Shane J

Bigger plastic with more drag on the water=more lift. Try a full sized Rage Craw for a real slow fall on 1/4oz swim jig. Or just swim a light weight Rage-Rigged Lobster! Slow and deadly! Those 1-5' fish won't be able to help themselves!

That's right. Often fishing a jig, even a huge one with a Lobster trailer, is finesse fishing.

Looks like it was pretty well hidden there. Leave it to a kayaker to make such a subtle discovery.

Fly Fisherman, I do fish finesse, just not like what your standard finesse guy does. Most will go silly light with the gear and line, and use microscopic baits for their finesse stuff. For me, I can finesse a 10" worm on 12lb line, or drop shot a 7" Cut'R Worm. I have some smaller baits I use, if that's what I think they're eating, but most of the time for me, finessing is in how much action I impart into my bait, and the speed in which I work a spot. It doesn't always have to mean fishing with mayfly larvae on 1/2lb line. One of my most productive finesse tactics, is a simple Rage Craw on a Moaner Stiffy jig.

There are no brakes in that reel, probably why you can't find them, or figure out how to use them.

Deep rocks.

You all have good plans of attack. Gonna be a great year! Phauren, a Chatterbait-style bait with a swimbait trailer is certainly a big bass tactic, and one that I like a lot. It is right up there with big swimbait (6-8" baits) fishing for big bass. Less bites. Bigger fish. You have a shot at a hawg going that route, for sure.

No problem. There's such a huge difference in your line after you treat it like that. A lot of crap builds up, and you don't really notice it until you clean it. I do it by casting a 1 oz jig as far as I can, and squeeze the rag tight on the line as I reel it back in.

Man, I hope you get her, Mainebass! And Clr, flouro lasts a heck of a long time if you don't have it in sunlight, or extreme temps. Go ahead and get the big spool, and if you ever feel it's giving you an attitude, just soak a rag with Line and Lure, and reel in the whole top half of the spool through that rag, while pinching it tight. No more memory, and nice and clean line that is free of all the deposits that build up on our lines.

Yeah, you will, but my new state record fish is gonna be 10-10 or bigger!

Always on a swim jig for me jitterbug, but not so much on bottom stuff.

Just the biggest one will be from me!

I was just kiddin'. We are gonna see some big fish come from all over this board this year.

Oh, it's gonna be good! I kinda like the idea about New England, but I'm also open to more competition, so however you wanna roll, is fine with me. Count me in, Jitterbug.

Indiana and Vermont are practically twins. They both got 7 letters. Duh! No, but ideally, New England could kinda be it's own region, kind of like it is for everything else. Heck, just a couple states away in Pennsylvania, most people you ask, don't even know New Hampshire is a state.

Haha. Man, I think these guys are starting to get it. I'll be all over that jig/Craw stuff, too! I would go on record right now, and say that at least 7 of the 10 biggest fish caught in NH this year on these boards, will be on a Rage Craw. The only thing left to question, is are they all gonna be from me?

Um, yes please! I use 'em all, but that Recon is my favorite worm. Oh, and Gone_Phishin, I believe Blue Craw is one of the colors that the DB will be available in soon. One of my favorites, too, so I hear ya!

I'll be adding some fish of my own on your Brush Jig in a couple days!!

Thanks, and DR, I haven't ruled it out, either!

Oh, and I agree with Scott about the smallmouth. The biggest fish do seem to come from larger, open sections of river systems, and larger lakes. If only we knew somebody around here with say, a background in fisheries biology, who might chime in with some shocking reports, or stats, or something. That would be very interesting.

Same experience here, AK. I used to fish a small pond very close to my house. I always fished it from a boat because of the very limited shoreline access. I used to slay hawgs in there, including my PB at the time, which held up for several years (7-10). That was before the word got out somehow. The fish population and size went down by leaps and bounds within two years. There are some tiny hidden jewels out there, that undoubtedly hold some trophy bass in every state, but they are becoming less and less common, due to several factors, like info sharing, and people's gross neglect for our resource.

Wow. That is a big trout! Very cool that they let her go.

Very nice!! You have a beautiful collection.

Yes, I do, A-Jay. Ruined for life!

They're just small, weighted clips you put on the fish's fins to keep it upright in your livewell. Really cheap, and very effective. That being said, we can't save every fish, and it sounds like you did the best of your ability to keep her alive. Oh, and to answer your question, yes, I had a 5 lber die on me once after a sort of lengthy battle. I released her right away, but for some reason, she went belly up a few minutes later. I felt bad, but I know that I do my part and more to ensure that every fish lives to fight again. Just the nature of the sport sometimes unfortunately.