Bluebasser86

Another bait I have a difficult time spending the money on. I watch for sales and pick them up when prices are more to my liking and only buy the staple baits and colors, mainly craws and menace because there's nothing else quite like them out there.

When they're following but not eating, I use a Turner Jones micro jig under a small bobber. Cast it out where you've been seeing them and just let the waves incorporate the action. Be ready though, they'll shoot that bobber under fast and let go even faster. 4lb test is key to allow the jig to move naturally.

Hate it when our kids are sick, but I could never get enough of this.

My boat is a single but has a flip up windscreen that covers about as much as a dual console but is easily stowed and deployed to save space.

I used to once in awhile but haven't done it for several years. We have tons of coyotes on and around our property that I need thinned out but nobody has ever been able to get any of them. I've shot a few off the deck when I spot them walking through the field, but we still hear them everywhere every night.

I rarely fish them, so I don't have to worry about losing them Now jigs on the other hand

They look nice but I have a really hard time buying plastics that are almost $1 a bait.

Some of the local reports on ksoutdoors don't change much all year. I haven't looked at it in a while but I'd bet I could look at one of my local lakes and it'll say something about bass good on jig and pig, slabs?, and silver crankbaits. Had to look, I was close. Good fishing but few anglers. Bass are in shallow water adjacent to structure, try plastics, jig and Pig, slabs

I keep a Ned rig or senko handy and manage to capitalize on a good number of those followers. Put the rod with the hooked fish between my legs and drop the other bait right next to it.

A female bluegill. The females are that drab yellowish/brown color, while the males are generally much more colorful with an orange chest and green to black sides.

Welcome!

Welcome!

I have the exact rod I bought for the same price, it is indeed a great yak rod that I'm not as worried about getting beat up or dirty.

I use a lot of mono and copolymer, even for things it "won't work" for. Trilene Big Game, Pline C21 and CXX, Gamma copoly, and recently started messing with Hi-Seas flourocarbon coated copolymer and really liking it so far.

Yes, that's primarily what I throw on it.

Most of those are babies still. Our bass may not get very big here, but the catfish get to record sizes with blues over 100, and the current world record flathead of 123 pounds.

The 795 will handle most of the baits you described, especially the ones with trebles. It's going to be a bit overloaded with an 8" Hudd but it can do it. Haven't fished the Irod so hopefully someone who has can speak up about it. I'd suggest taking a look at the Okuma Guide Select series also. The 7' 11" heavy would handle all the baits you mentioned.

Agreed, not trying to be a jerk, but if you're fishing prepared baits, you're not targeting big catfish. You may stumble onto one, sure, but that's going to be the exception. Live or FRESH cutbait is going to be king if you're truly targeting larger fish. I'd target big catfish with lures over prepared baits, it's a lot more productive than most folks realize. I used to intentionally target flatheads with a deep diving crankbait (discontinued Storm Lightning Shad), and did so with quite a bit of success. Big catfish are predators, and mainly fish eaters. Put a lure in their vicinity and there's a good chance they'll let you know about it. 20lb blue on a power minnow. 14lb channel on a brush hog 15lb flathead on a craw fatty 12lb channel on a shakyhead 15lb flathead on a jigging spoon 40lb flathead on a jig 14lb flathed on a jig 25lb flathead on a jig 21lb flathead on a Ned rig 65lb flathed on a jig 12lb flathed on a jig 11lb channel on a bladed jig

This is what one entire wall of my 1,200 sqft shop looks like, except not nearly that organized. Maybe someday I get around to it, but for now it's just organized by putting things wherever there's a spot for them.

Slow down, then reel slower. Straight retrieve, straight braid, rod tip up. It'll work with a stop and go retrieve, but I've had much better luck on a straight retrieve.

I much prefer the RES to the original trap because of the fact that it shimmies on the fall instead of spiraling. I catch tons of bass ripping a RES off the bottom and letting it settle back down. Also really like the Booyah One Knocker (formerly Excaliber XRK50), when the bass are wanting a straight retrieve around rocks and grass I seem to do better with this one.

I've never had one get worn out really quickly. They tend to hold up for dozens of fish for me, unless I do something stupid (see below).

This is a few of the fish I caught with one my first time out with it.

I like the super power (4 carrier), a lot. Similar to original PP, but seems to cast better and stay wound tighter than PP did for me. I've used it for a lot of different uses on casting and spinning gear. Used it to flip grass and wood all summer, used it for all my treble hooked topwaters, my Ned rig rod, senko/fluke spinning rod, and skipping spinning rod, as well as all my spinning reels I use on guide trips, all spooled with Super Power.