Spankey

The one in my avitar pic may be my smallest ever. From some years back. River largemouth on a Bandit CB. I remember that day of catching quite a few largemouths in a section of down tree branches on Bandits and SK sq. bills. But I don’t look at it as a worst thing.

I'm in Penna. with you. I have to do one for a warm rain and one for those cold rains also. BPS has a lined version that has worked out well for when its cooler. The one I've used more often is an Orvis that I picked up on sale. That's the only way I would have bought it. I've had it a long time and has held up real well being kept in a boat. Like a nylon on the outside and a super thin rubberized coating on the inside.

I sort of have your problem but my arm are not like Popeyes. I get my wife to sew into the sleeves that elastic strip cut to lengths I need. Works good, sleeves hold up good.

++ on the RoboWorms also. But I've been a big Berkley fan for many years. I'm always ready to throw a Power Worm of some type. Late this season I've been messing with some of the Max Scent stuff. Late this season I've been messing with the Flute Worm also. They were being discounted/discounted at a shop and seemed like a no brainier for me to try. Rigged shakey head and light Texas rigging them. They have produced bass, will fish both of them harder next season for sure.

I like using Zoom 4” curly tail worms as trailers. Cut body length to what I need. I do not throw huge buzzbaits, spinnerbaits or jigs but the smaller sizes I do use, this worm works out great.

I have grandsons 9 and 13 years old. The youngest is using 1000 series Shimano’s and rods that are 5 1/2 ft. and 6 ft. lengths. The oldest is into all my stuff. Just not baitcasting yet. The youngest is on the shorter side. The oldest is taller than average so rod length does not seem to be a hang up with him. I think with kids it is important to use a line that is user friendly also. I do not have them into flouro and braids yet.

The one on my Tracker is low.

I guess that one do-all tool would be great if you can find it. Over the the years I have gotten enough Rapala and Baker tools that pretty much can get me out of any sort of issue. I’m pretty happy with the Rapala Tools.

Only wear the jersey to Mingle prior to the tournament and at weigh in????? The Jersey cost too much to get dye and fish blood on it????? I’m willing to bet the majority of us on the site can spend 8 hours on the river or lake catch our limit, use dye, fish formula and every variety of baits on our boat and not get a stain on a long sleeved solid white tee shirt. You should be made to to wear your jersey as part of the rules. Your representing your sponsors much like “Brad” in Fast Times at Ridgemont High when he was working at “Captain Hook Fish’n Chips”, “part of our image and part of our appeal is that uniform”, “show a little pride”.

Wishing you a speedy recovery.

My fishing, my home waters per say have changed for the worse over the last hand full of years. Mother Nature has changed the ecosystem and habitat of the river. I’ve become a laker this last handful years and I am enjoying it. I stressed over that situation and tried to deal with it but that’s not what fishing is about. Somethings you can control in life some you can not. I have both largemouths and smallies here at the lake. Sorry for the short rant. But anyway I use to fish the heck out of Rat-L-Traps. They seemed to be a bit more effective on the river for smallies. Most likely because the river is far shallower on average than the lake. I still fish them regularly but it is for sure one of the top if not the top confidence baits I use. If I’m having a tough day and I refuse to get sent home skunked (it happens), I’ve tied on a Rat-L-Trap on many occasions and fished it hard to come up with a bass. A dink, runt or respectable fish I don’t care. They do seem to get the job done. I’m a creature of habit so I tend to use Rat-L-Trap Brand. But there are others out there that are equally as good or better for sure. I have a lot of patterns but I really only need three colors to make it happen.

Lipless It might make strike detection easier but I’m gonna say not really. All crankbaits have a difference in resistance value. Size, weight, lip configuration, running depth all come into play. The feel will be somewhat different. Detection is not hard to determine. I’ve never forgot about my crankbaits. If I’m throwing a worm/plastics I don’t think I’m neglecting them. It I had another set of arms I’d throw a crank and a soft plastic at the same time. Good post, don’t overthink it. Fish them when you can. I use a Rat-L-Trap all season. It’s a good bait, good search bait.

I hope it’s nothing. Maybe something as simple as a virus like bells paulsey. My my oldest daughter had that when she was young in grade school. Everything went ok. BUT, it scared the crap out of my wife and I. You’ll be ok dude. Let the right guy look at you.

+ 1 on that. They put out a good product. I believe anything that swims will take one. There was a time (many years ago) I’d throw them exclusively but those were days and days ago. Primarily for trout i fish Panther Martins and bass is Mepps.

Where I tend to throw them these day is mostly when the river does get clear is at smaller creek mouths that enter the river. Real slow in shallow water. I’ve caught some pretty nice smallies on 3’s, 4’s and 5’s along with dink’s and runts. Muskys show up out of nowhere to chase them down also. 30” plus up muskys on 6 lb. & 8 lb. test you have your hands full. Been there a few time while smallie fishing.

I have a Tracker 19 ft. with a 90 HP Mercury Optimax. I love it. I have a two stroke with no issues. Could an issue arise tomorrow. Sure. But I’ll deal with it then. Mine has not been back to any dealer yet. 2011. My previous Tracker was never back. Really not much that can be an issue with the hull.

I will try to trout fish some near home from Thanksgiving until the water gets hard. My trailer bunks are not an issue but I’m gonna make up a new set along with my side guides and pop them on the first nice day in the spring. I’ll have all winter to find that ultimate piece of carpet to do it with. I might want to install a some type of a GobeBe spotlight. Not sure if I want to do it on the bow or near steering. Tired of doing the hand held spotlight thing which has been going on for the last 40 years. But it’s not like I’m using a spotlight all that much.

Sort of feel like I cut my teeth on creek and river smallies with Mepps spinners. I’ve always associated Mepps to bass fishing and Panther Martins and Roostertails to trout. No real truth to that though. Mepps makes some nice trout spinners. In #’s 3,4 and 5’s the Anglia color patterns seem endless. Majority of mine are dressed.

Great lure on the river over the years. I do not fish it as much as I have in the past. River “Classic” in my opinion.

I’d like to think in my 60 years I’ve been receptive of change. Changes are constant in the manufacturing work world, family life and experiences and fishing plays a big part of my life. Family has told me that I’m not all that receptive of change and I’m a creature of habit. They don’t see much change. They are right. I’m afraid of braid. That solo frog setup I have with 35# braid on it I’m still out to lunch on. Had been using Big Game but at a lesser test. I’ve started a slush fund mad money stash for next season all ready. I want to pick up a new ML Xfast stick and go all out and buy the new version Stradic. From the get go I think I’ll do the braid and fluoro leader. You guys (+ the pros) would not fish like that if the negatives out weighed the positives. My favorite spinning plastics set up now is a SC Med. Xfast 6’3” Avid w/ the white old school 2500 Stradic. I fish a SC 6’8” and a 5’9” M Xfast also with the old Symetreys.

I know a pretty old thread but thought it might fall in line with the tariff thread that is started. I would like to think a lot of my fishing items are US made but many things I’m sure are China. I’m going to look at some of the packaging while I’m out this weekend. I believe I’m going to find out much much much is China. Especially the small overlooked items. Just try not to let these economic and political front issues over run you. But I do realize it is part of life. And a $ is a $. Job are jobs. Hopefully it all works out.

I fish pretty much the same stuff as you guys. Zoom, Berkley, Yum, RoboWorm. But just the talk of tariffs I’m sure will bump US manufactured soft plastics as well. Just because they can. I could be wrong but fishing equipment is probably not that big on the full scale of things of everyday items. But like y’all it is an important part of my life and an interest that I would say is more important to me than other Chinese junk that comes here.

You are probably right. And I don’t want to be on the front end or back end of a failure. Don’t need the stress of that. Bass fishing is not suppose to be stressful. There are are a bunch of you guys on here I’d love to fish with. I have a true respect for your posts and comments. Might be easier to just hook up the puddle jumper and head out to where you guys are. I believe I did read something about Table Rock and if it’s already an established thing I should Jump on board with that. Then for a lot of guys to 80-90 miles one way is not to bad but I guess to haul your stuff hundreds or a thousand miles can be a chore.

I have noticed that. That situation comes and goes at random.

I can’t talk the braid game with you. Basically been a mono guy my whole life. I’m only using it on one setup. 35# braid on a MH 7’1” Frog setup. But like you I’m far from perfect. I’m 60 years old also and to started fishing when I was about 7 or 8 years old. Good luck, have fun.