Bluebasser86

Fished Hillsdale this morning for about 2 hours. Weather was nice, fishing sucked. I had 2 for sure bites but I'm also pretty sure that neither was a bass and most likely were sunfish. I did manage to arrow a 27.5lb grass carp though

Welcome to the site!

X2. I started fishing in a bass club when I was 16 as a non-boater and learned a ton. Now they have lots of high school teams and junior clubs. I started in an adult club and it was a pretty big debate if I'd even be able to join at the time.

I think a "how don't you rig them" thread might be easier. Texas rig, C-rig, swinging football head, shakyhead, jig trailer, bladed jig trailer, weightless buzzed across the surface, drop shot, split shot. They're a versatile bait is what I'm getting at. My preferred method is the one that's working that day

Top middle-Spro Little John Top right-Rapala shad rap, probably a #5 or #7 middle right-Storm wiggle wart, looks like it might be a pre-Rapala wart. If so, lucky you! bottom left-Poe's or a Bagley's bottom middle-maybe a Salmo Hornet? bottom right-another shad rap in the same size. Check the bills, some of these baits it should say right on them what they are.

I fish the 168 S Waver fairly often and have had good success with them. Haven't tried any of the bigger glides yet but I'm getting there. Kind of have to slowly build stock with these baits. Money buying fish and tournaments wins is one of the most absurd things I've ever heard. Nice gear helps catch fish sure, but if you don't know how to use it then it isn't going to do a bit of good. Give Joe Smo off the street who has never fished in his life the nicest, most expensive rod/reel/line/bait out there and I'd still bet my boat on KVD whipping him with an ugly stick, cheap reel, and a plastic worm out of a bargain bin at Wal-Mart.

Most of my big jig fish come off of shallow cover, especially wood and docks.

I've got a bronzeye frog that used to be the same black and yellow color, now it's mostly yellow because I've caught so many fish on it. The popper is a great bait too. I had a good day with a black and blue popper earlier this year when one of the lakes flooded into the shoreline weeds. I second the bronzeye shad as well. I just bought one about a month ago and have torn them up with it the last couple times I fished it. It walks better than even the regular bronzeye frog does.

I've lived in KS my whole life and still only managed 3 this morning in 2 hours of fishing, you're not doing to bad really. What lakes are you fishing?

Hudds are also plastic baits that are going to tear up eventually, sometimes after just 1 fish. You can get plastic baits and a few good hard baits in the 15-30 range, but $40 is still at the lower end for a good hard bait.

If $40 is too expensive for you, you might want to reconsider diving into the swimbait world

I'd be looking at the baby bass, dirty silver, or hitch colors for the 3D trout. The don't turn on their sides on the surface. The Mattlures will do it. The Bettencourt dying bluegill is a killer little bait if you can get your hands on one

They increase the odds, but guarantee nothing.

Everything will eat those little marabou crappie jigs, I've even caught a little muskie on one. I used to fish them on a super ultralight rod with 2lb test for whatever would bite. It's always fun with the number and variety of fish I'd catch and some of them would be very good sized.

I have a skin mount of a 6.5lb bass that didn't make it after being hooked deep (was my PB at the time). I'd never get another skin mount unless it was the same circumstances. Skin mounts deteriorate with time and you have to make sure to take care of them or they look terrible after a pretty short amount of time. A good replica will never look mass produced because a good taxidermist will be able to copy the color and pattern of the fish to a T and make it look like it could swim off if you put it in the water. The best part is the fish it was created after is still swimming around waiting to make someone else's day like it made yours

Baits with bigger and deeper mouths are going to be better chuggers, the old Hula Popper chugs pretty well. A straight downwards snap of the rod is the best way to get a bait to chug. The longer snap you do, the deeper the chug will usually be. The discontinued Mann's Chug-N-Spit was probably the best chugging bait I've ever fished but they're long gone.

A very good point. If you have insurance on your boat, which you should anyways, make 100% sure that it covers gear that isn't locked or bolted to the boat. A lot of insurance policies won't and I've seen it too many times when guys don't know about it until it's too late. I had to change my policy so it would cover my rods and tackle because I have a small boat with no locking storage so nothing but the boat, motors, and depthfinder would have been covered in an accident or if it was stolen.

We followed some guys at the Classic on Grand and it was a blast. Just use your head and stay back away from those guys that are trying to make their living. We took binoculars and watched them that way. If you want to get up close with them you would be better off waiting at the weigh in. I got to talk to a lot of guys at Table Rock this spring after the weigh ins.

I haven't posted all the details because you aren't supposed to advertise tournaments and such on the forum, not wanting to get in trouble about the deal. If you want the full details send me a PM and I'll fill you in and answer any questions you have.

Bad idea not to lock it. I used a heavy cable and padlock on my old boat when it was stored outside at a friends farm. I ran the cable through the wheel, around the trailer, and locked the padlock on it. I went out to get it one day, cable had marks where someone had tried unsuccessfully to cut it and the wheel was badly damaged from where they tried to drive off with it anyways. A new wheel is a whole lot cheaper to replace than a boat

You MIGHT be able to get a used bass tracker for that but I highly doubt it will be worth it. I know it's hard but you'll be really glad you did later in life, I know I wish I would have never bought my old Ranger.

He's going to come to KS from TX looking for big bass?? I don't have access to any with really big fish but you might check out the FISH atlas and see if you can find any worth fishing. The pits down by Pittsburg, KS are public and have some big fish in them, probably about your best option. There's a new state record swimming in the Trout pit down there I promise.

The first time you hook a big bass on a frog in heavy slop you'll realize "why braid" The heavy weeds, large hooks, and big fish generally associated with frogging lends itself to braid. When a big bass grabs a frog and buries back up in the weeds just getting a hook set can be difficult.

I've caught some of my biggest cold water bass on a beetle spin.

Yeah he's a little ways from being able to fish with me but I'm sure it will be here much sooner than I think.