Bluebasser86

I catch a ridiculous number of "average" sized fish on big swimbaits. Actually, that's mostly what I catch on them ? I've got quite a few the same size and even smaller than the bait.

I'd suggest doing some reading here;

If there isn't room and forage to grow larger fish, there won't be any larger fish.

If you cast by a bullfrog with a hollow frog, or any other bait for that matter, the bullfrog will very likely try to eat it. Catching them on a hollow frog is not at all uncommon and very frustrating. In my experience, if you're getting chased by bullfrogs, you're in the wrong area as there never seems to be many bass in areas with lots of bullfrogs.

The one time I tried BPS fluoro, set the hook on a fish in a brushpile with 17lb fluoro and my line broke in the reel. Hurried up and grabbed my line before the fish swam off and could feel it was still there but hung in the brush. My buddy got a cell phone video of me carefully handlining a 3lb bass out of a brushpile.

If you're looking to eventually upgrade, getting into as many different types of kayaks is the best way to help decide which one you want. I didn't get the opportunity but did a lot of research and am really happy with my purchase but the first one I bought was not for me and about turned me away from them entirely.

The Spro has been a much better bait.

I don't know how many fishing trips our old dog has left in her, but man the puppy sure comes out in her when I get into it and the wind hits her.

Very few lakes I've ever been on have speed limits, at least ones big enough to have tournaments on. Those guys don't put those big motors on their boats just to run 30mph. I got paired with a guy that had a Javelin on Table Rock once. I saw the gauge hit 82 and it was still picking up speed when I had to close my eyes and hold my breath and just hope we made it through the day in one piece.

If green sunfish grew to 50lbs, you couldn't swim in the lakes they resided in.

They have good blanks, I've bought several swimbait blanks from them. Not exactly the same as the real deal, but close and the price is good. I haven't rattle can painted any, but I did buy a big pack of Sharpies and have "painted" some with those with good success. Just make sure to scuff them up a little before painting to help hold the paint.

I use the cheap digital luggage scale. The one I have now is 2/3 years old and still works fine. They don't like to get wet, but most electronics don't. You can get them on Ebay for around $5 shipped, or order straight from overseas for even cheaper. I've got 1 in the boat, 1 in the kayak box, and 1 in my bank fishing bag.

Big Bite Baits just did a limited release of their Yomama in a 6" "Big Mama", version. If the comparison picture is correct, it's WAY bigger than a standard beaver bait. https://bigbitebaits.com/product/big-mama/

If you can find a time, you're welcome to pedal mine around sometime to try it out.

I use them in moving water for white bass and wipers. I use a lot of slow sinking jerkbaits in cold water.

I've got a whole pile of baits that I've found this year sitting on my bench in the garage. I know there's another plopper 90 in loon in the mix, a couple Fat Free Shads, an original Rapala, RES, Lunkerhunt Prop Frog, the biggest dang H2O crank I've ever seen (looks like a 10XD but it's a H2O). Most recent find was what appears to be a brand new Sexy Dawg I pulled off the back side of a stump Saturday.

Busy weekend of fishing this week. Friday morning I had to wait for the shop to open to take my truck in, so I took the kayak out for a few hours after work. A locally made swimbait, Berkley J-Walker, and wacky rigged X-Zone Center Stick did most of the damage. Saturday was supposed to be stormy, so I stayed closer to home and fished a park lake. I was hoping for a good bite with the clouds and wind, but I had a feeling with the downpours and lots of lightning over night would probably make them a little tough and unfortunately that was the case. The same swimbait, J-Walker, as well as a T-rigged X-Zone Adrenaline Bug and Berkley Maxscent Creature Hog caught most of my fish. Sunday morning, the boys were at my parents house, and it was supposed to be cloudy with light winds and much cooler, so Mrs. Blue and I loaded up the pups and headed to the lake for a few hours. Water was pretty stained and we probably needed a little more wind, but still we caught some fish, and she caught her big smallmouth she told me she was going to catch. I had an accidental double when I caught one on a Ned, unhooked it and tossed my bait over the side. As I went to set my rod down, the line took off and I caught a second fish. I got broke off on the pillar behind us and she plucked the fish of the day off of it before I could even get a new jighead out.

They can't snap very far in the water if you stretch their necks out a bit. I've unhooked a few of them without any issues with regular needlenose pliers.

I haven't been having any issues but we're not in a drought like a lot of other places so that might be making a difference.

Welcome!

Welcome! Lots of great information here. Stick around and read up a bit and you'll be back catching fish in no time.

I drive my wife crazy with this. I get sick with a head cold and go fishing. She tells me to stay home and rest, I tell her I'm going to be sick at home or sick at the lake, I'm going to be sick at the lake.

Walleye/saugeye/sauger will eat a way bigger bait than a lot of people like to think, especially the bigger fish. They have a pretty good size mouth and can really pull a lot of water when they flair them big gills open.

They were popping a Swammer for me a few weeks ago, and then popping my line as I think they were stripers and getting me into zebra mussel covered brush. Great little baits and way more durable than a Keitech though.

They've had them for a minute. I got a white one a few weeks ago from them. Great company and fast shipping.