Bluebasser86

Rebel, Cotton Cordell, Smithwick, Bagley.

Pfluegar President with an Ethos rod from Academy when they go on sale. I have 3 different variations of that combo and they're all great for the money.

Copolymer for me.

Rig your baits on keel weighted swimbait hooks instead of jigheads if snags are an issue. Makes a huge difference.

I have a pair of 93's on my boat and have been very happy with them. I love have simple they are to use and read. The picture quality is excellent also.

I don't use doughbait. Closest thing is Gulp eggs. I've had good luck with 1 white and 1 pink on a hook but I'd almost rather not fish than resort to using them. Thankfully I haven't needed them for the last several trout seasons.

Jig or a swimbait (a real one, not a paddletail).

Anything 4 pounds or under, I'm swinging them. I've lost way more fish trying to grab them by the boat than I ever have boat flipping. Plus, trying to lip one from the front deck of a bass boat is a good way to end up going swimming.

I'd highly suggest checking out the Eagle Claw Lil' Nasty hooks that smalljaw was talking about next time you buy hooks. They're only a couple dollars more for a 1,000 pack and way better hooks. I use them for my Ned Heads and have for a couple years now with great success.

I never had any issues with it and really liked the stuff. It's very limited in what it can be used for, but what it's good for it does extremely well.

My main jig rods all have copolymer except my finesse jig rod.

I bought the bigger one, I wish it was bigger than it is.

Agreed. I have the same rod in the Mojo, great Senko rod and the best all around spinning rod I've ever owned.

A Little Cleo is my favorite bait for stocked trout. You can let it sink to whatever depth and vary your retrieve speed. A micro jig under a bobber is a killer when they won't eat the spoon. Set it at the right depth, cast, leave it set until it goes under or you want to recast. You have to be quick, they'll dunk the bobber and spit the jig in a hurry if you're not ready.

I use a 6.2 (Curado 300), or 5.1 (Calcutta 400B).

The Owner centerpin is the best twistlock design out there, and they're priced like it. Great for flukes and senkos though. I have a bunch I got on clearance at Academy for $1.47 a pack but I also make my own too. I use these, http://www.captainhookswarehouse.com/index.cfm?page=detail&hookid=945&view=1 paired with these, http://www.captainhookswarehouse.com/index.cfm?page=detail&hookid=1009&view=1 Puts me at about $.30 a hook instead of $1 with the Owners.

So many variables. For topwater I'll usually have a Cavitron, Super spook jr, River2Sea bubble walker 90, Popping Pad Crasher, or Zell Pop.

I'd give it a shot, doesn't sound like it could be worse than what you're already doing. Anywhere that the fish hold on rocks or around docks they really shine.

I have a few dozen, almost all War Eagles. They're far outnumbered by bladed jigs.

If the water is muddy, then I probably wouldn't. Otherwise you can give it a shot. I fish them around stumps and wood all the time. Just finesse them through the cover and they hang up surprisingly little and are easy to retrieve if you can reach them.

Chapman also hates fishing a Ned rig and isn't afraid to admit it. Not many people I know are good with a bait they hate fishing.

That's how I read it, just saying you caught more on the cold side then I had caught total all year. That's no longer the case after Friday

Nice fish! That's how I suggest fishing them, it's even the color I had in the picture of it rigged up! A very underutilized color I feel.

Dragging a jig or c rig in 20-30 feet of water is a slow presentation. I invite anyone who wants to come to our local lakes and fish a shakyhead or drop shot. If they can catch half as many as I do with a Ned rig, I'll buy their lunch. Fishing faster accomplishes nothing when it's not putting fish in the boat. I think this one at Dale Hollow is probably the best chance I've seen for the rig to really shine too. It isn't magic, but situations like they're facing, it's pretty close.