A-Jay

OK ~ Good Tip. Thanks Roger. I'll have to remember that one . . . A-Jay

All these good ideas about waking up the fishes - I think I'm going to try taking my anchor by the line and swinging it wildly over my head. Once I get some serious momentum going ~ I'm going launch that sucker out there about 50 ft or so. That ought to wake those little buggers right up. A-Jay

This one made my day - Thank you A-Jay

I tend to stick to OE type & size hooks where bait suspension is a concern - and a LC Pointer definitely falls into that category. The standard Gamakatsu Round Bend Treble Hooks get the nod here for me. A-Jay

Mustad KVD Elite 1x strong 2x short ~ That is all. A-Jay

That's pretty slick ~ Thanks for sharing. A-Jay

15 lb braid usually has the same diameter as 4 or 6 lb nylon line. Generally speaking, 4 lb line is really challenging to fish effectively on revolving spool tackle. Are you certain on that braid size ? As for a recommendation for an adequate flipping set up - the info previously posted is spot on. A-Jay

You didn't say WHERE ? ? If you're in MI, the water's clear and it gets any pressure at all - The shallow pads might be tough sledding - especially if there's no wind at all. Try this - drop shot with 6 or 8 lb test and a SK Rage Craw on a 3/0 EWG thin wire hook. Position yourself in deep water off any points & or steep drops you can find and work the drop shot from shallow to deep until you find out where the fish are holding - Any small wood piles deep could be good but if they can be seen from the surface they will get beat up and may be better early, late & at night. You'll have to bump into them while "Prospecting" with the drop shot. I fish a couple of lakes like you've described that most think are bad fishing. But by making long casts with light line and the drop shot craw - I've done quite well mid-day during the summer. Another effective tactic is to fish a heavy tube (at least 1/2 oz) on spinning gear in the same manner except you SNAP the bait off the bottom and then let it go back on a totally slack line. As soon as the bait hits the bottom snap it again, do not let it rest. The constant move along the bottom and the speed of the fall are the triggers. Fish usually grab the bait on the fall (especially SMB). You usually do not feel the take, the fish is just there on the next snap - so be ready. Good Luck A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ As for your boat appraisal request ~ Really hard to judge without see it. Items like engine hours& electronic package, just to name a few, come into play. But - at $7500 - that does seem LOWER that what most sellers are asking for that model. Of course, boats for sale are always worth exactly what they sell for and not a penny more. Good Luck A-Jay

Been fishing the night shift for bass for years - less than some more than others. For me the same baits that work during the day work at night. Same places too - occasionally fish come a little shallower at night and even invade places that are usually void of bass during the day but have plenty of bait - like swimming area's / beaches. Might be worth a look. IMO night bass fishing is a totally different animal. One that offers a Huge up side including making one a much better daylight angler. Good Luck and Stay Safe out there (wear your pfd all night) A-Jay

Tough to Beat a World Class Wide Open Frog Bite . . . . Congrats A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

Nice Cat ~ And how long did it take on that first one before all that wishful thinking of "I hope this is a Bass" went out the window ? A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

You've read and watched enough videos to know what to do - now the fun part; doing it. In the beginning stages of learning to use a casting reel, it is important to adopt the following philosophy: The easier (or less force) you apply during the cast, the smaller the backlash you'll have to pick out. Start out really slow. Learn to cast just 10-15 ft properly. When you can do that repeatedly, then go for 20-25 ft and so on. Trying to whip out a long cast while learning is a mistake and the same as going from your driveway to the drag strip the first time you get behind the wheel. Pace yourself - you'll get it. If the rest of us knuckleheads can do it ~ you can too. Just takes a little time. A-Jay

Way up here too. A-Jay

Nice Bass ~ Night Operations for bass are very different than day fishing in so many ways. It's easy to get addicted to - especially with results like that. (which are not uncommon). Congrats btw - your "season" is almost over (July). Perhaps you'll consider extending it this year A-Jay

Spooking the fish out of their "Holes" may have merit as a solid angling tactic. Especially if one could control what they did after they departed said "Hole". Otherwise, presenting a bait directly to or in very close proximity to these magic fish holes, may be met with the desired results. btw - I think I heard that KVD is coming out with a Red Eye Sexy Fish Hole Bait at next year's iCast. A-Jay

Catching bass in the Dog Days of Summer is almost always a challenge - for everyone. During July & August 2015 the Bassmaster Elite series is only holding 3 events; which are in NY, Michigan & Maryland. Review how many Big Bass photos we see here in the summer as compared to spring & fall when the bass are shallow. Doesn't mean you can't catch them, just shows it's a little harder, so don't get bummed out. Very often the shallow bite is very tough in the summer. Fishing at night can help put the odds in your favor. If you can get off the bank (kayak), I agree with Roger - look at deep weedline as a place to start. Good Luck A-Jay

Catching bass in the Dog Days of Summer is almost always a challenge - for everyone. During July & August 2015 the Bassmaster Elite series is only holding 3 evens in NY, Michigan & Maryland. Review how many Big Bass photos we see here in the summer as compared to spring & fall when the bass are shallow. Doesn't mean you can't catch them, just shows it's a little harder, so don't get bummed out. However, It sounds like you're fishing the same way you did BEFORE you bought that Boat. Stop beating the bank. Most of that bite has been over for a while. Leave the Frogs, Buzzbaits & Roostertails At Home ~ In order to increase your bass angling repertoire, you're eventually going to need to learn to use & have confidence in an entire stock of skill & techniques as well as be able to effectively use your equipment; electronics included. You can catch "Nothing" using anything and fishing anywhere, so trying One or Two New techniques each season is a great way to go. Good Luck A-Jay

Congrats ~ I like the motor mod myself. A-Jay

You're right ~ I fixed it Thanks A-Jay

I'll offer one for each open water season ~ 6th Sense X75 Flat Squarebill in the spring Drop shotting a SK Rage Craw in the summer Silver Buddy Blade bait in the fall A-Jay

Always changing ~ Recently it's been the Top Bait ~ Early & Late in low light And the Bottom bait ~ in No Light. A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay