Goose52

So - 70.25% of your total catch on these 3 types of baits - you obviously have good records!

First - how did you get the fish through the ice .... ;D I fish 11 small (4-201 acres) man-made lakes that are about 30 years old. No shad were ever stocked in these lakes that I know of until 2009 when 1,000 were stocked in a 48 acre lake. It's unknown if they managed to get a foothold in that lake or whether the bass and trout got them all the first year... In general, it seems like most small private lakes work to get a balance of bass and smaller forage fish like "brim", perch, etc. Some add catfish. But I haven't read of any recommendations for adding shad to the mix. Maybe someone with experience in lakes management will chime in. You could also search the net on shad stocking and maybe the Pond Boss website has something on this topic. In our lakes, over the past 30 years they have stocked LMB, SMB (which no one has seen since they were stocked!), channel cats, warmouth, bluegill, redear, white crappie, and yellow perch. Five of our eleven lakes are deep enough to support trout year-round so we have rainbows in those 5 lakes as well. From time to time, they stock some fathead minnows and the bass club recently raised about 600,000 fatheads in one of the golf-course ponds and then transplanted them to some of the lakes (I had some GREAT fishing just after that when the bass were in the shallows busting those fatheads!). BUT, over all this time, no real attempt to get shad started...

First - how did you get the fish through the ice .... ;D I fish 11 small (4-201 acres) man-made lakes that are about 30 years old. No shad were ever stocked in these lakes that I know of until 2009 when 1,000 were stocked in a 48 acre lake. It's unknown if they managed to get a foothold in that lake or whether the bass and trout got them all the first year... In general, it seems like most small private lakes work to get a balance of bass and smaller forage fish like "brim", perch, etc. Some add catfish. But I haven't read of any recommendations for adding shad to the mix. Maybe someone with experience in lakes management will chime in. You could also search the net on shad stocking and maybe the Pond Boss website has something on this topic. In our lakes, over the past 30 years they have stocked LMB, SMB (which no one has seen since they were stocked!), channel cats, warmouth, bluegill, redear, white crappie, and yellow perch. Five of our eleven lakes are deep enough to support trout year-round so we have rainbows in those 5 lakes as well. From time to time, they stock some fathead minnows and the bass club recently raised about 600,000 fatheads in one of the golf-course ponds and then transplanted them to some of the lakes (I had some GREAT fishing just after that when the bass were in the shallows busting those fatheads!). BUT, over all this time, no real attempt to get shad started...

First - how did you get the fish through the ice .... ;D I fish 11 small (4-201 acres) man-made lakes that are about 30 years old. No shad were ever stocked in these lakes that I know of until 2009 when 1,000 were stocked in a 48 acre lake. It's unknown if they managed to get a foothold in that lake or whether the bass and trout got them all the first year... In general, it seems like most small private lakes work to get a balance of bass and smaller forage fish like "brim", perch, etc. Some add catfish. But I haven't read of any recommendations for adding shad to the mix. Maybe someone with experience in lakes management will chime in. You could also search the net on shad stocking and maybe the Pond Boss website has something on this topic. In our lakes, over the past 30 years they have stocked LMB, SMB (which no one has seen since they were stocked!), channel cats, warmouth, bluegill, redear, white crappie, and yellow perch. Five of our eleven lakes are deep enough to support trout year-round so we have rainbows in those 5 lakes as well. From time to time, they stock some fathead minnows and the bass club recently raised about 600,000 fatheads in one of the golf-course ponds and then transplanted them to some of the lakes (I had some GREAT fishing just after that when the bass were in the shallows busting those fatheads!). BUT, over all this time, no real attempt to get shad started...

There was some discussion on these reels a few weeks ago - check out: http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1290613751 For line, this reel would handle the usual range used by most folks - 10-17lb mono or flouro, 30-65lb braid, etc. On baits, that's more a rod issue, but you probably wouldn't want to use this reel to throw heavy swimbaits, etc., but it would handle the usual range of cranks, spinnerbaits, jigs, weighted/unweighted plastics, etc., etc., etc. While the reel is lighter than a PQ, I would expect that the spool and spool bearings are the same so that means at the lighter end, you could toss down to 1/4oz or so (with the rod and line being the other limiting factors in going to a very light bait weight). What price do they have on the Tournament PQ? The regular PQ is still on sale for $89 - the only real difference is that the Tournament version is about 1 ounce lighter...

I have 6 PQs - great reel, great value, a whopping 8 versions (RH & LH in 4 gear ratios). I have a Carbonlite - great reel, very light, but only one gear ratio - 6.4. If CLs go on sale again, I might buy 2 more and phase out my 6.4 ratio PQs. I do not have a JM series reel. Compared to the PQ and CL, the JM Gold only has two ratios, is about the same weight as the PQ, has more (and probably better) bearings that the PQ, has aluminum sideplates instead of graphite. The JMG also comes with two sets of knobs and a reel case. Perhaps the JMG would give a bit more casting distance than a PQ (if there really are better spool bearings) but I don't think the difference would be a lot. Also, there is a wide-spool version of the JMG if line capacity is important. So, there are a few differences. At present prices, there is a $40 difference between the PQ sale price and the JMG regular price and that price delta is what you have to look at to determine if you think you're getting $40 more value with the JMG than the PQ. Another thing about the JMG - in 2009 it was being sold for $269, then the price was lowered to $169 in the 2010 catalog, and now it's at $129 ! So at some point in the past, people were price comparing, and buying, the JMG at a high-end price point...

Or even how much grease one particular reel has on the main gears. Although Chris was comparing all 1000 size reels, there could be a different feel due to the weight variances of the reels, and different rotor weights, thus giving different force requirements to get the rotor turning. I guess the only time I've noticed an objectionable "handle-pressure" is on older reels that have old, dried or gummy grease on the gears and/or bearing/bushings.

Duh - you're absolutely right - Fat Ikas are "so 2009" ... ;D ;D

Holy Cow - where's the Fat Ika .....

Well, that 's the point ain 't it ? you use what works , actually them 3 top baits seems too short of a list to me, 5 top baits would be more fair, so to add: 4.- 5 inch culy tail grub 5.- Zoom Ultravibe Speed Craw Now, if you ask me what bait I would choose if I had to choose one for the rest of my life then a 5 inch grub would be the answer. In the hands of a skillful/knowledgeable/resourceful angler and a good assortment of terminal tackle you can fish ( and catch fish ) with it almost anywhere. Couldn't agree more - I caught 791 fish on 5" single-tail grubs this year...

Raul - you just use what works! I've heard it said before that if you have a spinnerbait and a bag of trick worms that you can catch a fair share of bass anywhere, anytime...

A lot of references to jigs, and of course a lot of references to various soft plastics. Everything else is REALLY a mixed bag. Interesting stuff...

These 3 will immediately be going on everyone's Christmas list I bet...

Sorry! I probably don't record as much as some folks do - for instance, the only environmental factor I record is surface water temp - others record whether they're fishing on a rising or falling barometer, time of day, etc. One thing I didn't record in 2010 was number of fishing days. I record my catch, but there are some days :-? when I get skunked - not that often, but it happens, especially in the middle of a heat wave, when fishing from the bank that day... I guess I'll fix that for 2011.

I usually have six different rods...in my 12' canoe! But at the end of the day, only 3 types of baits caught 90% of the fish... That number might change next year as I wean myself from my primary confidence bait. Now, we haven't heard yet from the folks that carry 27 rods on their boat... ;D

That's the first one that surprised me! I'm a Luhr Jensen Hot-Lips Express fan myself and I hope to get in some more deep-cranking next year...

WOW - this is taking off. One thing for sure, there's no single top three - there must be LOTS of baits that can catch fish, eh ... Now, I wonder if this thread will prove how few different baits you need to catch fish, or will everyone be looking at the other folks top 3 and thinking...I should try that next year...and then bam - bait monkey time!

I will be strong this winter when the new catalogs come in and the clearance sales of 2010 stock have ridiculous prices. You will have no power over me. Unless I see a REALLY good deal on a new MH casting rod and BPS Carbonlite reels go on sale. Otherwise, you will have no power over me. Unless I see some flouro and/or Yo-Zuri hybrid on sale. Otherwise, you will have no power over me.... Now, if you are also the Marine Electronics monkey, you might get me bad because I have a HUGE impulse to get SI sonar before the spring.... ;D

With the bait monkey running rampant at this time of year, I thought it would be interesting to find out how little we actually need to catch fish. I sorted my 2010 "catch log" and found that only 3 types of baits accounted for a whopping 90.6% of all the fish I caught this year (1050 fish out of 1158 caught). My top 3 baits were: Lipless cranks (mostly SK RES) 5" Single tail grubs (Zoom, Gander Mountain) Plastic worms (mostly 7.5" and 10" - several brands) The other 9.4% were caught on crankbaits, spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, jerkbaits, topwater, etc. BUT, I could have caught over 1000 fish with only 3 baits in my pocket... ;D Take that, bait monkey! So, what were your most successful baits?

This was a GREAT story! On the one little tackle box, I'm gonna start a thread on something like that in a few minutes...

Well, I'm not Goose, but for myself, the answer would be, from all the experiences of my earlier years. Peace, Fish And FOR SURE, I ain't Fish Chris, but I've tried to do some book-learnin', learning on this forum, and my own experience on the water, and I'm darn frugal enough, to apply all of that experience and personal traits to only buy cost-effective gear, and to not over-buy, or become a "lure collector." I too have found that color, while it may occasionally make a big difference, more often it doesn't. I buy baits to cover basic needs (type of bait, depth rating, other characteristics) but I don't try to "collect the set." I bought 3600 boxes instead of 3700 boxes, to try to limit the bait accumulation. I know this thread is supposed to be just for fun, but I too believe that we get too wrapped up in the tackle, and not the fishing... But dang it, I still get the urge to buy more cranks, they just look so purty...but I can resist...usually... ;D

Now those are words to live by! Before buying something, I try to ask myself: how does (that smooooth [and expensive] reel, expensive bait, excessive baits, etc.) put more fish in the boat (or on the bank). If the answer is that it doesn't, I can usually break the bond of the bait monkey. If you don't ask that question, or if you ask the question but ignore the answer, then you are a confirmed tackle junkie ! And that's OK.... ;D

I first became acquainted with the baitmonkey in the mid-1960s. For a few years before then, I had bought some of the popular, effective baits of the day (Jitterbug, Hula Popper, River Runt, Super Sonic, Rapala floater, etc.) using my meager earnings from chores and yard work. These were my decisions, no baitmonkey involvement. Then, I discovered MirrOLures - the first bait that "caught me" long before they caught a fish. Regardless of their effectiveness on the water, I bought MirrOLures because they looked cool and the baitmonkey told me to. The baitmonkey still pays me a visit from time to time ... but this is where it started. The photo below shows my remaining MirrOLures, all about 45 years old... EDIT: Had to insert a new photo - I forgot to include the 3 ultra-light MirrOLures that I still have... ;D

so i take it those lures will not be thrown anywhere near something that might gobble it up never to be seen again huh? ;D ;D For sure! I'm gonna be real careful where these get thrown, and on fresh line, with a good knot...to catch that one bass and then get retired.... : I've got a bunch of other baits from the 60s, like that SuperDuper I posted earlier in this thread, and some MirrOLures that I'm not quite as attached to that I'll still fish...but if they get lost-in-action...then they died with their boots on... ;D

Roger - you mentioned some of these (although that's a SuperSonic in the photo, not the original Sonic). These are all baits that I had in my tackle box in the 60s. Come the spring, I'm going to get them all out, sharpen the hooks, and catch at least one fish on each one - then they're going to be retired to a curio cabinet in the house. They have more sentimental value now than fishing value...