Bluebasser86

Lake is way high right now and probably will be by the time you get there. If that's the case, it won't fish like it usually does around that time. A lot of fish are getting caught shallow on spinnerbaits and flipping baits in people's backyards, as well as on baits like the Ned Rig and a split shot rigged fish doctor on the old shoreline. Zero topwater bite to speak of that I've heard, but I don't see that continuing. Lots of good spots near KC, Schooner Creek being one of my favorites.

Screens get water spots. They're easy to clean though. I keep a microfiber cleaning towel in the boat to clean mine.

Forgot my kayak paddle once after driving 30 minutes to a sweet looking new spot. I loaded back up, drove home, went back to bed. Some days it's just not meant to be.

Both of your big Punker fish hit on the pause when you got distracted and looked away

Great looking fish.

I flipped my yak last year. Lost my cell phone, Garmin Virb Elite and camera mount, 3 rods and reels, pliers, a few loose lures, and a terminal tackle box. I was able to recover a couple of rods, but ended up not being able to recover most of my gear due to the standing timber I was in at the time. It was late March with water temps in the high 40's/low 50's, so it could have been a lot worse. If you were in an area with fairly open water and you have a good idea where the rod was, buy a chain stringer (the one with all the metal clips), open all of the clips and start dragging it around where you think the rod went over. I've seen several rods recovered like that.

Lucky you didn't put your hand down on top of a bunch of treble hooks.

I was thinking the problem with certain grippers was the fairly thin or sharp metal variety would tear or gash the fish's jaw? I haven't heard of any issues with the plastic fish grippers I guess. I use them on my scale for weighing, much better than jamming the big hole in their jaw or going under the gill plate imo. I don't use them for landing or holding bass, most bass I catch are swung in and grabbed from the air.

Welcome!

Welcome!

ROF12 for sure unless it's really shallow. Like it's been mentioned, you have to reel painfully slow to keep a 5 anywhere other than on the surface. You can still crawl a 12, but you can reel it a little faster also. Get the 50 Spro rat, I like Hippie rat (morning dawn). The bigger baits just have more drawing power, especially with surface baits it seems.

I like the green shad color in the 68. I fish the weedless model everywhere because I fish it with more confidence and less worried about hangups so I'll put it where it needs to be to get bit.

What about the 70 makes it a jerkbait reel? I have a 70XG I've never used for jerkbaits. It does fish a finesse jig and T rig great though. I agree with @Dramer77, I had some 200 I's, but I like the 70 much better. I've sold all my 200's but kept the 70.

I have the exact rod, but not sure if it's a newer model or not because I bought it used. It's a little lighter than what I'd like to use for frogs myself but it does make a great jig rod.

Never know what you'll get fishing a tailrace.

Think I might get one and cut that front blade off to see if it will work like a regular 130 if I do that.

Wiggle Wart, Wild Thang, Digger, Bandit 200.

My biggest swimbait bass to date ate a Slammer in a pond so small I could easily cast across it. Bass will eat swimbaits anywhere they live and as long as they eat other fish.

I fished the ones I make naked with just a 4.3" SI Fat during a tournament at LOZ this last fall and did really well with it.

Nice! Still looking for my first Punker fish.

Agreed. I love my Costas, but only a few of their frames fit me well. If they aren't comfortable, you won't wear them.

Last time I was in a DSG they had them.

The bluegill color seems to be good if your bass eat lots of gills. Bone is a good color too. Get the full size one, seems to work better imo.

Thank you for your service @Bucky205 I don't have any major issues, but I get aura migraines that ruin the day anytime I get one. It starts with temporary blindness, usually in my right eye and sometimes a little in my left, before progressing to a severe headache, light and sound sensitivity, nausea, numbness and tingling in my hands and arms, and eventually vomiting. The only thing I can do to cure them is to go to sleep, and even that doesn't always do it and I always have a terrible headache still the following day or two, but I can deal with just the headache.

Madden Curse