Bankbeater

This year the bass seem to be hitting jigs very slowly. Then again I have noticed schools of shad in lakes that have never had shad in them before. My top baits this year have been: Weightless plastic worm. Weightless stickbait. Spinnerbait.

A spool of green 15# Big Game, and some gift cards. Later on I got treated to a meal at Applebee's.

After landing the bass, it will not thrash or shake until I reach down to remove the hook. Then it goes nuts trying to get that second set of treble hooks into my hand.

I use two lists. One for bank fishing and one for boat fishing. Some of the items on the list are duplicates, but a lot of them are not.

Probably about 80/20. I tend to loose the fish if they aren't hooked good, or if there is some type of solid cover between me and the fish.

I change mine when the car strains to start. I change it at the first sign trouble because when the battery starts to go out it won't last the day.

Might be a bunch of Pringles chips.

A Johnson 100A Century was my first reel. My dad put it on a kiddie rod for me to use when I was about 4 years old. When I was older the Century went on a longer rod. I used that reel until the mid 70s. The reel still works and is down in the basement in a drawer with some other old reels.

I pull some extra line off of the reel to let the bait sink straight down. Then I let it sink until the fluke gets down to the bottom. When the line stops moving then you should be down there.

Ultravibe Speed Craw Z-Craw Z-Hog Superhog.

Bottom baits: Weightless 4" Yum Dinger. Weightless 5-3/8" BPS Stik-o. 6" Creme Scoundrel rigged weightless, on a dropshot, or on a split shot rig. Zoom Finesse Worm rigged weightless, on a dropshot, or on a split shot rig. 3" BPS Stik-o on a split shot rig or on a drop shot. 1/8 oz jig with a 2-1/2" or 3" trailer. Trying for a presentation that has a small profile, and is somewhat shorter in length. Zoom UV Speedcraw on either a 1/16 or 1/8 oz. Texas rig. Moving baits: SK KVD 1.0 crankbait Cordell 1/3 oz. Big-O Zara Puppy Pop-R

If you work all the time, you are going to burn out. Same with fishing. You have to mix it up, and make some time for yourself.

I've still got my dad's Mitchell 300 that he bought back in the summer of 1971. Those reels are tanks.

It happens more during the spring and fall around here. You'll be working a jig or a plastic bait along the bottom and feel one good thump. If you kill the action and let it sit, within maybe 5 seconds or so, that bass will come back and start swimming off with the bait. If you continue to work the bait after the thump, then no more bites.

I'll fish a 1/8 oz jig when there is a lot of fishing pressure, or when there is heavy vegetation growth that is matting on the surface.

Nice bass.

I used to have a cane pole that was broken up into sections. You screwed the sections together to fish with it. At Fifteen feet long, you could just lower the bait down on top of the fish.

Virgil Ward KVD Denny Brauer Bill Dance Larry Nixon

I always rig up before I leave home.

Black or some type of frog color.

As long as the bait is on the hook straight you can hook it from any side. When they start getting really beat up I rig them tail first.

I'm sorry. I know you posted some nice pics, but I can't get past this sentence.

If the bite slows way down then I might take a break for a few days. I've done it before. But as long as the fish are biting I will be out there as much as possible.

Like others have said, start on the outside edge and work in. If your in a boat and feeling adventurous, you can get up close and take a look at it. Then leave and come back in a hour or two, after things have settled down.

I let my jig fall into the muck, and I let it sit for a few seconds. When I start the retrieve I bring it back with short jerks, keeping the jig above the muck.