CWB

I like the Caffeine Shad by Strike King. You can work it like a spook on top, and because it sinks faster than flukes, you can rig it weightless and work it just about any depth by letting it sink and pausing between twitches. Bonus is when you kill it, the tail wiggles like a senko. They are pretty flimsy though and alot of times you're just gonna get one or 2 hook-sets out of them but for me they work much better than a fluke. I like the Yum Houdini Shad with the flat tail also. Don't lock yourself into one bait or technique. Trying to figure out what the fish want and how they want it is part of the game.

I'm pretty sure I have a few of those hooks somewhere too. Wow you guys are bringing back memories. I recently bought a bag of 100 6" Lindy Swipes, which I believe are the best quality worms ever made when it comes to detail and lack of flaws etc, and I have a hard time using them due to the memories they evoke. Oh the good old simpler days. Thanks for taking us down memory lane Catt.

I brought a pike in once that had my line wrapped aroud his jaw and the lure dangling outside but never a bass. Too funny!

Sounds like another great day. WTG Big-O!

O.K. Go ahead and say it. I'm nuts.

Am I nuts or do I remember it having more black and red in the skirt or was that another color? Don't answer the first part of the question. I got there a little late that night. Never leave fish that are biting! I remember Big-O trimming back the skirt a tad after you tied it up. Just another average Big-O bass.

Are you going to be making that color? Looked pretty cool.

The rubber collars have loops you can stick rattles in, don't they? What about the secret color you guys came up with on CJ's boat at KY lake? They look super, as does all your stuff, and price is great too! Again, I'm willing to put the time and effort into field testing a few for you.

I like the Shadalicious also in 4.5". My main hollowbody. The Cane Thumper is great but pretty fragile. A one maybe 2 fish bait but it does work. Wasn't thrilled with the Swimming Fluke. I like the Grass Pig. Casts a mile and holds up pretty well. I don't really like the baits with a huge slit in the belly and a thin strip of plastic to bury the hook in (Flukes are one)Texposing the hook and skin hooking it back in does the trick for me. Skinny Dipper and Magic Shad seem better suited as jerk baits to me. Not the great swimming wobbling action of a swimbait. Just bought some Z-Man PaddlerZ and can't wait to try them out. These are just my opinions. I fish all but the Shadalicious weightless.

Great to hear from you Koop. Thought you disappeared. Where did you get the 8-5 from? Was Buffalo the lake you said was frog heaven? P.S. Fix your profile so you can receive P.M.'s Ken

Great job Jeff. I'm like you. I'm up at 4:30-5:00 every morning. If it's a work day I try to snooze a bit more. If not, I jump in the boat and head out. If my partner can't get up that early or can't be there until a certain time, I'll pick him up at the dock. If I get there and he's not there, and I haven't gotten a message, I wait a few minutes then adiós.

Just another average day on the water for Big-O. What a hawg! Used the C-rigged Eel this past weekend and got a few nice ones. Will be using it much more in the future. Reminds me of the Rage Shad on a diet.

My favorite lake is similar to what you describe. As the year progresses, the weedgrowth gets to the top in spots, is thick enough to walk across in others, and in sparse enough to fish most baits in in others. There is a mix of milfoil, coontail, which both get pretty thick, and braodleaf cabbage. There is also plenty of pads and reeds also. I attack each area separately. As Catt said, if you have 1.5 feet of open water, just about anything will work. as Roger said a detailed description of the weeds would help as some types look thick but are actually matted over and sparse enough to flip into. Usually the clearer the water, the thicker the weeds. My lake is gin clear and the weedgrowth gets pretty thick in spots. I would love if it only came to within a foot and a half of the surface. Spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, plastics like the rage Eeliminator speed worms, you can find what works best for you. many more baits to choose from. My favorite is the Rage Shad as it will work over the top and through the thick stuff. Good luck!

Shouldn't this be in the Dr. Phil section? Solution is simple: DON'T ANSWER THE PHONE! Or don't take it with or drop it in the river........... My phone never comes with me. I don't want to get it wet and ruin it. Or have to answer it either. Seriously, my wife is great when it comes to this. She knows when and where I'm going and when I plan on returning. No calls necessary. I do call her to let her know I'm on the way home though.

I don't know if I like you or am jealous! Nice fish as always. Gotta be the shorts!

They work great on 12" bass up here so I don't think smallies will have a problem gulping them down. Dwight, that fish you're holding could eat a 10" swimbait!

These things are killer, especially in shallow heavily pressured areas: http://www.ikecon.com/fishing-products/ike-con-worm-6.25-inch/ They seem to have lost some luster but they still catch the heck out of bass and will also catch the short nippers. I cut the back hook off myself. Several companies sell this type of worm. Just throw it out and reel it in slowly.

I'm with Fluke. MegaStrike (goo) JJ's (thin)

What a hawg. Big-O special. I think she just wanted to come up and take a look at you in those shorts!

Nice one as always. Just for laughs, how about posting a pic holding a 15 incher? Wait, they are born 4 lbs in Texas, right?

Agreed. I have a terrarium with several species of small turtles in it and the only one that is any danger to anything else are the snappers. My son will bring home a small one about the size of a silver dolar and in a years time, we have to let it go because they actually try to eat the other turtles. I don't let him keep them for more than a few months as one of them took a bite out of a small painted turtle and killed it. They're pretty much lazy slobs when they get bigger. Saw a big one chomping on a dead carp last weekend. Big Softshell are very aggressive though. Caught this one off my dock on a big minnow. 2nd of 3 I caught the same day. Almost took a bite out of me after this picture was taken. I don't think they do any harm and they help clean up the dead stuff. If a big bass gets caught by a turtle it was probably sick or deserved it somehow. Softshells are pretty fast but I actually caught a snapper that was laying on the bank and jumped in the water when I happened by. Ran in after it and grabbed it by the tail. I aint exactly Jessie Owens. Agree with Rhino. I'd be a little suspicious if there were none present.

Very nice!

Great vid Mike! Hope you didn't just put yourself out of business.

Good luck to both of you!

Kelley- Remember that my M-I-L is staying with us. The old bird isn't getting used as much as normal these days.