Marty

I think most styles of plastics will work, including the ones already mentioned. Also don't forget about the old-fashioned curly-tailed grub on a jighead.

It's now too late for any advice for Thursday. I don't use live bait, but I suppose one can't go wrong. As to artificials, I think this time of year anything would work that you can fish that'll work with the existing cover, most likely weeds. I'd like to know where you fished and how you did.

I fish a pond that has loads of Spirogyra mats and I've caught numerous good fish from the openings. Many of those fish came in buried in the crap, but it goes with the territory. However, it's probably easier with a canoe than a tube.

The ponds in Mendon Ponds Park have bass, pike and panfish. Access from shore is limited. Hundred-Acre Pond--you could try the boat launch and old bathing beach on the east side and Hopkins Point on the west. Deep Pond--this is connected to Hundred-Acre at its north end. There's a footbridge at the south end from which you could cast only into the shallow channel that leads to the main pond. If you walked the trail around the pond you'll find three or four openings from which you could fish. Using waders would help you cover more water from these openings. Deep and Hundred-Acre--there's a footbridge where the two meet and you could cast south into Deep and North into Hundred-Acre. Round Pond--this can be fished from Douglas Road at the west end of the pond. Devil's Bathtub--I have no idea if there are any fish in it, but access is almost non-existent except from a small spot on the east side where casting would be difficult. A number of people think Deep Pond is Devil's Bathtub because the sign is so close. If you're not real familiar with the park, there's a map on the County's site. P.S. There's also Quaker Pond with limited access. A footbridge on the east side near the south end and an area on the west side on the south part but well north of the east side footbridge. The first time I tried the footbridge I caught a 16" LMB.

As far as I know, that can also be said of the Original Rat-L-Trap, with a #4 on the belly and #6 in back.

I don't understand what the problem is that needs to be solved and why it's dropshot vs. Senko; two separate things, it doesn't need to be one or the other.

Even though I'm the guy who answered that the drag can be measured with a scale, I don't do that, rather I go by feel, like most everyone else. I've used a scale a couple of times, not to establish the setting, but just to satisfy my curiosity as to what it actually was.

Drag pressure can be measured by attaching the line to a scale's hook and pulling out line steadily against the drag, while reading the scale.

There's more to confidence than having a confidence bait. There's confidence that the spot you're fishing holds fish and that the presentation you're making is the right one. The conventional wisdom says that when you are confident you will fish more carefully and thoroughly and be more alert, thus increasing your chances for success compared to a more lackadaisical approach that you might take if you're not confident.

I would start with a faster-moving horizontal bait. If the fish are active you'll catch more. If you start with a soft plastic and do well, you'll be reluctant to change and may catch fewer fish because of the slow-moving bait.

Pike will readily take any lure that exists. Topwaters, jerkbaits, crankbaits, spinnerbaits and inline spinners and soft plastics, such as soft jerkbaits, Senkos and grubs on jigheads. If I had to choose one it would spinnerbait by a tiny margin. If you are in the vicinity of some willing pike, I'd be comfortable using just about any lure that's appropriate for the conditions at any given time.

I strongly suspect that a swivel impedes lure performance much less than many people believe. I use swivels only when fishing something like an inline spinner. The rest of the time I use small duolock snaps.

I wouldn't consider it for one second if it were 25% of the price you quoted. That paint job is undoubtedly pure artistry, but bass don't see the fine detail that we do and that lifelike finish will impress people much more than the fish. Besides, I'd be scared out of my wits to use it in the pike- and pickerel-infested waters that I fish.

I'm almost always fishing weeds, which braid excels at. I don't see the fraying at the end. My most common reason for cutting and retying is the line wrapping around hooks, getting into line ties, split rings, etc., and related problems that seem unique to braid.

I downloaded it and it's OK. If it's faster, as advertised, it's not noticeable to me. What don't you like about the layout? You could try the orange Firefox button, then Options and enable the Menu bar. That'll look a little more like the previous version.

I've always used the smallest I've seen, #1, which are rated for 20#, which is more than adequate for my needs. I attach them to either a line tie or a split ring, whatever way the lure is out of the box.

I consider the solid toads to be buzzbaits that can be used in weedy areas where you couldn't use a metal buzzbait. So I use the toad when I want to cover water. The hollow frog gets used when I want a slower, stop-and-go presentation in heavy weeds, such as lily pads, where the bait can be stopped over holes, along edges, etc.

I don't know anything about that rod or how much it costs. But if you like it, why not buy it unless you get some really negative feedback. I use inexpensive rods which have done what I wanted them to do. It's just what I do, but if a rod has the length, power, action and handle length that I want, I'll generally buy it without regard to brand because there aren't that many rods out there that fit my wants and needs.

Without knowing anything about those lures, I'm confident you'll get action if you throw them where there are fish. I've always held the theory that if a species is willing to hit artificials, it will hit a wide variety of them As far as multiple species, I target bass, but there's not a lure I own that pike and pickerel won't readily hit. Walleye will also take a variety of lures, but they're not usually where I'm looking for my bass and they're less widely distributed around here.

I'd definitely have some horizontal lures with me. If the fish happen to be active, you'll catch a lot more than with slower-moving soft plastics.

My fishing partner started with a 12' john boat which he has kept after buying a bass boat. He's gotten more than his money's worth with the places he's been able to go and the fish he's caught. He doesn't have his tricked out, just a trolling motor, the PFDs and a couple of paddles. It's pretty stable, but I don't know the actual width.

I'm not familiar with that line, but I've fished years without having lines snap. There's something going on to cause that and if nothing changes except going to 15#, I'm afraid the problem will persist. Line snapping is not normal and you need to find out why it's happening.

I not one who places extreme importance on color, but I generally carry two colors of most soft plastics and black is almost always one of them. I've fished black a lot and it's good in all water clarities, but then, I think I could've said the said the same thing about other colors had I used them as much as black.

I've used mono for many years. If stored properly, no problem.

I have a couple of the Bass Pro Shops Tuning Tool Key which I find much easier to use than pliers. http://www.basspro.com/Tuning-Tool-Key/product/52284/-1003709