Spankey

Good to hear. I’ve never jumped on board with the LiveTarget stuff much. Hard for me to find a guy that carries a good selection locally. I started fishing their crawfish jigs yesterday for the first time. I didn’t have a stellar debut but did have bumps/hits/strikes. I’m gonna stick with it on these jigs. I have to make them work. They were not ignored. That’s the plus. A co-worker gave me a name of a shop sort of local to me and mentioned they Had a lot of LiveTarget. Would like to try one of their crankbait craws also. Good luck.

I’ve been fishing two St. Croix Premiere Crankbait Rods for a long time now. I don’t throw anything else with them. 1/4 oz. to 9/16 oz. lure weights. Bandits, Bombers, Rapalas and SK’s. It’s a decent crank rod. Certainly doesn’t break the bank. It’s built slower, loads good for lure weights I’m throwing. Not made for sensitivity but it is not a light pole either. 1/4 oz. or under can be a problem. Wind adds to problem but can be solved but using a moderate spinning reel.

You are probably right. You have to run with your gut instinct. Keeps your mind right.

I had a terrible combination tied on today. Tied it on real quick because the lure was on the deck and wanted to throw one of my favorite patterns into this wood pile. But anyway, I was fishing soft plastics primarily today. Was trying a new jig today also. But I tied a Rapala 08 Shad Rap onto a St. Croix Premiere Rod, 7 ft. fast action and a Shimano 3000 Nasci w/ a 6.2 ratio. Felt like crap. Certainly not the right combination. Rod is good, Reel is good just not the right combination for that shad rap. Hope this might help. That rig is retied for soft plastics and was a learning experience to keep shad raps off of it.

I don't fish as heavy as you guys do but I've been fishing the McCoy on a couple of my set ups. The owner of the shop she talked me into trying it, I'm satisfied but my lines are lighter than yours I'm sure. I find the McCoy to be decent stuff.

Has it been this way since day one? Are you throwing a different lure now (size, weight, depth)? Same rod?

My bass fishing rods are all one piece. 5’9” to 7’3”. I’m fine with it and do it by choice. Most likely will always keep it that way, but my surf fishing rods are two piece and a couple trout rods (spinning & fly) are two piece.

I’m not gonna say this is one of the dumbest things I’ve ever done because I don’t believe it is. I believe it has some merit. Just don’t think I’ll take this approach again after the response of you guys. I sort of relate it to deer hunting. When I deer hunt up at my uncles farm. I hang all my clothes up out in the barn for a few days prior to the season starting. Does it work? Can’t say it ever hurt. Got my share of deer over the years.

No you're not the problem. I'm glad I don't get asked too much. I hate to lie about it. I don't lie I just don't get too deep. If a person is green as grass it's decent to try to help them but most guys who are out on a regular basis there is no need to talk about that much. You know what you have to do and so does the other guy.

One more night in the garden. Have a bit of rain moving in. I'll pull them tomorrow afternoon. Only thing that can get me PO'd is if the squirrels get clever and try to mess with them. Wife thinks I'm crazy. She thinks I'm obsessed. She's right.

Thanks guy. Looking forward to using these LIVETARGET jigs on Sunday.

Just got a few new LIVETARGET jigs. I think the materials they are made out of possess a bit stronger odor than others I fish. Gonna try to neutralize or get them to dissipate the odor before I use them. I feel real good about the jigs. Just didn’t want to spray them down heavy with Garlic or Anise over the smell of the material. I unpackaged them, covered the hooks with a thin surgical tubing and put them in the garden. They should get rained on some the next few days. I don’t have direct sunlight hitting them. Put some garden debris around them. Might throw some moss on them tonight. Sort of secured them so critters won’t take them. I guess this is a bit overkill. But I feel good about the jigs. Just not sure about the odor having a negative effect.

This is my exact situation. And to boot, my wife is not willing to get up @ 3:50 am.

That a manufacturer that you really don’t see a lot of in my area. And when you do it is the $1.00 sample type packs.

Majority of bass on worms. The nicer bass on crankbaits. Still waiting for my fish of the season. Maybe it will come on Sunday.

I worked on finding the same type rod last winter as a project. I am more than satisfied with the direction I went by buying the Abu Garcia Veritas 7 ft. Medium - Moderate action. They have it labeled as a "Winch" rod. I happen to have it matched up with a Garcia reel and McCoy co-polymer and its been great. I'm still waiting for a 6 lb.r on it this season but that's what I keep fishing for. I'm fishing a lot of Rapala 08's and 09's Shad Rap, Bomber #7's Model A's, 6 & 10 DT's and some SK square bills. 3/8 oz. to 1/2 oz. baits. Great casting it loads up well, absorbs shock and hook setting is far better than other spinning rods I have that I believe are too fast an action. Got a few 3 lb. bass the last few weeks and I like the way it reacts. Granted 3 pounds is no giant but i would not mind catching them all day like that. I like it and glad that's the direction I went. But to each his own. You'll have to go touch a bunch of rods and get the feel you are looking for.

Over the years Columbus Day has been some of my most memorable bass days. I always take that day off to fall bass fish. Mostly if not all River Smallies days, but this year will most likely be on the lake.

I believe I found this to be true with my bigger Smallmouths. They just seem to want to dig for the bottom where they came from. They do not like the looks of a boat either and keep you moving around the deck to get the advantage sometimes. In my case I wish it would happen more.

Your lack of fishing is just a little hiccup. Get everything done on the home front. The bass will be there. You certainly know where they are. Best wishes for your mom, congrats to your daughter and family. I know, I've been there a couple of times. I love spending time with my grandsons. They were with me two weeks ago and they have me taking them for catties next weekend. Don't know much about catfish, the boys and I will have to figure it out. The majority of my catfish were caught bass fishing.

Pretty much the same as Scott. I’m a big Rappy fan so I do like the Skitter Pop, Skitter Prop and this year I’ve used the X-Pop for the first time. Got a couple of river smallies on it. Dink’s and runts but a nice one will come. I was real hot on two colors of it and was able to find them. There is is a ton of stuff out there.

Great post! That was a winter project for me this past winter. Looking for what I perceived to be the right 7 ft. Moderate softer tip for the type of crankbaits I fish. I went with the Abu Garcia Veritis “Winch” rod. I think I’m going to get another this off season. Have two of them rigged. My fish have been small but I like every thing about it. I have a slower ratio reel on the set up. The rod is not real expensive. Play the sales and discounts to get it. But a rod has to be the right touch. Opinions are not the answer for you.

That’s something I have not thrown in a long time.

Missile makes some smaller jigs. Over the winter I picked a few up at DICK’s. The size caught my eye because I don’t really throw huge baits. I have heavy vegetation but nothing like some of you guys have.

That bamboo bomber or whatever they call it I’m not ready to give up on it yet. This weekend I’m gonna try to Carolina Rig it, if I see some fish a bit deeper than what I’m currently fishing. Not doing too well T-Rigging, split shotting it or fishing it weightless. Than again I’m not into Carolina Rigging that much at all. I thought they were maybe on a larger scale and more popular. I’m usually the last one to ever find out anything about anything. I can’t diss them and don’t want to. I have plenty of stuff that works pretty well. Their decent quality did catch my eye. Here today gone tomorrow. You have to sell a lot of rubber worms and hats to stay afloat today.

I don't have much cash laid out on their stuff just wanted to compare a couple styles and colors to Yamamoto, Strike King and RoboWorm. Wouldn't be the first bag of soft baits I've given away. They seem very well made and colors are uniform. I'm sure its a mental block by now. I'm sure someone is doing great with them. Local company thought I'd try to get on board with their baits. A lot off the wall brands of soft plastics these. Not a dis by any means.