A-Jay

@12poundbass Sorry to hear about Henry my friend. A-Jay

I say, stick with what you've got. More boat means more of everything else. Much of that will come as a surprise to you, unless you've done it before. I f you have but that was not recently and on a consistent basis, you'll be reminded quickly. It will also change how, where and when you fish. Some of that will be for the better, but much might not. Instead, perhaps continue to modify your trips as needed to match your abilities. I realize I am preaching to the choir, But none of this gets any easier. The grass isn't always greener. Finally, a quick release clamp type phone or camera mount that faces the human, would dramatically improve the quality of the memories you catch, every time out. The long arm pics need to be a thing of the past. You're better than that. Good Luck. A-Jay

From time to time people tell me: Lighten up, it’s just a dog”. Or “that’s a lot of money for just a dog”. They don’t understand the distance traveled. The time spent or the cost involved for ‘just a dog’. Some of my proudest moments have come about with ‘just a dog’. Many hours have passed and my only company was ‘just a dog.’ But I did not once feel slighted. Some of my saddest moments have been brought about by ‘just a dog’. And in those days of darkness, the gentle touch of ‘just a dog’, gave me comfort and a reason to overcome the day. If you too think it’s ‘just a dog’ then you probably understand phrases like ‘just a friend’, ‘just a sunrise’, or ‘just a promise’. Just a dog brings into my life the very essence of friendship, trust and pure unbridled joy. ‘Just a dog’ brings out the compassion and patience that make me a better person. Because of just a dog, I will rise early, take long walks, and look longingly into the future. So for me and folks like me, it’s not ‘just a dog’. But an embodiment of all the hopes and dreams of the future, the fond memories of the past, and the pure joy of the moment. ‘Just a dog’ brings out what’s good in me. And diverts my thoughts away from myself and the worries of the day. I hope the someday they can understand that it’s not ‘just a dog’, but the thing that gives me humility. And keeps me from being just a man or just a woman. So the next time you hear the phrase, ‘just a dog’, Just Smile. Because they just don’t understand. A-Jay

Nicely Done ~ Successfully landing spinnerbait bass with a spinning rod is a feat all in it's self. Bet the bait moves your canoe on the retrieve too. Congrats A-Jay

A-Jay

After some years on the water, and having some decent success, I am supremely confident in the baits I fish. That said, location & timing plays a huge role in that every trip on the water for me. My biggest challenge comes when I believe the timing & conditions SHOULD produce, I'll cast off an arm trying to prove I'm right. Leaving and coming back to a spot over and over and over checking to see if the fish are there and or are willing to eat what I'm throwing. Sometimes it happens right away, like first cast. https://youtu.be/k3Z48BqFWuw?feature=shared&t=586 But when it doesn't, there is not an exact time limit for me before I pull the plug. Admittedly, I probably stay too long. As for being versatile vs keeping it simple. I can only speak for myself and I say I think I'm somewhere in the middle. There are presentations I like and catch fish doing, and there are presentations I sort of do not like but still catch fish doing. I'll do whatever, but I may or might not enjoy it as much. Once I figured out what plus size bass here would eat, I made myself better at those specific deals. I'm still learning and always trying to improve. I lost a GIANT at the boat a couple of weeks ago on a spinnerbait. Just came off right at the net. That one will haunt me ALL WINTER. A-Jay

Tried and true =90 % Something new = 10% Why: Considering the seasonal pattern, I am forever trying to reproduce situations that have seen me connect with plus sized brown bass in the past. These special fish were and are there for reason. I do not believe there is ANY randomness to it what so ever. So being in the right place at the right time and doing the right thing, seems to be an effective approach for me. A good way for me to know what the right thing is, is to use what has worked in the past. One of my favorite aspects of this approach, is that when I get it right, the bass usually let me know right away. https://youtu.be/k3Z48BqFWuw?feature=shared&t=586 While I will vary my approach depending on conditions, it's not by very much. Perhaps using a slightly different shade or profile of a bait, perhaps making a cast from a slightly different angle, even varying the speed or cadence of a retrieve. But that's about as far as I'll go. Because if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Plus size smallies are sort of rare and not the easiest fish to stay with for days & weeks at a time. At least IME. So when the deal 'seems right', I'm not experimenting to see what else they might eat. I'm going with what I have confidence in because they have eaten it before. That said, I do 'try stuff'. But I do most of it when there's no bite to speak of and just to see how a bait might fish, so that when the bite is wide open, I'll be ready for it. A-Jay

You're welcome. That was The First Video I ever posted over 12 years ago. My wife murders bass with that deal using spinning gear, a 3/16 oz lead bullet weight and a Rage Craw. It's almost impossible to fish it "wrong". Good Luck with your rigs. A-Jay

I fished the Original Quantum version of that rod for several years. Pretty sure I still have 7 of them if that tells you anything. It was my GO TO Jackhammer rod for both the 3/8 & 1/2 oz baits, as well as 1/2 & 3/4 oz spinnerbaits. I used 15 lb FC exclusively. If you like composite and that EVA grip, you'll be very happy with how that stick performs. Those rods accounted for more trophy smallies for me than all my other rods combined; including my PB. I have never fished the Lews model. https://youtu.be/frJAlndpO7E?feature=shared https://youtu.be/o9xew3tWuuU?feature=shared&t=1012 Good Luck A-Jay

Thank you. ME TOO ! ! ! A-Jay

30 Aug 24 ~ Update. Last post saw that Lynn's Kidney function was SLOWLY / Incrementally improving. Thankfully that has continued. Sufficiently enough that her 3 days a week dialysis has been reduced to 2 days a week. THIS IS HUGE and there were tears shed. This latest medical deal has been serious and way scary. We try so hard to keep composed, regardless of that's going on at the time. Knowing how volital and how quickly circumstances can change has taught us that maintaining a level head helps control the wildy debilitating stress that can be a another layer that doesn't help anything. Either way, this is a big win. The smiles are the best A-Jay

This is EXACLY WHAT you're looking for. It's essentially a light punch rig. Consists of a bobber stop, a bullet weight, a shirt on a hub, an ewg hook and the plastic of your choice. Rigged right, comes through anything. I use this when fishing new water when I'm not sure what type of mess I might be throwing into. A lighter weight can slow you down, get more bites and save you from constantly being snagged. Takes a few seconds to rig but totally worth it. A-Jay

Me too. And every one is different And wrong ! Even if I could somehow take the mean average of each one, they'd still be WAY OFF. 😎 A-Jay

No doubt. Add any and all pelagics, like tuna, wahoo, Bull dolphin. This is where I learned to fight the fish with the Rod not the reel. Doesn't mean I'm not winding on a bass when I need to, but it's not the only way. A-Jay

I use line color mostly to help me identify (insert remember) which line is on which rig. This includes mainlines and leaders. The only clear line in I use any application, is FC 12 & 15 lb. Leaders of Big Game Green and Shooter Defier Armilo (sort of brown) are easy to ID. My 8lb braid is grey and my 10, 15 & 20 lb braids are all green. I do remember fishing Golden Stren half a life time ago. I think they still sell it too. A-Jay

Originally planned on going tomorrow (and I still might). Either way, I called an audible and hit local Lake Menderchuck for an afternoon trip. Surface water temps were still 75, despite a cold east wind and mostly bogus on & off rain in my face. Been a while since I've fished in the rain but I knew the boating traffic would be non-existent in that mess, so I went for it. The brown bass were, for the most part, fairly cooperative. A swinghead with a Keitech Swing Impact FAT Swimbait did all the damage today. Got plenty of bites and I needed every one. A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

That's a tank ! Like I always say, 5's are fun. Nicely Done. Congrats A-Jay

IMO something like the SK 6XD is about the top end of cranking for this rod. You can certainly fish bigger/larger, heavier and longer billed cranks with it, but the rod will be flexing quite a bit just on the retrieve. Which usually leaves little left for a proper hookset but will supply plenty of fatigue fighting the bait all day. A-Jay

Compared to many of the other St Croix, (as well as Diawa) casting rods I use, The handle behind the reel seat does have a smaller diameter. Not crazy small, but definitely on the 'thin' side. But I happen to like it quite a bit, super comfortable for me. I do wear 'large' size gloves, but consider my hands to be average I guess. I'm only 5'8" and 160 lbs if that helps. Finally, that rod is IMO definitely a crankbait rod. Meaning it's not something I'd fish anything else on. It's too moderate for anything without trebles, and not really a topwater rod either. Good Luck A-Jay

Although I have a few different makes & models, (but no Pop X's) when it's popper time, I reach for the Pop Max quite a bit. And I get a few. Much of my topwater smallie fishing up here happens in open water. Long casts are mandatory. Currently these baits are being presented on the set up pictured below. Diawa Tatula MQ LT Spinning Reel (3000D-CXH) mounted on the newest St. Croix Avid Series 7 ft Medium Fast Spinning Rod. I go braid to a fairly long mono leader. Replacing hooks & hardware is standard ops for me. I do usually leave the stock dressed treble until it starts to show wear. A-Jay

My time out on Lake Menderchuck the past several days was much needed but a little under whelming fish wise. Big rains here this week along with some other obligations will keep me from fishing more this week. So it's back into the gym; party's over. Starting that up today and once I get back into a little groove more workout video should be coming here. A-Jay

Hello Ed and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

Looks like me gaging down a pizza pie. Extra cheese and Italian sausage is my jam. Just hope neither of us poop on your pool deck. That is all. A-Jay