Bluebasser86

I've been using straight braid for poppers and props to see if I like it. So far it's been good. I'll stick with mono for walkers to avoid the line tangles though.

Is there no way to cast under the dock? Big bass get smart and learn to hide well under docks and cover where most anglers can't present a bait. If you get proficient at skipping a bait under docks and overhanging limbs, these fish become attainable.

The Mojo Big Crankster has served me well for deep divers and big squarebills. I really like my Academy Composite Cranker for squarebills, but I stumbled across some Quantum KVD crankbait rods at Academy about a month ago and they had the 7' MH/M on sale for $30. I couldn't pass that up and really like the rod so far. I'm using it alongside the Ethos as a squarebill/mid depth rod.

Our vegetation isn't as thick here, mainly water willows. I use a 1/2oz for almost all of it, usually with a 4/0 Hack Attack Heavy Cover hook and 50-65lb braid. Right now I'm using Seaguar Flipping Braid in 65lb. I really like the thin diameter of the line and the fact that it's black so I don't have to color it.

Every body of water is going to have parasites. Pretty much every fish you catch during the warm months has a good chance of having them. As long as they're cooked properly it won't hurt anything. \ Here's a little video from last summer of me using the setup I described with a technique I call "Bass fishing for catfish". I did cheat on this day and fished a fish feeder, but it works just the same in areas away from them, the fish just aren't as concentrated. This lake doesn't even have a great population of catfish. Kansas stocks more catfish than anything and lakes with high populations, it's easy for 2 anglers to catch 50-100 catfish in a day with this technique.

I've used 5/0 with 8lb on a spinning rod because I ran out of 4/0 before.

I'll have to check mine but if it does I don't notice it.

It was just recently updated and seems to be a much nicer reel than the previous version.

Junebug or solid black for muddy water. Plum apple for stained water.

I have a similar rod that is 6' 10" M/F that fishes a Senko very well. If you don't mind telling where you found that price I have a buddy going to be down in Wichita for a few days this week that I might ask to grab me one.

I have a 6' 8" M/F Ethos with 8lb mono that I use just for small cranks. I don't fish traps on it but it would fish 1/4oz ones just fine. Where it really shines are Shad Raps and KVD 1.0 size squarebills.

I have these as well and the titanium cutters on the side cut braid better and cleaner than anything I've ever used. I've had them for 2 or 3 years now and they still cut like when they were new.

https://www.bassresource.com/fishing/tournament_fisherman.html The saying goes that fishing can make you a millionaire, as long as you start out a billionaire. Chase your dreams man, but do a lot of research so you know when to pull the plug if it's not happening. Lots and lots of guys bury themselves in debt chasing the dream that so few will ever attain. If you really want to fish for a living and spend as much time as possible on the water, I'd look into becoming a guide.

Terrible news man. As a parent myself, I know how bad it hurts when your kids are hurting and you can't do anything to make it better. Life's cruel sometimes, and it's unfortunate your daughter and the other kids parents have to go through this. Thinking of all of you in this difficult time.

All our bluegills have a touch of chartreuse on the tail. It makes a huge difference sometimes. This is a big thing I've noticed as well. If I'm after smallies with a shakyhead, the plastic is almost always going to get dipped in JJ's. My biggest smallmouth from a very pressured local lake was on a shakyhead with a 4" green pumpkin/chart BPS Stick O.

I use red trebles fairly often. I feel like they get me a few more bites on slower moving baits like poppers and jerkbaits, which gives me confidence, and confidence catches fish.

My wife has the 6' 6" ML/F Avid Pearl and really likes it. I've fished with it a little and it's a very nice rod. There's actually a 6' 6" ML/F Premier Pink in the St. Croix Bargain room right now for $100. I had bought her cheaper pink rods but they never fished very well so she gave up quickly. I figured I'd spend the money to make fishing more enjoyable to her and it would benefit me in the future if she was willing to stay out and fish longer.

make sure you keep it close to the bottom and have weights on the bottom and floats on the top. If you walk quickly it makes it harder for the fish to get away.

The question was if the OP did any damage catching 1 fish off a bed, not if tournament fishing during spawning season effects fish populations. Those debates never end well.

I had a pig follow my Chibitrel out there last week, wouldn't be surprised if one ate a rat.

That was the joke, you caught 1 pound, so who caught the other 17 pounds.

I got a connection possibly. Paging @Mr_Scrogg, I don't think he gets on much anymore but I can text him. There's a Wichita thread too you might try.

Just push worm rattles into your frogs you already have, and now you have a rattling frog.

I love my St. Croix rods, but they don't offer certain lengths/actions that I like, or I found other rods that I liked better in certain lengths and actions. Until someone is giving them to me or paying me to use them, I'll use the rod that I feel is best for the task at hand. Variety is the spice of life right?

No need for steel leaders for catfish, another potential reason they're dropping your bait. Before I had baitfeeders I used to flip the bail and they set a small rock on my line in between the reel and the first guide. When a fish hits and takes off with the bait it knocks the rock off the line and it can pull line freely from the reel until you flip the bail and set the hook. You can also use a little mud, a small stick, whatever.