A-Jay

I am definitely not a Jack of All Trades - there are simply too many of them. Some trips I feel like a "specialist" at eliminating unproductive water. I will admit to being willing to learn & work hard. So I'd say I'm a "Specialist" at putting the time in. Seems the harder I work, the luckier I get. A-Jay

All except for those pesky triple grips . . . . A-Jay

A-Jay

"Feeling Stale" ~ I know the feeling - It happens, don't get bummed out about it. You'll get over it in time, and only you'll know when that is. I'm not willing or able to go to new waters that are further away than I already travel. So when it's happened to me, I try to come up with a way to make the places I already fish feel "New" again. Because New is always exciting and comes with the anticipation of promise which can turn the whole deal around. Here's a couple of Ideas to jump start the fire. You mentioned you fish quite a bit of finesse - so switch it up. If there's one bait that can account for better fish is many situations, it's a jig. Commit to it. Fish a jig exclusively. And I'm not talking about having one tied on and making a few casts. I'm saying - all day every day. With all the variations in weights, types, head & trailers - you can definitely find the ones that work for you in the areas you fish. You'll wreck them. Lastly, the simplest & best advice I give anyone who will listen, is to tell them to fish the same lakes they like and know well but to do it At NIGHT. If you've never done it, there's a learning curve but there is no doubt, It's a Game Changer. So many things are placed in your favor at night; less fishing pressure, usually better wind & weather conditions, and moving baits tend to work. But best of all - the bass are way more cooperative. Give it a try - and I see at least one (if not more) PB's in your future. Good Luck A-Jay

A 4 inch weightless Texas rigged Senko - Boom. A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

WOW ~ ! 23 1/2-inch length and a 24 3/4-inch girth ~ That's a freak of a 14 lb bass Congrats to Mr. Houston. A-Jay

I could but I won't be -`20 overnight. A-Jay

slonezp & deaknh03 were taken . . . . . A-Jay

Well, that might be pushing it a little. I like to play around with the fact that the winter months are cold & snowy here , but there are plenty of other areas in our country that can say the same thing. It's a pretty place to live all year round - if you like solitude and no 4G coverage A-Jay

Hootie, I'm up in northern lower Michigan. Not on the Upper Peninsula but about 30 minutes south of the Mackinac Bridge, center of the state. I'm on the member map. A-Jay

I am not debating the lines longevity. Frankly, I do not believe the cost justifies the advertised benefits. Additionally, I have not had any miraculous results with fluorocarbon that would justify it use. But the reason I recommended changing your line out is because there are any number of underwater hazards that can reduce the integrity of your line. Specifically in the middle of or far from your "Knot" that could be a weak point. Standing timber, dock supports, any other type of man made or natural cover we often probe could nick or damage it. So unless you routinely check the entire length of the line you fish as diligently as you check the last 3 or 4 feet, there is a reasonable chance for a reduction in the lines structural integrity. That's all. A-Jay

Unless you're fishing in a vacuum, Mono or Fluorocarbon line really should be changed at least seasonally - and that's pushing it. We spend a good deal of $$$ on many aspects of the sport in the hopes that The Big One might happen by. Not investing in the only connection between you and that dream is really reducing your chances unnecessarily. A-Jay

Nicely put Mitch - and I'll add that on those really tough Lock Jaw days, I do have some success slipping a drop shot on high percentage spots when I initially pull up on it - just to let me know if there is even any reason to be there in the first place. Then, if this test flight is met with positive results of any kind, I can either switch it up or even just stick with what worked. A-Jay

"I know a Guy . . .. . ' A-Jay

That's funny - me too. Can't take credit for the idea however - after reading about FLW Pro Brett Hite's success on Lake Toho in March 2008 and again on Lake Okeechobee last February, I tried it and liked it. I prefer the 5 inch bait a bit better than the 4 inch. I used the 4 inch whole & snip 3/4 of an inch or so off the 5 inch. A-Jay

LOL ~ Jeff & I just took one - however your assessment is spot on Kent. I do need another one . . . A-Jay

This ~ "death glared, screamed at in an elevator, or cussed out in a parking garage" Might Explain This ~ "Her contract is ending (was not renewed)" None of the underlined above can be regarded as effective communication or leadership methods. A-Jay

Like always, there's been some great advice offered here so far. While my experience with the bait is somewhat limited, my success with a chatter bait has steadily improved. There's a few factors that I've come to believe have added to the number of bass landed. Though the bait does fish like a spinnerbait, there are some decided differences as well. Where I can often illicit strikes with a spinnerbait using speed as the trigger, the vast majority of my success with a chatterbait involves a slow to medium retrieve speed at best. Not unlike so many of the most effective techniques for bass, presenting the bait in & around cover makes sense. Having a place for the bass “to come from” just works. Although the bait does vibrate quite a bit, I was having trouble both detecting bites and then hooking & landing the fish. After trying a few difference tackle combinations I’ve settled one that works for me; a glass or composite rod and Braided line. This rod & line combination works well together to fix a few challenges I was facing. The braid’s sensitivity allowed me to detect the difference between the cover & the strike. Then, because the rod responds slower to my hookset, the fish are being provided just a bit more time to get the bait (without me pulling it away prematurely). This combined with the no stretch properties of braid has resulted in more stout chatter bait hooks pinning up & landing bass. A swim senko or swim bait trailer has been good too.

As I was applying my sunscreen this morning and opening up all the windows to let in the fresh air, I happened to note the air temp. I was quite surprised by the overall lowness of the mercury. I may have to actually wear shoes today. A-Jay

X2 Now you're talking. A-Jay

I woke up this morning in a great mood, but once I looked out the window, my whole day changed . . . . A-Jay what's even worse - I think I may have moved to Japan . . . . .

A couple of my fishing buddies swear that I have a horse shoe some where that would not actually allow me to ever see it. So I guess we'll never really know . . . A-Jay

I had to secure a secondary income just to support my habit, I mean my obsession, I mean my hobby. Yea, that's it, it's a hobby. A-Jay

Here some 10 in green A-Jay http://www.ebay.com/itm/YO-ZURI-HYBRID-Fluorocarbon-Fishing-Line-10lb-600yd-GREEN-NEW-/351267796503?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item51c9313617