Spankey

I have a few packs myself. Pumpkin seed and black. I've split shot rigged and slider fished them for River smallies and have caught fish. I believe in Berkley Power Worms and have fished a few styles for many years. Maybe not my favorite worm mfg. but up near the top. If they were not Berkley or Power Worm I would not have bought them. I bought them to throw something slightly different and being a PW I had a pretty good idea they would work.

I've fished alone for my whole life for the most part and I've never removed my center seats. My current seat folds down to a decent no slip step. I thought about it but removing it but have passes on doing it. Has not affect on my fishing. My one soft sided bag has a home on that seat step.

Maybe step up the size on a couple of dark colored Crankbaits. Black, dark olive, rootbeer, rootbeer with a chart. belly, something on the carbon color side. Just suggesting if you normally throw a 3/8 oz. size 3 crank go up to some of your 4's & 5's that might be bigger profile and slight heavier. Fish the edge of that grass where it drops to deeper water. You'll do better next time out. Sometimes on the first trip out of the year has a tendency to play with your head a bit sometimes.

The way I feel about Smallmouth bass and Largemouth bass out here in PA. I can see how the OP has such a passion and regard for the bass. Please don't blow a gasket over it. As another post implied don't approach anyone over it not worth a possible bad out come. Not worth getting ugly over. OP, I like how you mentioned about how you saw that pond rebound over time. Good pond that went bad only to rebound.

I my pretty sure if you do a search you might find a Gitzit Kit, it will have exactly what you need. Check out Case tubes and BPS has a good tube selections.

"Smallmouth"

Great threads, great post. A lot of good info on this one. I really think you are taking it way too deep. Your making a mountain out of a mole hill. Opinions are great but you need to throw it all out and go with your gut for your situation. I'll agree 100% to buy quality gear because it will last longer. But use still have to take care of it and service it once and a while. Personally I believe you will made out ok if you think it out for yourself. A lot of opinions will not do you much better than where you are at now.

I fish the 90 Whopper Plopper. It's a good bait. Admittedly I jumped on that band wagon with others. It works but I'm not a huge fan. I fish other top waters that are more effective. My top water fishing is a bit more on the open side. I really don't know how to properly fish heavy slop with frogs or rats. I try to somewhat punch a worm creature in some holes in heavy cover. That's effective. I've been fishing my whole life but I'm not properly set up to frog fish. Really no excuse for not being set up for it.

I agree with you 100%. I'm a Bandit fan since they came on the market. I've had some nice catches over the years on them. Bandit took a bad turn when they did away from the triple grip hooks, when they dropped some decent very productive color patterns. Very basic patterns. Also when you sold out. I continue to use them. Lucky to have original patterns. I have not bought the new version due to color. SK is doing the same thing with a wider color options. Color is not everything but it means something.

Get yourself near or on a good body of water. Learn it, get good at fishing in great and poor conditions and become a guide. But you have to possess people skills or forget it. A lot of guides lack that.

Pretty hard to associate that directly to fish. I've seen that condition in the lakes and rivers. Fish would have to have innards of a good size to displace that much air. But I'm sure some are directly fish related. I'm apt to believe it is gas of some type being released.

I couldn't tell you what triggered the strikes. Can only tell you that it is a great lure. I still throw it. First lure as a kid. I use a size 9 and 11 for the most part. My home section of the river I Smallie fish has its share of Muskie in it and they love this lure also. I'm a fan of the jointed version. Gold w/ black back is my favorite. I'm in stained water the majority of the time.

I fish chug bugs and skitter pops. Hooks are ok. Crap hooks come to mind on another lure but they have gotten better recently also (Bandits).

My nicer smallmouths have been caught about equally on Rapalas, Bombers and Bandits. But, I do like worm fishing.

Real nice. I like the black trim and recess on the foot control.

Real dick move. Smallie, does not look like jaw would extend behind his eye if mouth was closed. Looks recent.

Our state shows consumption rates on different fish and bodies of water. Possibly due to mercury. I don't think lost lures plays into it.

My water temps are not as high (83 ish). A lot if shad surface activity. Huge schools that make their way around the boat. They are not being pushed by bass or walleye. Low and slow with a split shot rig and drop shot rigs was the ticket Sunday. Tomorrow I'm making my way to the river. Should be a bit cooler.

I could make you a few of those labels if you want and pop them in the mail. They are not tacky looking. And I think they have proven themselves to be useful. But it if I walk around my boat once before I put it in the water I've really walked around it 5 times. Between drain plug, small dock fenders, trailer harness, transom straps I pretty much have a routine. Dont sweat what happened. The most important thing is you and your dad are not hurt or killed. What needs to be repaired is small time vs. what could possibly happened. Be safe. I fish from a 19 ft. Tracker Pro Team puddle jumper.

Very cool!

I don't know if this will help you but I made up some lables on my Brother printer "is the plug in". I have them at my console and one on each side of the top edge of my transom. Each side of my motor. Though not big in size when you're undoing the transom straps and motor totter you can't miss seeing them. Years ago the state gave them away, since stopped. Easy to make. I've had that happen before. I caught myself early and almost immediately. No damage. You just chalk it up. I've been doing this a long time and have a routine down long by now. BUT it can happen to anyone. Only takes a slight distraction. I'm by myself 98% of the time so I don't get many distractions. When I do have someone with me I don't want them helping for the most part getting ready to launch. I just have my way and roll like that.

Drop shot/Split shot rig with 4" worm. RoboWorm, Power Worm? I would spin myself into the ground having to make that choice.

Drop shot and split shot rigs. 4"-5" worms.

That is quite impressive fishing. I could dig up some notes and logs from over the years river fishing for smallies and put some numbers up there in the 100's for the season. I counted dinks, runts and respectable bass. Logged time, temps., baits, water conditions, blah blah blah. Was fun to do but I just got away from it. I think I missed opportunities for bigger fish with my older fishing style. I fish a bit differently these days. I'd like to think I'm fishing for bigger smallmouth or largemouths these days. I don't have the best bass resources at my fingertips. I just make the best of what I have.

I just use a pair of Klein Electricians Scissors. My work pair cut communication cat6 cable not problem my boat pair has never been a problem with braid.