Bankbeater

I fish senkos weightless, or use a 3/16 or 1/4 ounce weight when I Texas rig them for deep water. The smaller size weights lets them sink slower in deeper water. I hardly ever fish a senko wacky rig style, there is just too much vegetation. I fish tubes Texas rig style also. I weight it with a 1/16 or 1/8 weight when fishing in, and around vegetation. Rarely with an exposed hook.

At least nothing got broken.

Congratulations!

If I have a choice I will fish a drop shot rig. Fishing a c-rig always reminds me of throwing rocks into the water.

Nope. I have several brands in the bag.

Fishing pressure is the reason I learned how to fish with a jig.

Missouri started stocking muskie in 4 or 5 lakes about 14 or 15 years ago. The bass eat the muskie fry, and the muskie eat the bass fry. The bass usually win out because they are in greater numbers than the muskie. The muskie that do survive get big.

Wow this is the first time I have ever seen a pic of the state record.

I go by past experience and I talk to other fishermen on the lake. That gives me an idea of where to start.

For the 7’0” medium I would use 10 pound mono. For the 7’0” medium heavy I would use 15 pound mono.

It depends on the weight of the topwater. I’ll use a 6’6” for something light like a pop-r. I’ll use a 7’0” for heavier topwaters like a jitterbug, or a hollow body frog.

That is one big walleye.

How was the XL doing while tying on different baits? Sometimes the line will break while tightening down knots if the line is bad.

I'd put a 1/8 ounce weight on a toad and fish it like it was a creature bait.

Way to many undefined variables for me to say one way or the other. What is the temp, depth, wind, and cover like?

This year I am going to catch a fish on a Zara Spook. I have a 4700 box full of spooks in different sizes and colors, but I never use them. I always end up using frog, poppers, or jitterbugs.

Nice going! That smallie is a monster!

I use white Zoom flukes the most. I just cast it out and let it sink on its own.

Texas rigged plastic, weightless senko, or a weightless fluke is what I would try.

The biggest problem I have with them is that when I do move them they leave a minefield of droppings.

Forget the weather. I'm impressed that you can fish during lunch.

Around here in the spring, if you have a big warm up during the day you will have a lot of wind out of the south. The wind blows the surface food to the North, the small bait fish follow, and the bass follow the small bait fish.

I fish from the bank a lot. If you aren't in a position to reach down and pick the fish up then you have to get into position while reeling in the fish. This is no problem if you are fishing from a sloped surface that gradually goes out into the lake. If you are fishing off of rip rap then you could have some problems.

That is a really nice bass!

On the ponds that I fish late April, early May is when junebug colored plastics fished on the bottom is a killer.