Bluebasser86

It's a spot, I'd bet my favorite combo on it, but there's no way to prove it so we'll never know Some of the reasons being listed aren't determining factors in the "spot or not", debate. FWIW, one of my favorite local lakes isn't supposed to have spots, isn't listed as having spots, but I've caught a couple dozen of them from there How they got there? nobody knows, but there is no denying they're there. Next time, have him feel the scales. The rough feeling scales on a spot are a dead giveaway.

I use the Luck E Strike STX Jr when I need a finesse bait and it works well.

I've only ever seen them in 4 sizes; small, medium, large, and extra large. I feel like I have about average sized hands a 6' tall male and I wear the large.

A jig is very rarely a bad idea. It's scored me some nice fish lately. In fact I've only had 2 rods on the deck my last couple trips to one particular lake nearby, one of them has been a homemade 5/8oz brush jig in junebug color.

Copolymer, 20lb

I use White River fingerless fleece gloves from BPS all winter. I keep a few pairs so if one pair gets wet I can switch to a dry pair. They go on sale for $5 pretty often so they're cheap to stock up on.

Your original question has been answered a few times over and in depth. We've gone past the point of this thread doing any good. LOCKDOWN!!

I've got BB3 and Baby Bluebasser that will be here in around 2 months. Never would have guessed that I'd be hot all 3 days in mid October. I had to wear a long sleeve tee the last day because I only brought 2 T-shirts and didn't even think I'd need those.

It's an easy lake to fish, but not easy to find the quality smallmouth. I lucked into that one, but I also know that Ned Kehde has caught 2 over 6 pounds out there the last couple years (one this past spring I believe). There was a kayak tournament out there this year that had 2 5 pound class smallmouth caught also. Of course, it's really easy to go out there and not catch a smallmouth over 1.5 pounds too. Very clear water, rocky, zebra mussels, and grass make it good water for smallmouth, but they get a lot of pressure and can be really finicky. At 400 acres, it's easy to cover a majority of it in a day.

I believe you'll be fine with that hook as well. The hole diameter is a little larger than this hook, so I get a little run out between the eye and keeper at times, but it doesn't seem to effect the performance of the keeper.

I've fished it in the fall several times, never caught many trout even though I've fished for them on occasion. All you need is the state trout permit. These are why I went out there. Had lots of walleye on jerkbaits, and caught my first yellow perch in a long, long time out there on a Ned. The few trout I did catch were in about a foot of water grouped up in the very back of the cove by the southwest ramp. They were very unhealthy looking, I think the water was too warm still when they stocked them but that shouldn't be the case this year. The trout out there eat a Ned well at times, but I usually do best with a 1/8oz Little Cleo, or a micro jig under a bobber. If it were me, I'd forgo the trout and target the bass and eyes, I can give you an idea where to look for those too if you'd like. For the trout, put the trolling motor down and look for signs of them like fish jumping or cruising, there will be more around. Lake Shawnee is in Topeka. Those regs are for Shawnee Mission Lake. SML stocks natural swimbaits for the most part, Lake Shawnee stocks monsters.

Fish long enough and you'll have some fish die on you, it just happens. Best thing to do is have the proper tools for hook removal, and to be educated on the best and proper ways to remove a hook depending on where the hook is located. I suggest checking out this post and maybe it will help in the future

Congrats on the new PB!

I use the 4" on a shakyhead, but I use the 5" a majority of the time. I've caught plenty of smallmouth on a 7" stick worm on a swinging football head though.

I've seen worm hooks, bait holder hooks, and even a jighead. Plenty of times I've seen entire crawdad pinchers as well.

Seibert has some excellent bluegill colors and great prices on his spinnerbaits.

Nope, I despise Yo-Zuri and have no plans of ever buying it again. Only other line I've tried with it was Gamma Copolymer and it performed very well also but is harder to get.

It's very thin, so you have to take care and pay attention to the knot and do a solid check of the knot after it's been tied, but once a good knot is tied and cinched down well, the knots hold great.

Which one? They offer a few different versions.

This is the time of year when the river (and rest of the lake), starts to turn on at La Cygne. Usually the wipers are really going good out there about now too. I'll be out there in the next couple weeks I'm sure.

It's awesome on spinning tackle. Cast a mile and is extremely thin. Tough to tie knots though, and it does kind of unravel or something like that after awhile but I like it for what I use it for. Wouldn't personally use it on casting gear but some do and like it.

Nope, not a lot of reeling going on when I'm flipping heavy cover.

I use the 6' 10" M/XF St.Croix Legend Tournament Bass which is specifically designed for shakyheads and it's been a great rod.

I'm currently running 8lb Seaguar Senshi and it has done well. Any easy handling mono or copolymer works well.

I have 20lb on my baitcasters I use for topwater poppers and WTD baits because they cast a little easier and much further, which are both bonuses with those style baits. I have 40, 50, and 65 pound on the reels I use for T rigs, C-rigs, flipping, and punching.