smashingsmallies

Alright then. I'm on it. Got the next three days off. A new hook buy is in store and I will let you know how it goes in the next few days. I took vacation for three days...just to go fishin'. Gotta love it.

Would that MegaStrike be in a shad scent or just a general scent?

I'm going to try the circle hook for sure...however, the main problem I'm having is the inhale and immediate exhale of the fluke. What the heck do I do to stop that?

I'm using flouro and doggonit! The circle hook just might work!

It's a good thing to learn new things and the crank thing was a good learn this year. I still use a variety of lures, it's just alotta fun when the crank "bite" is on. Right now the flukes and twisters are doing better for me, with the fluke edging out the twister. I still throw the crank during this time and I catch some with it. I'm gonna fish into late, late season on the creeks and rivers I fish and I hope the crank bite picks up during this time. Fish on, John.

Hey guys, been awhile since I've been on here-busy fishin'. The fluke "bite" is on for me right now and the fish are coming in droves for it. HOWEVER!!!!!!!!!! I'm havin' one hell of a time hooking the fish. They smash it on the surface and ****** it below. I've had NUMBEROUS fish hit and literally have caugh 4 of them. ONLY 4!!!!!! Out of who know's how many!!! I'm freakin' here gentlemen. I noticed when they hit close to my boat, within 15 ft, as soon as they inhaled the fluke, they exhaled the fluke. They were fooled till it got in there mouth and that leaves me with an embarassing catch ratio and I just can't figure it out. I've put on two different kinds of spray. I haven't use shad scent yet and I will. I just can't figure out how to hook these things. ANY ADVICE WILL BE USED!!!!!! My God I LOVE this time of year.

Nice, nice and nice! We'll just call those...fisters! ;D

Think I'm gonna have to maybe try that 5-1 ratio. I originally screwed it up by paddling up stream and hoofin' it. However, that, combined with the constant casting, put the hurt on it for sure. I ice it every time now and I tried the bio freeze but I've settled on the "Active On" which works great for me. d**n casting! Gonna have to find a launching rod and reel combination--gotta be accurate 'cuz I can already catch trees myself. John.

And Clams!!! Draggin' plastics on the bottom has produced more than a few clams for me as well! When you get the bigger clams or a flat rock, and the line moves to the side...well, you know-set the hook!!! Good stuff guys.

Finally!!! Somebody who tells me how they're fishing the popper!! Thanks for the info on how you work your bait-it is greatly appreciated. Very nice fish man--makes the heart skip a little when they hit don't it! Fish on, John.

Went fishin' yesterday here in Ohio with a fellow member and we caught a decent amount of fish and had a blast. While fishing plastics, my partner pulled up a crawdad that latched onto his bait. We both laughed and thought it odd-I've never seen a crawdad caught before. Before the trip was through, I caught two more craws that latched onto my bait! (I also caught a river shiner, about 4" long, on a small craw crank that I was occasionally throwing--never done that before either) The creek we're fishing has so many craws in it that the fishing can be difficult, even though we catch fish every time we go. I've never seen so many craws in the water in my life--let alone catch 'em! Has anyone else out there had this happen?

I'm in that 20-30 minute mode as well--I mainly fish rivers and creeks and changing alot drives me crazy and gets me second guessing myself, but it seems to work so I guess I gotta get used to it. Makes ya long for a day for alot of fish on one color and one bait.

The last few times I've been out, and a couple of those with a fellow member on here, I've found that constantly changing baits will put more fish on the line. Two weeks ago, suspending cranks got fish. A week later, floating cranks like the bandit 100 worked. Last week, we caught fish on a variety of baits...in each hole. I started with cranks, nothing. Partner started with shaky worm/jig and caught 2 then no more. I went to the wacky worm and got 2 then nothing. He then went to a shallow crank and got one. I then went to a twister and got one. He then switched to a white road runner jig and got 2 and lost a monster cat or carp. We then moved down to the next hole and went through 3-4 baits a piece and picked them off one by one. I guess what I'm noticing is if I don't change baits from hole to hole and change within a hole, I'm short changing myself in my catch rates. I think of how many times I've fished a hole with one bait and If I didn't get anything I just chalked it up to "there not biting". Even changing the color of the same bait will produce. So, my rule of thumb is, catch fish, when it slows down, immediately change color or bait and I will catch more, even in the same hole. Yes, this can drive me crazy, trying to figure out what to use, but, knowing if I change baits/color, I WILL catch more fish, but it's worth it. I hope this helps out some of you on here 'cuz the information I've gotten from YOU has helped me alot. I wish all of you the best in fishing this summer. Anyone else change baits like this? Fish on, John.

But it sure does look like a pb--nice carolina rig bass buddy! Fish on, John.

How do you guys work your Pop R /poppers? Fast? Twitch, pause? etc... By this, I mean, most of the time, what is your retrieve like--fast or slow?

Just realized I've been using the Bandit 100, not the 200 series--whatever, it works. Just got a couple more today to use in the next few days--can't wait. If they're not hitting the floater bandit, I will switch to the neutral bouyant storm fat body--can't wait to get on it. Fish on, John. Oh yeah, AND YOU WILL LOSE SOME CRANKS-GET USED TO IT--I don't even want to think of the amount of money I've thrown into the water this year--oh well, that won't stop any time soon.

Good catch! Nothin' like puttin' fish in the boat! ;D I too, was recommended the bandit crank on this site and I just got one and fished it yesterday-got about 20 largemouth and smallies on it-mostly smallies. I am sold on the bandit now and I gotta thank those on here who recommended it-I haven't been let down yet by the guys on here. I had been gettin' 'em on a fat body storm squaure bill by stopping them and leavin' 'em sit for a couple seconds-which is when they would hit---however, the last couple trips it wasn't producing as well so I switched to the bandit 200, which is a floater and I found out real quick that the fish at that time preferred the floating of the bait on the stop, to the crank that stayed at the depth when stopped. I found this out after I cast the bandit in the current and was messing with my other rod, puttin' it away--I was pumping the crank then giving it slack and as it floated up, a smally crushed it. I immediately fish it with the pause after that and every time it rose towards the surface the fish would hit it. Another lesson learned 'bout cranks and it just increased my catch rate. Thanks for the info guys and good luck to you, tomorrow when you go fishing!!! Fish on, John.

Great job buddy-you've given me plenty of good info in our "PM's" and this is more good info--thanks again. Fish on, John.

Thats what I'm talkin' about!!!!!!d Nice video and great action!!! My heart skipped a beat as well when I saw it hit, then hit again. Nice job--real people, catching real fish, without it being "set up" before hand--great work. Fish on, John.

Thats why I'm a FIRM believer in ONE MORE CAST, just ONE MORE CAST...nice pig. Fish on, John.

Here's my guess on the weight--after careful scrutiny and loads of thought put into it I've come up with the official weight of HEAVY!!! Nice fish indeed. Fish on, John.

Good Golly Miss Molly!!! Holy Shamolly!!! I have got to make a point of checking the "fishing trip" section regularly!!! I'm 43 and I've caught ONE bass in my lifetime that I could fit my fist into the mouth and the two of you have a bass a piece that you could get TWO FISTS in the mouth. Behemouths!!! Great job catching and great job releasing--wish I could've felt the adreneline rush you both felt-I think I might've passed out if I ever got one like that. Great work guys, great work. Fish on, John.

Thanks Supra-great tip. That works for my style of fishing-I like to keep moving and work a bait--my patience is limited, something I gotta work on, but I see what your saying and I will give it a try this week--rain here in Ohio has finally stopped, the hot muggy junk is gone for the week--another day and the water will clear up and drop and I'm gonna get on it. I will be getting that limetruse color, along with the light brown and chartruese and start throwing it. Thanks again, John.

In reference to my new intrigue of the crankbait, I've noticed the "square bills" on the cranks work really well when bouncing of the bottom--wether it's rocks, or wood. I say they work very well as in they don't get snagged up very much at all. Are there any others out there who have the same results? Is there a better bill for a crank to use? Fish on, John.

Aaaah, Gotcha--work it/fish it like a sluggo-I've thought about that but I haven't really gotten into it that much--your one of the few that I've heard mention the color of bubble gum pink--has been one of my favorite colors for dirty water. I too have not used the wacky style hardly at all, and I think it's 'cuz I don't have that much patience to fish slowly-makes me think I'm wasting "critical" time in the water--stupid, I know-I've got to work on my patience aspect alot. Thanks for the response-the light just keeps clicking "on" in the head. Fish on, John.