Bluebasser86

Went to Leavenworth State Lake today. Wasn't much fun. Water was very stained for that lake and the bites I was getting were very small. I probably caught around 20 and not a single one would have gone 1.5 pounds. Caught them flipping water willows, on a bladed jig, shakyhead, wacky rig, flipping laydowns, and a squarebill. Only excitement was a little flathead.

I pour my own and I like to drag them slowly on the bottom, kind of a C-rig drag basically. I fish all kinds of plastics on them but a beaver or brush hog are 2 of my favorites to put on them.

Black Market Balsa squarebills will come through anything, but they'll blow through a paycheck real fast too.

Text me or PM some if you don't mind.

My favorite way to catch them, even over topwater.

"Make a silly face". Nailed it

I'm an opportunist for sure. I've sight fished all kinds of sunfish, gar, drum, carp, even catfish while fishing for bass. I usually have a rod on the deck ready for surfacing white bass and wipers in case they come up within casting distance. I go fishing to catch fish. Catching the target species is nice, but variety is the spice of life.

Miami was fun Thursday evening. Almost 16 pounds for a our biggest 5. Catfish were tormenting us too. If a guy wanted to catch them, I'm sure you could really tear them up now. Saw several large paddlefish feeding and jumping too.

I had an Avid X. It wasn't bad but I hated the guides so bad that I sold it. I agree with dodgeguy that the guides are very subpar for a rod that price.

I have both, and IMO, no they're not that much nicer to be worth the extra money. I got the Zillion in the 9:1 though, main reason I went with it instead of another Tatula SV TWS.

The Lightning Rod Shock is a terrific rod for the money. I have several both spinning and casting. I also just bought a couple of the Arid X's but haven't had a chance to use them. They feel very nice for the money. I bought a 7' M/F for myself to try and a 6' M/F spinning rod for my son for his first nicer rod of his own and he'll get to test it out Sunday.

Hmm, I guess I don't consider them to be very similar to a spybait at all other than they both have something on them that spins and they're both fairly heavy. I fish a tailspinner on a 7' M or MH baitcaster with 15lb mono or fluoro. At times a retrieve with a lift, drop cadence can work, but I prefer a slow, steady retrieve. The Wing Ding is a good one that I get at Academy. I like them because the bait is separate from the hook so they're harder for the fish to throw and I can use whatever hook I want.

One of my favorite dropshot baits, has helped me get confidence in the rig. I like the Oxblood red flake color a lot.

Got my 3rd Thursday night tournament win of the year yesterday and big bass to boot. One of my all blue bladed jigs was getting the job done.

Welcome!

Welcome!

Slammer is about as proven as it gets in the swimbait world.

Trust a drag all you want, but when the line gets compromised during the fight by abrasions, it's likely no longer set properly for the break strain of the line. There's no way to know for sure the right amount of pressure to a line suffering from abrasions, but I backreel and use the thumb bar on my baitcasters to control fish. Conversely, if a big fish is making a dive for cover, I can instantly increase pressure to attempt to stop them. True the line may break, but if they get to a piece of cover it's almost guaranteed the line is going to be broken.

Depends on the size you need. The Bitsy Flip has a much better hook but doesn't come in the smaller size that the regular bitsy does. Terminator makes a nice one with a good hook, as small as 1/8oz, and a small weedguard. They're also priced right.

A jerkbait would be my choice as well.

I love fishing that lake, but it's over 3 hours away so it's not often I make it there. The biggest bass I've ever hooked was in that lake, well over 10 pounds, spun and pulled our 16' johnboat a good ways before it straightened my hook. 10 of the 11 muskie I've caught were from there too including my PB 42 incher. A majority of my big bass out there have come from the lower half of the lake, basically from the north boat ramp cove straight across, south to the other ramp. These are some of the bass from my last trip there with my BIL.

I haven't fished that exact jig, but I make a tiny jig of my own that I use frequently that is similar. I make mine with 1 or 2 strands of fiber weedguard and that seems to be plenty to keep it from snagging without interfering with hook ups. I always use a trailer, my favorite being the 2 3/4" YUM craw papi with a little of the bait trimmed off to fit. I believe it's ISG that also makes a tiny chunk trailer that fits perfectly on them. This is an 1/8oz jig next to a quarter for scale. The hook on the Bitsy Bug isn't great, and was likely a big part of why you were having issue hooking fish on it.

I have, what size and style is going to depend on what lure you're using.

That's how I get clear ploppers.

Wabaunsee beat me badly Monday. I didn't catch 15 fish and they were tiny, mostly under a pound. Long drive to catch less and smaller fish than I could have caught at about any local lake.