NateFollmer

Well I hardly ever tie braid straight to the lure, but when I do I use the improved clinch or the rapala knot. I make some extra twists in the line though (usually 6 to 7) and they hold just fine. When I tie braid to flouro (90% of my fishing is done this way) I use the Alberto Knot. Works great and once you learn to tie it, it's quick. A lot of people screw it up and wonder why it fails on them. You have to remember which way you started the knot and do the opposite at the end AND you have to make sure none of your twists jump or it will cut itself.

Get back as far away as you can and make sure the fish doesn't detect you. Try different techniques, but I agree with everyone else. I would try weightless finesse techniques first, if that doesn't work, try to make it mad! Throw noisy things right at it, on top of it, beside it, behind it.... annoy the crap out of it and hope it strikes to get rid of the pest haha.

Man o day, I thought those things only got to be like a foot at most LOL. I haven't seen any here in Pa yet, but it sounds like they are coming this way. I know they are pretty widespread out in the eastern part of the state.

Fellow Pennsylvanians! I need any photos of fish OR water you may have from PA. I'd like to place these on my website and will give you due credit for your submissions. I REALLY need pictures of the lakes, streams and rivers, but anything will do. The said site is in my profile (don't know if this would be considered promoting it so I won't post it in this message). Please only send me photos that you or someone you know took, I don't want to be stealing any work from other people! PM me if you have anything to add and thank you!

Yeah I mean to do that but I always forget to throw them in the tackle box I found using a small stick against your finger helps too haha

I never hooked myself but I always cut my fingers when I'm pulling knots tight (stupid line is like a knife and I always think "I won't pull as hard next time..." but I do anyway). I have been hooked by other people though. Just last month I was on the river and I bent down to move a wire coming off the trolling motor. As soon as I stood up I felt a hard smack and then my head get jerked to the side. My buddy was casting an old school metal rapala plug (about 5 inches long) and it hit me right in the back of the head and the hooks went right into the top of my head. The actual smack of that lure hurt worse than the hooks. Heads tend to bleed a lot.... :D

Spiderwire for both.... I'll also use Seaguar Flouro too. That's what I started using on my fly rod because Spiderwire didn't make 2 lb. flouro I've tried Seaguar on my baitcaster too and it works just as well.

Man I love pong, used to play it all the time back in..... OH, you mean POND HAHA just messing with you. Anyway, great fish. That's the kinda fish you want to win tournaments

Really any Heddon topwater bait works great for Smallies, but you can't go wrong with the tiny torpedo. Baby bass is a good color (as mentioned) as well as clear, black, and the frog color. The only one I don't have luck with is the silver torpedo.

Oh I agree with you 100% there. I wouldn't trust these things if money was on the line But they work and they haven't failed me yet. They do feel cheap and would probably crack pretty easy, but I've been ok the past few years (I'll probably break one tonight because I said that) Now cheap Wal Mart lures on the other hand, those are horrible. STAY AWAY from the $1.00 spinnerbaits they have HA. I don't know who makes them, they aren't even in a package.

I always pick up those BPS 'Tournament' lures that are anywhere from $.99 to $1.99. I have caught some great fish with them. I have a black and silver crankbait that dives to 5 ft. that I throw the most. That and my Strike King Sexy Shad are my #1 producers on cranks.

Yes, its non toxic and it is also recyclable (technically you could remelt lead so I guess its kind of recyclable too haha). I use Tru-Tungsten weights because of the painted weights they sell. Plus there weights have a unique profile that keeps them from getting snagged. I don't know if the paint made a difference or it's because I can feel more, but I have caught more fish since using them.

Ah, thanks for the tip DVT. Never would have thought of doing that. @The Rooster - That's another good point. I'd think that it wouldn't really matter because a lot of the time, you aren't swimming those thin baits anyway. I have noticed (because I was putting my offset hook point hooks on normally) that it makes the fall more erratic. It's kind of like either texas rigging a tube or using a hook with a tube weight. The tube weighted hook will make the tube spiral down, and so does the offset hooked worm. I've never tried an offset hook point hook on anything else like a swimbait or senko, but I will now since DVT cleared that part up

Absolutely, Tungsten is 200% better I was amazed at how much more I felt with a tungsten weight. It's something you can't even describe until you use one for a few hours. It's almost like your hand is in the water feeling the bottom haha. Another advantage is the smaller profile. Tungsten is roughly 40% smaller than lead (profile... not weight). They don't get stuck as much because of their size. Yes, there expensive, but you'll lose less rigs and I have actually saved money because I'm not buying hooks and baits as much anymore.

Man this could get long because it depends on my mood haha City Limits Fishing Strike King Pro Journal Facts of Fishing Bill Dance Classic Patterns Gettin Schooled

I'm glad I'm not the only one confused. It seems like it depends on the company as to what offset means. I always thought offset was talking about the hook in relation to the shank. I'm so used to buying hooks with the z bend that its almost a standard for me and I don't call it anything haha. If we are speaking of the hook point in relation to the shank, what is the benefit of an offset hook point? I know it "increases hook ups" but wouldn't it keep the bait from running straight?

http://www.rapala.com/products/lures/x-rap/ Get those, I use all the sizes for smallies. The XR06 is really good when they are sluggish (post spawn or winter), but I use all the sizes any other times. Best colors for smallies for me are Glass Ghost, Silver and Olive Green. But again, you'll have to figure out what types of forage your body of water has and match accordingly. I know Raindow Trout works awesome in rivers that have trout, but my main rivers don't, so they are useless haha.

Got a photo or a better description? Does it look more like a traditional jerkbait (long and slender minnow style) or is it more like an X-rap or crankbait style? I have some great suspending rapala's that look like crankbaits that I use like jerks and they are about a size 4 or smaller...

Largemouths (I find anyway) tend to get more active when the water heats up. Smallies, on the other hand, are a cold water transitional species and like the cooler temps. more. So I fish for smallies in the morning and evening and Largemouth in the afternoon. I think it was the Bass Professor that I heard say "some of the biggest bass are caught between 10am and 4pm" or something close to that...

All the baits mentioned are great producers so I'll cover where to look for fish. Right now the fish here in central pa are still in a post spawn mood and aren't very aggressive. I find it best to find fast water that is right beside very slow to almost no current. Those fish are going to be holding deeper inside those slack waters. Look for eddies also. I don't know if the river you'll be fishing has them, but look for fish dams too. The Juniata is full of these rock pile dams haha and they just plain hold fish almost all the time. By the time you get to fishing though, they may be starting their summer pattern. That's when the topwater is going to produce all day. Just fish a river like it's a narrow lake haha. Find the same stuff you would in a lake and fish it. You also have the current to produce a good fishing spot now too.

Where did you catch that beast? Was it out of some Nuclear Power plant drainage? HA Nice fish!

I don't normally target panfish so I don't know too much about them. But I have a hunch: I think they were finishing up spawn (which crappie and bluegill would be this time of year, crappie first though I think) and the quick temperature spike put a little too much extra stress on the already stressed out post spawn crappie. I could be wrong though, but I don't see any disease targeting JUST that fish... who knows but I hope they recover!

I never used that worm kit, but the ring worm kit is pretty good. Its only 4 dollars so you can't beat it. There 4 inch curly tail worms are my favorite for finesse fishing. I also tried there 4 dollar craw kit and its produced some good smallies. Edit: @SoFlaBassAddict - get some worm oil from one of the tackle making sites (like www.bearsbaits.com or lurecraft.com) or even some gulp spray scent. Toss those worms in either and let them in a few days. They will soften right up.

I don't normally keep bass so "opening day" usually doesn't mean anything to me haha (just an excuse to fish) Anyway, how did everyone in pa fair today? I went to Walker Lake and got skunked. Nobody was catching from what I saw/heard so I don't feel too bad. There were TONS of dead crappie in the lake so I hope nothing is wrong... everything just seemed off at Walker though. I may head out to the Juniata River tonight for payback! I need a bass today haha!

This may not be exactly what your looking for but I use my Motorola Droid as a gps along with a free program called My Tracks. If I can hit about 8 gps satellites (which is easy to do until I get into dense tree cover) its accurate to 1 meter. If I only can hit 5 or less it says its accurate to 10 meters but its usually closer than that. If you have any Android phones (like the Incredible, Eris, Droid, etc...) be sure to check that program out. It stores markers and notes so I place a marker and notes about the area and any fish caught there. It also tracks all kinds of other info too.