Blade-Runner

That I want one. Or two. Maybe a sunfish colour and something similar to an alewife.

Nothing will ever beat In-Fisherman.

Very well said. Hey Nash - sent you a PM.

I've had several BPS rods over the years before I realized that I was investing more in the reel than the rod. I have since wised up. I don't really use any BPS rods anymore but I did like some of them in particular. I've had Tourney Specials, Bionic Blade, Extremes, etc... Probably my 2 favorites are my 7' M BPS Crankin Stick and my "Woo Daves" Extreme 68MLF spinning rod. I always wanted one of those Billy Westmoreland "Smallmouth" Rods but they quit making them.

St. Croix. PS/AVS 70MLF. 20-series (~100+ yds. 8#) reel.

Extended extreme cold periods followed by thaw then refreeze leads me to believe it could be more detrimental to river fishing. Cold water floods can be pretty tough for riverine gamefish to handle, since their metabolism and activity levels are invariably low. The rivers I fish are headwaters and are not flow-controlled, so there is little current break/sanctuary when near-freezing water gets high and flowing fast... I would think that baitfish die-offs could potentially rearrange the feeding table and forage preferences in lakes like you suggested. If threadfin is a primary forage and a massive die-off occurs, maybe this year sunfish, YOY gamefish colors/lures will be more effective? Where/how deep gamefish school or gather could be impacted if preferred forage changes. Mother Nature usually finds a way to keep the species in relative carrying capacity, except of course where bucket biology has introduced non-native forage species that have different tolerance for water temp. "What could be determining factors that affect bass fishing - positive or negative - given the usually cold winter?" Things that come to my mind would be aforementioned status of local forage species, not only as prey but as competition for YOY gamefish. Does the water body have sufficient water depth to prevent winterkill? Unusually cold/snowy winter could lead to higher springtime water levels or more quickly elevated impoundment levels - leading to different fishing strategies (possibly better) early and/or a more successful spawn. Lots of possibilities.

LC Pointer is the one jerkbait that (for me) suspends perfectly in the broadest range of water temperatures. I also like the NC Shell White color for a little bit more colored waters and/or cloudy conditions.

1/2 oz. 90% of the time.

Depends on water clarity. Probably either a jig or suspending jerkbait.

The aforementioned lure, the Lucky Craft Pointer and Sammy 100 are my favorites. Pointer in MS Aurora Shad and NC Shell White.

50# PP, 12-15# Trilene Big Game, 3/4 - 1 oz. weight, Falcon Original 7' MH and a BPS Extreme 7:1.

I'd like to catch a 6# SM this year.

Locating fish consistently in highly-pressured waters.

Jig.

I met a guy down in East TN that uses flukes as swim-jig trailers and as a trailer for a Ledgebuster. Almost every trip I hear about includes a 5 lb. smallmouth...

Zoom Meat Head.

no.

50# PP w/ Redeye Shads, Rat-L-Traps. No leader, PP to a small snap.

I'm envious. Of the fact that you're going for Erie bronze and that you have a girlfriend who will fish with you... ;D I've never fished the Eastern Basin. Congratulations and good luck.

E21 Carrot Stix C721P-C.

And they are good for dropshotting, too.

I prefer spinning tackle. A 6-6.5' medium power, fast action rod w/ a 20-series reel fits the bill. I use exclusively braid for this presentation. 20/6 PP gets the nod here... I only use 1 brand and color of fluke, 5" Zoom Superfluke in Pearl White. I've wanted to get my hands on the Case Sinkin' Salty Shads but they are a little pricier... Go with a 4/0 EWG or (what I use) the older "Shaw Grigsby" R-Bend Wide Gap. The key is to rig so that the jerk stays put. You may try supergluing it or using trailer tabs to keep it put. Or just deal w/ readjustment. Some folks will probably also suggest using braid w/ a fluoro leader. The soft jerk really attracts bites, and some are initial attacks...Wait until you feel the weight of the fish before setting the hook. It is also a great sight fishing tool, as you can see your fluke often swimming sideways in the mouth of your quarry. Absolutely awesome lure, particularly in clear(er) water and shallow(er) water. I fish them on highly-pressured lakes post-spawn and really "mop up" behind guys fishing spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Many folks prefer baitcasting gear but I like being able to "skip" the lure more effectively, as well as impart erratic actions with spinning. Sky is the limit on imparting action - 'pull-glide-hovers', 'twitchity-twitchers' - it's up to you...It's a great way to figure out the activity level of the fish. You can also split-shot and fish deeper or use one of the new weighted hooks (I do not prefer them as they affect the "shimmy" that I believe is a trigger). Good luck.

I've not used the Cavitron (which I've heard many great things about here and everywhere). My #1 buzzer is the tried-and-true original Lunker Lure. It has a large 5/0 - 6/0 hook that sticks them good without a trailer hook. A high speed reel helps a lot, also. I also seem to do particularly well in shallow water when I get the bait actually on shore and "pull" it into the water. Something about that really mimics a terrestrial victim ready for consumption. I also agree with the aggravation factor. Repeated casts have worked wonders with these types of baits. And, if you are disciplined with your hooksets, you might try braid. I use a 7.0:1 reel with 50 lb. braid for both frogs and buzzbaits to much success.

Wheatie Balls. Or wheat bread doughballs. Or soft craws. Or quality prepared doughs. Like strawberry Van-A-Do.

I second this emotion. The only other blades I use are a lighter colorado for early pre-spawn and a Ledgebuster for post-spawn/summer. Screaming Eagle is the best spinnerbait ever made.