RoLo

Assuming that your knots are sound, that fluorocarbon is not in the mix and you're not dealing with a bad batch (I ran it to that with Power Pro), I can only entertain two possibilities: >> Frayed line (this undercuts all the above and is the most likely culprit) >> You're braid is too light (I didn't see line-test mentioned. Though polyethylene is superb line material, it does break at its testing strength) Roger

"My main question is where would you try first to look for fish?" Your one question raises two more questions: > During which calendar period? > Is the current pool level 'normal', or is it higher or lower than the displayed contour lines? Roger

In both freshwater and saltwater, a topwater frenzy always creates the illusion of a cakewalk, but can result in boom or bust. Sometimes the commotion is uniform, sometimes it’s a mixed commotion where predator and prey can be separated. In any event, fish breaking the surface always raises the questions; what is the predator and what is the prey? BTW: The chain can be 3 or more species long, not counting the fish-eating birds overhead. As Cee Jay pointed out, bass also glom dragonflies and mayflies off the surface, especially this time of year. The sound that makes is somewhere between the popping sound of bluegills and the whack made when taking a shad. Once in New Jersey I was stumped by dancing whitewater, which ultimately turned out to be a school of crappies. I should add, the bass in Jersey are small, and the crappies are large. During another whitewater jump I threw a fluke, a Hopkins, a roostertail and finally caught 'one' bass on a plastic worm! I don't know what forage they were chasing, but I'm pretty sure it didn't look like a plastic worm Roger

Nice little video. For those unfamiliar with sight-fishing, Glenn offers a bunch of subtle tips, but you need to listen closely. Roger

Yeah, I've had my share of weird bites, but believe me, the girl was weird too Roger

Although Power Pro is not my braid of choice, the company has stayed abreast of the latest technology and now offers 8-member braid, the same as Sufix, Berkley & Seaguar. I should add that fading line color doesn't bother me, and though I hear it mentioned, I'm not aware of excessive braid noise (I'm probably living in a stupor) With braided lines testing over 20 pounds, line-burrowing should not be an issue. Of course, there are practices that can exacerbate line-burrowing. For example, chucking-&-winding a lightweight lure followed by tugging hard on a snagged lure. Under extreme pressure, the main line will bury into the loose coils on the spool. Nowadays, real differences between braided lines are largely illusory, and today more than ever I find myself selecting line brands based on line diameter (a finer line diameter offers many benefits). The braid I'm currently using for frogging & punching is Sunline 60 lb FX2 (0.014” dia) Roger

Hi and welcome aboard Roger

Let sleeping dogs lie. The gear icon is easier to find than a sponsor. Roger

In saltwater, I use a lot of cadmium-plated hooks, which I know you're familiar with. They hold up really well in the brine and are cheaper than SS, which I avoid. Roger

Your assumption is correct Joe. It really doesn’t matter whether you pitch or flip, because the underwater weed caverns cannot be seen from the boat. Most bass lie in the heaviest shade of the weedbed, which is the myriad of shady nooks on the underside of the canopy. Even so, I always wait for the punch rig to make bottom contact. There are 2 reasons for this: >> Even though there might be less shade on the bottom, some bass are bottom-huggers and those are often the biggest bass. >> Bass lying at the underside of the plant crown will often follow the bait down to the bottom without striking, where a bounce or two might coax a strike. Most strikes occur during the "vertical freefall" to the bottom. On days when bass are especially active, soft pumping in midwater around the the underside of the plant canopy can be very effective. Punch weights can vary from 3/4 oz to 1-1/2 oz or more, depending on the plant species and density of growth. In Florida's weedy lakes, the weight I use the most is 1-1/4 oz. In my opinion it’s better to be overweighted than underweighted. Aside from better weed penetration, a faster sink rate tends to trigger more strikes on impulse. On a final note, a common mistake made by anglers is to punch close to the weedline without punching the inner mat. In an expansive weedbed, bass will lie a long cast away from the nearest weedline. That is to say, you're still using short pitches and a vertical delivery, but your boat may be 25 yd inside the weedline. Roger

Trinitrotoluene (Frostproof Munitions Depot) Roger

The term "knock-off" might have a negative connotation, but refers to any product introduced after the prototype. The original version of any product has no lock on superiority. In fact, provided there's no patent pending, many knock-offs include upgrades and improvements over the original version. I kind a like the knock-offs of the original Wright Brother's airplane Roger

I've often used certain freshwater lures in saltwater, and certain saltwater lures in freshwater. But the problem with using saltwater lures in freshwater is that you're paying extra for non-corrosive hardware & stainless steel hooks that you really don't need. Inversely, when you use freshwater lures in saltwater the next time you open your tackle box, your freshwater lures will exhibit rapid corrosion (not too pretty). Roger

I often use the Gambler Ace, which is another stickworm like the Senko but with better durability. The tip-waggle of the Gambler Ace is very similar to the Senko, but don't take my word for it, run a simple field comparison. Rig an unweighted Senko and unweighted Ace on separate rods using the same line. Find a gin-clear lake and compare the 'tip-waggle' of both worms during side-by-side freefalls. You might be surprised to find that the Gambler Ace will often look as good or even better than the Senko. Furthermore, there are times when bass will want more action or less action. The Yum Dinger has the least action of any stickworm I've tested, yet it's a favorite stickworm of many fishermen. Roger

For sheer numbers: 'live earthworms' Roger

I could suggest several different lures, but I doubt that would be very useful. On a side note, water clarity is only one component of underwater visibility. Other factors effecting visibility are sky clarity (clear / overcast), surface turbulence (windy / calm), depth-of-lure (10" / 10 ft), time-of-day (midday / twilight) ~ Roger

The fact that fish do not think is the problem, that means the only one we can outsmart is ourselves The color cult cracks me up. Granted, bass have very tiny brains, but come on: craw-colored crankbaits?? - bluegill-colored worms?? Bear in mind, bass don't pay for lures, fishermen pay for lures. If you were a lure manufacturer, who would you appeal to, the bass or the fisherman? A few years back, Bill Dance was asked what a 'safety-pin spinner' is supposed to represent. Bill shrugged and said: “I dunno, maybe a toy airboat?” I think Bill was really saying: 'Don't worry about it'. When a bass strikes a lure, it means that it thought it was something to eat. That's probably as specific as we ever need to get. Roger

This is a topic I hesitate to revisit, for fear of boosting the enemy's feeling of achievement. Speaking for myself though, the video below is not a re-visitation, but something I only recently learned. Sad but true, there's little profit motive in broadcasting positive news. I'm sure you'll find the video uplifting rather than depressing; it bolsters our pride to be an American. "A Hero Is A Man Who Does What He Can" https://www.youtube.com/embed/MDOrzF7B2Kg?rel=0 Roger

I resemble that statement Roger

I'd really like to witness that event, but most of our waters are too discolored. In any case, keep throwing them swimbaits, they definitely make stuff happen Roger

Chuck the perch, fry the grubs

The joke is tongue-in-cheek, but the main thrust is not: 'Every' lure catches bass. I have a friend named George in Pennsylvania who adores the Banjo Minnow, and he is far from alone. Roger

For me the transition has been just the reverse. I used both spinning tackle & conventional tackle in saltwater, but for many years it was strictly spinning gear for all my freshwater fishing (even muskies). I should add, the casting gear of yore cannot hold a candle to the sophisticated casting reels available today. Roger

I'll drink to that Actually, 'dink' and 'toad' are relatively new terms, which in my time were called 'runts' & 'lunkers'. Our own personal definition of 'dink' can run the gamut, but the most significant delineation is the legal minimum length for the lake in question. Roger

This thread reaffirms the fact that 'every' lure catches bass. However, once you make a lure your favorite, it spends the most time on your line and therefore catches the most bass. This is great news, because Roland Martin's Helicopter Lure is now on sale http://www.fishtalez.com/roland-martins-helicopter-lure-tv-commercial/ Roger