Bluebasser86

I've got examples of all 3 bass with red eyes right here. http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/157632-bass-with-red-eyes/

I have a 6' 10" LTB, one in a medium and one in medium light. I have a 2500 CI4 on one and a Pfluegar Supreme XT on the other, both have been great reels and great combos.

Cranks or swimbaits fished parallel are usually good. Dragging jigs, shakyheads, or swinging football heads can be good too.

Largemouth bass from a farm pond. LM from a powerplant lake Another PP largemouth Same place Beaver Lake LM What I'm saying is, largemouth can most certainly have red eyes, just like smallmouth and spots.

That's a Dep's Slide Swimmer 175 No spotted bass in the lake it was caught from. Very few spotted bass anywhere in Kansas in fact. Take a look at page 1 and you can see a picture of a largemouth with red eyes . That fish was from April this year at a lake in Kansas.

Bad

Some days I'll just take one rod if I'm trying to learn something. Seems like it's usually just my swimbait rod if I only have 1 rod out, and I've dedicated that time to nothing but tossing the big baits.

Probably a walking bait. If they aren't interested in the walk the dog action, then they're pretty much worthless.

Don't dip them in JJ's. Megastrike is fine though.

Jake and I decided to break the day up yesterday. We started at La Cygne after I'd been texted some pictures of big bass the day before. I missed a couple bites but it took a few hours before Jake finally caught the first and only bass on a shakyhead. At least it was a nice one. There were fish everywhere on my depthfinders in about 15-20 feet of water. White bass and wipers were loaded up there, we caught several on a jigging spoon but Jake's first fish was one of Curt's pets. Wind was getting bad so we headed to Miola to see what was going on there. Slow start but we finally started getting them flipping the grass. My biggest one was a for sure keeper that was too much for my punching rod to handle as it's now a two piece.

Spotted bass, smallie largemouth

I still haven't popped for a Roman or 250. I want a nude black 250 so bad it's killing me, but then I'd have to buy another rod to fish it with, and if I buy another rod then I'll need to buy more baits to fish on it, you know how it goes. I already have a 400B Calcutta I bought for muskie several years ago though so I already have the reel that only gets used once or twice a year so that would get that more use

Painted blades reduce flash which can be good in pressured lakes or clear water. Dark colored blades produce a larger profile.

I agree with Catt. If you know how the big fish are being caught, why aren't you fishing like that? Not just during tournaments, every chance you get so you can get more comfortable doing it. If you don't want to do it all day, go catch your 5 real quick like you're saying, then go flip the rest of the day. You don't need but 1 or 2 more bites at that point, even if you don't know what you're doing really well, chances are you flip enough mats you'll hit one on the nose eventually. Don't keep beating yourself by limiting your techniques to the same things you always do that don't win. Take the time to learn about big bass too if you haven't, they're almost a different species of fish.

I gave left handed baitcasters a solid try, couldn't do it. I didn't have a real reason to switch, just got a good deal on a nice baitcaster. Ended up trading it for a right handed one and won't be trying lefties again.

What if someone suggest something, the OP tries it, and it's better than what he was looking for? It's happened to me more than once on here, and the Cavitron was one of those suggestions. OP, I wish I could help but I'm drawing a blank on that one.

Lots of big fish in those pits (and little ones). There's at least a couple that have state record class fish though. Looks like you had a good time.

One of the smallest lakes I fish also gave up the biggest bass I've ever caught in Kansas.

For the 6" BBZ, you'll want an actual swimbait rod, albeit towards the smaller end of the scale. The Okuma Guide Select Series would be an excellent choice for that bait and doesn't break the bank.

You guys are all right, it's nothing new, nothing to be excited about. Move along, nothing to see here, don't even bother trying it, it only catches small fish anyways. It's not just a bait, it's the whole style of fishing it that is different. I'd be really happy if everyone did just ignore it and move onto the next big thing.

Braid doesn't do any good against pike or muskies. You can get really heavy fluoro leaders that hold up pretty well, I'd probably go that route if you wanted to use a leader. Other than that you could get some thin, tieable wire and use that. Or just do what a lot of anglers that have to deal with toothy critters do, accept it as part of the game and carry extras of your favorite baits.

I use a 4/0 EWG or straight shank flipping hook for most all beavers I fish.

Snagging non-game fish is legal in several states. I wouldn't want any grass carp in a pond or lake I owned, so I'd be doing it to remove them. Bowfishing is the fastest way to get a grass carp though, although it's still not easy, especially the large ones.

Going to be a lot of variables, except for the fact that I will always have a jig on at least one of my rods.

Big belly full of trout right there! I'm always hoping to stumble onto one of those monsters on Bull.