Bluebasser86

The Classic at Hartwell was the most boring Classic I've watched in my lifetime. They tried to add drama with it being so cold, I fish in the cold, it's not that exciting. Just doesn't seem like there's many techniques that were options for that body of water at that time of year. Hopefully it will be different next year.

Caught my first coldwater smallmouth of the year Thursday, water was 43 degrees. I was straight retrieving a 3" smoke no flake Kalin's grub on a 1/8oz jighead in about 8' of water. Had what I believe was a pretty nice smallmouth pull off a jerkbait before I got to see it later that day. Caught a few more at a different lake today, again on a grub and jerkbait.

There was 2 10 pounders caught on the same day from the same lake here in Kansas last weekend (our state record is only 11lb 12oz). One was caught on a limbline set for catfish. Both were kept and eaten. Don't come to Kansas for big fish, the state does a pitiful job managing for bass.

Welcome!

Welcome!

To work, just like every weekend.

I usually like to fish a trap or a jerkbait. A shakyhead or swing head with the plastic of your choice will usually get bit too.

That's how I got the heart tails, free from the local shop to try. They were nice, but $10 a pack was way too steep for me to keep using them.

The Zako has more of a fish profile and comes through the water easier. The Pit Boss and Menace have appendages that work in opposite directions of each other, which allows a slower retrieve because of the increased drag. The Pit Boss especially is also much cheaper than the Zako as well as more durable. I had a similar issue with the heart tail from Yamamoto, fish biting the tails off or tearing the bait up quickly, especially on days when the catfish are really chasing. It gets really expensive really fast on those days if I'm using an expensive trailer.

Yes it would be. Are you getting spinning or casting?

I'd replace both. Something like a Lightning Rod Shock with a Pfluegar President would be good and under your price range.

I only fish mine on casting gear, a 7' M/F with 20lb braid to be exact.

Homemade ones, with a Pit Boss or Rage Menace rigged vertically. A rigged Pit Boss.

I have one that a buddy painted for me (he bought a blank, not the trout glider). It's not terrible but it wants to roll a little on the glide.

The outlet is far and away your best option for bank fishing La Cygne. My distant second choice would be around the bridge in the river but it doesn't concentrate fish like the outlet can. Shad imitations are by far the best option.

How cheap is cheap?

I've used it and still do, but we just call it dead-sticking. Put a bait with very little action near the bottom and leave it right in their faces. Sometimes it's about the only way to get bit. A Ned rig is a killer fished like that at times.

Welcome!

Welcome!

Clear Lake, St. Clair, Erie, Toledo Bend, Falcon, Guntersville, Okeechobee, St. John's River, Kentucky Lake, and Oneida are some I'd like to fish. A few that I've fished that are legendary or at least well known; Table Rock, Lake of the Ozarks, Bull Shoals, Beaver Lake, and Grand Lake.

Casting practice sounded like. I'm still going Thursday. Catch fish or die trying.

Blue

For the most part I was dragging it slowly along the bottom because the water was only 43 degrees. Pretty standard wind around here, so you just get used to feeling them in it. Usually just swing on anything that feels any different and hope for the best.

It's actually better to fish a popping frog and walk it, or some kind of sharp cutting walking bait so when the bait gets into an opening, it can be fished without moving it much.

I use 3/8oz for almost all of mine.