tholmes

Is there a program in existence that requires more updates to do less than Adobe Flash? Tom

Culprit products are, IMHO, among the best soft plastics out there. The original 7.5" ribbon-tail worm is a mainstay in my arsenal, along with Wooly Buggers and their frog (can't remember what it's called). Tom

This^ Tom

I really don't get skunked when bass fishing very often. There are days when I only catch one or two dinks, but I usually catch something. Tom

Hey Ponz! Welcome to BR! If you're curious, my most productive baits are, in no particular order: soft plastics in various shades of purple, black and green; crankbaits in shad, chrome and bluegill patterns, jigs in greens, browns and black; topwater baits in black or frog pattern. Get a hold of a Bass Pro Shops or Cabela's catalog and look at the seemingly unlimited variety of baits in all the colors of the rainbow (and then some), and every one of them is used by a bass fisherman somewhere at some time. I could tell you (and I'd be willing to tell you) what works best for me, but unless you're fishing right beside me, that information wouldn't be of much use. There are so many variables involved, season, water depth and clarity, type of structure or cover present, time of day, weather conditions...you get the point. What rig or bait that I'm killin' 'em with today might not be worth a hoot on your local waters. Heck, it might not be worth a hoot for me tomorrow or even later today. Learn a lot of different techniques, ask the locals what works, be flexible (don't get locked in on one bait or presentation) and STUDY. Study the water, study the fish, study baits and presentation techniques. You'll get a handle on what works and what doesn't in certain situations. Use this knowledge as a jumping off point and refine your lure selection and presentation from there. Tom

^ Specifically, a chrome/blue or black back SK RES. Toss it into the middle of the mess and let it sink. Often, bigger bass are waiting underneath the feeding frenzy to pick off wounded baitfish. Tom

The Arky style is what I've used the most, I jsut wondered if there were better options for me. Tom

Thanks, J. The lake I fish the most doesn't have heavy weeds and certainly no matted vegetation, just some patchy weeds and grass. Just a LOT of rocks (actually chunks of concrete) and lots of submerged timber and brush. Sounds like the Arky jig head will be my best option. Tom

Thanks, guys! Looks like I'll be going with the Arky style. Tom

PM me about the mold Jigfishin10! The small lake that I fish most often is an abandoned sand quarry, about 50 acres in size. The (very steep) shorelines have been shored up with rip-rap to prevent erosion and there's quite a bit of submerged timber in there. Most of the water that I can reach from the shore is from 0-15 feet deep. There's not a lot of vegetation, just a few patches of grass and weeds here and there. There are both Largemouth and Smallmouth in the lake. Tom

I'm thinking about buying a jig mold to make weedless bass jigs. I've made ball head jigs for years, so I'm familiar with the process. I only want to buy one mold (for now) and I would appreciate some opinions as to what style of jig head would be the best for all-around use. Football, Arkie, or something else? Thanks! Tom

X2 ^ I ALWAYS have a t-rig on one rod. Many times, I'll leave the big tackle box at home and just carry one rod, a few extra hooks and bullet weights along with a handful of worms. Tom

I never use anything over 8lb. on spinning gear and I've found that BPS Excel or Cabela's house brand work as well as any other mono at a fraction of the cost. Tom

It's much more common than I'd like it to be Tom

1. 7-1/2" Culprit worm - tequila sunrise, red shad, junebug. 1a. 1/2oz. lipless crank - chrome w/ blue back or any color that looks like a shad. Tom

Thanks, Mike! Tom

Hey guys, I have an older spinning rod (that I really like), and some of the cork rings in the foregrip are separating. What would be the best glue to use to re-glue them? Thanks! Tom

Spend a LOT more time playing guitar, my other expensive pastime. Tom

Congrats on your first carankbait bass! Oh, by the way, I consulted that well-known tackle expert, the Bait Monkey, and he said you don't need a baitcasting rig, you need a half a dozen or so. Tom

Check your state regs. and be sure it's legal. Tom

In a word - NO! Bury 'em in your garden, they make great fertilizer. Tom

Same here. It's a simple, basic lure that is often overlooked in favor of the latest, flashiest lure of the week. Silver, gold and black are the most productive colors for me. Often, I'll use the back half of a tore-up plastic worm for a trailer. +1 on the hook sharpening. Tom

Another good $100 combo: Shimano Sedona combo Another, less costly option: Pflueger Trion combo Confused yet? Tom

I'm partial to the 5/8 oz. size. I've got a real old one that started life in a frog pattern, but I spray painted it black after reading about how black works better at night. I've caught hundreds of bass over the last 25 years on that lure, both day and night. Every so often, when too much "frog" starts showing, I'll hit it with a coat of Krylon to spruce it up a bit. Tom

Tom