A-Jay

A Jig. A-Jay

Sound works fine for me ? I have not fished blade banks from the bank - but if the body of water you're fishing has a fairly weed free sand or gravel bottom my answer is Most definately YES. However if there is wood, brush or moderate to heavy weeds (don't think it matter what kinds - it's all bad for blade baits) or any type of cover (even man made) that snags up other sub-surface treble hook baits, then No. A-Jay

As the waters cool off up here in the northern mid-west, one of my favorite techniques comes back into play - Blade Baits. The air & water might be cool or even down right cold - but the blade bite can be Smoking Hot ! Up until recently, my success with this technique was marginal at best. A few years ago I watched the attached video trying to gain some insite as to why I was not getting the results I expected. Mr Scott Dobson's approach to fishing these baits was a GAME CHANGER. The less is best deal Really worked for me - A fairly weed free clean bottom of sand or gravel really helps here. If you have the right conditions and haven't tried this yet, or have but would like to give it another shot, watch this clip. Reproduce this technique the best you can and have the net, scale & camera rolling. You'll be glad you did. A-Jay

Best All Around Casting Reel Gear Ratio​ ~ Out of my modest arsenal ~ It's a toss up between the 6.3:1's and the 6.6:1 's. If I had to I could probably do most everything with either one of those. But I wouldn't be happy about it. A-Jay

Been Running the Old Town on the same Castle Craft trailer for going on eight seasons ~ it's been Great. Three different trucks ~ same Boat & Trailer Here's the lastest Rig. A-Jay

For me - once my casts start to Bounce - Yea, then it's pretty much over right there. A-Jay

There's still a ton of really good fishing left in this season. Numbers of very respectable and maybe an extra large bass mixed in. Just have to get out there. Not looking ahead just yet. A-Jay

The shipping one way would get you a new one. Might want to go in another direction though. A-Jay

SIX DAYS of First Launching and then Grinding in a Lucky Craft SKT Magnum 120 Mag DR Crankbait got my attention. Especially in the 105 degree heat of the Mexican Summer Sun . . . . A-Jay

Hello Eric and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

I don't believe you're missing anything. Though I've never used a drop shot with 65 lb braid - I have used it for heavy slop techniques and it's essentially a small cable. For me, Unless I'm throwing a drop shot into somethign I' sholud be flipping into, I don't see why there is a need for the cable. I'll agree that not every drop shot presentation is a finnesse situation, but when it is, I want the lightest weight I can use. It allows me better strike dection. Maybe that's just me. I think I'd be using a bigger weight with the 65 braid which might not be the best deal. It's tough to beat the bite detection (and reeling hook set) of light braid on a drop shot. A-Jay

Hello Rick and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

I have a modest selection of Terminator twin spins. I'll admit to having limited success with them. Not the baits fault as it fishes fine. It seems to be at it's best in cool to cold water conditions and almost exclusively on The Fall. Steep drops and Bluffs are where the bait excells for me. The less I do with it (just let it bounce down the along the bottom) the better it works. I like an Uncle Josh #50 Bass Strip Pork Trailer on it. btw - although I haven't fished it a ton like this, I've not caught a single bass on a twin spin with a horizontal presentation. A-Jay

Aldo you've made exactly two posts. Both have prompted replies, for an assortment of reason. The Bass Resource Forums have over 51,000 members who have generated over 1.7 million posts. There's a decent chance that somewhere in there, there's got to be a few bit's & pieces of useful information. But thanks for sharing, we encourage that here. Recreational Bass Angler A-Jay has spoken.

Every Knot is a "Weak Point" ~ that's just the way it goes. However that's a relative term. Remember the OP is discussing the use of Braided line with a mono leader for top water baits with treble hooks; this is not a situation where I'm ever applying Max Pressure during the fight. This does not mean knots & terminal tackle are not tested. They are, just not to the point of failure. 40 lb braid sounds fine. For me, the mono leader size for that would be something between 12 - 15 lb. depending on the baited & technique used. I use back to back uni-knots when connecting braid to mono. There are several options when it comes to knots there. The uni-knot works fine for me. Finally, I do not own any of Gary Dobyns sticks, but according to Tackle Tour "The 735C is a very versatile stick and can be used for the full range of retrieve styles independent of what lure you have tied to the end of your line. The rod's tip is soft enough allowing you to rip your baits through the water, yet stout enough to respond in slower presentations when you're lifting and dropping your bait. One of Gary Dobyns's favorite lures is a topwater frog and the 735C is an excellent stick with which to cast these baits and twitch them back along the surface.​" Good Luck A-Jay

Hello Kevin and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

Post that bad girl up Kent ! A-Jay

Yup - and interestingly enough - it beat out duct tape. A-Jay

If I Could Buy It All Over Again​ ~ I wouldn't change anything. The decisions & purchases I've made in the past are what lead me to the decisions & purchases I make today. Although some of the earlier experiences didn't turn out as I had expected or even hoped, there were several very valuable lessons along the way which enable me to make some better choices now. Well, at least most of the time . . . . A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ Interesting first post. btw - have you ever fished Victory Pond at Fort Benning ? A-Jay

I'll say my experience has been that each fish both largemouth & smallmouth is different as far as it's "Fight" is concerned. However a few things have held true a good majority of the time for both: 1) The rule of gross tonnage applies - meaning the bigger the bass the harder it pulls. Admittedly not all of my biggest bass have jumped enough to clear the surface, but that's actually fine by me. 2). In some places the fish just seem to fight harder, longer and with a higher level of determination for gain their freedom. The toads of Lake Baccarac in Mexico come immediately to mind. 3) Your tackle plays a role - in the Obvious category. Fighting a big bass with 65 pound braid and a 8 foot flipping stick that can easily double as pole vault equipment, is a great way to put the odds in one's favor, but doesn't really allow the fish much in the way of fighting room. (But in many cases where it's used, that's the point). Hook that same bass using a different technique (insert the lighter tackle of your choice here) and perhaps on a longer cast, that same fish might really give you something you'll never forget or perhaps be the subject of Nightmares. Either way, I believe you get my point. As for which bass fights harder the green or the bronze model ? The oversized specimens I been fortunate enough to handle usually accounted for themselves very well. And maybe it's me but I have no problem if my next PB does all of it's thrashing in the net. A-Jay

I'm a Proud St Croix Fan Boy. A-Jay

Hello Christian and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

Congratulations to You & your wife on the Birth of your son ~ (I'm a Pats fan so the congrats ends there) Also, please tell us you didn't curse the boy by naming him Rex. A-Jay

Happy Birthday Kent ~ A-Jay