Bluebasser86

I like to use cinder block and wire to attach them because it's harder to get snagged on than rope. If I'm trying to get them to stand up I'll use cinder blocks on the base of the tree. If I'm wanting them to lay down then I'll usually cut out or find a spot on the tree with fewer limbs towards the middle to attach the block. As for location I've gone by 2 different ways of thinking. First, put them in areas with no other cover because it will attract any fish in the area. I've had this work really well on large, barren flats. Second, if you drop them on or near proven spots then it will help to attract and concentrate more fish. I've had this work well near dropoffs, channels, rockpiles, and docks.

A friend of mine lives on a private lake with tiger bass. They look just like largemouth but they grow fast and are super aggressive. For some reason, they're much more difficult to hook also.

Nice fish! That last picture is beautiful!

Not a chance.

Even if they drop the show someone else will pick it up. There is no way that another channel won't pick up on a huge money maker like Duck Dynasty, and all this attention they're getting will probably just make it bigger.

Gulp makes a variety of baits that they love. I like to tip small jigs with the maggots or grubs.

They give me more confidence in my bait if nothing else, which is a big part of catching fish.

JJ's Magic without a doubt A swimbait setup and a whole bunch of swimbaits

I have to have everything rigged up before I go, hate having to rig up at the ramp and lose precious time during that early morning bite!

Thanks for the kind words everyone. Thought I'd add an update, Momma had a fever through labor and baby had one when he was born so they took him to the NICU for a 48 hour observation period. He's had a high temperature, low blood sugar, trouble maintaning his body temp, jaundice, and he's been dehydrated. He started with an IV in his hand but he knocked that out so now it's in the side of his head. Since he had the IV he had no need to eat so they've started him on a feeding tube to try to take away the need for the IV and make his intestines work to digest food and get his liver working to help with his jaundice. Now after 72 hours, he's looking much better, eating a little bit more each time on his own but still getting most through his feeding tube. We still are only allowed to hold him during feeding times and only our parents are allowed to come see him but not hold him, so we have lots of anxious family waiting to meet him for the first time. I got to hold him for about an hour last night and he was very content and smiled several times so it really seems like he's getting better, just trying to stay positive and hope we'll be able to take him home before Christmas

X2, my favorite winter presentation in clear to slightly stained water.

To build on what vikingbear said, if you fish soft baits you can do serious damage or ruin your swimbait if it gets cut by your line, which braid does really easily. I fish 4-5 inch swimbaits on 15lb copolymer and a 7' M/F all the time with no problems.

I doubt many people even know what you're talking about without searching for them first. I'm not sure they were really ever "in favor" in the bass world except for small pockets in certain areas.

Like others have said, steep drops are usually good. I like to find ones that are near the last places they were during the fall. If they're rocky areas or have patces of live grass still then they seem to be even better.

I think a lot of time you get those replies on topics that are posted frequently. It seems like every week there's a new "what 1 bait/rod/reel/line would you choose if you can only have one" or "what's your PB". While I don't like the "do a search response, there's lots of times I'll find those most recent threads and post links to them.

Rig the Zman or 3X lizard on a 2/0 light wire EWG and it will float pretty high. Fishing it on braid will help also since it floats the line won't drag the nose of the bait down also.

I hadn't used tubes much for awhile but they made a big resurgance for me this fall for largemouth and smallmouth both. I would say that the regular swimming tail worms and a single tail grub have both kind of fallen out of favor for the hip new beaver and creature baits and straight tail worms. Honestly, I hadn't fished a swimming tail worm hardly at all for years but they were my bait of choice for a lot of this year during the warmer months. The grub is still one of my go to baits when the water is clear but seems like a lot of others forget about them.

How high are you wanting them to float? If they're rigged with any kind of weight towards the nose then they're going to float nose down. I have a bunch of bags of 3X lizards I bought for $.50 a bag when Cabela's discontinued them a few years ago, they float just like the Zmans do. I really like either of them on a C rig because they float off the bottom with a 3/0 EWG hook. You can still find the 3X lizards too, I did a search for them and found plenty of them out there for sale.

I don't have the Avid but I do have a Premier MHM and it will cast cranks down to a KVD 1.0 with no problem, but I mainly fish 1.5 and 2.0 sizes and it fishes those great. No experience with the Dobyns or trying to fish jerkbaits or topwaters with it, but it is a great squarebill rod.

I know it says just smallmouth but since others have already broken the rules I don't feel so bad about it. I've got nothing on those Erie smallies but this is about as good as it gets in Kansas

I pour my own in several different styles and weights. Got tired of paying over $1 a jighead before there's even a bait on it.

I fish a baby brush hog on my homemade shakyheads pretty often. Just started pouring a swinging football head (kind of a shakyhead, like the Gene Larew Hardhead jig). Haven't fished them much but they look great with a brush hog rigged on them.

His is very fittingly named Lake She certainly did the hard part for sure, not just the 3 hours of pushing she did to get him here but carrying the whopper for 37 weeks!

At 1:58AM on 12/16/13, my wife and I welcomed into the world our first son, Lake Baby and Momma are doing well and hopefully we'll be able to take him home on Wednesday. He's a big boy, 22" long and 8lbs 10ozs! Looking forward to hopefully having a new fishing buddy in a few years

I've caught several bass out of a 50 gallon drum that's in the water on one of our local lakes.