Bankbeater

I think that it is somewhat important in shallow, clear water. The deeper and darker the water is, I don't think it matters as much.

I let it drop all the way to the bottom and then bring it in fast, or I bring it in fast as soon as it hits the water. If those two don't produce, I will shake the rod as I bring it in.

We must fish the same water ;D

Went out Friday morning for about 7 hours. Didn't do anything until about 9:30 then we got into a school of dinks and caught 3 on a lipless crank. About 1/2 hour later the sky got really dark and we thought it was time to go in, but we got lucky and it broke up as it got closer. The cloud cover got them moving, because we were throwing plastics around timber and pulled out 12 in about 2 hours. The largest was a 2-15 that my Dad caught, and we caught three more between 2 and 3 pounds.

If there is some water over the weeds try running a Mann's 1- minus across the tops of the weeds.

I use 2/0, 3/0, and 4/0. A 1/0 size is just too small for me.

I'm with RW on this one. I use to think that the bass learned the lure, but after reading articles on the Internet about bass behavior, and from being out on the water, I now think its a combination of the conditions of the lake and the aggressiveness of the bass that matter.

Not one of my confidence baits, but I have never really used them that much either.

I have luck with bright colors like fire tigers and red in the flats and around drop offs. Also have been using baits with sound in them like rat-l-traps and spinners with Colorado blades.

I don't mind fishing in the rain as long as its warm out and there is no lightning.

I usually fish the small lakes and ponds around my house. I don't get down to the big lakes that much, probably once or twice a year, so It would be part of the trip for me.

Went out for about 7 hours on Saturday. We finished with 13 largemouth caught and 1 that got off at the bank. Around the steep drop offs, where the shallows meet the deep water, they were hitting crankbaits, but in the heavy cover and creeks they were going after plastics. It was overcast with some drizzle. The temp started out around 45 and got up to about 55. The wind was calm in the morning but around noon it really started to pick up out of the west.

We just a 4.5 aftershock at 10:15. I wonder if this is going to keep on all day :-/

X2. I also like the Cordell Super Spots.

3/8 oz. blue/black strike king jig with a baby brush hog as a trailer.

I was in bed this morning and at first I thought the wind was blowing. Then I realized that the stuff inside the house was shaking. It was centered in southern Ill and I tell you what, it got my butt out of bed in a hurry.

Read the articles on this site. They really helped me when I started.

I googled plastic worm rigging.

The next few days around here its going to be coats in the morning and sunscreen in the afternoon.

I use an old Abu 4600 Black Max Baitcaster. Does that count????

The day I spend over $20 on a fishing lure is the day you will see my picture in the paper holding the winning lottery ticket.

Thanks for the tips!!

That boat look awful small.

I trim the weed guard even with or just a little above the hook. I don't thin out the weed guard strands, but I bend them around in different directions, so that the top of the guard is flared out. I usually don't trim the skirt up to the back of the hook. What I do is trim the longer strands off of the skirt to that they all even up.

I still use them now and then, but I use flukes more now.