Bluebasser86

I don't measure it, usually just a couple long pulls off the spool. I change my leaders out pretty often because I'm always worried about the leader knot losing strength with time, so I don't want to waste a bunch of line and I'm mainly using it for sink rate and abrasion resistance.

No, I like newer baits without scuffs. Ever swung on something and you weren't sure if it was a bite or not? If you have a new bait that didn't have scuffs before the cast and it does after the cast, then you know if was a bite.

Really like the new style. I've been using one of the 3600 size boxes for my terminal tackle in my kayak box for at least a year now. No issues with even the smallest hooks migrating, the single latch is easy to use and secure, and the dividers seem much more secure than the older style.

I wish I'd thought of a Neko Sunday. They kept rushing up to my jerkbait or minnow but then turning away. Now I see this and I'm wondering if a slower falling bait like that would have turned those stubborn fish into biters.

Doing some mag shakyheads for guys who are into that kind of thing. Centering pin screwlock with a 7/0 EWG hook. Shown rigged with a full sized brush hog, my favorite bait to fish on them. Sometimes I'll tie a skirt on them also for a little extra bulk.

I'd fish it for bass 👍

Tough fishing this weekend. I got up really early to do some catfishing before the sun came up. Had some nice, big gizzard shad that I caught and froze on an earlier trip this winter. Scanned through a depression at the end of a feeding flat, big marks all over side scan. Fancast my 3 rods out and watched the sun come up from the yak. Them things never twitched, bobbled, wiggled, nothing. Oh well, I was right by my favorite long, underwater point, so I reeled them in and started fishing. I might have had one bite there but I think more likely I pulled my bait into a carp and it just ran with my line over it's back for a brief moment. Cut across to the rock banks where I caught most of my fish last week. Got a quick bite on a Ned, line broke on the hookset. Same exact place the same thing happened last week, must be something sharp in the water on that spot. Fished all down that bank and most of the next one before I finally caught a fish. On the water at 6, didn't put one in the boat until 9:45, not ideal. Fished to the end of that bank and turned around. All the way back down that bank and back to the first rock wall. Picked up a flatside, maybe I could force feed them. First cast, caught a dink, thought I cracked the code, only bite I got on it. They kept running up to a jerkbait on scope but then turning away, changing baits didn't change the results. Got down to the end of that bank where it changes to sand, all the sudden they were there again. They weren't giants, but I finally got about a dozen of them the last hour I had to fish, salvaged what was a pretty miserable day of fishing, minus the great weather. I was sweating by the end of the day, even dressing a lot lighter than normal. This poor guy had a twisted jaw. I couldn't make it look shut no matter what I did.

I have so many grubs, I just can't believe a major bass tournament was won with one. I have a ton of chartreuse pepper and silver sparkle I use for walleye or for trailers on spinnerbaits. The 4" Yamamoto single tail smoke/no flake are my favorite. I've got several 20 packs that I reserve just for winter trips to the Ozark lakes. It's boring fishing, but super effective. I would like to do it with scope now, that would make it a little more interesting and probably even more effective.

I get this a lot before tournaments on lakes I haven't fished before. My brain runs through every possible scenario and every bait I think could potentially work and they all make sense to me. I end up with a way overpacked kayak box and way too much extra gear and rods with me and rarely use any of it. Last season, I made myself stop bringing so much extra stuff. I pared it down to extra line, hooks, baits that I actually use instead of ones I "might use in this situation". The results? Out of a possible 400 points for AOY (100 points for each 1st place finish, best total score from your 4 best tournaments of the season), I scored 399 points and not once did I come across a situation where I wished I had something I left at home.

We officially have open water here again. Had to add the rods, measuring board, and spare baits back to the truck last night in case of an "emergency".

I'm normally more around 10 rods. This day was a little light with the obvious winter conditions not calling for as much variety. There's also a much larger graph and livescope pole on it most days also.

I've had a couple of the actual DRT's and a few of the KO's. They all catch fish and I've had everything from an unpainted, clear KO, to a bright pink KO and and a DRT with a bright chartreuse back, they all catch fish. It's a pretty cool bait that can be fished a variety of ways. The lip and tail are removeable and interchangable and depending on which direction the tail is put in or which tail/lip you have on will change the action. I prefer to fish them with the lip out so they glide side to side a little further and don't run as deep.

Not knowing the cover/situations you're going to be throwing it in, I'd probably lean towards the 15lb CX, even though I really don't like that line. IMO, 20lb is overkill for bladed jigs unless you're fishing around a lot of cover and you're going to lose casting distance. I typically run 15-17 on mine, usually a copolymer of some kind.

I don't really see any of them as seasonal. I know a lot of guys see frogs as hot weather/summer baits, but I've had some great days on frogs as early as March. If I think the bait will work in the situation I have in front of me, I'm going to throw it.

Wow, that is attention to detail right there 😂. I don't use a typical C-rig often, but I've been using the Petey Rig quite a bit lately and it's been a good producer for me this winter. I just use whatever basic barrel swivel I have laying around that isn't too huge. When I'm fishing an actual C-rig, I like to add a glass bead and brass clacker above the swivel to make a little extra noise. Not sure what brand any of it is, probably from Bullet Weights or Eagle Claw.

I really like the Plano Edge jig box for bladed jigs. I don't really use any bait specific boxes other than that one. Being in a kayak most of the time just doesn't allow for it.

I like to fish the Rebel Micro Crawfish when I take my kids fishing in the local creeks. The built in single, barbless hook is nice for when I'm mostly just playing with green sunfish and little creek bass anyways. https://www.cabelas.com/p/rebel-micro-crawfish

A 3oz crankbait capable of diving 40', sounds like something nightmares are made of. The Bladewaker is interesting, I'd like to see one of those in action.

I haven't tried any of the silent Provokes, but I own probably close to 20 Provokes and really like then. The fish seem to be pretty big fans also.

If you're using it solely for cranking, the Legend Glass is one of the nicest cranking rods I've ever fished. I didn't notice it being overly heavy personally.

I don't have any real magnum baits anymore, mostly because I've found that the 6-7 inch range baits seem to be the sweet spot for what I like to fish and what our fish eat best. When I first got into it, I fished a 7" Slammer a lot, caught a ton of fish including what is still my biggest swimbait fish by weight. I had several Shine Glides and caught a lot of fish on them, one of them is still one of my top 3 biggest swimbait fish. Now I fish a Clutch Glide and Eco a lot, plus I just got a Baby Boss last fall. I've had some really good days with the KGB Chad Shad. I've got a KGB Crappie but I can only ever get them to follow and swipe at it. I picked up one of Edwin's baits last year from Legal Dope. Can't remember the name of it but it's a heavy, fat crankdown that looks like a crappie that I've caught a few with. I've been trying to get more comfortable with the soft baits but I have a hard time being patient with them. The Bass Mafia Daingerous, Magdraft 6 and 8 inch, Burrito, all look good but I don't know if I've caught a fish on any of them. I know I'm 0-3 on bites with the 8" Magdraft. Bucca's baits catch me a lot of fish but I haven't caught any real big ones on them. The Bullwake gets lots of bites and a 5" fast sink Bull Shad is one of my favorite smallmouth baits. I enjoy fishing them, but I'm not a full time big bait fisherman. I do try to dedicate some time about every trip to them though. It's always surprising how often they won't react to regular stuff but then violently strike the big baits.

I don't often fish for them on purpose, but I've had a lot of luck when I do just pitching a white Ned rig onto their beds.

I was worried you were close to me, glad to see you're from the NE. I was at the Kayakjak Expo last Saturday, setup with a booth that was half our kayak club and half my baits. It was a smaller expo but lots of stuff packed into it and tons of cool things to buy. I'm glad I was busy the whole time so I didn't have a chance to walk around and spend money 😂

The next 10 days, our forecast are mostly in the 50's and even some 60's, but most importantly, the overnight temps are going to be staying above freezing also. Good chance we'll have open water here again by the end of that 10 days if it holds up.

I still have my boat, or a second kayak. I've always got an open invitation to members that want to go fish. I'll show you how bad the fishing really is here. I've fished with several members from here, it's always a good time.