Bluebasser86

I wish I could like this more times.

No, but you'd probably be better off with the 1/8oz teeny trap from Bill Lewis for yellow perch.

They don't work on shakyheads, not at all

I've caught them at night when there was still snow on the ground and portions of the lake still frozen. If the chance presents itself, a bass will react. It may not be as good as during the heat of the summer, but there's still fish to be caught.

Nope, sight fishing fish must be hooked inside the mouth. Whole different story if a fish swats at a topwater or jerkbait and gets side swung, that fish counts.

There's a lot of variables in that question. Some it won't matter what you do, they won't make it. A vast majority will make it when handled properly though. It just stands to reason that if there was a "decent chance" that each bass would die after being caught that popular lakes would be littered with rotting bass.

I've had really good luck with a 4" stick o on an 1/8oz jighead in deeper water than Ned usually works in.

Nice! I'll have to check, been waiting for that rod to go on sale.

I have 3 I use that all serve a purpose, no real favorite 7' MH/M St. Croix Pro Glass-squarebills 7' MH/M Ethos-mid depth 7' 10" MH/M St. Croix Mojo-deep runners or big baits

I liked it pretty well but wouldn't go too heavy in it. The 15 you got is about as heavy as I use it in. You have to be careful tying it, seems to really be sensitive to heat damage.

Dragging a football jig is usually a pretty solid way to get bit down there, gravel or rock points. Last time I was there we killed them just swimming a Keitech Swing Impact on a 1/4oz darter head though. They love the A-rig when that bite is on and jerkbaits work well early and late in the year. Spooks are good when they're pushing shad to the surface.

I'm good, I already got the report from your partner Why do you hate Ned so?

Another vote for the telescoping lure retrievers. Ever try to slide a plug knocker up your line into a tree? Not only do I almost never lose a bait (except jigs and T rigs because I don't bother getting it out for them), but I also get lots of other people's baits out of the trees with it

The grass minnows are tiny, not that the shads are very big. I rarely fish with them except in tournaments because they tear so easy.

I started fishing bigger swimbaits with a 7" MS Slammer and still fish it often. It fishes easy, isn't super heavy, and it moves and catches a ton of fish of all sizes. They aren't super expensive either.

1/2 of a Zman Zinker on a 3/32oz jighead 9" MS Slammer

Hard to beat the prices on Academy's H2O brand and they make a good deep diver in good colors. The local one has a sale on Strike King XD's right now for $4 each too.

Xcaliber XR25 is a great bait, they even make a one knocker version.

Well you guys convinced me. Going to be picking up an '08 Tundra early this week. Hated spending the money but after reading all the online reviews it seems like the most dependable option. I'd much rather pay a truck payment than a shop bill I guess. Now just have to hope I got a good one

At 23" and doesn't appear to be skinny I'd guess in the 6-7 pound range. This one was 24.5" and only weighed 7.51 but she was kind of skinny though.

Is there any cover around your dock other than the dock itself? If your state allows you can always add brushpiles, steakbeds, or other kinds of cover to help attract fish. Not every fish in a cove will leave when they're done spawning, but they will get to pick the best cover. If you provide them with good cover they'll be much more likely to stay by your dock. Also sounds like the big fish jumping are probably carp, they love to jump for no apparent reason and make some huge splashes.

It's usually really good around here after strong storms, especially if you can find an area with water running into the lake or where the newly muddy water is mixing with the clearer water.

Now that's the kind of in depth report we like to see!

Blue corn chips will do the same thing, so I've heard

Muskies are predators, so like any other predator fish, if you can find their food they won't be far away. They like weed edges, rockpiles, pole timber, funnel areas, any where they can hide and ambush their prey. Bucktails are probably the best starter bait. They're easy to fish and probably boat more muskies than anything else year in and year out. Muskies grow huge, especially where you're at, so you're going to have to buy some quality gear to chase them. I'd suggest a reel like a 400 Calcutta with 80lb braid and a high quality titanium leader. Rod will just depend what you like. I don't get to chase them often since the closest body of water with muskie is 3 hours away, but I have a 7' Fenwick Techna AV H/F that has suited me very well for tossing bucktails. St.Croix makes a great muskie rod that's very affordable also.