A-Jay

I'm fortunate to have A TON of fishable water within 90 minutes of me. Some of the smaller ones I do like to let "rest" and only visit them once or twice spring, summer & fall. With that, there are so many it's actually hard to fish them all every season so quite a few get skipped each season. Several I only fish at night, others are better in the spring or fall and not in the summer. The larger lakes require much more time on the water and I'm all about that. So I am sort of fishing old & new water at the same time several times a season . . . Good times. A-Jay

Simply modify your Texas rig to include a shirt and you'll have what you're looking for A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

And of course ~ it's empty. A-Jay

Forgot to mention - for what you've described, it's tough to beat the Original Rapala Floater Minnow ~ Been catching fish for a Long time. Balsa rules. A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ Checkout the Sebile Stick Shadd and the Rapala X-Rap Sub Walk ~ Both subtle & effective and may suit your needs. A-Jay

"Three more payments and this net is finally all mine . . . ." A-Jay

Hello Ken and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

SK Ragetail Craw & Lobster ~ A-Jay

Check this out ~ A-Jay

Hello Kyle and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ Here's some Bass Fishing Basics for Beginners from the BR articles section. Should help get you started . . . https://www.bassresource.com/how-to-fish/ A-Jay

I'll use a swim senko on the below Owner Ultrahead Bullet to probe in & around grass. A-Jay

Well, either way there are several options when it comes to after market mount. One for most any fitment and price point http://www.easternmarine.com/Trailer-Tire-Accessories/ A-Jay

Nicely Done ~ btw - wtg on the responsible & UV blocking attire. Believe me when I say, years from now, you'll be very glad you did. Congrats A-Jay

I do not know. Pretty easy to look and see. My ShoreLand'r is but it's also tilted in as well as positioned well forward on the trailer frame. A-Jay

So you made my point for me then . . . . A-Jay

I hear you and would tend to agree. However, it is what it is, so I'd do what I could to eliminate the BS now. Perhaps purchase the mount you want and next time you take your rig into be winterized, have "the dealer" install it. Maybe they'll do it - as a courtesy since it's such a PIA having to do it in the first place. A-Jay

What you're calling "weird' I call Bass Fishing - happens everywhere I've ever fished at one point or another. This is why this sport demands us to be adaptable. It also pays to know that there are days where no matter what we do - the bites will be few and far between - just the way it goes. When it comes to jerkbait presentations, for me, seems water temps (as well as the mood of the bass) usually play a role. The cooler the water the longer it usually takes any type bass to get to your bait. So fishing it a little slower and with a decent pause, often pays off when it comes to jerkbaits. The reverse is often the deal in warmer water. So to answer your question, Yes - I usually prefer to keep the bait at least a little above the bass. And the other factor that is pretty important is water clarity. Most effective jerkbaiting demands it. If the water has not got good vis - I'm throwing something else. And btw - good vis for me here is at least 10 feet. Less than that, the jerkbaits usually stay dry. A-Jay

I have two thoughts for you. 1. In most situations I prefer to keep the bait 'above the fish', especially SMB. They seem to prefer to come up for it rather than go down to it. 2. I do fish a few places with a sand bottom (usually a long point) where bumping the deep model into the sand has gotten me many nice fish. I would not suggest this in places where weeds or wood cover are present while bank fishing. Here a clip of this very deal (all on the KVD deep btw) Hopefully, you can take that info, digest it, and apply it to your own water. A-Jay

Perhaps fabricating the "mount" in the same position but instead of having the spare locked / stationary, it's on a type of axle. Certainly wouldn't prevent it from coming in contact with a ramp but at least it could spin rather than rubbing in a flat spot. A-Jay

I fish jerkbaits quite a bit. The smallies up here seem to prefer them and I've had decent success with many different brands & models. I started fishing the KVD baits I think two season ago. I got bit early & often. Are they better than others maybe, maybe not. I will say the more I fished them, the more smallies (and LMB) I caught. So for less than $10, I'd say that they are a solid bait. (I do change out the hooks but I do that to most every treble hook bait I fish. ) Finally @bma3, I'd recommend getting a couple each of the shallow & deep versions, in colors that perhaps match your local forage. Fish them with confidence and have the net close by . . . . Good Luck A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

Nice Read, Cool Pics & Several Sweet Bass, Congrats and thank you for sharing your awesome trip. A-Jay