Bluebasser86

Some of the most productive days of fishing for numbers. I don't always seem to catch as many big fish on those days, but lots of numbers and still some quality.

This is the time of year that a big paddletail on the back of a spinnerbait will get big bites. A 4.5" paddletail looks like too much on as a trailer, until a 2 pounder chokes the whole thing (or even a big crappie like I've had happen), then you realize it's really not that big. The big bass are hunting the big shad in preparation for winter, so that bigger profile gets the bigger bites. That 3.5" Pulse is really good as a stand alone on a jighead also.

I thought I had a shot at the state record with this one, turns out I was quite a bit short.

Olathe and SMP both have shad and both have very healthy crawdad populations. There's also crappie in both and big bass love crappie way more than they do bluegills. I don't fish the other 2 and JAR will vary from pond to pond most likely.

Shimano use to make a rod in the Crucial lineup that was perfect for tiny cranks. It's a 6' 8 or 9 inch ML/F, supposed to be a dropshot rod but I caught a ton of fish on a #5 shad rap with that rod and it was almost underpowered for even that bait. They haven't been gone that long, might be able to find a used one out there somewhere.

It's a copy and paste picture from an article. I found that picture searching for that color of Arashi Vibe in a write up about the Arashi Vibe.

Rebel Jumpin Minnow in the Moon Spot color with upgraded hooks. https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/rebel-jumpin-minnow

I never use a bead.

Not a big fan of the Zoom Fluke because it seems like about half the bag is always bent and unusable when I get them out. I've been using the 6th Sense Flush lately and been happy with them. They come in a harder plastic container that makes them keep their shape so I know my baits are good when I need them.

I've swam for a phone and a GoPro, didn't recover either.

Nope

Sounds like you've already shown them something different than the baitfish, so it might be time to try and match them as close as possible. When the smallmouth here get on the baby shad or shiner bite, a Zman TRD minnow swam along quickly where they're feeding on them usually does the trick.

Couldn't tell you the last time I had a dream while I was sleeping. I'm dead to the world when I'm out.

Rams were never in it. Cards are looking like the real deal early in the season with good squads on both sides of the ball.

A lot of guys kill them because they consider them trash fish, but like Russ said, that could be considered Wanton Waste and you can get a ticket from a game warden. As much as they drive me crazy, they're a native fish. They do need culled like everything else though, and very few people eat them, so there's a bit of an issue on how to do that.

Storm Arashi Vibe, I'm guessing Ghost Hitch color. https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Storm_Arashi_Vibe/descpage-SAV.html

Big Bait=Big Fish

Braid in really cold conditions is a nightmare. When I'm fishing in the winter and the temps drop near or below freezing, I have to go to mono or fluoro because the braid freezes midcast. Like trying to reel in a frozen rope.

Set your reel so either the bait barely pulls line from the spool, or it is just at the verge of doing it. Walk out enough line that it's just a little bit further than you'll be able to cast, put a wrap of tape around the spool, now you won't backlash further than that tape. Choose a bait that is easy to skip starting out like a jig or tube. Keep your rod low to the water and pretend you're skipping a rock and the rod is an extension of your arm. It takes practice like any skill, but that will get you started.

Fishing is almost always tougher in evenings for me than it is in the mornings.

Braid does not destroy line guides. The old Spiderwire did, but the stuff we have now doesn't. Noise depends on the line. 4 carrier braids aren't wound as tightly, so they tend to be noisier. A quality 8 carrier will be close to just as quiet as mono or fluoro though. Even if you get a backlash or knot out of a fluorocarbon line, it's likely damaged, so not sure if that's a benefit or not. Leader knots are simple to tie and make it so braid last for ever since all you ever tend to lose is the tiny bit when you have to tie a new leader. I use both because they both have their place. Braid on my casting gear will never have a leader on it, but it almost always will on my spinning combos. I only have straight fluoro on a couple spinning rods, way more of them have braid.

Sure they were bass? Green sunfish were tearing up my bladed jig trailer during my tournament a few weeks ago in the same areas I was catching bass and always the first few feet from the bank. Their first "tap", felt a lot like a bass, but I yanked a couple clear out of the water and even caught a few so I figured a lot of short strikes I was getting must have been greenies.

Yes, white, black, and natural/brown are my favorites.

Most lures are fun to use IMO, except anything on a C-rig ☠️

You're not that far from the Ozark rivers. I like the Elk river around Noel but there's lots of options. The Gasconade is popular and has much bigger fish, but I've never fished it.