Matt 825

Guys up here in New England swear by wacky rigging worms on a drop shot rig. I nose hook my drop shot baits mostly, but if I am using a 5" worm then I wacky rig it. It flat out works great, just cast it out and let it sit there and they will eat it!!!!

I have a few of them although I have not had much success with them. I use the Staysee mostly for deeper jerkbaits but I suppose the Bevy shad could also be used in the 5-9 ft jerkbait range depending on your line size.

I use 12' for most applications. I will retie the leader when it gets down to about 8'. I fish crystal clear water so I feel I need at least 8' of fluro. If you are tying a blood knot or a double uni knot they will pass through the guides with no problem. Just be aware of where the knot is when you are reeling in a fish.

For about $100 you could get a Bass Pros Shops Pro Qualifer rod. I have one and its a good rod for the money. Go with a standard 6'6" MH and you will be all set. By the way the Curado is probably the most popular baitcaster reel ever made. Great choice for a reel.

Keep fishing!!!!!!! Open water or Ice there are awlays places to fish in the winter.

I'll go EWG also

I agree with Mrbassky the whole "sexy shad" color and all the recent knock offs are a little over the top. It is not some secret end all be all color, what it is, is a brilliant marketing strategy.

I have 3 Shimano Citica's that I have never had a problem with since day 1. Can't say that about some Quantum and Daiwa reels that I have had replaced.

Blood knot? When ever I use it, with braid and fluro, the braid cuts the fluro! There is a trick to tying the blood knot with braid to fluro. When you go to pull it tight ( I use my teeth) it almost always does not catch. What you have to do is take the tag end of the braid and hold it tight in your teeth and then pull the main braid line and you will hear a pop. Then pull your fluro leader and the main braid line and it will come out perfect.

I use a fluro leader to braid line all the time. I mostly tie a blood knot to connect the lines if they are equal diameter. If they are not equal diameter then I will tie the Uni knot. I feel the blood knot is just a bit stronger than the Uni and I can tie the blood knot much quicker.

Best smallie days for me have been in at least a 20 mph wind with temps in the 20's or low 30's. If my guides are icing up its usually a sign that the fishing will be good and my hands will be freezing. ;D

How do you get those rattles to stay in the tube?

Never, if I want to eat freshwater fish I will catch some crappies or catfish or trout. Bass dont even taste remotely good. You might as well grab a chunk of weeds from the lake and stuff them in your mouth if you like the way Bass taste.

I agree with the article for the most part. I think mono line is only good for topwater applications since the huge advances in fishing line in the last 10 years. Fluro is the better line for anything requiring any type of feel or sensitivity (excluding braid of course). Even with cranking more pro's are using fluro and getting away from mono.

I use a 7.1:1 reel. I watched a video by Denny Brauer on flipping a few years back and he said that the difference between a 7.0:1 reel and a 6.1.1 reel could mean someting like 25-30 extra pitches in a day. I like getting my jig back fast so I can pitch to the next target. More pitches = more fish over time.

Pointers are the most popular jerkbaits today @ $15 In addition to the pointers I like: Xcalibur XS4 jerkbaits @ $12 New Spro McStick @ $11.50 Bass Pro Shops XPS suspending jerkbaits @ $4 Strike King KVD Wild Shiner @ $5 Lots of guys like Rapala Husky Jerkbaits or Rapala X-Raps. They run between $5-8. I dont like them at all however. 3 feet of visiblility is enough to use a jerkbait. Use brighter colors like Sour Grape or Firetiger in muddy or stained water. Stick with natural colors in clear water.

I have found that you can still use the paca craw in cold water because if you are moving the jig really slow (like most do in the winter) then there is little to no action from the trailer. Still I prefer a pork trailer for cold water.

Try plain old superglue. I super glue my spider grubs on a jig head and it works great. Never have a problem reusing the jig head either. I dont know how well glue will work with gulp though. Give it a try and let us know.

I agree with all the other posters, Eagle Claw hooks are complete crap. I have been using Mustad Triple Grip hooks recently and while they are not as sharp as the Gamakatsu hooks, once they are shapened they stay sharp for a long time.

We fish for them and catch them with water temps in the mid 30's. We catch them right before the ponds freeze over, then we catch them through the ice and then once again the day after it melts. The key to catching LMB in water below 40 is location, location, location. Look for the best weeds in the deepest areas that they will grow. Some lakes that may be 4-6 ft other lakes 18-20ft. I have had the best success for LMB in shallower lakes fishing with jerkbaits. You have to fish it very slow with a 15-45 second pause in between jerks. If you find them in water with temps in the 30's you can get them to eat your bait and they will probably be quality fish.

I have the 522C and I never have a problem with the GPS. For $500 it is a steal.

I use Pork mostly in the winter. If I use plastic I use a Paca Craw or Baby Paca Craw or if I am looking for a bigger profile I will use a hand pour chunk type trailer.

I dont get all that many smallies on tubes anymore. I really only use them in the spring during prespawn and then again if I am fishing Beds which I try not to. The Drop Shot has replaced the tube for me in the summer.

I use a 6'6" MH spinning rod with braid line and a 8Ib Fluro leader. I mostly use 1/2 OZ Buddies but will use 5/8 or 3/4 if conditions warrent it. I fish mostly in the 20ft- 50ft range with 35ft being my target zone for the most part.

Thats rite in my buget and idea for the mounting. Can you unplug the unit? Yeah , there are 3 plus in the back. 1 for power, 1 for the transducer and another for any accessories that you can buy. All three can be unplugged.