hookset on 3

Good answers. Thanks. So now I understand that your working with murky water, which will dictate the types and coloration of lures that will give you the best chance at catching Ol' Bucketmouth. That firetail worm you picked up is perfect for murky water! Contrasting colors in your lures should give off the best visual cues. For example: Black/ firetail, Green pumpkin/ chartreuse, Brown/ orange. Translucent lures probably would be ineffective. White is VERY good in dingy water.

AJ, could you tell us more about the body of water you're fishing? Is it the Grand River mentioned in your profile? What is the coloration of the water? What type of cover? Vegetation? Very important is to find out what type of bait fish or juvenile panfish are in this body of water? When considering the type of lures to throw, you should really be trying to mimic the food source of these bass?

Good explanation and diagrams, Tom. I've got to get with the program. Thanks, hookset on 3

I completely agree with this. Just by the split rings and hooks you can tell they are factory seconds or worse. Check to see where they were manufactured. I think they come from factories overseas. Dick's Sporting Goods does the same thing. I'd be leery of these, even if they are about a dollar.

Nice going from one Rhody Basser to another! Taking the kids fishing in the Summer on a lake is something you'll cherish to the end of days.

Now your talkin' the talk, Dude!

Congrats on a really nice lunker. Now it looks like you might live in a more northerly climate, yes? Between the flannel and foliage. If so, that's an even better catch, than if you lived in the Deep South.

Good Answers Guys. I've been using the yo-yo method with fairly reliable results. I just felt that in a mat area with more than 4 or 5 feet between it and the bottom, that it was inefficient to try and find them in the water column every punch. If the bass are in a neutral feeding mood, they might not chase the rig up or down. Stren_g, that's a good idea with a power drop shot rig. I'll try it with a 1/4 oz. weight for starters and tie on a Missile Craw with a weedless hook set up. hookset on 3

As the saying goes,"let the bass tell you how they like it". Sometimes a steady medium retrieve will get lots of bites, but I like to vary the retrieve to mimic the way bream swim. Our waters are usually void of shad and have lots of sunfish and perch for the bass to eat. If you watch how sunnies or bluegill swim, it's a short darting action, with very little straight ahead swimming over a long distance.

What's a good technique for catching those bass that are suspended between the underside of a mat and the bottom? Somewhere between 4 and 8 feet.

Here is my favorite jig trimming video. It's by some fella that's been known to throw a jig once in awhile...Greg Hackney. http://www.bassmaster.com/video/greg-hackney-trimming-jig

Like many things in life, you get what you pay for. On the high side there is Reins or Kanji. On the inexpensive side you have Bullet Weights brand or Eco Pro. If I can just say, we spend lots for rods and reels, so why skimp on weights. I'd feel bad if somebody lost a trophy, over a cheap tungsten that frayed their line to the point of a break-off.

I've been a customer of Johnny Morris' for almost 40 years, so I've seen em come and I've seen em go. The lures leave a lot to be desired. It's often cheap overseas stuff and I've stopped buying it. On a positive note, I really like their rods, from the Extreme to the Elite series.

Nah... I think it's just your Avatar. Because you do look kinda grumpy.

Mark, makes that long Winter just a distant blur. This is what us Northern Boys live for! After watching your video, I'm Goin' fishin, be back at dark thirty!

The key is to let your rod load-up on the back cast and use a nice fluid forward motion. Don't try to whip it or a lot of times it will just tumble.

The newer version of the Sinking Slug-go. I love the originals, but they have a tendency to rise on the jerk motion.

Bill, you should have some less expensive but good brands of cranks ( i.e. Norman, Bomber, Strike King ). If your throwing Lucky Craft or Megabass to deep brush piles I'm not so sure the bass can really see the nice detail on the finish of those baits.

I've been using the Hitchhiker Trailer Keepers to really increase the life of my Senkos. click on pic.

I agree with Bankbeater. You wouldn't believe the difference that touching up a hook with a few short, properly angled swipes of a file will do for your landing fish percentage. Be careful not to file off too much metal, because the longer the tip the sharper it is.

Awesome Northern Strain Largemouth. On the Summer Solstice with a full Moon, that is what we call a Lunker Night!

Big eyes. Big belly. Big ol' Smallie. Nice going Slinger!

Nice Job on a beautiful day in the Northeast. Got some bass and caught some rays, so your ahead of the game.

Hooker, those are some Rhody Slounces! Dang Dude.... 6 over 4lbs. That's like 8 pounders in the Deep South!

Sowie Piggg!