cadman

Hey Tyler, I used to fish Lake Michigan,. IL side and also the IL river. Fished a lot of northern lakes in IL including "The Chain". Anyway depends on where you are mainly fishing, the most luck I had on the rivers, is blk/red, blk/blu. grn pumpkin. Skirts you can buy from fishingskirt.com. Jigs, any swim jig will suffice as you can use them for pitching, swimming and bouncing on the bottom. If you are going to fish in the rocks for smallies, use a football head. Trailer I would use Netbait chunks or Rage tails. The colors are numerous. If you want to talk local fishing PM me I can give you some good tips on local waters, that is until the ice melts.

I sometimes use (2) tabs, and that would be a full skirt for me on spinnerbaits but many times I go thinner. However on jigs I use 22 strands of a slilicote round skirt with 1/8 to 1/4 oz jigs and a 15 strand weedguard. Much better action for sure with less strands. However that is a personal choice. I don't know of many guys throwing 1/8 oz bass jigs either and I like my skirting on my jigs to be thin

I have tutorials on how to start everything if you would like, and I will help you get started. It is really easy. PM me your e-mail.

Yes it is. If you click on tholmes's link, that is the place I am referring to.

Nice color choices :thumbsup4:

It is phenominal fishing. Many times 20-30 fish days, especially Geneva and Delavan. I've never fished the Mississippi River, however I have fished the WI River for walleye and sauger below and above the dam. Another good body of water where you can usually get big numbers of fish and very often some sturgeon.

Best prices for molds is Zeiner's in Kansas City. Call them up and speak to Jim Zeiner, he has beaten everybody's price on the web that I know of. Best flippin jig for me is the Snootie jig with an Owner deep throat hook. Never lost a fish on that hook or jig.

I belong to two bass clubs and fish a couple local tourney circuits up at Madison Chain, Big Green Lake, Lake Geneva, Lake Delavan and a whole bunch of smaller S.E Wisconsin Lakes. Some great fisheries in the southern end of Wisconsin.

Where abouts in WIsconsin? I fish a lot of South East WI lakes.

This is a personal choice, but I use the same jig for swimming my bait either on the bottom or ticking weeds as well as bouncing it on the bottom. All of my jigs are no heavier than 1/4 oz. I use this jig in 10 f.o.w.or less and I always use a Paca chunk trailer. Colors are blk/blu, green pumkin/sand and brown.

Definitely a rubber coated net will end your frustration.

I powder paint all of my weights. It's a personal choice.

You are absolutely correct. It is all about how a person fishes and what he has confidence in. Just because I fish it doesn't mean it will work for everyone.

Good Looking jigs. Did you make those yourself?

I personally like lighter jigs, so they have a slower fall which I believe triggers many bites before the jig hits bottom. So if that is the type of fishing you like than the lighter one would be correct. I use the lighter one in 10 f.o.w or less. Anything deeper I will go with the heavier jig.

Rodney if you win the powerball, you can buy every single mold Do-It and Hilts sells, or you can just buy the company.

Keith, You forgot to upload your pic.

I personally like the Snootie jig, as I use it for pitching, swimming and about everything else. It goes through weeds very well and you can pour many different ounces. My second choice would be a Poison Tail or Brush jig, and definitely a football jig for rocks.

Tyler, The skirt you can buy as tabs or you can buy the round ones in a roll. As far as making football jigs, it is not complicated. The whole thing about making jigs is start-up cost cost. I just posted a couple of minutes ago to a similar thread. read this. http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/109916-looking-to-get-into-making-my-own-jigs-any-advice/

Depends on how much money you want to put into your hobby, and how patient and willing you are to learn. I posted awhile ago some info on how to get started. It will cost you roughly a couple hundred dollars, between the melting pot, mold or two, hooks, skirts, weedguards, paint and misc. items, so you do this safely and not get burned or hurt. I know there are a lot of things I didn't mention because it would be too time consuming to write it all down. I'm sure others will give you some insight as well. I'll send you some tutorials on how to get started. PM sent.

Keith, That is my go to bait as long as I've been fishing jigs. I bought the mold because it reminds me of the SK bitsy bug, and the Snootie jig is killer. I find the small size is just dynamite for big bass with the small fall of the jig. BTW very nice looking jig and got to love the 5304 Owner deep throat hooks. Also your work looks very clean and neat, job well done.

I can tell you why they are so expensive. Because you know that someone maybe several people will have to have it and they will pay. It's no different than why are the Steez reels and rods so expensive. Let's face it you can catch bass on a $100 rod and reel combo, if you know what you are doing. So if the market will bear it someone will buy it just because they have to have it, not that it will make them a better fisherman.. Just my crazy explanation.

I believe it was 20% on Friday the last two years I loaded up on tackle, but don't quote me on the 20%. Plus you get free shipping over a $50 order and that is no too hard to accomplish. I was going to post a link but this site will not allow me to do that. So go to their website, click on the message board tab, then click on the product request tab and scroll down till you find a thread called Holiday sales. If you need more help PM me your e-mail and I will send you the link.

Tackle Warehouse usually has 20% off as well.

I know commercial guys have rollers that straighten the wire. I would like an answer to this as well. I don't honestly think you can get it perfectly straight by hand. You must have some kind of wire straightener or machine