Spankey

No man. Pretty far off. In all seriousness it would be a Berkley Power Worm and a Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap. Hope to never be put in that situation. But let’s say we were in season and it was a real real tough pull your hair out type day. Nothing was happening. I’d just clean off the boat deck, gather my thoughts and have those two things rigged up. I feel that strongly that I can/will make something happen with them. Might be a dink or runt but a bass. Heck I might just go home skunked who know but I do fell that strongly about those two lures. Old Rat-L-Trap saved the more than once. Old Rat-L-Trap was the lure that caught my first fish of the season on more than one occasion. I’m pretty sure we all have those baits. Even though not your favorite.

Soft plastic a RoboWorn or GY Cut Tail. Hardbait some type of Rapala. Shad Rap, Risto Rap, DT. But it if it were life or death and I had to take two lures with me to catch a bass it would not be fishing my favorites.

My bad on that one. This is the majority of my Crankbait fishing. Just never associated as finesse. But you are correct not only associated with worm and soft plastic fishing. I remove and respool mucho yards of 6# - 8# mono and Fluor over the course of a season. Thanks, good fishing.

The set up is nothing special just a St. Croix Avid 7’ Med. Fast, with a Shimano Nasci 2500. The reel ratio is only 5:1 but I don’t find that to be an issue. Good luck on your search.

I would think it should fit in perfect with the ML you already have. A medium rod 6’9” - 7’ range is great for weightless senko fishing, lighter t-rigs and your smaller crankbaits. Maybe look at a fast action. The x-fast may not be as all around. The x-fast May fall more in line with just plastics. I’m thinking more mono or Fluor use on it. One of my spinning set ups I really love, I bought a spare spool for my reel. One spooled mono, one spooled Fluor. I can fish top water, lighter side crankbaits and large variety of soft plastics. I find that I can fish the majority of my day with it but I’m usually throwing a few setups while I’m out.

The Bagley Balsa Shads are great lure. A bit pricy but worth a look at. Not sure what you mean by finesse shad. The Bagley are one size as far as I’ve been able to buy. I enjoy fishing the Shad style baits, on a typical day of throwing them I fish a wide range of patterns, sizes, manufactures and jointed versions. I love how the jointed versions of the Rapalas will catch fish on a tough bite day. They seem to always make something happen. I have to agree with that 100% also. The flicker shads is a decent Shad but I find I have to tune them almost all the time when new. Look into some Strike Kings. A bit tough to find. But you should be able to set yourself up with a good amount of quality shads.

This is me also. I fish others as well be I can get by consistently with just these two. Have fished Rapalas since a kid.

What is cold water to you? Not having to be exact where are you fishing this cold water? Im trying to make this association between cold water and flat sided baits. Thanks if you reply. Down right cold up here in the North East.

I’m not quite sure of the rational of flat sides and cold water. All Cold water is not created equal. I’m in the north east. My winter cold water has got to be different than that of a St. John’s River guy.

I fish a couple of Shad Rap type versions. Very productive all season. Never really considered them flat sides. Can’t get much flatter on the sides than a Rat-L-Trap and I love throwing them. Can’t say I’m into throwing many lipped with flat sides on them.

I’ve been doing this method for a long time also. They store nice in the boat compartments as well. I have a few different manufacturers of them but all work out well. You can keep specific terminal tackle in there also so when you grab the box everything is right there to convert over quickly. Some plastics are stored by manufacturer, some are stored style. I find plastics easier to find this way.

I believe Strike King has a flat version also. Most likely some KVD Flat Side.

Is there no way at all to get 110v near where you are going. Hotel, lodge, house or maybe a Wally World. Generator ?

I wish the OP would post his underlying issue. Something happened. Something went terribly wrong. Hey, **** happens. Don’t beat yourself up over anything. You will not burn in **** over it. Most times when things happen like that it resparks your fish handeling. I had a musky die on me once. I catch them on occasion smallie fishing. He was on light tackle, did not want to cut my crankbait loose, felt good about landing it. Was summer, water and air temps were up. I thought everything would have went ok. It didn’t. He was legal. Another fish that hit my buddies grill. I sort of felt bad for a little while. But got over it quickly. I hooked up two more that day. Everything went fine on them. Smaller musky 27-33” fish. Now on my boat after that incident I have a net with extra long handle and big wide net mouth. **** happens. Don’t quit over it.

I know where you are coming from but try not to over think it too much. Get a pic and get them back in the water as fast as possible. I treat them pretty well I try like heck not to touch their sides and mess around with the slime coat. I have a live well also I can treat it also but I can imagine a live well has a certain amount of an effect on them also. I think keeping the stress level down is the most important thing but try not to drive yourself crazy over what you are doing. I caught this one river smallies back some years ago. Fishing like I normally would do. 4.5” drop/split shot type rig. Good hit, good hook set, great little fight for a short time. Hook set in the top of the jaw. When I boated the fish it seemed to be in trouble. Not sure why. Sort of felt bad because I put them all back. Did the live well thing but it didn’t make it. My buddy grilled him up. Did not go to waste. Did puzzle me some but you shake it off and move on. Was not my fault. And I’m not gonna stop fishing.

I like G’s reply. I don't know dude. I’m addicted. I put my heart and soul into it. I love being out, the solitude of it, I’m not the most religious guy but it’s a connection time also. But when I’m out I don’t have much of any thing else on my mind other than Mr. Bronzeback or Mr. Greenjeans. Not it sure what you mean by spending hundreds, buying tackle, reading everything going, and spending all spare time thinking about it. I’m addicted without all that luxury man. I have to work, take care of life’s other issues and try to keep peace on the home front. After that my addiction kicks in. If I was totally obsessed life would not be going very well for me.

I don’t think you are looking at anything wrong. But to have a handful of baits rigged up and ready is not wrong either. It might be a buzzbait. Could be a Rat-L-Trap. The T-rig worm is a good choice. I don’t set there and hammer on one spot. I’ll leave and move on above or below that spot and come back to it. Love to come back over those areas real slow. Especially if I know they are there. When I say know they are there, I assume. I feel strongly they are there. A spot that has a few things that I believe want them to keep there. But if it’s a day where fish are suspended and turned off. Guess you’re gonna have to work even harder. Thats what is nice about a pop-r or buzzbait. You’ll get a pretty good indication on the first or second cast. Really nice in pitch calm water and air. But if I’m having a day where nothing is working. Don’t know if it’s me or the fish. I’ll get frustrated to the point I think all the fish died, I’ll tie on a Rat-L-Trap, or back on, and retrace some of my footsteps so to speak and generally I can make something happen. I don’t want to get skunked. I’ll try to fish to keep from getting skunked. I believe or have to believe we can always drum up even a runt with a 4” Power Worm Mojo rigged. You have to believe, fish hard and some days you have to fish harder.

I use it on some of my spinning gear. 6# and 8# only. It’s ok. I happen to strip my line back and respool often. Quite often really. Not sure if some of the old timer will agree but it is not as good as it once was. I by Trilene XL in bulk also. Try it. No harm no foul. I’m not gonna dis it nor praise it. I’m lucky to have a wife that helps me respool. We seem to have down how to spool spinning reel so that it does not kink or back curl.

Abu Garcia “Revo Winch”, a few 5/8 oz. Bagley Balsas and a couple of Mepps Muskie in-line spinners.

Gave the better half my Xmas list for TW. I want the “Winch” for the upcoming season. I’ve gotten to touch it but have never fished it. Should work great, I fish a lot of crankbaits. Winter project will be to find the rod that feels just right. I fish a couple of St. Croix Premiere Series crankbait rods now that I like. I believe there is a 7’ Abu Winch rod out there but I can’t buy the rod unseen or untouched.

I have NOT sprung for a Moffia box yet. Really would like to see a few versions. I use the Plano boxes and have my CB’s very well organized by manufacturer and color patterns. I label mine and find it easy to grab what I want and it makes it easy to put back where it belongs at the end of the day.

This looks all to familiar to me. I’ve use this system for a long time. They get stored on my boat this way also. I use a label maker for the top and sides which makes it easy to see and find. I keep terminal tackle in there also so that I have everything in one place. If I were to pull my Ned Rig box an assortment of jig heads and Zman, torn Senko and Dinger pieces along with some gorilla glue.

I use quality mono and fluoro only on spinning and casting gear. Change my line quite often. I agree with above. I fish a lot of Shad Rap styles of baits. Jointed styles also. The spinning Rods I use to crankbaits fish are on the moderate side. Not fast or X-Fast. Like everyone on here I’ve lost fish but I’ve landed some nice river smallies fishing lighter CB’s and lighter line. I have no idea how to fish braid.

Great. I like it. I use to fish the heck out of the beetle spins, Mr. T spins, and stuff like that. Great way to put ripped senkos to good use. I fish a larger type spinner bait for river smallies. But I know what you mean on some days you have to scale back size. Have fun with it.

I toss creature baits for river smallies. Mine are scaled back size wise compared to what a lot of you guys throw. They are not a high percentage of the plastics I throw but I’m able to get the following locally. They are productive and I use them the way you are. Baby Brush Hogs, Yum Wooly Bug and the Berkley Hawg and Pit Boss. I like the Power Bait Hawg.