frogflogger

The answer is to spend as much time on the water as possible - try different techniques - go on the bad days as well as the good because you can be surprised and you will learn things - bass eat when and what they want.

Either one is pretty iffy -

MassYak85 is correct about how shallow you can catch them in winter - we used marabou jigs and beetles on ultra lights and caught them in 3' - 4' it was a blast - don't get that kind of winters much around here any more.

used most of them - when I fished 200 - 300 days per year I got around to using nothing but stik-o's and never felt it cost me any bites.

I fish until water is frozen - Cabelas guide wear fingerless gloves and have a really big pair of insulated gloves I wear over these when moving the boat.

no swivels!

good fish - it's a rock bass - you need to get the ned rig going - it is a deadly and easy way to fish for stream smallmouth - if you don't want to spend extra cut a senko type into 21/2" pieces and put it on a 1/16 oz. jig head and catch some fish. Slow and simple

sounds like really good growth to me

shimano calcutta b - indestructible and cast great - around $200 - I have 250 and 400 - for over 20 yrs still great reels for muskies, swimbaits, use the 250 for frogging. The 400 is the best musky reel I've run into for the money. Then I have pretty big hands.

You have to be cranking when you set the hook and don't stop.

Buy the high end Zebco (around $80) it works great - if you are just getting into bass fishing learn about the fish and its habits and worry about tackle as you progress.

You can use a wider variety of weights than noted on rod if you modify your casting approach. I have no problem with my okuma guide selects but I use an easy motion lob.

My last two trips I used a rod I made in 1967 and one I bought off a cousin in 1976 - put new guides on one they work as good as ever. But I couldn't get $1 out of either one.

I have developed a fondness for nan o fil with a leader of course.

Bass never quit eating no matter where they live.

Throwback bait - any color for my part.

Rifling through someones boat without permission is stupid and/or dangerous, that said I will show and tell all to any who ask - it usually isn't a specific lure but some details you have worked out that have made you successful on a given day.

I have two browning reels that are still smooth and cast well after years of using them for grinding crankbaits makes me wonder why I buy the high end reels.

Reel fast

My experience with topwaters is if I'm having blow-ups and not hook-ups the fish aren't that big - good-sized bass usually inhale a frog or spook if they want it - of course as in all fishing this isn't always so.

zinkerz from zman - very soft and very durable -

Anyone familiar with this lake?

It's a lot of fun and has some decent fish in it - I've caught muskies accidentally there also.

ned rig is deadly on river smallmouth - that and a couple of topwaters should get you into business.

I don't get the southeast thing either - I fished out of Paden City last wed. - it was tough but a 1/16th oz. shroom head with a shortened elaztec finesse worm (ned rig) did the best. The fish were around weeds and/or barges.