Bluebasser86

Yeah, it's still one of my favorites for largemouth too.

My uncle swears they're the best eating fish in Kansas. He also lives in a shack with no phone and just recently got indoor plumbing so take that with a grain of salt. They don't scavenge and are obviously closely related to red and black drum that are very popular food fish so they probably are pretty decent eating if prepared right.

My thought with drum, they're a predator fish, a surprisingly effective predator fish who can have a effect on the food chain. As most folks know, they have very little fishing pressure on them and next to zero of those caught are harvested. This leads them to the potential to be overpopulated. I'll admit to tossing them on the bank, raccoons and buzzards have to eat, but I never do it in front of anyone or near anyone's dock or home. No, it's not the best way to do it, but like every fish they need to be harvested and once they're big enough to be caught they have almost no predators. I respect everyone's opinion on the subject and you're all welcome in my boat regardless of your view on it

Welcome from a fellow LEO!

I flipped my kayak early spring this year, but that's the first time out of the boat. That fresh wax didn't let my legs stick to them at all like I'd planned.

I just take the wheels so I don't have to worry about someone messing with my boat at the tire shop.

Welcome!

Welcome!

Well, so much for never fallen out of the boat.

How deep is deep? I know of some deeper lakes, but there's no fish out there. You're going to have to head to the Ozarks to find deeper fish. The population in the lakes around here just aren't dense enough for fish to need to go offshore in any numbers.

I use a 7' MH Ugly Stick Lite, 30 size Okuma Avenger bait feeder spinning reel with 20lb braid and a 2/0 Eagle Claw Kahle hook and no weight, just a swivel to prevent line twist. I use fresh cutbait, usually bluegill or shad, but whatever good sized baitfish I can get to cut up will work. I've used drum, carp, sunfish, trout, shiners, crappie, the catfish ate it all. Cut it into appropriate sizes for the fish you're likely to catch. I'll usually use the whole head of the fish if it's a reasonable size. I try not to cut bait pieces too large since most channel cat are going to be less than 10 pounds. My average bait size is probably between 1/2 and 1 inch wide, by 3 to 4 inches tall. The hook is placed through the nostrils on the head, just below the spine on the other pieces. I find likely areas to hold channel cats (the love emergent weed edges on the shorelines around here because some many prey items live in those weeds). I simply cast the unweighted chunk of bait at the edge and let it settle slowly to the bottom, watching my line the entire time as they'll often strike on the fall. Once the bait hits bottom, I let it sit for a few seconds before gently lifting the rod and pulling the bait a foot or two just off the bottom and letting it sink again, not unlike very slowly fishing a T rig or jig. I use the bait feeder option on my reel because strikes are often jarring, especially when they occur while moving the bait. It allows me to gather myself a bit before I attempt to set the hook. Once I feel I'm past the productive area, I'll reel in and cast again. It's slow paced compared to fishing for bass, but it's much faster than what most folks do to catch catfish and it will catch way more fish most days because I'm covering water searching for fish that are actively searching for food. I've caught some very nice largemouth, wipers, and even walleye doing this as well.

I'm not sure because I use the view new content options, which shows the topic and the entire last response to that subject. You can always feel free to send one of us a PM with questions like these. We all try to go through the entire site every day, so when a post like this is made, it's very easy for it to get overlooked or for someone to read it and mean to get an answer, but then forget to come back to it. I tried doing what you're talking about and it doesn't do anything for me. There was a very recent update that might have effected the ability to do that but I'm not that tech savvy so I can't tell you for sure.

Walkers and poppers are about the only topwater I throw other than buzzbaits. If you're anywhere around smallmouth, you're at a serious disadvantage without a walking bait IMO.

I'm guessing that fish to be right around 16.5" long and with it being very thick built like it looks like it is, it would put it around 2 3/4-3 pounds.

I use primarily the wide gap hooks because it allows me to skin hook my baits and allow for easier hooksets. The wide gap hooks are also a must for rigging thicker baits.

Haven't yet, but I found the same sale and will be trying the 130's once the water cools off. No reason they won't work.

I can't catch fish on wakebaits, while I have lots of success with walking baits, that's the big difference for me. Only wakebaits I have good luck with are waking swimbaits like rats and MS Slammers.

Welcome!

Welcome! You might try posting in the Southeast forum and see if anyone else fishes the lake you're on, or at least might have some local knowledge to offer. http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/forum/16-southeast-bass-fishing/

Congrats man! That is awesome!

That blade doesn't effect how that bait walks? I would think that would completely ruin the action of that bait. The tube on the swing head is interesting. I've tried it and had no success despite it being one of my favorite ways to present a soft plastic. Funny how something like that works in one area of the country and not another isn't it? Congrats on a great outing!

You can always send it back to St. Croix and pay the fee to have them replace it. I just did the same with my LTB that broke on a hookset. It's worth it for the LTB, I'm not sure how much it is for a Mojo but it might not be worth the cost to go that route. It's probably still functional as a spinnerbait rod if you just retip it.

The RC STX is another one of my favorite jerkbaits. Unfortunately, they seem to have changed the finishes on them recently to a much cheaper look. They still work, but they have more of a matte finish now instead of the glossy finish they used to have. I like them in colder water because they don't have as much action as most of the LC baits. I've gotten away from them since I started getting custom painted 110 blanks from a local guy that does an excellent job and I get whatever color I want for just a buck or two more than the RC STX, still way cheaper than a MB.

I know, but I'm not going to kill his thunder