senile1

With the equipment you have I would pitch jigs and plastics using your MH rod. Set your cast control knob to allow the lure to drop pretty fast. You want it as loose as your skill level will allow for pitching. I also turn my brakes off for pitching but you'll be able to pitch with them on if you choose. I let the line out until the lure is a few inches short of reaching back to my reel when I'm holding it in my left hand. (Keep in mind I'm right-handed.) Disengage the spool with the thumb bar keeping your thumb on the spool while holding the lure in your left hand with the line fairly taut. Dip the rod down to your left using your right hand and flip the wrist forward while at the same time releasing the lure. When you do it right the lure should travel just above the surface of the water and you stop it with your thumb when it reaches the destination you have chosen. Some people pitch without holding the lure in their other hand but I would recommend starting out by holding it. Until you practice pitching and get a feel for it no description of it can do it justice. I would suggest watching someone or watching a video of someone pitching.

I am doing a comparison this year. I suspect this may be true for me also, I have to see how this plays out. For now my choice has been EWG, but I noticed , at the end of last year that I was fishing a bit more with the old school worm hooks. I have to see was it because I was using them more, or if compared to EWG, using them both the same if there is a difference in hook ups. I actually bought some Owner straight shank hooks this Winter for the same reason. I haven't tried them yet. It looks like we'll have to have a future thread discussing the comparison.

Good advice, Flechero. Thanks.

I work as a network engineer for Sprint designing, implementing, and configuring voice over IP and data enterprise networks. I've been there 8 years.

I use EWG Gammies mostly in the following sizes: 3/0 for 5 and 6 inch worms, 3/0 and 4/0 for 7 inch depending on the worm's attributes, and 4/0 or 5/0 for 10 inches and above.

Nice stuff, Burley. I missed your original thread.

Welcome!

I have watched my dog yip and move in her sleep but she has never jumped up and ran into a wall. ;D

I'm laughing so hard I can hardly type.

You are making us proud. Both of you are doing a fantastic job on these!

Glenn, I like your interviewing technique and you asked some good questions. It appears a couple of people didn't have the sense to not walk in front of you guys while the camera was rolling.

rll, I'm wondering if these drainage ditches you speak of are similar to the ones I fished in Southeast Missouri in my youth. Is the Kaskaskia area of Illinois a flat agricultural area? If so, it is similar. As a kid I caught a number of fish species from ditches like this, and some of the ditches had decent populations of bass. Most of those bass were less than 2 lbs in size but occasionally I would find a chunky one. The ditches I fished had cover and some deeper holes. The fishing quality has declined for a number of these ditches due to silt and chemicals from the surrounding fields, but there are still a few ditches that produce some fish. I would check with some local fishermen and see what they know about these ditches.

Good catch, J Francho. He did say he was pulling the line out with his hand, didn't he.

Welcome! Too bad there isn't a BAA . . . . Bass Anglers Anonymous. I wouldn't attend the meetings anyway. I love this addiction.

It sounds like your cast control knob is too tight and/or you have the brakes set too high. For flippin' and pitchin' you need the spool to be pretty loose.

Yes, in an episode from 2008 he discussed this topic. If I'm not mistaken I believe he stated that he used the same action for every technique. While I can understand this for a number of techniques, I think some require specific rod actions to achieve the most success. I prefer to have either a specific rod action or a specific type of line for some of the finesse techniques, drop-shotting, deep cranking, and flippin' heavy brush. But then my fishing success doesn't compare to Rick Clunn's. Each to his own, I guess.

It is very difficult to guess the weight due to the angle of the picture, but comparing its mouth to your hand, I would say 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 lbs. Nice fish!

Welcome to the community, LCCA!

Welcome!

Wecome to the community, Mr. Richardson!

I like nice smooth bearings, but who's to say that bad bearing that emits an odd vibration isn't the ticket for catching lunkers. Good components will last longer, but the bass do not care what components the spinnerbait is made of.

Thanks for the tips, Paul. Below is a picture of a couple of decent smallies from this section of the Gasconade. This came from the following web site: http://www.dixoncamping.com/Our%20fishing.htm.

The water level of the Gasconade is always floatable except for maybe some of the upper sections where a portage here and there might be necessary. I will be floating in the middle portion of the river. It receives abundant water from numerous springs along its path. The current is gentle and slow except for a few fast chutes in some of the bends where trees may have fallen. It sounds like a slow float with plenty of time to check out fish holding areas. I have already staked out one location to put in that is a 14.5 mile float and it takes me through the smallmouth management area, but at the speed of the river I didn't know if I could cover this in a day of fishing. I may have to do some research and find a place to camp, making it a two or even three day float for that section.

Spinnerbaits are not created equal but there isn't a rule that says bass will bite the lure with the best quality components more often than a cheaper one. I use spinnerbaits on a regular basis and consider them one of my top confidence baits and my favorites aren't the most expensive. I think if you use any of the well-known brands (Strike King, Booyah, War Eagle, Terminator, etc.) and learn how to fish them you will catch fish. Some brands may last longer due to superior components but that doesn't mean they'll catch more and larger fish. What is more important is to know the following: (1) What blade types, colors, and combinations work best for you in the different seasons. (2) What wire lengths and thickness work for you. (3) What spinnerbait techniques work for you. (4) What head and skirt colors work with your water clarity. (5) What weight of spinnerbait works for you. We could have a long thread on these spinnerbait attributes. Get these right and the spinnerbait brand won't really matter as long as these desired attributes are offered in the brand you buy.

Welcome! I'm sure one of our many Texas fishermen will be able to point you in the right direction.