A-Jay

So is that like eating the chicken bones & drinking bacon fat then ? A-Jay

Yolks I don't eat go in the garbage. But if you are into stink gas, you could give them to your dog. A-Jay

@Choporoz Really Glad you're OK. That whole deal is a bone chilling frightening event, and obviously has the potential to have an outcome no one wants. I've been on ALL sides of these things; except the worst one, thankfully. As a canoe angler, I've been run at a number of times - just nowhere to go real fast. Experience has taught me that I need to expect that everyone is trying to run me down and I need to do everything I can to prevent it. Depending on others to be vigilant is not enough and can be fatal. As a power boat operator (both professionally & recreationally, I've come across small craft on the water that were very hard to see. If one has only ever been in a smaller craft it can be hard to imagine how like in this case, a bass boat, couldn't SEE ME. I'm here to tell you there are a number of ways beyond just not paying attention. Some rigs have big Electronic screens at the console and Trolling motor gear on the bow that obscures their view looking forward from the helm quite a bit. Other times navigation straight into the sun can be blinding. That's just a couple. Add some wind & waves and things get complicated fast. Either way as mentioned here already and many times before, we all NEED to be so watchful. It only takes a second to turn a fun day on the water into something else entirely. Stay Safe A-Jay

OK ~ So Drop Shot Hooks I've been through quite a few makes, models and even more sizes past few seasons - I've settled on these. Reasons are - they match my baits, they match the tackle I'm fishing them with, and most importantly, they HOOK & HOLD the Bass I'm Looking to Catch ! Both the Brown & Green models. Supplemental info - over the past say, three or four years, much of my drop shot fishing, especially mid-late season, has migrated to using 'bigger baits'; relative term. Where in previous deals I was using, the standard skinny 4 & 6 inch Sculpins, Robo worms & Dream Shots - and they catch bass for sure, I started drop shotting a baby rage craw, and then a full-size craw and then 4 & 5 inch Fluke and started getting bites from more bigger fish. But along with that, I was losing a few fish, because the hooks & manner I was using them was apparently inefficient. First off, in some instances, my hook selection was too small. Secondly, while I like nose hooking, seems it's not the best way when I'm targeting bigger smallies - which is ALL The TIME pretty much. Nose hooking also picks up eel grass when it's there and the little hooks have a tendency to skin hook a lot leading them to come unpinned too much for my liking. I do Tex-pose my drop shot plastic when needed but all things being equal, I prefer not to if I can. Note *** regarding the Hooks Pictured - I use SEVERAL DIFFERENT sizes - I offered these to allow for the name, brand, type, and model number identification purposes. I've ventured into using a little bigger, longer shanked hook. So if you look at the Picture provided, the bottom row - those are all GREAT DROP SHOT OPTIONS and ones I still use a ton; mostly for nose hooking. That whole top row of hooks are what I go to for bigger baits and when I want to 'top hook' a bait; meaning inserting the hook like you would put say a swimbait on a jighead. Where the hook goes in the front/nose of the bait, is threaded into & down the body of the bait BUT comes out the top. Still a drop shot, but when a fluke or a caffeine shad is rigged like this, the hook up to land ratio goes way up. Brownies are generally impaled in the top or the roof of the mouth and they generally Do NOT come off. I definitely use a little 'beefier gear', like M instead of ML and 8-10 lb fluorocarbon leader instead of 4-6 lb. The bigger Hook size demands a bit more pressure to sink it successfully, but after that, it's just a matter to playing that brown tank into the net. Finally a couple of deals not talked about much here is The Drop Shot Craw and the rattling ned rig. A Rage Craw on a drop shot as done damage. The drop shot ned deal is still a work in progress but is showing potential. A-Jay

Berkley Maxscent Flat worm. That is all. A-Jay

Thanks ~ When it comes to my protein sources, it's all about quality & price. As much as I need to eat (close to gram per body weight a day) it becomes a matter of finding the right deal. So Yes Sir - poultry fits the bill. The vast majority comes from broiled/grilled chicken thighs and browned ground turkey (93/7). And then there's The Eggs ~ Oh we eat some eggs now; 5 or 6 a day. Mostly the whites. I do get some strange looks loading my grocery cart up with 6 dozen or so. I sprinkle in some fish, (usually fresh walleye) shellfish (shrimp) and some beef ( steaks & burgers) just to fool myself into thinking that there is 'variety, but there's really not. Basmati rice, sweet potatoes, a ton of vegetables and when it's in season some fresh fruit makes up all the carbs. And most of the fat (which I need) comes from Avocados, safflower oil and egg yolks. No white flour or sugar and no alcohol (except for week I'm in Mexico) . btw - when I finally decided to eliminate those 3 things - It was THE Biggest Dietary Game Changer of my life. I purchase & make all my food in bulk and just keep hammering on it until it's gone. Meal prep is a huge part of ALL of this. I'm often eating one meal & cooking another at the same time. #feedajay Fridge is chock full of rubbermaid & tupperware. Especially during this time of year, meals happen at the same time every day; 6;30 am, 11 am, 3 pm, and 7 pm with a protein drink @ midnight (or when ever I wake up to p). I am 62 after all . . . works out ok though. Try to be in bed by 10 pm, which is easier now as it gets dark at like 4pm. Harder for me in the summer as it's 'still light out' then here; just feels weird. Bottom line - I eat more (calorie wise) each day during hard water season than during open water. It's a bit more 'fun' to train during a calorie surplus than during a cut/deficit, but I modify my training to match my energy. When I run a calorie surplus, it takes at Least twice as long to lose it. So 6 or 8 weeks of gluttony Always requires 3 or even 4 months to fix. And that's at least have the fun. I've learned so much about what works for me and how important being consistent is. Wish I had figured this out 30 years ago. A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

Looking back at 2021 With the end of this calendar year just a few days away, I like to look back at my training year in review. First, I was extremely fortunate (knocking wood) not to have suffered any type of injury or illness this year. Super thankful for that all the way around. As for my efforts to stay lean this year, I feel like it went well. Renovating the home gym at the end of 2020 seemed to rekindle the fire a bit - big fan of that. https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/233267-renovated-the-home-gym-~/ Except for when the big brown bass bite is "on", I generally don't have much trouble motivating myself to get into the gym. When it is - I will often skip gym days altogether. But that's why I do this, so I can. Historically, my biggest hurdles always revolve around my diet & getting enough sleep. Not over indulging during hard water season and then getting sufficient sustenance during fishing season, requires a decent level of self discipline. At least it feels that way. As the months come & go, so does my BMI and while the end game is to remain capable, there always seems to be a few different versions of that. At times I'm a little heavier and stronger and other times I'm leaner & lighter on my feet. Both feel pretty good, however over the years, I seem to benefit the most by never really staying at one or the other too long. #borninfiftynine A-Jay

A SK Rage Craw, A Rage Menace and although not pictured, A Rage Bug do most all of my heavy lifting. A-Jay

Tubes are a solid, tried & true producer. Such a simple & super versatile bait. One that's been catching fat brown bass for me for a long time. A bait that has perhaps fallen a little out of favor recently, something I've been guilty of the past two seasons myself. Looking backing, that was probably a mistake. A TUBE really is perhaps The One Brown Bass bait that I should almost always have tied on. There's been a lot written about it and with good reason frankly: there's a lot to say. It's common knowledge in many brown bass angling circles, just how many different ways & places a tube can be presented effectively, and how easy it is to fish. Some may say that there is no wrong way to fish it. Long before the 'stick bait' came along, the tube way was same deal for me: Just whacking'em ! First - a tube for me is almost always a hard(er) or at least semi-clean(er) bottom deal. While a couple of inches of eelgrass is OK (and sometimes exactly what the doctor ordered) anything more than that, I'm usually presenting something else that will fish through (or over) any bottom cover a bit more effectively. And while Texas rigs are good & Tex-pose is popular - by & large, I prefer to fish tubes on the plain old tried & true, lead head, open jig. I fish the standard 3.5 inch size the most but will do 4" and even 2.75 inch is some instances. The SK Coffee tubes have been great. And before that - and still, quite a bit now - the Provider Tackle 3.5 inch "Performance Series" tubes are one of my all-time favorites. Great colors for clear water and super durable. As for jig head weights - 3/8's get most of my fish but lighter & heavier have their place when fishing shallow & deep. What a tube 'imitates' is anybody's guess - crayfish, little bottom bait - now the goby. May not matter. Pick one and go with it. This one's easy to have confidence in. What may not be a surprise, I fishing tubes in places & at times when brown bass are relating to the bottom. For me - the clearer the water (better vis) the better. Tubes can & do work when fished with a variety of "retrieves" - hop it, drag it, pop-it; whatever. When the brown bass are looking to eat, these will all get bit. I usually fish 1/2 oz & less on Medium spinning gear - 10-15 lb braid mainline and a 8-10lb Fluorocarbon leader (AbrazX). Heavier than 1/2 oz, I'll either pump up my spinning gear (rod & line) or go to casting gear that will present, hook & land a spirited Smallie. 3/4 oz heads are reserved for deep (more than 20-25 ft) and or big wind & waves. This size can & does get "thrown" on the jump by bass more than the lighter heads - so that's something to be aware of. My standard 'way' to fish tubes is the same regardless of depth - I fish them like a jerkbait. Meaning there's a couple of twitches & a pause. How many twitches & how long a pause can be dictated by the water temp and the mood of the fish. As mentioned previously, I believe smallies like to chase - so I like to offer them that opportunity - if they're willing. I might keep a tube moving along with a series of twitches where the bait travels 2-3 inches, pauses for a split second and then moves another 2-3 inches - I may continue this for 4-5 feet and then pause . . . . . . for like 10 seconds . . . . . . and then do it again. One may need to 'practice' this in shallow water where you can watch your bait. There's a tendency to 'move' it too far on each twitch, which seems to nullify its effectiveness. So it's a good Idea to check first - it requires a small movement, especially with braid. Using Fluorocarbon can make it a little easier to get the small movements, but I lose so much hook setting power on the long casts I like to make, that I don't use it; Zona swears by the Flouro for this - I can't do it. So I stick mostly to the braid. So that's just an example of ONE way - there's no limit to the number of different ways to fish it - just like the jerkbait. Of course, the old stand-by of 'drag & stop' can be all one needs to do to get a savage take. There's also what's often referred to as "Snapping a Tube", where a heavier head is used and the bait is literally 'snapped' 3-5 feet off the bottom and then allowed to fall back on a slack line. The tube will spiral back down to the bottom - which is where the vast majority of the strikes will come from. Can be deadly but will also twist the heck out of your line - I'll often use a small swivel between my braid & leader to help with that when doing this. I'm throwing tubes up & down drops - all around and up on top of humps, off the tip and both sides of points, along the bottom of deep weedlines and across a promising deepwater flat. There's also a few times where I found some fat brown bass cruising up shallow and I'll use an 1/8 oz head and fish the tube like a stick bait (before I knew what a stick bait was). So I'm dead sticking it more than I'm moving it. This is in 2-5 feet of super clear water - fish can be very skittish and easily spooked. So I'm well back from the fish, making as long a cast as I can and sort of letting the fish 'swim into the bait'. I try to not to move the bait too far, too fast because the 'strike zone' is right there. So the less I do with it- the longer it's there in their face. Less is more in this instance. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. A-Jay

The world may never know . . . . . Fish Hard ! A-Jay

You might be doing it backwards. If you really want to develop 'extra confidence' perhaps leave the pointers on the beach. A-Jay

The top Right and Bottom Left are 6th Sense baits. The bottom right is a Strike King. The rest are fairly old 1/4 & 3/8 oz baits from a vendor who's name I can't use here. Either way, they are no longer in production. I will add that I make up & tie my own jig & spinnerbait skirts. It's pretty easy, I get what I want and can have plenty of replacements on stand by. Most of what is pictured is that. A-Jay

Really pretty fish Nicely Done Sir. A-Jay

Been posting something like this at the end of each of the past few seasons. Here's the latest deals . . . . https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/243659-my-most-productive-baits-~-2021-edition/ A-Jay

I miss @Fish Chris here on the forum The man landed and photographed some of the biggest & most beautiful Brown Bass I'd ever seen. As for this moldy thread, I use both types of gear often & effectively for smallmouth. Simply depends on the presentation and the fishing conditions. A-Jay

I can't say if it's a permanent thing. But he's been liking the trailer-less swimjig recently believing that the smaller profile is what's getting the biggest bites. Who am I to argue ? A-Jay

Not sure if I can link it here but the past month or so the man has been DE-Stroying Giant Green bass on a 6th sense Swimjig with no trailer Like 15 pounds giant Only place I see it is FB 2 minutes in on this one https://fb.watch/a8GutqhP4L/ A-Jay

Cut myself a little slack and took the Holiday as an extra off day. Lots of eating & plenty of sleep. Trying to finish the year and start this next one, with a power surge. (relative term) Does that count as a resolution ? A-Jay

Here in the north woods, most all of the mid to larger sized inland lake (and rivers) have a very health carp population. It's part of the deal. I see them but rarely catch & never target them. But I am very happy to have them. Because the 1- 3 or 4 lb carp are a most favorite food source for the Pike & Musky that also inhabit these same lakes. I'll often see carp in the shallows recovering from a run in with a big toothy critter. They usually look like they went most of the way through a meat grinder. I've also read, the pike will eat the winter kill carp off the bottom at times although I've never seen it. So there's that. A-Jay

Below are a few of my favorite swimjig trailers - But I have to admit Josh Jones is making me rethink the need for them. And I mean Hard ! Either way, these have been solid producers on the local brown bass population. A-Jay

@WRB KAESU Extreme Lure Factory In 2003 Makoto Yanagihara established a company named MIX limited company. In 2004 After having built the new office at TAKATSUKI city, MIX moved there. November in 2004 MIX started KAESU brand, the production of own product. October in 2011 after having built the new office at Johoku town in TAKATSUKI, MIX moved there. September in 2019 After having built the new office at Masago in IBARAKI, MIX moved there. The situation continues up to today. Tranquil is a soft blade chatter bait born from Kaesu’s unique concept. The original PVC blade with just the right firmness responds so well at low to medium retrieving speed. No unnecessary flashing, flexible, Tranquil spreads reliable pulsation in water and catches cunning big bass that don’t react to regular chatter baits and swimming rubber jig. The front-weighted head, that limits floating, allows “a slow retrieve that lets you feel the blade vibration” and a smooth trace at the bottom and over the weeds. A new method, the slow rolling with a chatter bait is now a reality. The test fishing brought a lot of big bass above average, proving Tranquil’s power. You can also use it in a long trace within a certain range following the blades’ vibration; dragging during strong winds is effective. It works as your wild card, hammering out results in rough fields. Tranquil’s quiet, life-like vibration and slow rolling will show you a new possibility of chatter bait. Try it and see the result. https://kaesu.jp/en/products/tranquil/ A-Jay

The BOLD type is how I fish a drop shot at Least 90 % of the time. And that happens for me in much deeper water. So 15-35 ft or deeper. Sitting over the fish has never really garnered the results I can get by staying off the structure, cover and or the fish. I'm a 10lb braid & 8lb leader guy and the hook itself is totally personal preference. Two caveats' though, It must fit the bait, meaning still offer plenty of 'bite'. Additionally and most importantly' The BAIT MUST BE RIGGED STRAIGHT, with NO Spin. Even on the fall. The drop shot weight selection as well as the way it's tied to the line can and will also spin if not done dead on straight to the leader line. I usually use tear drop or cylindrical deals that have a swivel tie & not that 'clip it to your line" thing. Does sit straight for me and twists up. No Good. Finally, I have my best results doing almost nothing with the bait - so I'm fishing it like it's live bait. Really only moving it to relocate it. So no bouncing, wiggling, shaking or wild hopping. If I need a 'reaction strike offering' I'm not throwing a drop shot. A-Jay

Tanks 1st Christmas ~ Santa brought me another squeaky ball. They don't last very long though. #tankslife A-Jay

Indeed, this life is a test. It is a test of many things - of our convictions and priorities, our faith and our faithfulness, our patience and our resilience, and in the end, our ultimate desires. Hope you can find some Happiness during this Holiday Season my friend. A-Jay