ripinthem

Great Post. LOL! I like those learning moments. Sometimes that suspended, easy meal, is just too much. Sometimes they want it faster than you can reel. Got to love fishing.

Can't say that I've had that problem with a swim jig. When they commit, they usually choke it.

This is what makes it fun. The challenge is what its all about. Usually , the challenge is within you, and not the bass. The fish are there, but have been conditioned, or moved where you ain't. This is where you have to get out of your comfort zone. Had this happen to me this year, till I worked it out. My answer was a drop-shot. I don't know why, but feel the fish were suspended and wanted a different look(horizontal, and off bottom). Really know your lake, the ditches/contour/deep haunts/brush piles, and humps/points. Try different looks and baits that you read about, here, and you'll figure it out. Another thing is to follow the tournament weights at lakes you fish. Usually that tells you that someone is figuring it out.

I guess I don't use top water enough. Will need to correct that. I just use a black worm.

Got to have that feather tail. I proved it to myself a few weeks ago. Sold!

Keep changing baits. Try crayfish or bluegill imitations that mimic their natural bed robbers in that area. Don't be afraid to downsize, cause the natural invaders there may be small, and I always get better hook-ups with smaller baits(more hook,less plastic). I've seen them go into moods where they won't touch anything, and then just turn on and bite everything I throw at em.

We were in a big tournament last year, and boats lined the shore, except for the ramp. Well, a guy goes to launch, and had forgot one back strap. Well he sees the boat float up off the trailer, and then pulls up. The strap holds and turns his boat sideways hitting and sliding over the closest boat, damaging the console and electronics, and the right side of his boat. "things happen"! The worst screw-up I had, and I'm blaming my partner(lol). I was in the boat, and he backed in to a small ramp, and got out to help strap the nose. We then we go to pull up, and he locked my keys in the truck(it running). Had to call my wife to get her set of keys. People were waiting for her to come so they could trailer. I felt really small on that one.

One thing I do, and it seems to help in a few techniques(drop shot, carolina rigs, and top water) is a rod sweep-set. Man, my ratio of strike/put-in-boat went way up. I guess it allows the hook to do its thing, and the fish to get the bait deeper. It was hard to change, just used to that flipping reaction strike, but you just drop the rod tip at the strike, and sweep to the side.

To be honest, I really haven't seen a difference while using it. It does give plastics a slick coat, so I'm sure it slides through cover better.

Thats what its all about. Get creative!!

Fly rod, and small popping bug. Incredible numbers!!!

Yeah, When you can catch Rock bass, Chain Pickeral, Northern Pike, Goo(Sheephead-whatever), Lrg and Sml Mouths; it just clutters up the production value. LOL! What a fishery!!!

where are ya'll watching this video? Got a link?

I think when they are on beds, its much smaller( protection mode).

When it gets warm, and the bite is tough. Nothing beats a fly rod, and a small fly/popping bug, here.

casterus60 wrote on Yesterday at 10:18pm: For carolina I'm using 8' rod and 20#braid with 12pound mono.Reel? I think faster-better. lynyrdsky wrote:Stay away from braid. Why???I had no problems with braid.Fact I'm not fishing in rocky area. Adam I use spider wire and everytime I reel up the line it is bunched up, frayed, and twisted -------------------------------------------------------- I would definately swich. Could be something wrong with one of the eyes of the rod, but I don't do "everytimes" well.

I've done well on Reaction innovations flirt in color (infection) .

Me and a collegue was fishing, with my son in between us, and we heard this loud spin-out on the lake levee. We all looked back, which wasn't that far away, at the loud screeching of tires. Big cloud of smoke was noted, and I dismissed it as kids doing doughnuts on the fresh gravel on that site(they were prepping it to pour a new boat ramp). Then, through the smoke, comes a truck speeding out of control, and literally Dukes-of-hazzard-it out into the lake, off the levee. We cranked up and got to him as he was swimming with one arm, and calling 911 with his other. Another Fisherman beat us there, and threw him a Lifevest. Found out he was arguing with his GF on his cell, and wasn't paying attention. When he hit the gravel, he lost all control, and over-corrected. That truck floated for about 5 seconds and then was sucked to the bottom in an impressive fassion. I marked it on my GPS, but they pulled it out the next day(20ft of water). >

Its been a very windy year, so far, down in the South central US. I kind of like a little wind, but >15-20, and its just been rough. I've tried to increase my weights on my Texas rigs and CRigs, but its just been brutal. Any advice, other than stay at the house??

I chuckled when he said he was actually running to another event. Pretty good stuff!

I used a keel-weighted hook with mine and they ran OK. Just not very good plastic for hook-ups, which is why they are in a storage box at the house.

I've caught some freshwater mussel. I guess they just close when the bait is dragged into them. Funny thing is you feel the line "tick" just like a bite as it closes on the line. Then you jerk and reel in a clam(mussel). They don't open, so you either have to bust open it and kill it, or cut the line.

Hammer is right. Vanish has way too much memory. I've been where you are with it. You need to make it Vanish, if you know what I mean.

Are the new colors available for viewing, at this time?

Yeah, I think so.