Bluebasser86

Welcome!

Pretty sure that's a Penn 9m.

The #4 hook is the ideal size and what most guys that use the old school Gopher heads are looking for. I don't personally use them because putting a Zman bait on one is impossible but the Zman Gopher heads are going to fly off the shelf even at over $1 a head, which is just insane to me.

If I was going to pick one, it would depend a lot on where and how I was fishing. I'm not good at making those decisions though, which is why I have a bass boat, 16' johnboat, and as soon as it's delivered, a peddle kayak.

They don't eat them on some lakes here, and others they hit them like Great Whites hit a seal. The odd thing is, those lakes they don't eat a plopper, they like a buzzbait. Then the ones they love the plopper, barely touch a buzzbait. I have no explanation for it, but I guess it saves me having to tie both on and figure out which they're eating that day.

Given the number of squarebills I find during the summer months, there's more than a few people around here fishing them. Just in my short, 4 hour trip last Friday morning I found 5 squarebills, all KVD 1.5s or 2.5s.

No idea about my bass per hour ratio, but I've had several 50+ fish days and my 2 biggest of the year were both 6 3/4lb fish, and I've caught more smallmouth over 4lbs than I can ever remember catching in KS. I feel like I've done well staying one step ahead of the crowd. I hear about a good bite somewhere else and resist the urge to go there, knowing everyone else will be heading there chasing the hot bite. I sneak out to a different lake and whack them there a time or two before I let it be known and then, when my bait is set, I head to a different lake because a swarm of people are going to chase that bite without fail. One big benefit of having so many small lakes as well as several bigger reservoirs within an hours drive.

Welcome!

Welcome!

My oldest is 6 and is rolling with a 6' 6" M/F Daiwa Aird X/Revros 2500 combo. Little over $100 for the setup. It's light and fishes about anything and he can handle it easily. It's been a very hassle free combo with very few tangles, which helps keep from him getting discouraged and keeps him fishing, so it's worth it to me in that regard.

Prefer the Baby -1 of those 2. The Storm Subwart was one of the best wake/shallow running cranks ever IMO. Really wish they'd bring them back.

I've got a box of pre-Rap warts that rarely come out of the garage unless it's tournament time.

Buzzbait for largemouth WP for smallmouth Don't know why, but around here the green fish seem to prefer the buzzer, the brown fish seem to prefer the plopper. If I'm on a lake with both I'm throwing the plopper.

I like 10" worms on either a Trig with a 4/0 EWG and 1/4-3/8oz weight or a swinging footbal head with the same hook and weights.

I get enough arguing and altercating at work, I don't need it when I'm fishing. I'll go catch them somewhere else.

Welcome!

It works?? Bone, French Pearl, solid white, NC Shell, Powder, whatever variation of white/ish color a company offers, it just flat out works for me.

This is what I wanted to see. Just change their mascot and fly a big middle finger to everyone wanting them to change their name ? Hopefully they'll change the Chiefs mascot to a Fireman or something when they decide to come after them inevitably. Can even keep the tomahawk chop that is so offensive and just change the tomahawk to a fireman's axe ?

I've done well trolling for them with minnow baits, either floating or suspending ones. They like wiggle warts also.

There's some pretty solid options for folding nets out there. I had one in my johnboat before it went swimming that worked great, got it from Academy. I could snap it out for use with one hand while fighting a fish. https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/h2o-xpress™-folding-kayak-landing-net

What is your price range? Most nicer balsa baits are pretty pricey but they're worth it if you're wanting a bait to really work through wood.

Thinking about buying a split shot mold and setting up a stand at the local lake, probably make a killing. Walmart has been sold out of them for months.

Straight braid in Florida for sure. I'd bump the size you're using up considerably also. 50 is typically considered the minimum there, 65 and even 80 are often used. Also agree on the suggestion to toss the Trokars. Awful, overrated hooks.

Those fish that simply sip the bait under are often the biggest ones. Congrats on your first topwater fish!

I have my doubts about this as well. I've found hooks that a fish has managed to mostly pass, hanging out their backside, but they're still stuck and these instances are rare. I've found many more still lodged in their throats with very little signs of wear or dissolving. The way I look at it, if I was a fish, I'd prefer the option of potentially bleeding to death over the long, drawn out process of starving to death because my throat was pinned shut and I was unable to feed properly. With the technique I posted, It's uncommon to a fish to bleed much at all and the hook typically comes out of the soft tissue very easily.