bugman

Another way you might go is to spool your reel with braid for frogging then add a floro leader when flipping.

I live near Lake Eire and would like to get into smallie fishing. All but one of my rods are bait casters with one St Croix 6.6 MLF spinning rod. I also have a Crox 7' MF & 6.8MXF bait caster that I think would be good for Smallies. I would like to pick up a new spinning rod for the big water and would appriciate any advice.

Because I had to pick one I said Wacky. I do fish it T-rigged alot also. I find the X vs Y questions are fun but really don't solve much. Like most things in life 1% is black, 1% white and 98% grey. I wacky rig if I want a slower fall and not in heavy cover. T-rig when I need it to be more weedless.

I agree that a fast reel is good for about any bait except maybe deep cranks. A fast reel is great for burning buzz baits, lipless cranks and spinners but also is good for getting soft plastics back to the boat to cast again. I'll cast a senko and only let it sit for about 10 seconds, then I want in back as fast as I can to make another cast.

Any info on Lake Pierce near Lake Wales, Florida would be appreciated. I will be going to lake Pierce after New years and would like to do some Bass'in. Thanks, Bugman

I have been using the Gamakatsu G-Stinger this past year. The G-Stinger is not a traditional trailer hook, but a round bend hook that attaches to the lure by a looped cord. I have used them on any bait that traditional trailers are used on plus soft plastic jerk baits. Sorry I don't have a picture but you can do a search to see it.

On RW's advice I tied on some 12# Yozuri Ultra Soft and have never looked back. Many better fishermen than me only use P-line CXX but I find it to be to stiff.

I have te Croix Avid AC68MXF matched with a 7:1 Curado and it has become my #1 Senko/Fat Ika/R-Trap rod.

Picked up the Tierra 3000 this summer and have to say it's the best spinning reel I have ever used. Almost no line twists or wind knots. I plan on using it on my 10.5' steelhead rod this season and have no douts that it will hold up to those big powerful trout.

Clear water= 1/4 OZ blue/clear two silver willow leaf blades. Stained water= 1/4 OZ or 3/8 OZ white/chart gold willow leaf blades. With Gammy 1/0 G-Stinger trailer hook. Dark water or night time= 3/8 OZ Strike king Midnight special. Black with one Colorado blade , rattles and 1/0 G-Stinger trailer hook

I've been using the 1/0 Gammy G-Stinger on all my spinnerbaits and have had much improvment in my hook-up ratio. They are a little hard to find but you can always get them from online tackle shops. They are attached by looping the hook through a attached cord on to the baits main hook. Do a seach and you will see how to attach them. they work great on fluke type baits and horny toads type baits also.

When you said you tried the gammie, did you mean the trailer hook or the G-stinger? I have used the G-stinger on flukes and they worked great.

Thanks for the reply. I will have to sit down with my dad and talk about free spooling. I do have one question for you though. Why do you crank down on the drag? With the drag that tight, it seems you would have to free spool on the hookset also. At my skill level I think i'll wait until after the hookset to go into free spool. I asked the question about cranking down the drag because in the past I havs snaped my line on hooksets when I forgot to reset my drag after cranking down to release a snag. I use 12# on most of my reels so this may be the reason. Thanks again for taking the time to ansewer my questions. This forum has been a great source of information and has helped me to become a better fisherman.

Thanks for the reply. I will have to sit down with my dad and talk about free spooling. I do have one question for you though. Why do you crank down on the drag? With the drag that tight, it seems you would have to free spool on the hookset also. At my skill level I think i'll wait until after the hookset to go into free spool.

The drag on my baitcasting reel has started to get a little play in it, so I showed it to my dad who has been fishing for the last 60 years. After looking at the reel he said that it slips a little but not that bad. The next thing he said to me surprised me some. He said that he never fights a bass with the drag, instead he disengages the spool and uses his thumb. Just wondering how many of you do the same? And what do you think of this method?

Why not!? Goby's are a major source of food for great lakes smallies. The Goby was introduced to the Great Lakes by ships from overseas dumping balast water. If your lake dose not have a Goby population they might not work as well. That being said I catch many bass on baits that don't look like any bait fish. (i.e. creature baits) Why not give them a try, show the Bass something they have not seen before. Good Luck.

From what I have been told it has the action between a senko and a curl tail.

RW, Thanks for the tip. I agree, smallies are a blast to catch and have had much luck on Eire. The problem is my boat is to small for the Big Water past the outer breakwall. so my Smallie fishing is limited to when I get out on other boats. My graph shows that there is not much structure past the weedbeds in the deeper water that I think would hold Largemouths. I will give your suggestions a try and let you know how I do. I don't know if your have ever fished Eire's Brown Bass but I think you would have a great time. Let me know if you ever need help planning a trip. Regards, Gary (Bugman)

The past two years I have been fishing the Lake Erie shoreline around the Cleveland area for Largemouths. Thats right I said Largemouths not Smallies. There are no flats in this area because the shoreline was extended by landfilling behind breakwalls. The water is about 15' just off the walls and drops to more than 25' after that. Most of the bass I catch are hooked within 5' of the wall near weed beds. We seem to always catch good numbers of Largemouths but never any over 3 pounds. I would think with the large amount of bait fish in this area plus the size of the body of water we would catch larger fish. We use baits that should catch larger fish but with no luck. Any help would be appriciated.

Thanks RW, I think I will give the T-rigged 6.5" a try in a few marinas that have nice coontail beds in about 15' of water.

Frogs baits have me stumped. I know they are great baits and many good fishermen do well with them but I have never landed a bass with one. I'm not giving up on them but my confidence in those baits are at a all time low.

I agree with everything above but I like to use gammie 5/0 superline hooks. I like the fall rate and never have a problem with hooksets. I have been using them around rip-rap, dams and breakwalls that have weed beds near. Most of the time they hit it on the drop but also I will get them on the 2nd or 3rd drop as I work it back to the boat. When the Bass takes the Ika she won't let it go. I always let her swim off with it a few seconds before I set the hook. There are times I only feel a tap-tap but I still wait a few seconds.90% of the time she will still have it. If I set the hook on the first tap or tug my hook up to landing ratio go's way down. Good Luck!

I love GYCB baits and have had much luck with senkos, Ikas, grubs and kreatures. I have never fised the Kut Tail Worm and would appreciate any tips on this bait. I see they make 4" thru 6.5" Kut Tails. What size do you use the most?

Bill Lewis 1/4 & 1/2 oz Traps, Chrome-Blue up north and Smokey Joe in Fla. I have a few Arku Shads but have not had much luck with them. I have been buying a few LC baits this year but no LV's because of the price and the Traps work so well for me.

I can't tell you how many times i've got a dumb look from a fisherman when I asked him if he ever used a Fat Ika. I bet the Bass in your pond have not seen them. I fish retention ponds with the Fat Ika and can't keep the bass off my line.