MFBAB

Is that standard or Metric :)

No, not in a couple of years. As I mentioned earlier, 3 year old My hunting and fishing schedule changed a little Still, I've had good luck on them there in all but the hottest months of summer, July and August, which are still good for largemouth and spots.

Spoonplugs I'd say anything that the pros aren't currently using tends to be underused.

That's interesting Wayne, I have had vastly different experiences than yours. Maybe I actually smell bad to fish, not the other things, but all I can tell you is that my results improve if I take care to keep my hands clean. This is anytime I'm fishing slow stuff, even live bait if it's in still water. No need for excuses, just clean hands

65? I looked back at my log, I've caught plenty w water temps in the mid-upper 70's below Pickwick in past years during September, as early as the first week too. I never had much luck w the smallies below the dam during summer, but from September - about June was always pretty steady. That's primarily just drifting a splitshot rig on the rocks.

I'm curious, normally when I'm fishing a fluke, I look at it as a reaction bite. In other words, I don't think line visibility or scent matters too much in that context. Has anyone performed a deet test on something like a plastic worm or Senko? Deadstick style? I think even Hannon's gas test was on a moving bait, like a swimming worm or Rapala maybe? I can't recall exactly. I can say for sure, that I personally do much better on non-reaction (slow or non-moving) baits, with clean hands: no deet, sunscreen, no gas, especially no human scent to the extent that I can control it, I even wear rubber gloves sometimes when fishing slow baits and live bait... I don't use scent (attractant) all of the time, but I do put it on if I feel like I should be catching fish on non-reaction baits and I'm not, or of they aren't holding the bait well, and sometimes it seems to help. I think, if you're going finesse, you're fishing for inactive fish and you need to go all in. Don't give them a reason not to pick it up if you can help it. If you're power (reaction) fishing, and you have the conditions right for that(wind, low light, current, stained water, etc...), you can get away with a lot more and scent is useless. Having said all of that, I'm pretty sure WD40 is a known fish attractant too, so there's that

You're kidding, right?? I haven't fished the tailrace side in a couple of years (our daughter is 3, coincidence??), but September was always pretty dood drifting! Good luck!

I usually just wind up doing a screen grab of the photo and posting that rather than the original. That way, you don't have the GPS issue, and you get a smaller file that BassResource.com allows you to attach to the post without resizing. I did post up an original pic once to test the GPS issue, and when I downloaded it back to my phone through BassResource.com, there was no GPS tag remaining on it. Has anyone else tried that test? Now, I do know that if you are straight texting pics to people, that is another story altogether.....You are toast if location services is on!! You might wind up on the Jerry Springer show if you're not careful :)

Lucky you!! It's 45 to an hour from me

I think they normally close the store in the off season, until about March, but they still allow fishing over the winter. I haven't talked to anyone over there about this winter, but that is how it usually goes.

Here are a couple of really private ones - shhhh!!

Ha ha, that pic is really just a screen grab I thought would be funny. I did however, have a massive birdsnest a couple of weeks back. I was making a hard cast to skip under a dock or something at Pickwick around Grand Harbor and the hook hung up on a guide somehow in the back-cast. It looked almost as bad as that pic

I keep these 2 Fanny Packs in my car all the time for the ponds, along with 1 dishtub of tackle that can be added or removed for specific places. I also keep a pair of Lacrosse boots in there and several 2-piece rods. This is the best system I've found, you are always ready and totally mobil/hands free.

No, you just can't do it. Now, having said that, there are levels of importance involved as well. If you are fishing a big lake it's one thing, but small spots, you just have to use common sense. Another thing, I've got some good friends who just can't keep info to themselves. Some of my best fishing buds, I just can't say certain things around them or take them to certain spots, because I know if I do they will blab about it, or worse still, post it on the web. You have to understand, you aren't just sharing it with that one person most of the time....they tell someone, then that person does, and so on until too many people are sharing too small of a spot. If it was truly a 1-to-1 deal I wouldn't have a problem, but not many people are that trustworthy. A big lake can withstand that better than a small pond or creek. Another BIG part of this: To me, the fun of fishing is largely: FINDING MY OWN FISH!! That is where most of the satisfaction comes from, for me. Why would I ruin that for other people by giving them specific info that they would appreciate infinitely more if they had earned it? I know everyone doesn't see it this way, but I would rather strike out trying it my way than to go straight to "someone else's" fish and catch them good by just doing what they told me to do. Whoopee Also, just to clarify: I will always help anyone who asks for info on getting started, setting up equipment, what to use, etc...I just try to avoid turning those special low-traffic places into community holes.

I'm a righty and switched all of mine to LH about 10 years ago and no regrets. If I am right handed, why would I ever want to hold the rod w my left hand while playing a fish? Not to mention having to switch hands every time you cast, etc. It took 1 trip to get used to it, now I feel a little wierd if I ever have to use someone else's RH reels

This is what I came up with for rigging the grub weightless, it's just a 60 degree jig hook with a hitchhiker on it - aka the cheapskates version of a swimbait hook This setup is great for Horny Toads (lagrer hook) or buzzing craws on top. The big advantage of fishing a craw or doubletail grub this way over a Horny Toad style frog is that the hookup % seems to be much better, at least for me. I think a single tail grub will fish great on this setup. Also, as many have mentioned here before, putting a bead in front helps keep this type of rig running clean in the grass. Also, you can put a rubber core sinker on this hook and use it as a keel weighted swimbait hook, or Rage Rig, whatever we're calling those these days Again, thx to goose for posting about fishing the single tail weightless!

Thx goose. I use a lot of the same grubs you're throwing on ball heads or as jig/swim jig trailers, but using it like a fluke is something I never considered!! That rig is gonna get some play the next couple of months, great timing on this

Goose52, are you fishing your grub weightless? Is that a sinking or floating grub? Just curious, I've never tried one that way other than buzzing twin tails on top, wondered how you are fishing it?? Nice fish!!

I'm using 2 fanny packs. - One has mostly finesse or soft plastic gear in it - The other has mostly Power Fishing stuff They both hold a few of the small sized plano boxes and some ziploc bags w various things, and a couple of outside pockets for pliers, snips, sunscreen, etc... I pick up the one I need based on the pond I'm going to, obviously there are some overlapping baits in each one, but these probably only weigh about 10 lbs each, so I am able to stay mobile and hands free. The small size also makes it easy (read necessary) to cull out unneeded tackle and baits, you tend to only bring the ones you really need this way These both stay in my car all the time, I just bring them in once in a while to restock or change the rotation around a little. My fishing life has gotten a lot simpler since going to this system, instead of bringing the whole world with me

Yep, good post. That is a GREAT way to trigger bites while longline trolling. I troll for crappie a lot, and it is smart to hold a rod and do an occasional sweep, it gets a lot of extra bites, probably followers. I think it goes along with what someone posted earlier in the thread, change directions, speed up, lift up a little, something to make them commit, like it's trying to get away. It's a concept we all understand, but it's easy to get lazy and not do it too

Twitch-Twitch-Twitch-Pause Think, "Another One Bites the Dust", where the words are the pause Twitch-Twitch-Twitch-Another One bites the Dust - Repeat.

What's the deal with the Solunar charts? What's your favorite lure in my tackle box? What's your favorite color? Real Senkos or Stik-O's? What about scents - are we wasting our time? Oh, and do you really like coffee? What could I do to make you feel more comfortable getting caught by me on a regular basis? What are your turn-ons and turn -offs Be honest, do you guys just sit down there and laugh at our ineptitude sometimes? Does this whole experience feel like an alien abduction to you? Relax, we don't do the anal probe thing, that's actual aliens :)

I never even thought about trying to turn one, you are a sick puppy!!

The ol unintentional deadstick, works like a champ!!

What are some of your favorite ways to trigger bites? This isn't bait specific, just what are some of your favorite ways to work various baits? One that I just learned recently from panfishing w micro jigs (1/64 oz - 2 lb line) is to just do a slow wind, like 2-3 seconds per turn of the handle, while shaking the rod tip - sort of like when you take a rod in the store and shake it to feel the balance. Done correctly, you are sort of twitching the lure randomly on slack line, so it just does an unpredicatable series of little darting moves. For the micro jigs, it is intended to imitate the movements of emerging insects that trout and panfish feed on... But I have also found it to be pretty good on shakyheads and even topwater at times for bass. What are some odd-ball retrieves you guys have cooked up??