A-Jay

Hello Ryan and Welcome to BR ~ A-Jay

I think that's a the first for me - seeing anyone recommend that one. A-Jay

Try using the weightless EWG hook of your choice and add a Parasite clip. After using them, I'm a believer. It's a very simple & inexpensive little device that directly addresses your problem. http://parasiteweights.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=30 There are a few video's on youtube showing the simple but effective rigging process. Below is a pic of one on a Sluggo - and btw - they weight almost nothing and don't negatively affect your weightless presentation. Good Luck A-Jay

Me too, but only when using small to perhaps mid-size Texas rigged plastics. I'd never expect a lighter rod & reel with lighter mono to power any hook through a fat plastic bait consistently. A-Jay

Smooth move ~ Seems that on those dark nights there is less need to fish any where near as close to the cover as on light up nights. Fish tend to hang "around" or relate loosely to the structure / cover - rather than being tucked way up in it. Often times places like, the open area between docks, both sides of and the tip of a point, all around a shallow water hump, open areas between the lily pads, can be stacked with fish . . . . Still challenging, especially since you'll have Very Limited vision and depth perception - but the rewards are pretty decent. A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to BR ~ A-Jay

Again, by simply switching to a 10 - 15 lb braid main line, you'll definitely see a dramatic improvement in your ability to sink the steel. It's like getting another set up - if your reel came with two spools - spin one up with braid and try it. May not matter what hook you use then, as long as it matches the bait size. A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to BR ~ A-Jay

There are times when using spinning gear & 10 lb mono to fish Texas rigged soft plastics, getting a decent hook set could be problematic. That gear may not possess the virtually strength to over come a good sized bass from simply holding onto your presentation (think crushers) and then releasing it without ever experiencing the business end of your bait. I don't think your hook type is the villain here, I'm betting it's a the soft rod and the lighter line. Consider kicking it all up a notch. Going to a light braid & leader would change your latitude quite a bit. Good Luck A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to BR ~ A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to BR ~ A-Jay

I believe my initial post may not have been presented the way I intended thus it was mis-interpreted. Let me put it this way - The fact that Mr Stuward, realizing there was a man on the race track in front of his vehicle - chose (and admitted) to Accelerating his vehicle, will not help him here. The way I see this - The driver Killed him - that's it. Plain and simple. I don't know what his intentions were, only he knows - but at that split second - his race car became a weapon. If it were up to me - the man would do time. A-Jay

I am not a racing fan and know very little about the sport. But I'm going to say that it doesn't matter here. The man was out of his car on the track. Another car went by him without incident. The next car hit and killed him. He was alive now he's not, because the driver of the second vehicle (a professional driver mind you) made a split second decision that I'm sure he now regrets. A-Jay

Hello Matt and Welcome to BR ~ A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to BR ~ A-Jay

My waters are routinely clear which does make the night bite better for a larger average fish. The stuff I'm targeting is pretty much the same type of ambush points I'd fish during the day but with the cover of darkness the clearer water isn't quite as much a factor as during the day. Fish seem to come (and stay) shallower making them 1) easier to find & 2) a little easier to fool (catch) With a big fat full moon - in the clear water it's almost like day time - the fish are spooky. A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to BR ~ A-Jay

For me, unless the moon (especially a full one) is obscured by clouds, the bite is routinely slow. I do best on totally dark nights, although the fishing is dramatically easier when one can see in full moon light. If I do go, I'll be fishing in the same place / spots that I would on a sunny day because the fish seem to position themselves in the same manner. Good Luck tonight A-Jay

I do like mono too but few tools are good for every situation. Braid on a spinning reel is a very good thing. Braid in the slop with frogs & jigs is also a good thing. Mono does almost everything else for me. A-Jay

Rod type and action is largely a personal preference - I fish square bills around cover so I prefer 15 - 20 lb line (mono) and a slightly stouter rod. My other "crank bait" fishing is actually done with a glass rod that has a very moderate action. I could throw the square bill with it in open water and it would work fine. However, it's not the rod I'd pick to move fish from cover. The brand you chose is up to you. A-Jay

So how'd it go on day 2 ? A-Jay

If this is truly a square bill specific rod and depending on how & where you fish your square bills, the standard moderate action cranking stick may be too soft. If you're throwing these baits into and around cover, looking for things to bounce off of (which is where the bait excels), I'd recommend a medium heavy action rod with a bit faster action than the standard cranker; pick a length that you can cast very accurately - that really matter here. Additionally, you may want to beef up your line class a little so that when the One bass you're secretly hoping to catch actually strikes, you'll be capable of leaning on her enough to get her out of whatever hole, weed patch or log jam she's been hiding in all summer. Other wise you might get your Lunch handed to you. Good Luck A-Jay

A-Jay

Nice Bass ~ Congrats A-Jay

NIVE ~ ! Looks like a great trip. And PB's are Always a Blast Congrats A-Jay