B@ssCrzy

I can't attest to the copolymer, but I most often use braid 50lb braid with a leader. Only use straight mono for cranks. C-rigs, texas rig, wacky rig, etc is braid with a leader.

Geesh!!!! Nice work!!! I am hoping for a day like that!!!

The reservoir I fish is down 6-8 ft. I have mainly been fishing my local ponds. They are down some, but last week we got some decent rain that helped them out. I am actually having one of the best years of my life fishing this year. I attribute that to having about 1.5 years now of being on this site and am starting to really understand a lot of the advice that I have learned here and have been able to translate that onto the water. Went out last Friday on my reservoir and caught six fish and lost one in about a 4 hour period. For me this is excellent. The best part about being out on the lake when it was low is that it has allowed me to find some stump fields, bolders, and other cover that I never knew were there. Next spring when it fills up is game on!! I have definitely been doing better in the mornings and evenings. Middle of the day has been rough.

Stanley Ribbits are my favorite for open water...buzz em like a buzz bait and chomp chomp!! If your talking hollow body frogs I have not had a lot of success with those. Tried to learn the walk the dog technique, but for the life of me I can't figure it out.

I would stick with 50 lb PP. I don't like the thought of trying to fix a "professional overrun" with 20 lb braid. If you want to use more of a finesse presentation you can always tie a leader on.

You know your son better than any of us, but what worked for me was just to ask my son what he wanted to do. I did not force him to do anything as I wanted to make sure he enjoyed our time. Some of it depends on his mood. Sometimes he likes to hold the small ones, and not so much the big ones. Although as you can see in my picture to the left there are days when he does not care. As far as him being scared of "fighting" the fish you might try to set the bail pretty loose. It may take a while to fight the fish, but it will also make it easier on him and he may enjoy it more. My motto when fishing with my son is make sure it is fun for him. If it becomes something that is not fun then I need to change something to make it fun. Good luck.

I like to use a leader. Not only because of the visibility, but because I use 50# PP and so with a leader I can break off easily if I get snagged and not lose any of my braid.

Green Pumpkin...seems to work in both the clear and stained waters that I fish. In the stained water I like to dip the claws of my craws in JJ's chartreuse. .

I fish artificial because I like the challenge. Plus I don't like the mess live bait makes and the fact that if you don't use it it goes bad. However, I caught my largest fish ever with a nightcrawler. I have no problem with someone using live bait. Just not for me anymore.

Nice!! Smallmouth are a blast. Great job.

I think there is a good balance for both the old and new. To me part of the fun of fishing is going to a new lake or pond breaking out a new lure/technique and learning how to catch fish on it. It adds another level of excitement. Plus I like to collect lures and new baits anyway so the bait monkey really likes me. Last night I broke out a pop-r for the first time...which to some may not be new, but to me it was. It was a blast. Caught two nice size fish. Now could I have stuck with my carolina rigged lizard and still caught those fish...probably. But for me the excitement was learning how to do something new and being successful at it. It's part of the challenge that I enjoy.

x2 on the Ribbits!!!

No way would I do this!! With zero feedback you are probably going to get suckered.

Zoom lizards, green pumkin, with some jj's majic by far have worked the best for me, but why the 4"? Big fish like big baits for the most part in my experience. In June I did pretty well with 6" lizards on a very clear lake.

I fish for bass throughout the summer...the only other fish to go for in my neck of the woods are panfish and that does not excite me. Part of the fun is learning to fish and catch them in the different phases of the season. It is quite the challenge, but that keeps it exciting for me.

x2...Although I would add that I use a mono leader just b/c I am too cheap at this point to pony up the extra $15 for fluoro and the fact that mono is a little more forgiving. 15lb PP has made my spinning reels enjoyable once again.

I always use a mono leader with my braid. So I actually have yellow high viz PP 15 lb on my spinning gear. I believe that some fish are affected by seeing the line, so whether it is green, brown, yellow, or red in a clear water situation they are going to be able to see it unless you have a clear leader on it. The yellow helps you to see it when using other techniques like texas rigging where you may have slack line and need to watch your line to detect a bite. But that's just me.

Had this same experience last week. Was out on my boat fishing. Pulled up to my honey hole and another bass boat was already on it. So I putted around and decided to try a different spot where I had marked some fish. Was using a carolina rig and a lizard. After being there for about 15 min the other boat pulled up parallel to me and started making some casts. I made a few casts, tap tap, wham!!! 4.5 lb smallie in the boat. After that those guys kept shadowing me and watching what I was doing. Last year I was on the opposite side of things. I was sitting anchored in my spot and getting nothing. Boat pulls up and within 15 minutes they pull in 2 nice fish. It's always nice when you are on the "catching" side of things and not the "watching."

I have not bought the carolina keepers for the sole fact that I like using braid for the main line, but then the ability to use mono for the leader. On long casts I like the feel of braid and the ability to get a good hook set with no stretch. It also allows me to break off the leader if it gets snagged and still come away with my weight. To each his own I guess.

I tried fishing the baby craw c-rigged in about 10 ft of water for smallmouth and did not get anything. Although I threw one on my dad's line and he caught a small 12" fish. However, I caught some nice fish on a zoom lizard. My best being a 4.5 lb smallie. Which was the biggest of the trip. I can't say that the craw isn't as effective since my confidence bait on a c-rig is a lizard and so it spent more time in the water. Last time I used the craw I did not get anything so I switched to a lizard and first cast, bam, 3lb smallie. The lizard flat out catches fish for me.

I usually have two brakes on and thumb hits the spool when the bait hits the water. With no breaks I get birds nests too much.

I agree with this. Would add to make it a 7" rod and 15lb braid. You will be able to cast light stuff easy with this.

I prefer 7" M or MH. I don't like the wippy action of L rods.

This year I experimented with braid for the first time after reading a lot on this site about it. I have actually come to like it a lot better due to the sensitivity and hook setting power it offers you. For me there is just too much stretch in regular mono line for most applications, fishing cranks excluded. Some things I would suggest....get at least 50 lb in whatever brand you choose, learn the "thumb" technique for getting out backlashes, and learn how to join leaders to the braid. 50lb will keep the braid from digging into itself on the spool causing serious problems when you cast. I have been able to get all of my backlashes out up to this point using the "thumb" technique which can be viewed on youtube (it works!!). If you don't know how to do this you will probably be cutting your new braid off your reel the first time you go out. Being able to add a leader gives me the confidence that I can catch fish in any water clarity situation I find myself fishing. As previously stated I would also use a mono backing. Saves you money in the long run. Hopes this helps.

I have several reels with it and have uet to decide whether or not I like it I use 50 lb PP. However i also use a mono leader. The leader is joined with a modified albright and then mono to spinner with improved clinch. However if I do go with the just the braid I use a palomer knot. It has never let me down.