Bluebasser86

I actually have much better success on suspending jerkbaits in that first ice out water than I do bottom dragging baits. This is probably largely because of the amount of junk on the bottom of our lakes that tends to clog up those bottom contact baits though. A small jerkbait like a 65 pointer fished very slowly, especially parallel to rocks warmed by the sun, is a good way to get bit.

We put new water heater, AC unit, and garage door opener in our house last year. Can't ever just have a little extra money laying around.

I caught 2 in Florida in the Everglades in the 7-8 pound range. Once the initial disappointment wore off that they weren't big bass, they were a lot of fun, minus the large gator that kicked up a wake towards the boat chasing after one of them.

So just skip the productive water because the wind isn't blowing at my back making casting easier? Myself and a lot of other anglers are in kayaks where just moving to where the wind is at your back isn't always an option. A properly set baitcaster will handle wind no problem provided the user is using appropriate sized baits, keeping cast low, and keeping their thumbs educated. Casting too hard isn't an issue with casting in the wind, poor mechanics and improperly set reels are. My baitcasters are 100% mono/fluoro/copoly/braid, no leaders.

Wake bait is for covering water, popper is for target fishing.

I had one like that but switched to wraps a couple years ago because they always tangled and I kept getting stuck reaching for baits.

2/3 of a 5" stick worm or a trick worm. The Havoc Devil's Spear was one of the best bladed jig trailers made but it wasn't around long unfortunately. I use the Pit Boss a lot as well as a YUM Christie Craw.

Welcome!

Well I think @newapti5 has had his question answered many times over now and we're wandering off from the original question of legal hunting into poaching, which is obviously never okay, so let's put this out to pasture. LOCKDOWN!!

Probably a little bit of a primal thing. There's something to be said for knowing where your food comes from also. True hunters respect the animal and value their lives, that's why we train to take them quickly and cleanly to prevent suffering. Killing is part of nature, which we're part of whether we believe that or not. The deer in the woods has a much greater chance at survival than the cow in feedlot.

In my starting lineup of 30 or so rods I have; St. Croix Okuma Quantum Daiwa Dobyn's H20

Put a bell sinker inside the tube, run your hook through the sinker eye when rigging. Gives it a good spiral action on the fall and picks up almost no weeds.

Solid white is still a good option.

KVD HC 1.5 Flat Side Berkley Frittside Black Canoe Balsa

Lots of variables go into that decision. Some lakes I fish are just difficult during midday no matter what you do.

Welcome!

Lynn Dollar has a great channel with lots of old BASS tournaments. Really enjoy watching the greats compete.

They're usually pretty close to suspending, definitely not what I'd consider a "floating", jerkbait, even though they may technically slowly float up. That's my favorite color of them also. Congrats on the new PB and welcome to the DD club!

Thanks, been having issues with the WIFI lately for some reason. I'll see if I can get it straightened out.

I've actually been favoring the Berkley Flute Worm over either of them. More expensive but good durability and great movement in the thin tail and very easy to rig with the flat head.

It got disqualified at one point but then reinstated. It's was a real big walleye regardless.

Flatheads love fresh cutbait. Big catfish prefer natural bait, live or fresh cut. Prepared or rotten baits will rarely catch the big ones. I don't like messing with the little ones, but you can still catch the little ones on cutbait also.

I ordered 1 bag of it and it clumped up bad on me.

Parallel with a jerkbait

I don't like buzzbaits unless there is some wind. I use a 3/4oz Crock O Gator in the wind.