A-Jay

Try this - open up your profile. Scroll down into your activity (your own posts) find the post you're interested in reading. Then click the Time stamp at the bottom left of that post. It will take you directly to that section of the thread, regardless of length and you can read on from there with out having to search or back track. A-Jay

Honest answer is ~ probably not. By simply looking at the difference in weight between each presentation - especially as it relates to casting, may tell the story best. An A-Rig type deal, depending on make / model, jig head weight & baits selected is routinely going require a pretty stout stick. And I think you already know what type of action most prefer for deep cranking and it's usually not described as stout. Of course, one can fish any bait on any rod but it may be unrealistic to expect matched & balanced performance from one rod for those two particular applications. A-Jay

Are the Arizona Cardinal's fans having heart palpitations after seeing a shot of Palmer's right index finger - Looked a little crooked. No wait ~ he's back in there. He's a football player. A-Jay

Nothing works all the time and there are no real rules as far as trailer colors go - That said, I've had success with Green Pumpkin, Black & Blue as well as anything that has the word "Candy" as part of the description. A-Jay

Hello Christopher and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ Some good folks here. A-Jay

Hello David and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

That's one Battled & Beaten Bass ~ Way to Keep that Citation streak going Congrats A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ There's a life time of information to learn on this subject and quite a difference of opinions by anglers as to what matters and what does not. Although bass adjust to changes in their environment, they're easier to catch during certain times of the year because they're easier to find and more willing to eat, The below article by David Hart originally appeared in Bassmaster in September 2007. "Bass are confusing creatures. If you've spent much time trying to catch them, you already know that. One day you can't keep them off your lures. Come back to the same lake a week later, and it seems like every fish has packed a suitcase and left the state. Bass don't travel, of course, at least not out of their home waters, but their moods change often, which is why bass that were so active one day may seem like they have taken a vacation the next time you go fishing. More than likely, something in their homes has changed. Those changes are probably the result of a change in the water temperature or the season. Both play a major role in how bass behave. Although bass adjust to changes in their environment, they're easier to catch during certain times of the year because they're easier to find and more willing to eat. That's why fishing can be so good in the spring and early summer and again in the fall. But Ken Cook, a retired fisheries biologist and a professional bass angler, says it's a mistake to say bass prefer one season or another or that they "like" a certain temperature range. "Bass are cold-blooded, so they are more active in warmer water because their metabolisms are faster. Their bodies use more energy, so they need to eat more often," the 1991 Classic champ explains. "But that doesn't mean they aren't active at all in cold water. They just eat less when they're cold. Humans are similar because we need to eat more when we're more active because we burn up more energy." Water temperatures change as the seasons change, and although temperature and seasonal variations both play different roles in bass behavior, the two are linked. We all know that lakes, rivers and ponds are colder in the winter, hotter in the summer, and somewhere in between in the spring and fall, but do you know bass move as the seasons and temperatures change? That's why we catch them in shallow water sometimes and in much deeper water at other times. Confused? That's okay. Even Cook, a 14-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier, still doesn't fully understand how natural variations in weather and seasons affect fish. Nobody really has all the answers. But based on his lifelong experience as a bass angler and biologist, he has a good understanding of where to find bass as the seasons change and as the water temperatures rise and fall. "They really don't move that far. It's more of an up and down movement. They go shallow and deep all within the same relatively small area as the seasons change, but they don't migrate from one end of the lake to the other," he explains. As winter gives way to spring and longer, warmer days heat the water, bass start thinking about spawning, so they move into shallow water because bass eggs need sunlight and warmth in order to hatch. Bass eat more often in warmer water, which makes catching them seem pretty easy sometimes. They stay shallow — typically less than 8 feet — until hot summer days push water temperatures into the high 80s. That's when they start to move out to deeper, cooler water where they stay until the shallower water starts to cool again in the fall. Food is what really dominates the lives of bass. In the spring and fall, the "grocery store" is usually close to the shoreline and around cover like aquatic grass, rocks and docks. Small fish, crawfish, frogs and other creatures are most abundant and most active in shallow water, so that's where the bass will be. "A primary reason they go to deeper water in the summer and winter is that it's more stable. There are fewer temperature and oxygen level fluctuations, which bass don't seem to like," says Allen Forshage, director of the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Research Center. "Shad also go out to deeper water, and they're an important food source for bass. If a lake has shad, the bass tend to follow them in the summer and winter. Even bluegill will move out to deeper water during those seasons." How deep do they go? It depends on the lake, but they can stay shallow if a few basic needs are met, or they could go to cover that's 25 feet or deeper. Cook has caught spotted bass that were 60 feet below the surface in some deep, clear lakes in Arkansas, but Forshage says there is virtually no oxygen below 15 feet in most Texas lakes in the summer. "Oxygen is a limiting factor. Bass and all fish need it to survive, so in many cases, they can't go any deeper than 15 feet," he says. "It depends on the lake or the region of the country." He adds that those bass that do stay shallow in the summer seek darker, cooler water when it gets hot. That can be shade provided by a dock, aquatic plants or a fallen tree. Cook says bass in clear lakes will often retreat to deep water in the summer to find that shade if they have food and oxygen, but bass living in murky water will often stay close to shore throughout the summer. For much of the year, temperature really isn't that important. Bass can tolerate high and low temperatures pretty well. Cook says he only pays attention to his boat's thermometer when it's very hot — above 85 degrees — or very cold — which to him is anything below 50. But if it's between 55 degrees and 85 degrees, temperature really doesn't affect bass behavior all that much. They'll usually be in shallower water. Remember, the air temperature doesn't have any effect on bass. "As the water starts to cool again in the fall, forage fish such as shad move shallow, so the bass follow. In many cases, shad move toward the backs of long coves and bays, so the bass are in those same places," explains Cook. As the days shorten and the air temperature falls, the water starts to get cold. Once the temperature reaches 50 degrees, the bass start moving to deeper water where they'll spend most of the winter. Although bass eat less in the winter, they still have to eat something occasionally. That's why catching bass in the winter can be tough; but it's not impossible. When Cook fishes in the winter, he likes to spend time on the water after a couple of warm, sunny days have raised the water temperature a little. A few degrees difference can really put the fish in the mood to eat. "You have to keep in mind that in the winter, bass don't need to feed much at all, so don't expect to catch a bunch. If you can catch a couple in a day, you've done pretty well," he explains. Of course, if you catch bass any time you go fishing, you can consider yourself fortunate … maybe even good. After all, it takes more than luck to understand how bass relate to water temperature and the changing seasons. It takes practice and lots of it. The more you fish, the better you'll be at finding and catching bass, no matter the time of year." A-Jay

I tried it a few years ago - tied my own. It does slow down the action - how much depends on the bulk of the feathers used. On a few occasions the slow down took a few smallies right after ice out. I got a few to nip at the tail while the bait sat motionless on the pause. But it turned out to work very good for walleye so that's about the only place I use them now. A-Jay

Nice Bass ~ Congrats A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

They are Not the same for me. My choice in type / style of jig changes with the type of cover I'm Flipping. Admittedly, I am not the best jig skipper you'll ever fish with but the only jig I can skip with any regularity or effectiveness is the Strike King Denny Brauer Structure Jig. Mark Zona seems to like it too. http://www.bassmaster.com/video/skipping-jigs-mark-zona A-Jay

Hello Scott and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

OUCH ~ A-Jay

A-Jay

There is a very simple reason as to why your line is breaking and it truly comes down to one of four possible situations. 1. You have very bad line. 2. The line is too small (in test) for your situation. (like 4 lb mono) 3. You are tying a knot that is failing under the simple pressure of your knot test. 4. All of or Any combination of 1, 2 & 3. The solution is to purchase a new quality line that is suitable type & test for your fishing application and ensure that the knot(s) you select are applicable to that line type and tied correctly. A-Jay

I had the Striped Bass addiction badly for several years. Chased them up & down the east coast. It was a life style for quite a while. Night fishing was ALWAYS best. Spent over a decade fishing the New Jersey Shore and even worked in a tackle shop in Cape May for a few years. Learned a ton. Fished from the beach, the rocks & the boat. I'll tell you that 90% of the 40 pound plus stripers I caught, held, netted for a bud or weighed in at the tackle shop, came from a boat, anchored in Delaware bay, fishing live bunker or fresh bunker heads At Night. Eels catch big bass too but the meat gets it done. Back then & still today Penn tackle was the way to go. I'd recommend the Penn FTH30 Fathom Star Drag Reel mounted on a Penn ALLBW2040C70LB Ally Boat Rod - When chunking with large baits (bunker/pogies, herring, shad, etc.) for big striped bass a conventional rod and reel combo rated for 30-40lb mono is the way to go. The optimal rod is a 6’6″ to 7′ rod with medium-fast to fast action. The rod needs to have enough backbone to pull the hook out of a large bait and into the mouth of the striped bass. This is a very versatile conventional outfit and is perfect for nearly all northeast chunking applications. I recommend loading the reel with 30-40lb mono line attached to a 3-4ft length of fluorocarbon leader using a 75lb barrel swivel. Monofilament is preferred because the stretch ensures that the angler has a few extra moments to free-line the reel when the fish picks up a bait because of the stretch and belly in the line. The bigger fish can be very sensitive to quick to drop a bait that seems unnatural. This usually means disengaging the clicker and going free spool for a bit to ensure the fish has time to fully eat the bait. Some of the biggest fish are found around structure and there is a very good chance the line will make contact. The monofilament line will get nicked or scuffed when braided line will simply break. Braided lines has very poor abrasion resistance and will only end up breaking your heart if used in this application. Good Luck A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

There are quite a few options here and you're going to get a wide variety of responses from all over the country. I'll say that if the bottom composition is very soft mud and you do not want your presentation to sink into it while you're working it, a drop shot rig is one way to do it effectively. Virtually any soft plastic bait can be used and the rig does not need to be finesse either. I've been having quite a bit of success the past two seasons drop shotting a SK Rage Craw. Good Luck A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

Hello Mike and Welcome to the New & Improved Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

I use Spike-It to color Baits - (the Pens & The Dip Bottle) mostly to color craw claws chartreuse. I ALWAYS use Megastrike - I don't leave the ramp without it. I've not tried JJ's - mostly because of it's reportedly Nuclear Nature . . . Don't spill it. A-Jay

Nice Pike ~ Congrats on the PB The big ones always seem to chew good late in the season. A-Jay

Thank You Mike ~ And Ghoti (Gary) Best to you Moving forward ~ you have some Big Shoes to Fill. A-Jay

Best update so far Really Good. Thank You A-Jay