retrieve.

It took me about 20 hours of fishing a jig before i figured it out (kind of). My best technique is either hopping a regular round headed jig (black and blue with a pumpkin or black/blue trailer) along the bottom, pulling it about a foot each hop. If you good with a spinnerbait try swim jigs. Don't bounce 'em, just reel em in at a medium pace, much like a spinner. Tip your swim jig with a curl tail grub. Try that out and see if it works for you.

We all know about the hyped up baits/techniques that everyone talks about. These tend to be mostly whatever the pros are currently using. My question is this. What are some of the most underrated baits out there? Some of my favorites that aren't well advertised or known: Roboworms Original Culprit worms Heddon Crawler (a classic I may be throwing at a tourny later this year). What are some of your guys'?

Thanks roadwarrior. I have heard nothing but good things with JJs and really want to try it out.

Hey guys, Looking at picking up a couple of bottles of JJ's magic. Never used dyes before and need some advice. How do you use them and where does this stuff work most effectively. I was thinking of getting a three bottle order of clear, chartruese, and metholyated

Went to the Spring Classic on Saturday. Figures, the only baits I wanted weren't the ones on sale except for some Bass Magic dropshot worms that look awesome.