A-Jay

Guess who's going to the local GMC dealer tomorrow to build out & order a new Sierra AT4 ? This Guy ! ! ! Betcha can't guess the hull color . . . . . . A-Jay

News Flash ~ Rage Bug on a Swing Head. A-Jay

Clearly you have been through a lot lately. The regular members here certainly are a family. And we love to hear from you anytime and about anything. I hope you are surrounded by love and that you feel as comfortable as possible. A-Jay

8 years ago today and the song remains the same ~ A-Jay

24 March 2026 @0745 While taking the dogs out this morning in the light snow flurries, I saw the first Robin of the spring ! And as we we were heading inside, heard the first Canadian Goose overhead. Both really good signs that there is light at the end of this hard water tunnel. A-Jay

I'm probably going to be on the road most of tomorrow, so I'm dropping this one tonight. Winter is overstaying its welcome, and the ice just won't seem to leave, leaving me with nothing to do but impatiently wait out this hard water. Still, it’s Tanker Tuesday, and I’m looking back at this chub—my first Lake Menderchuck fish of 2021. April fishing is always a chaotic mess, and I had to wait for a cold & wet front to pass before getting out there. That afternoon trip really delivered, though, producing a few more impressive brown bass. 23 Days and a Wake-Up ~ A-Jay

I don't utilize every fishing technique, mostly because my target species and typical lake environments don’t demand extreme versatility. Instead, my gear has become highly specialized for the presentations I use most often. While some rigs do pull double duty, it’s mostly seasonal: springtime jerkbait rods become summertime topwater tools, V-Jig setups transition to spinnerbaits, and tube rigs turn into small swimbait sticks. Unfortunately the only thing I can do with any of them presently is perhaps chip ice. A-Jay

A long leader experiences the same forces that a shorter leader does. So while I like the long one for the reasons listed. I still change the whole thing often. Waiting for it to get short before changing, could result in knot failure on the cast due to repeated and or excessive launch damage suffered by said knot. Something to consider perhaps. A-Jay

Back in the home gym for Workout Day 1 after a two-day break. With spring and open water just around the corner, I’m prioritizing staying consistent while staying injury-free. Feeling more motivated than ever to stay fit and get ready for some fishing. #borninfiftynine A-Jay

What happens when those two treble hooks from the whopper plopper get hammered into the basses mouth, gills head and eyeballs? We are already hurting every bass we catch. I'll keep doing what I'm doing and let the cards fall where they may. I say you're doing fine. A-Jay

You're probably not that far off. I'll post when the last of this mess evaporates. A-Jay

You no snow guys crack me up ~ A-Jay

Very Sorry you had to say goodbye to Little Bob. A-Jay

Trucker hats ? What about ankle socks ? How do we feel about eating with a spork ? And does spam actually go with baked beans ? I bet Ricky Ricardo would know. Yup, it's the middle of March. A-Jay

It's snowing again today, so I needed a fix. 196 Days & a Wake Up ~ A-Jay

Talking baits and presentations: how do you improve your odds of catching? So this one could get fairly in-depth, but I'll go with the abridged version. Small picture—Stealth: Make every effort to remain undetected. Meticulous boat position and long casts are the foundation. Aftermarket hooks & hardware on everything. I'll often dye/color soft plastics, mostly trailers. Silent jerkbaits can be trip changers. Big picture: There are no details; everything matters. Sounds overwhelming, but IME, it is not. It starts with building good habits and pays off when I can eternally maintain them. Learn to get comfortable being uncomfortable. Fish Hard A-Jay

My leader length is 5 full pull arms length across my chest, plus a half for good luck. Uni to uni works for me and has been for a long time. I let the performance dictate when I change not an article by Dr Knot. Bass in the Frabil tells the story for me. Btw, how does the knot know you're fishing from shore ? 🤔 A-Jay

Full Grown Bass right there. Nice job. But unless there is a minus sign in front of every number in your post, I just can't relate. Congrats A-Jay

Changing out the feathered tail treble to a plain non dressed treble almost always speeds up darter type bait’s action. Dressed deal acts like a parachute. But in cooler water, a slower or subdued presentation might be money. A-Jay

Hello soreness my old friend. A-Jay

I have used 'several' types and brands of swim jigs with mixed results. Experience and time on the water have allowed me to learn that for my swim jig needs, I only need one type/style of bait. And right off the bat it's all about the head shape/design & the hook. (Although I do like a certain lack of fullness in the skirt, I can always thin it out myself.). But rather than doing this overly long dissertation describing them. I will simply list them and show them. First and perhaps my favorite is the Evergreen Grass Ripper Swim Jig. Look up the bait stats - they are primo. https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Evergreen_Grass_Ripper_Swim_Jigs/descpage-EGGR.html My other choice is the 6th Sense Divine Hybrid Jig https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/6th_Sense_Divine_Hybrid_Jig/descpage-6SDVHJ.html I use both like a regular casting as well as swim jigs. However, I'm not throwing these deals into deep hard or soft cover. 1/4 and 3/8 oz are my jam. If there was such a thing as an all-around, all-terrain jig, these are it for me. The 6th Sense Bait is the beefier of the two. They are stored in boxes by weight and sectioned off by color. I fish them both on 7 ft MHF graphite sticks (currently St Croix Avid) with 15 lb Tatsu line. There ya go. A-Jay

A-Jay

Maybe - but that's not what you'll see. #baitandswitch 🙂 A-Jay

You're Welcome and I'm glad it worked out. Been doing business with Hammonds for a while, and they have never done me wrong. I expect to do my own show & tell with one of these baits. But I'm going to wait until it's hanging out of the face of a bulbous brown bass. A-Jay

Workout Day 4 ~ Completed 3 working sets of the 5 movements scheduled. There was plenty of intensity during this one. Always forces me to train with purpose. The goal is to dominate the process both in & especially outside of the home gym. I'll be taking two days off. #borninfiftynine A-Jay