Spankey

They can make things easier at times. I’m just not a fan at all using them on jerkbaits, countdowns, floaters and stuff like that.

Shimano reel prices went up slightly also. Knew that with the preorder. But I hope you like your new reel.

Up north I don’t have much of a winter or dead of winter bass fishing season. But from beginning to end of my season (river and lake) I use the DT’s and Shad Raps. I’m one that uses a jerkbait or countdown the same as a crankbait also. Confidence is most important. Believing is important. Getting bit will come.

Rapala Skitter Prop.

Had a real short list this holiday for bait and tackle stuff. But they came through, new version of the Shimano NASCI and a handful of new Max Scent baits. I believe in Berkley soft plastics. Have since the 80’s when they first made the scene. But I’m still on the fence for the last few years about the Max Scent baits. Overall I think the original Power plastics work better but on a real tuff bite day it seems the Max Scent will get the bite. Durability of the Max Scent is not as good but I’m hooked on using them now.

I’m pretty much old school also on the river. Worms, tubes, grubs, DT’s, Shad Raps, Bombers and Bandits. Basically the same things I use in the spring and summer. I’ll step my sizes up slightly. For the most part I’m not a big fan of patterns in blue but through the years blue has been a good fall producer in clear fall water. But don’t overlook spinnerbaits or in-line type spinners. Count downs or jerkbaits. If you are feeling good about a bait, throw it.

Guys and Gals have a great upcoming 2026 season. I hope you break your personal bests, have success with new baits, and explore a few new spots. Do all of this safely. I want to apologize for sort of falling off the face of the earth for a bit. Had a far less than stellar season this past year due to a shoulder surgery. Was not able to use it. Was able to salvage late summer and fall season though. Missing dang near a full season killed me. I’m use to working on things, hunting and clay shooting. It all came to a screeching halt. It affects you both physically and mentally some. To a degree. My shoulder continues to be somewhat of an issue. But I won’t miss a beat for 2026. Was able to work with the grandkids and get them out pretty often. Was tuff to coming on when I felt like I couldn’t contribute. Hopefully that’s behind me. This sight is full of talent. Full of useful info for a newbie or a seasoned person in a slump. Have a great season. Catch that big one.

Thanks for the tip on those EWG Hooks with those type of keepers on them. This past week I fished the Pro Crawz some but done it Texas with a bullet weight both pegged and unpegged. I was drawing bass hits but couldn’t get the big bite. I switched to the TRD Craw and Zoom Craw rigged weedless on a jig head and caught a few fish. I’ll be fishing them again this week but with weighted hooks and jig head set up. Will keep me more compact.

Well the Little Rascals does have of part of it. Was told I was like that kid. But when I was young (grade school type age), the guys that were older than us use to let us hang out with them. They would call me that but that is not quite what they were referring to. I won’t go into it any further than saying that because I don’t want to get thrown of the site. Being called that never bothered me. Could have been called a lot worse. Yes, that tidal can be scary. But scary can be a good thing. Can keep you safe. Philly is tidal and I’ve fished inside the city limits. Yes I was scared. Caught both largemouth and smallmouths. There is a lot of structure but in the form of industry along it. I could be wrong but I think the fishing for striper bass is more popular down there.

I have not tried to bass fish yet on the Sassafras River. I’d heard from a local down there that the bass fishing and striper fishing was pretty decent on it. I was told there were a few marinas and ramp locations on it. Most likely fee type ramps but that’s ok. I have to get in and out. I would want to fish it for a couple of days, at least 1 1/2 days. Would need to be an overnighter, need to do the research and layout a good plan.

Good luck with the recovery. Looks like you are getting back on track. Though most likely are circumstances are/were different I know where you are coming from. Year from heck this year. I’ve been back at it since the end of July, had to jump back into it in spite of what some are thinking. The mental relief alone has me feeling 100% better. Hope you continue to feel better and recover fine. Be safe and good fishing.

For the most part I use Rapala tools. I’m set up decently for myself in the front of the boat. And almost as well for a guest or the grandkids in the back. Decent scissors are can be had fairly cheap. Rapala, Cuba’s and a small cuticle scissor from beauty supply are floating around on the deck at all times. Don’t overlook that small cuticle scissor, I use it a lot.

On my transom, on the top edge, on the right and left sides by my motor I have a label that I printed on one of those Brother Printers “Is The Plug In ?”. Pretty hard to miss when unclamping in tiedown straps or removing the motor toter. But anything is possible.

I’ve never done this or tried to do this in my years of fishing. This week I fished the lake, tidal Big D, and the local river. Caught bass at all places and the outings for the most part went ok. Forgot my cooler on the tidal trip. A 7/11 on the way had to work, it was easy in and easy out, worked out well. When I fish tidal it is always at the least a mini roadtrip. Makes for a long day especially with trying to time your arrival with the tides and daylight hours. I've always enjoyed fishing the tidal rivers and it’s my own fault that I never took it upon myself to do more of it. Wish I was lucky enough to live right on the Chickahominy. Have not been down there in handful of years. Overnighters to there, I can’t turn that around in the same day. Same with the Potomac. Upper Chesapeake is a nice one day roadtrip when long daylight hours exist. I won’t get into all the medical bs that held up my season this year. It would still be getting hung up if I listened to the experts but I refuse to be held up and held back any longer. Kicked it off at the end of July and have not looked back. Trying to make up lost time I’ve missed. Can’t be made up. Feel better now than anytime in the last 10 months. This coming season I’m going to layout a few days during longer light days and get down to the Chick again, Potomac and would like to fish the tidal James. The bass will be my target but hope to catch a snakehead somewhere along the line. I don’t care if it is a smaller one. Would like to have that on my list.

Thanks for all the posts. It seems like the log is something some of us have all do. And basically have stop doing for the same reason. If nothing else it is a fun read and to think back to a time that is water long over the dam. Mother Nature ruined the river I one had at my finger tips. It’s still fishable but it will never be what it was. That’s life, there’s no crying in fishing, you move on. In transitioning I stopped keeping it but if truth be known that’s when I should have kept a log. I'm getting older everyday but I can still remember things and can function. Don’t get lost driving to the lake. And I never forget to but the boat plug in. Good Fishing.

Fish a few tournaments and see if it’s for you. There should always (might) be a weeknight league at your local lake. Inexpensive fees, mostly locals. There may be a bass club local to you that you can join. Go fish, have fun, use common sense, fish how you want to (within the rules) Don’t get pushed around by tool bag want to be’s and a club is a good way to learn some things and see if it’s for you.

I think it was Kevin VanDam.

I’m using the Repel Brand. Have my kids and grandkids are using it. We do a lot of the concerts at the park through the summer and I’m always bringing spares and extras of it. Not offensive in smell and certainly works. On the puddle jumper I have hand soap and the unscented soap on it all the time. Even rubber gloves if you want to use them. Had a buddy who suffered from Lyme disease, he always kept himself covered from head to toe and would use those rubber gloves also. He put them in the boat 5-6 years ago. He’d rather fish at night, the sunlight use to mess him up. He passed a few years ago. Smoked like a chimney. Use to roll his own. Probably with the cheapest thing he could find. I miss him, nothing I could ever say that could make him quit. Anyway, never had a problem with soft or hard plastics. There is always spray and soap on the boat if you need to use it.

I’ll second that lemon spray. It works great. I can go most of the season using nothing but come the end of August and September the horseflies can get crazy where I’m fishing. Those bites are the worse. Killer bites. I have been lucky so far this season. The worse thing about it I don’t realize I’m getting bit that bad while I’m fishing, after I get home I realize it and then the fun starts. I thought if you had a stain on a shirt and didn’t try any remover on it and washed it, if the stain didn’t come out it never will after.

I’m not sure who that author is or that of any of his statistics but on many occasions putting in before daybreak, super overcast, calm air to light wind at most, then rain starting have been some real terrific days.

I’ve had zero problems with them melting or blobbing stuff up. They’ll slide like any other plastic but I’m using hooks and jigs that have the retainers on them. Worth having them to eliminate the slip. I'm liking the Z-Man stuff but I’m not 100% only with it. There are a few craws out there I like. I started to use the hooks with the keeper on them because the Flat Worm would slide on me. They make night and day difference

That was sort of my thoughts. When Mother Nature decided to take the river away I sort of felt like my heart was being ripped from my chest and knew I was gonna change my fishing habits. I’ve wanted to get into some lake fishing anyway, it was all the spark I needed to get into fishing greenies. Fish a few lake with some nice healthy fish. Have both grandsons (older kids) fishing to beat their personal bests so we have a good time. I pulled those Rapalas for a day this week to use at the river. Taking a small road trip to the lake tomorrow. Times have changed and nothing stays the same or last forever. You have to roll with it. I’ve got to fish, all there is to it. It was fun to read. Especially the things you haven’t thought about in quite some time.

Didn’t really get too hung up in the Labor Day sales. Will jump on the Christmas versions. Just took delivery on some of the Z-Man Pro Crawz. Have been wanting to try this step up in size for a while. Wanted to give a larger profile for this years fall fishing. Considerably larger than the TRD Craw but only 3.5”. Have been using the TRD’s successfully the last few seasons. Had to give these a try. Hope they are a good choice for the fall. Have been fishing soft craws for a long as I can remember. Many good craws out there. The TRD’s hold up real well to the bites and hits. I find to store them in original factory packaging is best.

Guys I have not kept a bass fishing log in many years. But it is something that was fun and had some decent info compiled in it. I didn’t stop because I bass fished less or forgot how to write I think it was when I started to lake fish more for largemouths. I’m a river rat at heart but over time Mother Nature done a disfavor to the river system that is my home. I still regularly Smallie fish it. I split my time between the lake and the river. Anyway, I pulled some of them out to read my old notes on September river Smallie fishing and was amazed how I could remember some of those exact days like it was yesterday. I’ve always been a Rapala fanboy and I’m always ready to reach for a DT or Shad Rap without hesitation. They are always tied on. But going back over my notes I’m finding that the Rapala F07 & F09 floater/diver and the 1/4 oz. Spin Minnow had been big producers for a long length of time. No idea why I stopped using them. I don’t know. Most likely to fish Shad Raps, I don’t know. I can only think that I was trying to fish deeper depths. During dog days with lack of rains and water clear as a crystal the spin minnow would also catch its share of channel catfish. Sort of a bonus. I pulled them to use this week. Had only ever fished them in silver with black back and gold with a black back. Also reading through my notes I’ve caught more smallies with my Daiwa Tournament SS and Shimano Symetre reels than anything I’m using today. But that was a different time.

There is a good download from SunLine that has a ton of different knots. I’ve had it on my phone as a favorite for a handful of years now. Comes in handy. I’m pretty sure it is still available from them.