A-Jay

Got out this morning looking for a few late summer bass. This place like most of the water up here has a healthy pike population as well. Accordingly, I'm rigged up with wire - no way around it. The bass on this day were pretty scarce but the pike were being very cooperative, A SK Rage blade with swim bait trailer was doing most of the damage. About 3 pm after a "Half Cast" (code for professional overrun) My bait got crushed - Big Pike. I was anchored I thought I was going to need to "Chase" it but I did not. I don't think the fish realized it was hooked at first. Came to the boat relatively fast and then into the net. Then it went a little nuts. Managed to get some of the fight and the release on video. Didn't weight it and it was longer than my 36 inch boat Tape. My guess is something close to 38 inches - but really fat. The trailer was hanging out of it's gill while I held it up for the camera. I only managed a couple of bass but this Beast Made My Day. A-Jay

Congrats Hootie ~ You've finally mastered the one bait that excels when the angler does Nothing with it. A-Jay

Hello John and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

Otherwise known as The Toxic Quough ~ A-Jay

Right here ~ A-Jay

Me too - I'm just in denial . . . anyone seen my pants ? A-Jay

No ~ You're Old. A-Jay

Duo Realis Pencil gets my vote. A-Jay

Cool ~ Don't forget the net, scale & a camera. Good Luck A-Jay

Instead of Punching, fishing very heavy or matted vegetation with 30 lb mono might be something closer to a Weak Jab. Just use braid. A-Jay

This is interesting ~ http://espn.go.com/nfl/insider/story/_/id/13471580/mike-sando-ranks-easiest-hardest-qb-schedules-nfl A-Jay

Nice Bass ~ PB's are Always a Blast Congrats A-Jay

Yes a Gamakatsu standard 3/0 EWG. The rig excels when there is a some cover on the bottom. Adjust the bottom leader length to position the bait just above it. A-Jay

Hello and Welcome Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

Nice Bass ~ Really hard to guess the weight there - Quality fish for sure - Congrats A-Jay

Do yourself & your Smallmouth bass fishing a Huge Favor - Drop shot a SK Rage Craw - just one time. You'll be very glad you did. A-Jay

Nothing against the OP personally - but I'm voting this one as The Zaniest Thread of the Year. A-Jay

Three Best Decisions I've ever made ~ Enlisting ~ Provided Purpose Taking the Plunge ~ Made me a Better Man And Eliminating this from my life ~ Life's Too Short A-Jay

btw - this thread is At Least 3 months premature. Go Fishing. A-Jay

Alrighty Then ~ ~ So Depends or Pampers ? A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ As for the challenges of Summertime Bass'in, it may have to do with the seasonal abundance of food routinely found in each system this time of year. I say, Just keep fishing. A-Jay

I've been using this Minn Kota portable model successfully for 7 plus years to charge Group 29's & 31's. But I have No Idea what the No Shipping to CA is all about. Looks like you may have to move. A-Jay http://www.minnkotamotors.com/Products/MK-110P/

Fantastic Advice. A-Jay

Stand By for the Dreaded "Reserve Not Met" response . . . A-Jay

I've been adding weight to baits for a while. My experience shows that extra depth attained may depend on a combination of the length of your cast, the diameter of and type of line, along with the speed of your retrieve. When I've added weight to a bait (Strip or Dots) - especially deeper diving baits, when using tackle that allows maximum performance of the bait and making a cast that is of sufficient length / distance to do the same - the bait usually will run a little deeper than without the added weight. Also, seems that the bait may acquire the max depth a little faster and even stay deeper a little longer. How deep & how much longer often depends on the same factors I mentioned above. Finally, there seems to be a fine line between adding just enough weight to get the bait down a bit without over powering or dampening the baits original & or designed action and completely flattening it out where it simply comes back to the boat without doing much of anything; most noticeably getting bit. When I need to get a bait super deep, there is often more effective / better options than an over weighted crank bait. Good Luck A-Jay