thinkingredneck

You can buy Maxima online from a number of sources. Walmart has 1000 yd spools for less than $20. Free delivery for store pickup. Cabelas, BPS, etc

I am also fairly new to jigs. Followed the consensus and use black and blue Arkie jigs with black and blue craw. Had success with some decent fish.

Yes. I have fished in Calling Panther and planning to go next week, weather permitting. A 6 wt would be a little in the Ross Barnett pad fields.

This

Any rod 7 to 9 wt will do. For LMB I use an 8 wt. Top water, shallow divers or streamers. I only use it around cover in fairly shallow water. I recommend a furled leader from Feather Craft to help turn over big, wind resistant bugs. Lots of fun.

Junebug and Andy bug are my primary worm colors. Black w blue flake jig trailer on all black or black blue skirted black jig. I fish in a mudhole. In reality, no reason except that is what my menorah suggested.

Well said, sir. But for spinner baits, use white or white and chartreuse

"The barometer was invented by fishermen so they would have an excuse for not catching fish." John Geirach

The plastic should be no thicker than half the depth of the hook. IMHO, the straight hook hooks fish , and plants, the easiest, the round bend is second, and the EWG is easier to fish in cover without hanging up. The EWG seems to keep them pinned better, but is hardest to hook them on. I feel that the round bend is a good compromise and that is what I use for worms. I use EWG for creatures. I think they all work fine. I agree about Owner Beast hooks for swimbaits. I pretty much use Gamakatsu for everything else, but I haven't tried Trokar or Owner in worms. I just got some Mustads on sale to try. Be sure you use thick (heavy, superline) hooks with braid, and regular thickness with other lines. Braid can open fine hooks, but setting the hook on a heavy hook is harder on mono in my experience. I use the round bend hook you pictured for 90 percent of my plastics fishing. I sometimes go old school and use tru-turn, but you have to make sure they are sharp.

Thanks

Funny this thread got resurrected. It was meant to be tongue in cheek, obviously. However, not mentioning the Bait Monkey sure got him stirred up.

Trying not to buy a new rod. I have a 7'3" MH Lamiglass that is fishes big. Seems overkill on 3/4 oz jig. Also have a M Diawa. Gonna go experiment off the bank. I have 25 lb Maxima Cameleon and 20 lb Trilene XT. Muddy water. Do you think the Maxima will hinder the action?

Do any of you use owner type screw lock hooks?

Must be a new offering, in a two pack. I don't have a Swimbait rod. I have an 8'6"Salmon rod that I may try. 5-Rising-Son--Weedless-2pk-_p_39.html

5 inch Rising Son. Not really big, but bigger than what I have used.

Two good papers that I drew on "Correlation of Habit and Structure in the Fish Brain," H. N. Schitzlein. Am. Zoologist 4: 21-32 (1964) "Fish brains: Evolution and Environmental Relations," K. Kotrschal and M.J. Van Staaden. Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries 8 (4) 373-408 (1998)

How do you set up for this, rod, line, etc.?

I read a scientific article on comparative anatomy of fish brains. In summary: 1. Fish brains vary widely. For instance, catfish have very large olfactory (sense of smell) lobes, whereas bass have larger lobes for vision and lateral line detection. 2. Fish brains vary within species. For instance, fish that live deeper usually have a more developed brain lobe concerned with lateral line, as do fish in murky water. Fish in clear water or who live in shallow water have more highly developed visual cortex. 3. Generally as fish age, they move deeper and their brain lobes change anatomically from a larger visual lobe to a larger lobe associated with the lateral line. 4. Fish brain structure, in the same fish, can change depending on environment, over time. This is over years, not days. 5. Unlike mammals, fish brains continue to grow and can change fairly radically throughout life as a response to the environment. 6. Fish brains structure is also effected by primary food source. I found this fascinating. I think it confirms some things people on this forum have noticed. Bigger fish are often deeper than shallow fish. Bigger fish often require a subtle presentation. Match the hatch, etc. Thought I would share.

Gonna have to try it. Oh no, gotta go to the Bait shop!

Don't use a stringer to keep fish around Alligators. I had a nice stringer of blue gill and almost got my yak flipped by a very large one. Thank goodness it was a cord stringer and not a metal one. God protects fools and little children. (Sometimes.) I knew better than to use a stringer around gators or sharks but was lazy or arrogant and was stupid. That is why I have an Alligator for my image. It made a strong impression. We humans aren't used to being prey. Also, young Alligators will hit a topwater. Especially a Jitterbug.

Ross Barnett is full of shad.

A friend developed retina issues and became legally blind. Said he became a better worm fisherman because all he could do was focus on feel. I Think about that a lot.

They are for clearing line. Fight the fish by pulling in line by hand. Great for bluegill.

Looks like a gynecologist's speculum?

Watch some of the you tube videos of guys using those baits. That is a different world. I understand the obsession however, compared to the cost of powerpoles, a $50k boat,etc? None of this really makes sense. As Jimmy Buffet said, "do what you wanna do, do what you like..."