Bluebasser86

Don't tell Butch Brown they're a waste of money.

Always seems to happen when we aren't prepared for it, almost like they know.

Even one pond to another would be enough to get a hefty fine in KS in the right/wrong situation. My best suggestion is if you aren't going to keep them, just release them back into the water they came from. No way I'd eat one either, and I've eaten some nasty stuff. One of the guys that I used to give them to said that they had 9 different colors of meat in them? Maybe it's different other places, but here if meat was 9 different colors, it's rotten

Ever tried a circle hook instead? The bass can hold them for about as long as they want and should still get hooked in the corner of the mouth with a circle hook, doesn't take a big hook either.

Bladed jigs if you can get them through the stalks.

Looks like you've done your homework!

Keep the line tight and keep them from jumping is the best way to land fish on lipless baits. Changing the hooks is a good idea too. Do everything right and you're still going to lose fish, just the nature of the beast with lipless baits.

They aren't the lightest or most sensitive rods out there but they're very durable and I never had any problems catching fish with mine.

Zzzquil works well. Exercising works well for me.

The problem with a lot of them is going to be not enough winching power and inadequate drags. Big catfish like to live in bad neighborhoods that you have to get them out of quickly or you'll lose them. That Lexa would work great I'm sure but you could buy a really nice, and better suited round reel for quite a bit less.

Those aren't circle hooks, but I doubt a circle hook would work well for trout. If you're really concerned about deep hooking them it may be worth a shot though.

No, trout is just an awful tasting fish IMO. It's very oily and makes me think it's taste and consistency is much like what it must be like to eat a shad.

Are you talking about the stop knot? If you're talking about the mainline you don't want to use fluoro since it sinks, it'll mess your presentation up with a slip float.

It was Russ Lane. I wish I could find the video, it was crazy how it happened.

I have one and they do look great in the water. I'm hoping for a bottom hook model soon. No luck with it yet, not many bass in KS will take a run at an 8" soft bait though, but I'll keep looking for her

Wasn't a fan of any of the BBZ baits I tried. Obviously they work, just not for me. If I was going to try another, I'd go with a floater, but it may not see much action because I like the MS Slammers so much.

I do it all the time with forceps, even works with bluegills. I guess for me personally, I'd rather bleed out than starve to death. I'm getting the hook out every time. If you can see the point of the hook the other option is to cut the hook shank with wire cutters then grab the point of the hook with pliers and pull the hook the rest of the way through.

Green pumpkin works everywhere in any water color. Is it always the best option? no. but if you're trying to cut it down to just 1 color that's the easy choice for me.

I wasn't a fan of the BBZ at all, none of them. If I was going to give one another try, I'd get a floater. I'd suggest either an S waver 168 or a MS Slammer, either the mini or 7" version.

I wear a headlamp that I use as little as possible and a spotlight for navigating (and occasionally bowfishing). I use 3 baits at night 95% of the time, a dark colored jig, a dark colored big worm, and a dark colored bladed jig. Not a fan of trebles or topwaters at night. Big swimbaits usually account for the other 5% of baits I fish at night.

If I can pitch a jig all day, that's as good as it gets.

I get excited every time I come across a beaver dam in deep enough water to hold fish because they almost always do and it usually seems to be a good one. Beavers skin is super tough, I wouldn't worry about hooking one.

I go fishing to get away from the noise, not to bring it with me.

The through the gill method is very effective and a much better option than leaving the hook in.

HMM, pretty sure I may have mentioned something about that lake to you before?? Power plant lake right? Well my full day to fish is always Friday but I usually get in a partial day on Thursday after I get off work. I'm probably transitioning to night fishing after this week (would be this week but if I go anywhere will likely have the wife with me and she doesn't do night time fishing). I'll let you know if I have an open spot. Don't know if anyone is needing any rods but Academy is having their Rod Riot this week. Their rods are great at full price, now they're all at least $20 and every other rod they carry is discounted as well. Figures, I've been waiting for them to have another rod riot, and of course I'm completely broke