Bankbeater

It depends on the plastics. I can use up a bag of plastic worms in one season, but I have bags of creature baits, and beaver type baits that are 10+ year old.

The smaller crawfish in my home waters are close to a green pumpkin color. I think that's why I have good luck with that color in certain ponds.

I've been looking at local lakes and pond from a few years back when we had a drought. I'm finding all kinds of creek beds and rock piles that I didn't know were there.

Good going young man!

Lipless baits were my bread and butter this past spring. The 1/2 ounce super spot in copper craw, and the 1/4 ounce rat-l-trap in natural craw were about the only baits I fished with back in March.

Around here it tends to draw in a lot of turtles.

I've noticed that sometimes the bass want a bigger bait and will ignore a small bait. I usually start off casting a 1/2 ounce lipless crankbait, and in the summer I will go to the quarter ounce size if I don't get any bites. In the fall I upsize to a 3/4 ounce lipless crankbait, and usually that will start producing bites.

I had 2 Shimano spinning reels, and 1 Daiwa spinning reel. I got rid of all of them when I started using Pflueger presidents.

A long time ago I learned that it's a good idea to carry a paddle in the boat, whether its used or not. Always carry about 30' of rope in the boat.

I like the Zoom ultravibe speedcraw. The size of the plastic bait is close to the average size of the crawfish in the ponds that I fish.

On a good day I can pick a pond and fish it and catch fish. On a bad day I usually hit 4 or 5 ponds that are within a couple miles of each other. Sooner or later I will find the one where the bass are biting.

I really started using spooks this year. I went out in March to practice walking the bait and was surprised when dinks started coming up after it. I have been fishing a bone colored super spook jr. around lily pads and vegetation. It has been my best topwater this year even in water where I usually do excellent with a popper.

Around here during the fall the bass start going after bigger baits. I will be fishing with a 6" senko, usually weightless.

I usually have my best luck with topwater in the summer at night, or just before sunrise. I'll fish with topwater in the spring and fall if the bass are hitting them.

Around here I use spinnerbaits mostly in the fall and spring. Last few years it has been hit or miss using them. Buzzbaits seem to work the best in the fall when it is raining, or we have a heavy overcast sky. Any other time it's spooks, jitterbugs, and poppers.

They run a little deeper, but they do have a lot of wobble to them.

What everyone else has posted above. Plus I would call him and find out what kind baits he will be using. If you are fishing with plastics, and the boat owner is running and gunning with crankbaits it could make for a long day.

Since Storm stopped making sub-warts it is a Mann's one minus.

Jig and craw followed by a lipless crankbait.

I don't think I have ever seen a chatterbait with rattles.

The majority of my big bass have been caught on jigs, but I have been fishing in lakes that I know have hawgs in them.

Good going! I've had pretty good luck right before sunrise using a spook and a pop-r. As soon as the sun comes up over the trees the bite dies off.

I'm so sorry for your loss. My dad taught me how to fish, and when he passed away four years ago I kept his hard baits, and a couple of his rods and reels. When I go fishing and use them it reminds me of all the good times we had on the water.

The only rod I have ever broken while fishing was about 12 years ago. I was snagged and I grabbed the line too close to the rod tip. I have lost 2 or 3 rods over the years to tailgates, doors, and low ceilings.

15# Big Game. Maybe 10# depending on the size of the bait I was using.