Ratherbfishing

PVC is wonderful stuff. Keep your eye on those sewing thread boxes. They may or may not be worm proof.

I like them just fine but they're not very weedless and the squirrel tails shouldn't be put away wet (if you don't want rusted and broken hooks later). Don't know if they still make 'em or not but I like the Xtra Deeps for suspended crappie.

Dang! Beat me to it!

I, too, find it a little difficult to believe you've NEVER caught a fish on a crankbait. Seems the only time they don't work at all is after a cold front (fall fishing excluded). I wish I could be a "fly on the wall" and see when/where/how you've attempted to use them because, again, they are often very successful. As has been mentioned, try trolling with one (such as a shad rap or flicker shad). They cover SO much water that any aggressive fish will grab them. Especially in the evening. And you can find suspending fish that are otherwise difficult to locate.

Where do I get me one of these?

Bowfin, dogfish, or grinnel. Take your pick. I noticed you put it on a stronger. Did you attempt to eat it?

Not for sensitivity but for better treatment of the line and because a cheap guide will often groove from abrasion. The tip guide is the one which ALWAYS and vigorously makes contact with the line.

Meh, braid is good but it isn't the be all or end all for all fishing applications. If you know and honor its strengths and limitations, it is a good tool.

You can, but have you been out with anyone who has "mastered" artificials? You might find you're using them wrong or in the wrong places. Artificials (even soft plastics) would almost all be considered "search baits" compared to most live bait practices. But without knowing what you're doing that is or isn't working, it's difficult to even speculate. Are your lakes/streams/rivers heavily pressured?

Then, for you, there's your answer.

If you fish mostly with live bait, that's what you're going to report as working for you. Likewise with artificials.

"Casting arm." Is that what they're calling it these days??

Exactly.

holes. Avoid them.

Probably a Keitech Swing Impact or, in the early spring, a jerk bait. But I try not to pigeonhole myself or my baits this much.

With a few exceptions, If I am going to fish with someone else, I prefer that they have some level of ability. I don't like baby sitting very much. Also, it is a lot easier and faster to narrow down a pattern with two in the boat than with one. I'd say, though, that it's about half and half. I enjoy fishing with others UNTIL I feel like it's "cramping my style" too much and need a break from trying to accommodate others. THEN, especially, I like to fish by myself.

While I believe that current and wave action will push some bait (and bass) to the northern side of the lake, it is considerably less critical in the summer than in the early spring. And fish are not as likely to relocate very far for a short term condition such as wind direction in the summertime. Furthermore, depending upon your abilities, how high the winds are, etc, effective boat, lure, and line control can be the difference between detecting bites and catching fish and simply fighting the wind all day. You can always fish the northern side and see how it goes. If there are points where water eddies around them, these are good places to try. The key is finding what works for you. Stay mobile and flexible until you find what works (for you).

Having more thrust will get you on plane faster. KIDDING!!!!!!

Having superstitions is unlucky.

The only sad part is that you aren't able to bring your dog with.

Can't you just use a pair of pliers and pinch them shut?

I've experimented a little bit and from what I've found, thin or skinny trailers which aren't too long are best. Anything else seems to interfere with the fluttering action. Swivels aren't really necessary if you don't fish them too fast as the silver minnow doesn't/shouldn't really rotate. It just shimmies or flutters. I have an aversion to any extra hardware, though, if it can be avoided.

Different fish.

Sorry 'bout your grandfather. If I could catch bass like this, I'd have asked my girlfriend to leave me YEARS ago! You know I'm kiddin', right? Well, mostly.

Don't have any BUT my buddy and I discovered that on a day when the bass were busting the surface for damsel flies, they would almost always hit a soft plastic if it was tossed to the spot.