.ghoti.

This one. http://www.basspro.com/servlet/catalog.TextId?hvarTextId=2852&hvarTarget=search&cmCat=SearchResults Good for muskie, too. Started trying these for bigger bass last year.

I the above mentioned baits don't work, try a small tube on a jighead beneath a float. Check your knot every cast to make sure the knot is on the top on the eye, so the tube hangs horizontally. Add a split shot or two up the line from the jig. Add enough to make float just stay up. Experiment with depth and location until you find them. Once you catch one, you can almost always catch a bunch. When the bite is really slow, Berkley Crappie Nibbles can be worth their weight in gold. Have fun. Cheers, GK

I tend to leave the crankbaits at home until the water gets into the mid-fifties or higher. After reading some of the comments here, I see that I'll have to revise my thinking. Thanks for the input. Cheers, GK

Roland Martin was using power pro. Who cares? He'll endorse anything, if the money's there.

Norman cranks are some of the best of the less expensive baits on the market. Good choice. WHen they are on sale, like they are now, for $3 apiece, they are hard to pass up. I ordered a bunch. The only knock I'll give "em is they will not run to 22 feet. Not even close. I fish a small pond in my area a lot. Max depth is 16 feet. For me to get the DD22 to hit the bottom, I have to make a very long cast, with 8lb test, and get the retrieve speed just exactly right. To answer your original question, for really clear water, chrome is hard to beat. Cheers, GK

You asked for brands, so I'll say Terminator. I like these because they almost never get out of shape. They run true. They cost a bit more, but they last longer, so it's wash. I also have a bunch of Strike King spinnerbaits. I probably catch equal numbers of fish on each. I tend to throw the Strike King's when I'm working the bait through heavy wood cover. It's less painful to lose a 2 dollar bait than a 7 dollar one. I got a bunch of Stanley Wedge spinnerbaits last year from BPS for a buck apiece. Had good success with those. Almost all of my spinnerbaits are either white or white/charteuse. I have a handful of black ones for night fishing, and a handful of "other" colors for just because. In really clear water, a translucent skirt works for me. Both Terminator and Stanley have good translucent skirt colors. Also a single willow blade has less lift, so you can work it faster. I think that's crucial in clear water. A slow retrieve with a big colorado blade works best in dirtier water. I never use a trailer hook, but I know a lot of people do. Try it first with out. If you get a few short strikes, or just can't hook up, put one on. I do always use a trailer. I proved, at least to myself, that a plastic trailer is essential. I save torn up Power worms to use for trailers. I also use 3" and 4" grubs, depending on the size of the spinnerbait. My favorite trailer is a standard size Fluke for smaller spinnerbaits and a Super Fluke for the larger baits. A buddy of mine has been using torn up Senko pieces as spinnerbait trailers, with good success. I'll be adding that to my bag of tricks for this year. Cheers, GK

I sort of have a dedicated spinnerbait rod. I have rod/reel combos for just about every other application, but not spinnerbaits. I've been using a 6' MH Berkley rod with an old TD2HI reel, spooled with 12lb test Vanish. I wasn't using this rig for anything in particular, so it ends up with a spinnerbait tied on it most of the time. The rod is a contradiction. It says MH, but also says it's for small crankbaits. It's called a Pro Signature Series rod, but there's no pro's signature on it. It's more toward the medium end of the power spectrum then medium-heavy, and has a somewhat less than fast action; sort of a moderate-fast action. It also has a shorter trigger-grip handle than most triggers. I've been looking for a spinnerbait rod to replace this one, but have yet to find one I like better. I've tried all of my plasics and jig rods, and they are all too stiff, at least for my preference. My crankbait rods are all too soft. Spinnerbaiting is not a long distance thing for me, so I like the 6' rod for better accuracy. I'm a proponent of longer rods for most applications, but I like the short rod for spinnerbaits. I saw this thread, and was hoping for some ideas for a dedicated rod for this application. It seems the general consensus is anything you have will work for this bait. Interesting! Most threads asking for advice on rods tend to get very specific, with brand names, lengths, actions and model numbers. Some of these threads have even become a bit acrimonious. But, not this one. Very strange. Hey, I know, everybody's right. Cheers, GK

Well said, LBH

I'll give you a different take on it. A few years ago, my dean asked for a sample syllabus. I teach a tech curriculum at a community college, also. The following is one of the documents I delivered I did a real one and this one. Course Title: Comparative Sport Fishing Course No. WDF 100 Room No. Stinky's Bait Shop and Package Liquor Store Credit Hrs. 1 Semester Hours (0 hours lecture and 0 hours lab) Instructor: Philboyd Studge Date developed/revised: September 1603 Required text: Subscription to IN-FISHERMAN Magazine Author(s): a bunch of smelly old guys Publisher: a bunch of old smelly guys ISBN: what? Student Audience: Students working toward a bankruptcy or divorce Prerequisite: a lot of old clothes, an expensive boat and no visible means of support Course Description: This is a practical, hands-on class, centered on the study and application of fishing poles in the outdoor environment. This course begins at the introductory level and goes downhill from there. Quizzes and tests will be chuckled over, and will be shredded to provide insulation for the beer cooler. Selected fish will be eaten. The course emphasizes the on-the-job knowledge and skills required to get out of the house without doing any of the things your wife says you have to be do before you can go fishing. Course Outcomes: Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: 1. Tie a knot that won't unravel 2. Catch fish 3. Clean fish 4. Cook fish 5. Eat fish 6. Smell like fish 7. Avoid work like the plague Type of Instruction: The course incorporates talkin about the big one that got away, sittin around tellin lies, sittin around drinkin beer and hangin out at the bait shop. Methods of Evaluation: Grades will be determined by a composite score based on fish species caught, fish size, amount of beer and food brought to class, loudest belch, biggest boat, and fanciest reels. A comprehensive final exam will be used to make hats. Extra credit will be awarded for the following: Anybody whose boat cost more than his house Any lures “donated” to the instructor Spending an entire paycheck at Bass Pro Shop Any tackle box weighing more than 100 pounds Any rod and reel valued at more than $500.00 Course Objectives: [ch61553] Learn 5 good reasons for not mowing the grass today. [ch61553] Removing hooks from your fingers. [ch61553] Picking out backlashes. [ch61553] How to convince the wife you need a new fishing pole [ch61553] How to dispose of the bodies of jet-skiers. [ch61553] Keeping your live bait stinking up the boat. [ch61553] Getting your boat back on the trailer after too much fun on the water. [ch61553] How to convince the wife you need a new trolling motor. [ch61553] Removing hooks from your partner's ears. [ch61553] Hiding new fishing stuff from your wife. [ch61553] Watching the bikinis on the beach without appearing to. [ch61553] Retrieving equipment lost overboard. [ch61553] How to take a leak in the livewell without killing the fish. [ch61553] Learn 5 good reasons for not fixing the roof today. [ch61553] Finding your way home after too much fun on the water. [ch61553] Emergency alternatives for toilet paper. [ch61553] Getting your expensive lures out of the trees. [ch61553] How to convince the wife you need a new boat. [ch61553] How to pack a nine thousand calorie lunch. [ch61553] Learn 239 excuses for not catching fish [ch61553] How to convince the wife you need a new pickup truck. [ch61553] How to light a cigar in a boat at 60 MPH. [ch61553] How to get your buddy out of the house so he can go fishing too.

? Bubbles ? There are five words in Spanish for a dancer named Bubbles. I, YI, YI, YI ,YI

Fourbizzle, glad you decided to stay here. You can stop sucking up now. I'm really glad I stumbled into this place. Wish I'd found it sooner. I've made some new friends I've never met, but hope to some day. I've also learned a lot. You CAN teach this old dog new tricks. Glenn and the mod's do a superb job. I don't know how this site could be run any better. Every now and then a little heat gets generated, but it always seems to get worked out. It's nice to agree to disagree. I've had to change my mind a couple of times after some of the threads have run their course. I pop in here just about every day. I don't always post, but I'm here. I miss it if I can't log on. Heck, I'd pay to be a member of this place. ( Now don't go getting any bright ideas, Glenn ) I like hearing about different tactics used in different parts of this country, even different parts of the world. I like to think that we all bring something to the table. It's a wide open mix we have. Older folks, with decades of experience, willing to freely share their hard earned knowledge, and young folks with passion and enthusiasm, all bring something to the mix. All the different perspectives give me new ideas. And there are some real "characters" here. I wouldn't give this up for any reason. Cheers, GK

Muddy, I thought you were doin it. Now the truth comes out. I'm sure you can exact a proper revenge at the Fork. Cheers, GK

Sammy da Gull wants to say hello

try ausfish.com

I got a handful of these last spring, and did not catch a thing on them until the fall. Then they got hot. My best presentation was a long cast, let it sink to 4 feet or so, and twitch it back slowly, trying to keep it at the same depth. They sink slowly, so when twitching, it takes a pause every other twitch or so, to let them sink back. I found it difficult to work them very deep. Every twitch brings the bait up quite a bit. Best locations, for me, were outside weed edges and parallel to riprap banks. You can work them faster, just under the surface. You can almost get a walk the dog out of them with a little practice. Good baits. Cheers, GK

In general, a "pattern" for me means what depth are the majority of the fish at, and do they want a slow precise presentation, or can I get them with something faster. That's it. Are they tight to the cover / structure? Then I know I need to go with plastics. Are they more active, merely relating to the cover / structure? If so, I can use something faster, like a crank or spinnerbait. I've read a couple of articles where the angler said the pattern was something like this. I caught all my fish off channel swings, with three kinds of weeds, chunk rock, with a lay down. I was throwin a charteuse winged, purple green weenie, whacko-rigged, on a 3.45/0 Stickem-in-da-jaw hook, with a 14.25 gram bang-em-on-da-head weight, on 128 lb test green super slinkie line, on my G Hootchie 7' 3 3/4" flappin stick with a GeeWhiz 32 ball bearing reel. If you weren't throwin that, ya wasn't catchin fish. BULL. If he was catching fish, somebody else was catching fish doing something completely different. But, they were probably at similar depths, using similar presentation speeds. This whole pattern thing is given way to much emphasis. All the fish in the lake are not doing the same thing. Find the depth, then find the speed. BassBeat101, I like your pattern. Cheers, GK

Any knot you can tie well will work with flouro if you do one thing. Cinch it up slowly, very slowly. Flouro generates more friction when drawing down the knot than mono, and is damaged more quickly by friction generated heat than is flouro line. A Palomar knot will work just fine in flouro line. Fish Chris is dead on about checking and re-tying your knots. Cheers, GK PS, don't worry about Chris ribbin ya about the braid. He got me too. He uses braid for everything, I think. I use fluoro for plastics and mono for everything else except my muskie rods. I use braid for those.

Texas rig, with the weight dictated by wind and depth.

If I'm going to be on the water all day, I'll pack some munchies. A bag of cheese, cut into bite sized pieces, a bag of jerky, a bag of grapes or cherries, whatever bite-size fruit is available. I freeze a couple of bottles of water, and take as many more bottles as will fit, leaving room for a couple of sports drinks for the ride back to the dock. You gotta have sports drinks; a guy's got to keep up his electrolytes. Best sports drinks; Sam Adams Boston Lager, Boulevard Unfiltered Wheat Beer, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Boulevard Pale Ale, etc. Cheers, GK

I use these in sizes 1 and 2 http://www.basspro.com/servlet/catalog.TextId?hvarTextId=30197&hvarDept=100&hvarEvent=&hvarClassCode=10&hvarSubCode=5&hvarTarget=browse The smallest size is just a bit less than 1/4". I use these for the smallest and lightest cranks. I use the 2 size for all the rest. I'll soon have these on all my cranks that see regular use. Never thought about using them for hook hangers. I can see two results using oval rings for the hooks. 1. the hooks will be farther from the body of the crank, and may result in a few more hook-ups. 2. the hooks will be farther from the body of the crank, and may result in a few more hang-ups. Cheers, GK

I don't know abot the biggest "sleeper", but these things sure seem to be a well kept secret. They catch fish, and they are always on sale. Go figure. Maybe the less than perfect paint schemes have hurt sales. It hasn't in my case. I don't think a "perfect" paint job makes a crankbait any better. Except in the sense that it will catch fishermen better. What makes a crank work is action and vibration. We all know bass can see very well, much better than we can underwater, but do they have the brain power to process the fine detail exhibited by some of those high dollar cranks? I think it unlikely. Give me one that will hit the depth it claims, runs mostly true, with a little side to side "hunting" action,, and has a natural looking paint job and good hooks, and I'm happy with it. Now sell it for 2 bucks, and I'm all over it. That's the Frenzy divers. If you let the plain jane colors scare you off, you're missing out on a fish catching bait. This years models have better paint jobs. Cheers, GK

The Merry Pranksters ride again.

A moment of silence, please. Avid has gone over to the dark side.

My strangest, a 6' folding aluminum ladder. It hit on a 5" red shad Senko. My wife caught a copperhead on a 4" senko. She landed the bait just on the edge of the bank, and the snake grabbed it just as she pulled it in the water. Got a little exciting for a few minutes. Cheers, GK

Nice fish, T-Rig. Nifty looking rod and reel in that first pic, too. CHeers, GK