senko_77

I'm not a fantastic lure maker but I will tell you what I know. If your thinking topwater, then here's the easiest suggestion. I started luremaking by cutting the end off of a broom stick, carving it to the shape I want, then taking sand paper and grinding it from low grain to high so it had a smooth as glass feel. Then I added litte screw eyes that I found at Home Depot, but this link will send you to screws that are more suited for lures....http://www.jannsnetcraft.com/plug-screweyes-screws/ Then I primed the lure. After 2 coats of primer I just painted it with acrylic model paint. I think it was black and white. After that was done I went and got 2-part epoxy and that was my clear coat. Even though it was real crude, it still worked fine with walking the dog. So if you want to try carving your own baits out of Balsa or Basswood, then explore that jannsnetcraft site and it will have everything you need. If you have more questions you can ask the guys on www.tackleunderground.com That site is just luremaking so you'll get an answer real quick over there. Hope this helps

I'm about to start making my own jigs but since I'm not selling them I will let you in on something that I could garuntee would sell. First, you hand tying the skirt is a great thing. But something I and I'm sure everyone else would find awesome is if you added a pinch of marabou on the inside of the skirt. I have made a few skirt/marabou jigs and there action is unbelievable. Make a few prototypes and see what happens. I think you will like it. Also, I have yet to find a jig with a super loud rattle. The only jig I ever found with a decent rattle was the Strike King Pro Model. And the last thing, are you able to make a 1/8oz and 1/16oz jig with a good, big hook. I'm talking like a 3/0 owner. Those would sell like WILDFIRE. I haven't been able to find one like that yet. Everything that light has these little light wire hooks. I know Randall from the forum is also looking for one like that so get back to me if you can make some.

rhino lining adds a BUNCH of weight to the boat. Try looking into JB Weld. I think you can get it at Lowe's or Home Depot.

If I could have anything it would be to have my dad with me for Christmas. I wouldn't care about gifts. Just the whole family being together. Now my dad there and a Diawa Pixy on a GLX jig & worm would be quite nice.

Thats awesome dude. Just make sure to not put it up to your electric stuff like an iPod or cell phone.

My sammy 100 in american shad is always on. Also, 1/8oz tru-tungsten ikey head jighead, 1/4oz spot remover jighead, and spot stalker 1/8oz jighead with a watermelon/gold flake or seedless watermelon trick worm

The Bass Pro near me carries 11/0 Owners. I think these would suit the Tora Tube a tad bit better. I remember reading in an article that Ish Monroe throws his on custom made 15/0 hooks

When I first started fishing my Sammy 100 I had the splash problem. I like a small splash but I think to big of one scares fish. Like Chug Bug said, feathering the spool helps, but if you lift up your rod and kinda glide the lure back towards you right before it hits then you decrease it's momentum a good bit. I can now make a Sammy 100 land 40 yards away with barely a ripple. It comes with practice but if you work at it you can get it real quick.

When the lake turns over the bass enviroment is literally flipped upside down. It's basically the water on top and on the bottom flipping. The heavy water sinks and the bottom becomes lighter and rises. You can tell this is happening by alot of bubbles rising to the top of the water and if the water is nasty colored. The fish basically shut down for a few weeks and the best way to get them to bite is by reaction. Take a rattletrap and just burn it over shallow water. When it rips by there face they will grab it. With the water where you are being at 53 and under, I'm sure it already happened.

Are you asking if burning a trap changes the way it swims? If so, then no. A qaulity rattletrap will swim perfect at all speeds. I know the faster you reel it in the tighter the wiggle but its not like it tracks to one side or the other. If your asking about replacing the hook then the answer is no to that to. The big hooks doesn't effect that action at all other than the bait sitting a little more nose down which helps with its weedlessness if thats even a word.

My favorite northern word that I haven't heard down here in Georgia is "Bubbler" They say water fountain here.

Also, the berkley is tough to keep up if you throw a cast overhead. The momentum brings it underneath the water enough to sink it. If I'm throwing this worm I will skip it so when it settles on the water the was no momentum that wanted to drag it down. I have never had a problem floating a 3x

1. There hand painted 2. The components are top notch 3. Imported I will say that before I met my new best freind, Sammy 100 in american shad, I was skeptical on why they were so much money, but I have caught more and bigger fish with the sammy than any other topwater. My other favorite by them is the pointer 78DD in american shad. This bad boy out produces any other jerkbait I have any day of the week. So basically, they work. Thats why there worth the money to me.

Wait till spring.

If bluegill is the main forage in the lake and you can't seem to catch any on shad type lures then try a swim jig. Strike King makes a good one. Get the bluegill color in 1/2oz and take a 5" grub and put it on the jig with the tail going down. This is real important because the tail helps keep the bait on a horizontal track the whole way in. If not, the 1/2oz body will sink as you reel. Keep the jig moving and dancing. Work it like a constant jerkbait. You can throw swim jigs in the nastiest cover so just keep chunking it and I'm sure it will work.

I think a rattletrap is the best fall bait. The crankbait is good, but only good if you know there exact depth. A rattletrap will cover every bit of the water column until you find them. But I'm guessing you have grass on your lakes. target that grass with the rattletrap because fish will always move on them to feed. The grass puts of oxygen, there are baitfish present...so it's the perfect spot for bass to sit and just gourge themselves. If it is 4' and shallower, burn the rattetrap, if it is deeper slow down a bit. Also, to make the rattletrap more weedless remove the back hook and put a #1 or #2 treble on the front. You will have more solid hookups, it will be alot more weedless, and the large hook will play a 10lb+ easily. My favorite rattletrap is the Spro Aruku Shad in perch. I also like the Yo-Zuri Rattl-n-vibe in shad and firetiger colors. If you find deeper fish feeding on baitfish, then the crankbait can be good. Have a wide variety. My choice would be Rapala DTs. Have a couple DT-10's and DT-16's in bluegill, silver, and firetiger. When you get the bait down to it's max depth stop reeling. Let it sit for about 3 seconds. Then crank as fast as you can for about 3 seconds. Then let it sit for 3 seconds and repeat that. The violent stop and go will trigger reaction strikes out of feeding and non-feeding fish. Hope this helps.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre is IMO the scariest movie out there. I know everyone is gonna laugh but the other movie that scares me is Halloween with Michael Myers. Its the mask. I really got scared one time when I was with one of my best freinds and we were there alone and we were watching it and if as on que Michael kniffed somebody and the lights went out for about 10 seconds. I can honestly say that is the most scared I have ever been and it made me afraid of all the Halloween movies.

If you have the money get the Lowrance x102c. That thing is awesome! But the cheap Eagle and Lowrance models work well to.

Thats a real pretty fish. I would say 6lbs. but pictures are real hard to judge. What did she fall for?

Try the Mr. Clean magic eraser. I have never tried it on spike-it dye but that thing can clean ANYTHING. I really suggest you get this. If it doesn't work then you wasted a few bucks. Its not expensive at all

Sick vid Russ. Where is the litte red boat the could? I love that part where you double up.

Even in Washington I'm guessing the fish will still be on a fall pattern meaning they will be fattening up for winter. Those fall pattern fish are gourging on shad so any shad type lure is a good start. Rattletraps, Spinnerbaits, Crankbaits, white Jigs, pearl Senkos, etc. If you find the baitfish you will find the bass. Long points are a great place to start looking.

Zoom horny toads and Spro Bronzeye frogs. Both in black.

If it was me I would say Texas, then Georgia, then Florida, and maybe South Carolina. Try getting a place near Lake Fork. There are some pigs there. If you move to Georgia, then you need to decide if you like spotted bass or largemouth. If you like spots then move to Lake Lanier, if you like largemouth then try lakes like Clarks Hill, West Point, Seminole, Sinclair, or Varner.

Do bucktail and marabou jigs work as well for largemouth as they do for smallies? I always thought that they fished the jigs without weedgaurds because smallies tend to gang up on rocks and a weedgaurd isnt necessary and people stuck to weedgaurd jigs for bass because they fish off-shore structure. Do smallies prefer hair over rubber and vice-versa for largemouth?