Bluebasser86

A red 1/8oz Roostertail and 2" crappie tube in Firecracker color on a 1/16oz ball head with a safety pin spinner were what I started out really trying to catch bass with. As I progressed, with each new technique I learned, I became focused on that bait/technique until I felt I'd effectively learned it before moving onto the next one. Some took much longer than others and some I still don't feel I've come to fully grasp yet.

I'm thinking either a thinner hook or heavier line. I'd also consider maybe one size larger hook. 3/0 will work, but is right on the bubble of what I'd consider large enough for a Rage Bug. A 4/0 EWG is just right IMO.

No, a sewing needle or cloths pin works on the #2 aberdeen hooks I use for Ned heads just fine. I actually use dentist tools also but without buying special tools, the other 2 will work on about any bass sized jig.

It's really more of a surprise when I go to this lake and DON'T catch a flathead anymore, especially at night. Sunday I went ahead and caught 2 of them, both on a 1/2oz football jig, almost the same spot about 5 hours apart though.

Congrats! My oldest just started Kindergarten last week. Seems like we just brought him home from the hospital.

Getting ready to go hunt the things that go "bump" in the night.

I have 2 buddies that have Titans, both have had problems with them.

Just to make it official, now a mod posted it. LOCKDOWN!!

Heat a needle or cloths pin and poke it through the hardened paint.

Dang, that's getting to the point where I could look pretty serious at one for what they're asking for one of those.

So you changed colors and PB&J was the only one working? Or you went fishing, found a good spot and presented the bait in a way that the fish wanted and caught them, and the bait just happened to be that color Rage Craw? I like a PB&J jig, but I've had limited success on PB&J plastics, no idea why.

Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. Usually when I do I'm either looking for 1 of 2 things, contrast, or bulk.

Haven't been getting out as much since school started, but I got out and did some night fishing Sunday night into Monday morning and had a good time. About my 3rd cast with a homemade 1/2oz black and blue football jig with the same colored Christie craw trailer got crushed, not by the target species, but still fun. Wasn't very far down the bank when I got a similar bite on the same bait, but this time it was what I was looking for. First time trying trying out my new Frabill Power Extend net, which has a built in light and lift assist (which would come in handy later). The pictures aren't great, but as someone who frequently night fishes, having a net with a bright light on it was a game changer. Not just for netting fish, but also handling fish in the net once in the boat Rounded a point a little ways down the bank had another one thump it, thought it dropped it, but she was just swimming slow. It's hard to tell when they swim off real slow in the dark. The jig bite just quit on me for some reason, but then they started eating the all blue homemade bladed jig. This one slack lined me and swam at me so fast I thought I missed her. Caught a drum and a few little guys, running out of time and decided to try the spot I started on one more time before I had to leave. Dragging my jig over some deep rocks when I got an unmistakable bite from a flathead. Not a monster, but it was fun on my jig rod and made me glad for the lift assist handle on the net ? Selfies in the dark with a flathead are hard...

What hook/line are you using?

Well you managed to make a post so I'd say you're good to go! Welcome!

Football jigs are more for dragging through rocks and deeper, more open water situations. Often they have thinner hooks and weed guards better suited for sparse cover situations and the head design comes through rocks better than others.

Boyd Duckett, Timmy Horton, that's the end of the list I know of off the top of my head of actual pros that use white rods a majority of the time.

In the fillets. Looks like zits on the fillets, pop a knife into it and a worm explodes out like an alien, but people eat them like that and don't seem to care or don't know.

I think the Browns could be really good, but they've got a very volatile group of key players. Baker never stops talking and seems to say things that could turn his team against him. OBJ has had injury issues and is a diva, despite being one of the best in the league when he's trying. Kareem is one of the best in the league, but he can't seem to keep his hands to himself and himself out of the bars, how many more chances is he going to get? He seemed like a good kid when he was in KC but has proven that he has a major problem and needs help but the NFL doesn't care about stuff like that as long as you're drawing viewers.

The soft bottom one depends a little bit. If it's just a mud bottom and nothing else, you'll be okay, but that's rarely the case when you have soft, muck bottoms. More typically you'll have dying plant matter, algae, vegetation, or enough silt that the shakyhead will almost disappear in it. It can certainly be fished on soft bottoms, but hard bottoms are where it shines imo. I like 1/8-1/4 ounce with 1/8oz being my favorite size by a wide margin.

Welcome!

I like listening to the sounds of nature and have caught quite untold numbers of fish that tipped me off because of their splashes or feeding sounds they've made that I wouldn't have heard if I was listening to music.

Is the pipe at the very bottom of the dam? It's possible they'll only have to draw it down to work on it. There's been a few lakes around here that have had drain issues that they've had to draw down 10-20 feet to work on the dams and the fish were fine, though maybe a little cramped, while they worked on it. If they have to drain it, that stinks, but the possible repercussions of a lake dam bursting are going to take precedence over the fish in the lake.

This is a good point. I think most think pitching and automatically assume heavy line and casting gear. I pitch wacky rigs, Neds, and other light baits on spinning gear all the time. Learning how to do it with both casting and spinning gear is worth the effort.

The bass in our lakes are crawling with worms when the water temps get higher. They won't hurt you, but it's pretty gross imo. One of the nastiest tasting fish I've eaten, and I ate a lot of bass growing up out of necessity. Smaller ones out of clear, colder water are the best if I was going to eat them, but I turn crappie and walleye loose so what do I know.