frogflogger

I would be interested in your findings.

I forget the name but you want wire leader you can tie a knot in - In-Fisherman mag. discusses this set up in several stories.

Same experience went to mono - good parabolic frog rod - better landing ratio - mono was the answer for me.

more braid - more topwaters -

black chrome with a 4 - 6" black pork eel - swim on top - drop on weed edges - deadly then - deadly now

Lots of wade fishing in WV - good fishing around the locks on the Ohio - December has always been one of my best months for the lakes - the streams are good most of the time- tailwaters of the many res. can be good to great most of the winter.

Roland Martin's on Okeechobee is a good choice for myself. Always a chance for a good topwater bite.

If some didn't get away it would be called "catchin'" - fish escaping are part of the fun (and frustration) of the game (for myself anyway)

Lots of really good advice above - the only thing I would add is that when on the water take the first few minutes to just observe and listen for a while - kind of acclimate your senses to the place - you will notice subtle things that will help you be a better angler.

We use to fish swimming worms - now I would use wacky rigged senkos - and topwaters were always a good chance for big fish - with the topwaters we had to be persistent.

I see more knowledgeable fishermen that there use to be - I believe the percentage has changed but would not venture any numbers.

The "rig" came from the original Beetle designed by the great late Chuck Woods - with the 1/16th oz. head it "wandered around" as Chuck put it and we fished it without feeling it - Ned has refined this old technique and with the advent of elaztec it has become an extremely effective and surprisingly (to me) popular system. Whilst a 1/4 oz. jig head with a grub of sorts will catch plenty of fish it is not part of the ned rig system and would not work in many of the environs where we employ the little rig - and I would bet not near as effective.

Ned rig in openings - otherwise frog - frog - and more frog - early- midday or late - be persisitent

oxygen - oxygen - good time for topwaters

The only answer is to keep fishing and thinking - have won a tournament or two in the last 30min. after going 7 hrs or more without a bite.

It would be late August or September before we can get away - looking for size - but realize the weather could make fishing impossible - we're an older couple and would bring our own gear.

Too late for me this summer - but thanks for the reply and I'll file your number - I too fish Okeechobee in the winter - guided in the glades before retirement - really wanted to try Erie love the brown fish.

frogs, spooks where you can - swimming worm - swim jigs - senkos - spinner baits on real windy days - furbits on breezy days - that's what we used - frogs were my search bait, covering water was important for me and in shallow (10' and less) weedy environments frogs are great search baits - they'll get fish to show themselves even if they don't eat. Last couple of times on returning there weedless swimbaits (sebile soft swimmer for instance) caught some fish.

Bill Murphy said it bothered the giants and I know some of the old boys on the big O turn theirs off when around the big ones - lots of difference between big old bass and the rest of them.

Looking for smallmouth guide out of Erie,PA for a trip or two second week of July 2017

frog or else a frog - in a pinch a frog

I had a client hook a semi truck passing over the alligator alley canal - She had a senko on - burned the drag up real quick.

The rule for me is - whether front or back - treat the other as you want to be treated - if this doesn't work out - fish alone or with someone else

cut stick bait in half (yum dinger, senko, stik-o, etc.) put it on a 1/16 oz. or 1/32 oz. jig head and catch them boogers. aka "ned rig"

The Tamiami trail has bank fishing for miles and can yield a fish of a lifetime (with luck) know of one 12lber by a bank fishermen there.