bigbill

I purchased them but never really tried them yet. But i have had awesome success with there plastic dragon flies which they discontinued.

I'm not sure whats going on but when i get home from fishing my hands and pants really stink from the water. I also notice the weeds really smell when i remove them from my cranks too. Could it be from the lack of rain? I also notice that the topwater bite is way off too. Its just not a normal bass fishing season this year. I been comparing notes with my buddies and we all agree the bite is way off. I'm going to break out my Combo C Lector and start checking the waters PH more often. I'm not in a slump the bite isn't happening the way it once did. I'm also wondering if the ecomony has something to do with it with people fishing more for a meal too? Have you noticed the trees in your area too? Our trees here seem to be dying for some reason too. I don't want to mention the 2012 thing but it sure looks like our earth is slowing down or changing. BB I just spent over $1,000 on fishing equipment stocking up for the new water shed area to open up for fishing. I'm waiting to see what size boats there going to allow there too. This place is a stones throw from my new place.

I'm sure you have respect for the fish now?? Have you ever noticed that river bass are stronger than the bass in ponds and lakes? Smallies fight the best but the bigger pickerel are awesome fighters. I'm sure the northern pike and muskies have the fresh water fight sewed up. Don't sell the bluefish short.... ;D My older brother could press a 175lb barbell set with one arm. He did cement work all the time when he was younger. He was on a party boat once and had two 10lb blue fish on a spreader setup. He sat down for a few minutes after that.

Ok i went out lastnight with the spro frogs and the Bogbait frogs. Out of all my casts around blowdowns/the shoreline weeds i had one strike on both frogs. It seemed to pull the legs only down into the weeds before letting go. Both frogs look awesome in the water. This place is so hard to fish at nobody is ever there. I have to crack this spot soon. Every new spot has its quirks and one bait will work awesome when i figure it out. But the frogs are croaking most of the evenings. Has anyone tried the BogBait frogs yet??? They really look so real.

I sometimes use what you have too in white or chartruese. But most of my success is using the mister twister split double tail grubs. In white or chartruese. With the white spinnerbait i use a 1/8oz small spinnerbait with a white skirt that has a tint of blue or purple in it. It changes color in the light from white to blue or purple. Then i use the split double tail for a trailer in white on the white spinnerbait. Then a shot of YUM shad and i'm good to go. I set up the chartruese spinnerbait the sameway with a chartruese split double tail trailer too. Again a shot of YUM shad and i'm off again. So far these two setups keep me busy sometimes. I have one spot were the smaller bass kill the white one. The split double tail looks like its really swimming in the water. I really like the Mann's Hank Parker classic spinnerbaits but there not making any more. They did offer the smaller ones. I had them all and i changed the blades on my most successful spinnerbait but a larger pickerel liked it more than i did so he ripped it off my line right at the shoreline as i took it out of the water. I just ordered new larger colorado and indiana blades from netcraft so i can build another one to test out. I swapped out the blades on the one i lost and didn't write down what i did. I'm thinking the bigger blades thump more. I'm still new to spinnerbaits and thanks to Glenn here he helped thru the times when i caught nothing. Then success came after i listened more to Glenn. With the trailer on they need to run perfect and the fish will let you know when you get it right.

Ok i'm fishing from shore using a 1/8oz weighted carolina rig with the senko type baits wacky rigged. The man made dammed rivers that were once a source of water power and now there roadways are awesome to fish from. We have drop off's right in front of us from shore. Senko color red flake Gambler electric blue flake BPS stickoworm amber red flake (very close to the senko color) These are the only 3 i have tried so far. I believe the craws here are red with black backs(natural) thats why the red is hot. If the reds don't work the electric blue will work. The hues in the water changes the blues to brown in some cases so it looks like a worm, a thick worm.

I haven't purchased much over the past few years fishing wise but this year i probaly spent over $1,500 on lures so far. I stock up on what i like to use thats successful most of the time before it gets discontinued like my BPS Topnocker. Plus if the end of the world as we know it is comming in 2012 i want to have enough fishing tackle so i can still fish if i survive it. I have some awesome water sheds nearby too. I just turned 59 1/2 yo so i can get my IRA /401 retirement so i can get a new bass boat, build a new house at my camp and sit back and watch the corn grow more often and fish more!!!!! It pays to save!!!!! I'm not rich but i can get by with what i have. Remember to save now and buy stuff on clearance/sales/discounts too stretch your dollars. Being retired is pretty good now. I'd rather have a new bass boat than a new corvette because its kind of hard to stand on the hood of a vette and fish from it while its in the water. (sinking dock) The wife said bass boat but i'd be happy with a row boat with a new briggs & stratton 5hp outboard 4 cycle. Then i can get into the smaller places too.

I been using the topnocker for many years. I have one topnocker in every color and the color #25 has been my best topwater bait ever. But BPS stopped offering/making the topnocker so i'm looking for a replacement. Luckily i have two #25 colored topnockers left. But i lose them often. Sine lrenet/pradco never got back to me on replacing the bad lure they manufactured i'm going to drill a little hole in the new heddon spook one knocker lure and put some bb's oin it and seal it with a drop of silicone. I guess there is no guarentee or replacement on there bad lures. So much for there quality. BTW; I just started buy the lucky craft topwater stuff i have about 10 of them now. They work awesome. I guess we have to spend a little more for quality.

Does a rattle make a difference? I shoved a tube rattle in where the double hook comes out. I wet the rattle and it went in easy in the spro Jr frog.

Thanks guys. This should keep me busy for a while. Its time to move on to the next chapter in bass fishing and make my own baits.

It depends on where your fishing. I have one favorite spot that has it all in one spot. I have a very low bridge that i can fish from that has a channel thats about 10' deep, two weedlines to the right and to the left plus two rocky points on both sides of the bridge. Then further to the right and left i have thick weeds just below the surface. Now straight out i have lilly pads on the right and left too about 50yds away. Like i said i have all the conditions in one spot. I approach it in the dark and start off with a BPS topnocker color #25 along side the right weedline edge. If nothing happens i go with the rebel BIG claw crawfish crank next. It dives 10' so i'm bouncing it on the bottom along the right side weedline again. Then i go to a bomber FAT A 05 1'ft redapple craw in the middle of the weeds on the right side. I only work one side at a time since i disturbed it i keep trying that one side. I also try to throw the rebel big claw in the open areas were i can crank it too if the pockets are big enough. I also use a 1/8oz hank parker classic spinnerbait up the rocky points. Off the bridge i can also work a rapala split minnow in blue/yellow straight down off the bridge i found a honey hole if you hit it exactly right there's a bass there everytime. I also work the area over with a senko on a 1/8oz carolina rig too. Over the whole area i also use a mister twister top prop in tri alive firetiger. This is an awesome weedless lure. Then i get into inline spinners like a mepps, joesfly's, strikeking or panther martin. I take my time and work over the whole place before moving to my next spot. I start at dark and it beomes dusk,first light i just stay fishing thru my assortment of baits and colors. BB

Could you please list the different companies that offer lure making supplies for me? I would like to tinker making my own wire baits and hard baits over the winter. Thanks, BB

Ok i'm stocked up with spro frogs and there trimmed and i have the bogbait frogs so i'm ready. I been out practicing my presentations with the spro frogs and so far not'n. So when is the best time to use them? Early? Late? Lowlight?

When i upsize the size of my lures it seems to keep the pesky smaller fish away and attract the larger fish only. There after the max weight right? Big Bait Big Fish..... ;D Anytime you in a hot spot and the bite slows down just upsize your lure size and hold on. I find the larger fish will come into see whats driving the smaller fish crazy but they won't strike the smaller lures but the'll kill the larger lures. They want an easy big meal. When i go fishing i go out to learn whats happening and why the bite changes so much sometimes. When fishing in the daylite and the bite is on using a joesfly 1/4oz super striker in blackgnat/silver blade and its getting darker as dusk approaches the bite will slow down as the daylite begins to disappear i switch to a joesfly in firetiger apache and get a few more fish. That tells me in low light conditions to use bright colors. The firetiger apache joesfly is the best in the rain too on cloudy days.(inline spinners/spinflys)

I very seldom pay top dollar and when i do i get garbage. As the prices go higher i guess the more garbage we get. I just got a site address for lure making stuff. The way some of the prices are going i'd rather start making my own lures. Since BPS discontinued one of the best topwater baits ever made(topnocker) i have to start thinking about making them myself now. I never had a topwater popper work as good as a topnocker. I don't mean to rant but when i can buy something that works awesome it upsets me when they discontinue it. I can use a topnocker anywhere in any place, any time of day and catch fish its that good. Well it was that good. I purchased a whole set of topnockers in every color so i still have one complete set. But that number #25 is the hot one (firetiger).

I have heard stories of monster bass frozen in the ice here about 10 years ago. Its called winter kill. They run out of oxygen plus there's too many fish so nature takes care of it. Its good to take some smaller bass out of the water at times. A deep hooked bass to me is lunch for my kittens. I don't take hardley any fish at all but 1 or 2 a year. Our goverment did a survey and they said to eat the smaller fish and let the bigger ones breed.

If you go to; www.fishingtackleoutlet.net and look at the 99 cent plastics and the bulk senko's for $6.99 for 50, having just $50 to spend can go farther than we think. Go for the real deals...... Frugal Bigbill

I just reveived three new one rattle spooks. Two of them rattle and one doesn't rattle. Its going to be returned. Checkout your rattles when you purchase the one rattle spooks. I hope this isn't a design flaw.

I checkout the clearances at walmart, cabela's and bass pro shops plus lurenet.com . I have to turn my $50 into $150 if i can. The more i buy the more stuff i can fish with. Lurenet is discounting a lot of stuff. I'm still using the 6" black creme worms from the 70's and the fish don't know it. Who's foolin who.... 8-) Remember whats popular today will be discounted in a short time. Don't throw that old stuff away too everything goes full circle even the banjo minnow is back again..... : Shop wisely........ ;D

The number 1 bass bait of all time is the plastic worm. In the early 70's we used the creme 6" black worms with a spit shot rig. All of a sudden the split shot rig was new a while back. Thanks to my cousin because he kept his nose in field & stream back then and passed it all on to me. I have a ritual of baits i go thru most of the time. I use a rapala, manns baby 1 crank, BPS topnocker and a rebel BIG claw crawfish crank. Add some scent and most of the time one will or all will catch fish. I think what really matters is where were fishing and what time were fishing as to where the bass are and in what mood. I'm having fun just casting and practicing my presentations. I need more practice too. We need to stay focused on what were doing all the time too. Clear your mind of everything else and just stay focused on fishing. BB I fish from shore and have a rocky point were i tried jigs for the first time. I used a 3/8oz football jig in green pumkin with a pork trailer on a baitcasting setup. I casted it out straight down the rocky point to the edge of the weedline and hopped it along the rocks slowly. Then i nailed my first LMB on a jig right away. Think jigs, think crawfish and go to the rocks for success.

I have reels that cost between $15 to $100 along with decent fishing rods. I find that we need to use good fishing line thats were you want to put your $$$ in good line. If anything will lose fish its the line were using not the reels/rods. With rods and reels i buy anything thats on sale or clearance. For reels I use okuma, finor, viva and quantum. I use any rod that has the feel that i like.

Sometimes you don't need to spend a lot of $$ to get a decent reel. For the past 10 years i been using these spinning reels with no problems so far. Finor (they manufacture those large gold saltwater reels) Okuma (10 ball bearings) Viva (I don't see much of these but there great reels) Quantum (even with 3 ball bearings i've seen these hold up too.) Its all about the quality and how many ball bearings it has too. I would also checkout BPS clearance section, Cabelas bargain basement, dicks and walmart for clearances too. You can get some great deals on good reels.

I been out of the loop on brands of line and the quality of lines. Has anyone tried or used Carbotex Carbon texture coplymere fishing line??? Its suppose to be double coated silicone coploymere line. I also found a Vicious coploymere line also is that any good? I fish everyday now and my line does catch a beating. I find that colpolymere line also lasts longer too. I got away from cheap bargain basement regular mono mainly because of fish that i lost when i first started bass fishing. I used garcia river line for many years for trout fishing. I switched to Silver Thread copolymere and its awesome quality stuff but very expensive. Then i tried Cabela's Pro Copolymere line and it seemed the same as silver thread in performance. It was half the cost of silver thread and of course they discontinued it. I like the coploymere because of less line stretch over mono. The mono is like a rubber band when we compare it to coploymere. I get a better and quicker hookset with no lost fish 99.9% of the time with using coploymere. Or is there another manufacturer of coploymere line out there. I just may have to bite the hook and go back to silver thread. I'm not old school but i'm somewhere inbetween old school and modern. I never thought the quality of line was important until i fished for bass. Funny my cheap spinning reels didn't last either thats another story. Score Cheap fishing reels "0" Bass "10" on that one.

I may even try fishing later this year. I been temped lastyear to try fishing thru the open spots on the ice thats near the shore. I just hope i don't lose that new state record. (line cutting on the ice edge) I also use my cold weather hunting gear to keep warm. I need to setup my ice sled with more stuff too this year. A cooler, a grill and more fishing stuff for when the ice is finally on solid. I've seen the temps drop so fast and the ice go from just 3" to 24" in a week. I don't like being on 3" ice i see it move.

I have to say again its all about slowing it down to get just under the sight line were we can't see it but the fish can see it. If we can see the lure the fish can see us and sometimes there shy or finiky about us seeing them or there just plain sneeky. But once its lower into there world they will strike it.