Team9nine

It affects them however you want it to. If you kill them under a full moon, credit the light. If you don’t, blame the light. It works the same way with barometric pressure, the sun and the clouds, the wind, and most other variables. That’s the great thing about fishing - there’s always a reason (or an excuse)

I think you’re confusing what the author is trying to point out. Obviously nothing is an absolute, but late fall and winter I’m often focusing on steep channel banks and swings, bluff banks - stuff with sharp (often >60 deg) drops right into deep water. In summer, it’s often the opposite - searching out long points and bars that run a good distance out into the lake before dropping off into a river channel, or big feeding flats that run a couple hundred yards off the shore before dropping off - a.k.a., flatter banks.

A 3rd vote for a M/ML spin outfit. Easily my most used rod from the bank for a variety of presentations.

Much hotter and more humid than originally predicted today with a high of 92 and a heat index of 101. However, a passing storm threat brought heavy clouds and a good breeze to the area for about half an hour, so I took advantage and swung on a few - still throwing the jig.

It honestly happens so infrequently, I don’t even remember if one got it deep during that stretch.

Here you go...the top setup has the "new" version Clarus rod; the bottom is the original "old" rod version.

I think he should have stopped at, “They’re rough stats. They’re not accurate. They’re just an assumption of what’s going on,” IMO . Been throwing it hard for 10 years - very few have ever swallowed it - maybe 2-3 every year.

Don't think I'd go so far as to classify these as anything worth "showing off" - lol - but I picked them up locally on clearance this week for the same price as buying one online. They'll be matched up with a pair of my favorite finesse rods (ML Shimano Clarus) for an identical set of combos.

Being long and skinny with good floating characteristics, it should be decent on a dropshot rig

Last update post on this - finally got a couple days on the water with the Ned Senko...see details a few posts above on specs for this bait vs. others tested. Some of my observations after a couple dozen bass: The baits definitely float. They sit about the same in the water on a jig head as Robo Neds, but when flung off into the water, they float right on top. As mentioned, they do get flung off, but nothing like regular Senkos. I think it happened twice so far in the two trips, and only after several fish catches. In one case I was able to simply retrieve the bait and keep fishing because it landed near shore and floated, so I was able to retrieve. I assume the other is still out there somewhere as it got thrown on a jump away from shore. Still early, but I'm averaging between 8-12 bass per bait, so better than Robo Ned, but about half or less vs. TRD. Being 3 inches long to start, it is easy to trim back a quarter inch and re-rig after it starts getting torn up. Might be able to do this a couple times even depending. Also, since it has a blunt tail end, I was also able to just flip it around, pinch off a 1/4" from the tail to get a little meatier section, and then rig "backwards" and keep going after the front end got too torn up, much like a TRD - nice Speaking of, I actually like the bait presentation a little better when rigged backward, so you don't have to necessarily rig it how you might think upon first glance. Bait "action" or "shimmy" is more pronounced when rigged 'normal,' much more subdued when rigged backwards. As such, you need to pay a little more attention to rigging straight when forward rigged as being off-center or over/under rigged makes for a lot more swing or even rolling of the bait. Might make a difference some days. Weighs the same as TRD and casts similarly also.

Yeah, pretty much this ^^^

Fat Impacts on the hooked jig heads and Easy Shiners on the hookless dummies (hitch hiker attachment) for me.

We’re 3 hooks here in Indiana, but I’d either cut the longer center wire out as you suggested and go 3 dummies (top) and 2 hooked baits (bottom), or as @king fisher posted and do 5 dummies and 1 hooked bait on the longer wire.

Yeah, I may just have to go "new to me"

From the boat and the bank, the jig has been doing most of the heavy work this past week or two around here. Having to try and reconfigure my next jig outfit after snapping my Loomis IMX jig rod this week. Have a few outfits that I think will work, but nothing I'm overly excited about, so may end up going all new.

My four largest have all come between 11a and 4p. Two in April (1989/1992), one in Dec. (2021) and one in June (2022) - jig-pork frog, Bomber Fat A, blade bait, Ned respectively. Hard to believe it took 30 years to match my original two big fish - lol.

I have half a dozen or more. The original wooden baits (Hub's Chub - a shallow crankbait with a metal lip) were made right here in Indiana in the late 1950s by Warren Hubbard. He also created the Sparkle tail lure, his best seller. The topwater version (Rattalur) shown in the pic came along much later (1970s) and with a different company owner, as the company changed hands at least 4 times in those early years. That topwater came in two sizes. The one in the pic is the smaller version. It is nearly identical to a Florida lure called the "Johnny Rattler" made by Rhoden Enterprises. Last time I looked, you could still find Rattalurs (newest version) available online.

Did it for nearly 30 years fishing tournies, so I’m over it - lol. My old club would start an hour before sunrise, and I always complained that it was because the guys needed a ‘crutch’ to catch fish - lol. I never hit the water before Noon these days. Mornings are peaceful and pretty and all that, but getting good sleep and waiting for the sun to position the fish works for me, especially since I like fishing offshore so much. If I want pretty and topwater, I just stay through sunset ? ?

Can’t say I’ve never done it, but it’s a rarity. I usually just stock up on what I use when on sale, but like @casts_by_fly will occasionally try new colors or similar styles in a brand if cheap enough.

Even Ned doesn’t exclusively use stick baits… ?

Alberto

Might try some soft cheese (Velveeta, etc.) just balled up/molded on a small treble hook on a spinning rod. Can pitch weightless or with a small shot. Also, those cheese injected hot dogs cut into small chunks/strips and fished on a single worm hook (modified Texas rig - lol). Those fresh/shrimp tails they sell in the grocery store will also work. Been many, many years ago, but all worked for me in the past.

Both/any

Wise words - seems every bass I catch these days is on the bait I have tied on for that trip ? lol Nice fish - they’ve been very scarce this year in my ponds.

STILL? Ever? Certainly, you jest ? Inurig is right up there with the Cover Scat that every media feed I get continues to feature. Ain’t happening in my world. YMMV…