Bluebasser86

I had that 90 degree mold and didn't like it at all, wrong hooks like you said. I sold it and got the 60 degree mold and like it alot better. Plus I use the same head to make chatterbaits so it does double duty.

Split ring pliers, they're made specifically for what you are doing. I have a pair of Rapala longnose pliers that also have a tip for opening split rings that stay in the boat with me and I have a pair of Rapala split ring pliers with my fishing tackle in the garage.

I fish poppers very slowly in most of the clear water lakes that I fish. They will analyze the bait for a long time sometimes when they eat it. I like to use smaller poppers in natural colors and even clear at times. Sometimes in clear water a faster retrieve will work better but in those situations I usually switch to a walking bait. It's possible they just don't want to break the surface. You might try a floating worm or wacky rigged senko for those fish.

No kids here, they might not believe me if I tried to use that one.

It's good like others have said with lighter spinning gear when you aren't setting the hook hard. I've had problems with break offs on hooksets with heavier lb tests for no apparent reason.

3 baits and 2 willowleaf blades seems to be the way to go in that instance. They seem less inclined to hit the blades than they are to hitting a bait with the hook bent in but it still has a lot of the same fish attraction that another bait would have.

Split ring pliers are the easiest way to do it. I just use my fingernails to open them and just make sure I'm not pushing/pulling/twisting towards my fingers.

I like them T-rigged and C-rigged, one of my favorite creature baits for sure. They're a good night time bait too since they have a nice big profile.

That's insane how real those things look! I'd almost hate to fish it and get it torn up, almost..

4 1/2-6lbs. Really hard to tell from that picture but it isn't any wider than your hat and maybe twice as long, I'd guess in the 20-22 inch range maybe 23". No matter what it's a nice fish and congrats on the new PB!

jiggingitis is usually a good one, just tell them it's really catchy.

They should be eating a spinnerbait, squarebill, or beaver bait out there by now. The island in the middle and the north bank to the west of the west boatramp are my best big fish areas. A Big Texan Havoc Pit Boss will usually catch some fish out there when all else fails.

Well I found Curtis but can't find Chris, There's a bunch of Chris Schauer's out there!

Either my 6' 8" M St. Croix LTB with a Pfluegar Supreme XT spinning combo or my 7' 1" MH St.Croix Rage with a Curado 200E7 casting combo, love fishing both of them.

Bull shad is a good bait, check out some of the videos on youtube and their sight. I'd love to own one but just don't have that kind of coin to drop on a bait. I really need to get better at deep cranking. It's just so much easier for me to pick up a jig and pick cover apart instead of covering water like you have to do sometimes. Want to get better at swimbaiting too. I'd probably be better at both if I had a little more specialized gear for them but that's going to have to wait for now.

Smallies seem to like about any color. At times it's all about having a natural bait and other times you have to have something that's really bright and stands out. Usually the slow moving baits should be natural colors, green pumpkin, watermelon, pumpkin, black, and fast moving baits should be bright, yellow, chartruese, pink, white. I am not at all saying this is the rule, but it is a good place to start.

Wow that's a short, thick fish! Congrats on the new PB! As for getting it mounted, why not get a replica made? You could have the memory of the fish and have a shot to maybe catch her again when she's even bigger?

I have a mold for them. The ones I use are Mustad hooks that has the Do-it label on them also. They aren't really wide gaped hooks but they are pretty long and plenty heavy. I've been pouring all my football jigs with them and had really good success so far.

Melvern takes me about an hour and 20 or 30 minutes from Johnson Drive and I-35, Perry is about an hour. Like I said though, if you're going to spend the time and the money might as well go somewhere you can catch something. I'll have to try to find you on facebook I guess. Don't want to change the settings, don't need anyone of my "customers" looking me up on there . Mondays are always easiest for me to go if you ever get one off.

I was out there Tuesday morning, it was tough for me. Only caught 16, mostly largemouth with a few smallies plus a crappie, mostly on jerkbaits. They just weren't touching a shakeyhead and just pecking at my football jig. I was trying some new line on my shakeyhead rod because everyone talks so highly of it but I hated it, really stiff and looked like rope under water with it being so clear right now. Had to switch to my wacky rig rod with nanofil and a short leader to finally get a couple on a shakeyhead.

I bought some RES silent baits at Bass Pro last fall.

Looks like you have a good list started. I love all Xcaliburs baits, their zell pop and XR50 and XRK50 specifically. Their ghost color is one of my favorites in any bait.

Were you able to find me? I think I have my security settings pretty high, you might not be able to find me through a search. Are you looking for something close by? Melvern would be my pick or Pomona if you want something a little closer, maybe Clinton. Perry is a good lake too but not many walleye. Melvern is just a fun lake with lots of smallmouth, whites, and crappie and a pretty good population of walleyes and saugers but it is a little further drive. Personally I'd rather drive a little further if the fishing is going to be a lot better. You spend all that time and money on gas to go to Hillsdale and then the fishings not very good, not worth it to me. I'd like to get out with you sometime, just have to get the green light from the boss lady to go on a Sunday sometime.

Works good for catfishing I know that, should do fine for bass too.

I fish an Xcalibur one knocker very slowly at times, just ticking it over the weeds, slowly at least for a rattle bait. I have a ton of their rattlers and have never had a problem with any of them.