Bigbarge50

That is one large fly haha. Think I will order a black one today.... and probably an original one (the ones with the original frog legs) in green..... Mann's used to make a soft plastic that was kinda shaped like a dragon fly..... wonder if someone like snag proof would make one in that blueish color, seems like it could be a winner on a summer evening.

LIke the look and the details sound good, but on the web site struggled to find the phat frog in just green. I also like black.... but I am sick of all these companies making frogs with exotic colored backs...... like the fish can really see them from below? I have the tournament frog and a few original ones, I might buy the black, but who buys the iced out color? People have success with a light blue frog?

Storm Rattlin thin fin..... Has been a great producer for me and is a real solid shallow shad imitator. Speaking of poppers.... the storm chug bug has been great to me as well Storm lures in general seem to not get a lot of respect, wonder why that is.

It has been just brutally cold.... fish might be huddled at the bottom in a big pile under a snuggie or something Is this pushing back when most people will be seriously hitting the water?

Tip my cap, especially to the frogs. The ones on the top of the picture really have a good look of actual frog legs...... So few companies actually make "legs", they are all skirts and basically curly worm tails. I bet those will look like real frog legs on a stop but cause some good commotion when moving..... very impressive.

Always a few bad apples. Hate when I find people swimming at Burke

Do people think the body shape is what makes the red eyes better? Have always been loyal to the traps (because they produce) but have bought three red eyes this year because of how highly everyone speaks of them. Why do people think the red eye is better? I have to wonder if sometimes the trap suffers from the fact it is classic and "not new" hence some people tend to think "old=worse"

Also never caught a thing on a rattling rapala Now a bill lewis rattle trap...... Well I am taking it everyday of the week and twice on Sundays. Possibly the most under-appreciated Bass fishing lure in my opinion.

I still use a berkley lipless crank that was half lipless crank, half soft plastic tail..... that thing flat out catches them, yet have not seen it in years.

Bill think you would be surprised how good and wide the wobble is. The best part about the action, as opposed to these newer ones, is that if your crank it fast, it really looks like a mouse swimming for its life.....but if you go slow and stop....the head sits up in the water and the butt and tail sit lower.

Burke iced up? have not looked in a while

Thanks Dan Sending you a PM

The discussion of discontinued lures made me wonder about the heddon meadow mouse. My father and grandfather swore by these lures. My grandfather, who caught more NY bass than I could have hoped basically only threw a meadow mouse, jitterbug, or river runt. I was looking at swimbaits on TW the other day and noticed a bunch of mouse style wake baits now for sale, at some hefty prices. Why is headon not making the meadow mouse again? The fuzz and cloth tail on the old ones is fantastic and the action on the lure is top notch. I have a solid 10 of em (my dad bought a ton on ebay years ago) and would stock up if they sold them in stores (not on ebay where every lure older than 5 years old is "vintage" and worth 15 bucks). Seems they made them for a limited run a few years back but if mouse style swim baits/ wake baits are starting to emerge..... why would they not start back up with the original (especially the fuzzy ones)? Anyone have info on when/why they ceased production of them? (a return of a fuzzy little crazy crawler would not be so bad either... had one that looked just like a baby bat ..... NY summer bass at dusk absolutely destroyed that thing.... literally wore the fuzz off it, much like they did the mouse)

Dan where is exactly is beaverdam? is it in the town of beaverdam?

jitterstick heddon river runt

Little bugger must have been hungry.... great dedication getting out there.

Those are some good looking swim jigs. As someone pointed out a swim jig is basically a spinner bait without the spinner.... Someone else also talked about how there are many better options than a spinnerbait in clear water. I personally have had a lot of success in very clear water (10 + feet if visibility) throwing white spinner baits much like these swim jigs. Granted the fish might have been aggressive but not sure why the a spinner bait is a lesser choice. I personally felt a spinner bait in clear water is great to run by structure with a yo yo retrieve.... let them see the flash and lure them out. The fall on the yo yo seemed to generate a lot of strikes. Would be very interested in hearing some people's opinions on why a spinnerbait is a lesser option in clear water.... especially when your going with similar colors.

I thought we were going to get a winter storm too here mid week

Snag proof original frog.... the one with the realistic legs

I currently do not have an outboard..... though working on making that change in the future...... On the transom, which would naturally still be in the back, do you think I am really missing out on anything with it in the rear? I would think not, but my first unit and figure there is no shame in asking those with more experience with such things.

What if you run a transom mounted trolling motor? I also got the lowrance downscan mark VI and run only a transom mounted motor..... think it is still good to mount in the back?

Gotar... I was ready to hesitate to put my brand new vanish on my brand new diawa/ carrot stick combo....all the negativity about it. Yet you post really made me relax some about it and realize why I bought it in the first place. Is there anything about vanish (first time user) I should know? Any knot you exclusively use with it? Obviously wetting the line is real important.

DC and Arlington = Hammered by snow On a more positive note..... when do you think the first day you will be hitting the water.... baring any major late storms? Or for example, when did you hit the water first last year? Will be my first spring fishing here.... and chomping at the bit so curious if we are talking like early march or later than that......

What is wrong with new jitterbugs? I do not own any, all mine are over 10 years old..... So what is different now? I would love a jitterstick return.... had a black one that tore it up after dark.

That fish in any conditions is impressive..... the deep freeze we are in now, well that really is something. How slow did you have to fish? We talking like 5 minutes per cast?