Spankey

I cant disagree with any of the opinions given. What I'll add is don't over look or dismiss black or dark olive. Go get this in a Bandit and you won't regret it. Solid color. Storm has a solid black version also.

I've had it happen to me a couple of time also. I did not like it and also felt bad because I feel I handle fish as well as anybody. I don't play fish until exhaustion. It just happened. Both times it was while worm fishing. Not in the tongue, not hooked deep. I decided to clean them and give them away. Was ok with doing that. This is a good thread you started. Fish on. It might happen again someday and it will be easier to reason with. Move on, fish on. Don't agree with livewell opinion. I have a good system that works.

Not sure what you were throwing. Probably nothing you were doing wrong. Sometimes when throwing crankbaits and they are only hitting the tail of the bait they tend to only get on a single hook of the rear treble hook and not even come close to the front treble. Pretty easy to throw that. I think we all have days like that. Touch up your hooks and give it heck tomorrow. Whatever you were throwing they wanted.

My river conditions have been about the same but not quite to the 85-90 deg. mark yet. I start out very early and hit a couple of creek mouths with topwater. I limit my casts and don't beat it to death. Try for a few and move away to another creek. Turn to bank fishing deeper water drop offs with worms. Bigger fish have been coming with worm fishing. This has been the pattern for me the last few weeks. I feel if I were to just keep throwing crankbaits the fish will be smaller. I don't beat the water to death because I'll come back to it with a worm. Been working.

My favorite rod is two rods. St. Croix Premier Crankbait Rod. 6'6" Mod. action. Why, it falls in line with my crankbait sizes I tend to mostly throw. In my mind its the best crankbait rod out there. My opinion. Bought a 7 foot version for this season. Love it but, not as much as my older 6'6". St. Croix Avid Spinning Rod. 6'9'' ML X-fast action. I love to worm fish, drop shot and split shot. 4"-5" worms. Just feel I get good hook sets with it. 6# test and light wire razor sharp hooks. Never leave home without them.

A lot of greats baits mentioned. The Rapala original floater and countdown have a place on my boat. Not my favorite. Just because. Because they work.

The black spots can be common in areas I fish. More like a birth mark. Smooth and not infectious looking. I've never caught a juvenile, dink, runt with those black spots. Seem to me they were more on respectable size fish. Largemouth also. Would like to see a pic of your fish. Anything I've caught with a sore was not that bad and had plenty of life, I fish areas not too far from you.

I would throw your confidence baits first and see how you make out. I'd bet they will work there. Crankbaits, jigs, 4" worms, grubs and spinnerbaits might all work on the same day. I'm finding that out over the last few weeks. I just keep switching up my whole time out. I won't beat to death one lure my whole time out. I know guys who do. Or they beat a color to death.

Nice fish dude. I'm an absolute river rat and would love to have that in my back yard. That's proof that nice fish are always near the boat ramp.

If I'm surf fishing for snapper or chopper Bluefish I'll bleed them out on a stringer. Ice them and clean them when I get home. Smallmouth, Largemouth and White Bass I catch and release. I've given away many a catfish and it was their (takers) problem to deal with.

Probably won't be the last time. Over the years smallies have gotten me a few times also. Rattle Traps, DT's and Pop R's. Stings for a few days. You'll be ready for next weekend.

I'm a river rat so clear is just a relative type thing. But if I know or assume the fish are there on a point I start out with some top waters. I won't beat the heck out of the water either. I'll give it an honest amount of time give them a couple of looks than go right to a Rattle Trap. Could be anything I throw after that.

I don't really have a big up date but my insurance is on board with everything. Fish and Boat Commission has all their info needed. My biggest issue is someone wanting to do the work. Dealer aint squat, local guys don't seem to know what tig welding is. Need to find the right guy for an estimate than I'll be on the right track. Even if work doesn't get done to fall sometime will be ok. Don't want it to cut into my smallie time too bad.

The insurance company was pretty cool they took all the preliminary stuff yesterday. Than one of their dudes will handle it. I'll hear from him. Have the call into PA boat commission. Regional guy turned it over to local officer the way I understand it. State angency so I don't expect them to be jack rabbit fast. I realize they are understaffed and funded I guess but I expect some type of reply. These issues are serious. And guys like us who take boating and bass fishing serious should not be hampered by idiots powering water craft not operation properly and uneducated operators. Fn morons. I'll feel a lot better when I talk to waterway officer and have some type of report in my hand. I'll be able to chase those smallies around. Structurally I look to be ok. I'm a mechanic welder and electrician so I have a pretty good eye. I'm anal as heck about my stuff though. My boat is cherry and as comfortable as fishing out of my living room. It will be fixed to 100% to my satisfaction. I don't care if they have to send it back to the factory and have to replace the whole funnel. I don't think there is anyone in my area that even works in boat repairs.

In all seriousness I thought I was at least I was going to get hurt. I really thought that other boats hull was going over or on my deck. Hey aluminum, rubber and paint. It can be fixed. But now that I'm not hurt or killed. I'm pi$$ed. Dudes like that shouldn't even be out on the water. If you can't see over your bow. I was like a setting duck. I'm not under power to avoid anything.

It was a guy motoring to a fishing spot but appears that it must not trim out well because his bow was high as heck. Sight issue. Thought it at first was a guy coming to ask me how the fishing was going. Would have lied and said it sucked but I was straightening up my deck, really ready to quit for the morning. Than that quickly I realized he wasn't coming to BS. Sort of sucks my boat is pretty cherry shape for being a few years old.

Happened to my yesterday while bass fishing. Was having a great day until this happened. I'm insured and have my act together. Other boater maybe not. Gunnel damage. I can still get out to fish but I guess repairs and settling will be a hastle. Probably should let my insurance run with the whole thing. Just curious if anyone had their day ruined with a similar incident.

Not sure yet. Kicking around a Lew's of some type. Don't own a Lew's. Going to just put one of my old Currados on it to fish it this weekend. Should be here Friday. I have to get somewhere with a good selection of reels. Hate to buy my gear without seeing and touching it first. I would never have bought this sight unseen but had handled it at the show. Should have just bought it then. I could have saved 10% more. My local guy is pretty good to me, I fish St. Croixs almost exclusively. I think they put out a good product, price doesn't break the bank, if you ever need service or warranty they are great. I've had to use it twice in many years fishing their stuff and it was fast and easy.

Ordered another new crankbait today on the way home from the river. Been kicking it around for a little while. Mojo Bass Glass 6'10" "Target Cranker". Should have just picked it up at the winter show when I coveted it there but walked out with Mojo Finesse spin rod at the time instead. I've been fishing 2 Premier Crankbait Rods for quite awhile and like them. Wanted something 7 foot or close to it. Like a softer tip / slower tip for cranking. Should be here for the up coming weekend.

I've been in all the same situations as above. I feel my topwater game has really dipped the last couple of years on my home piece of water. This is both my fault and the fact that my home stretch is not what it use to be. I caught two this morning on a topwater but, have a bit of a mental block with fishing it. I don't want to quote Mike Icaonelli but I try to take the "Never Give Up" approach. Just make something happen.

I've been using a St. Croix Premier Cranking stick for a handful of years. Along with others. Fixing to pick up another. Majority of my rods are St. Croix, something I just got hooked on. Rods are a funny thing I like to read the opinions but really hate to give one. What feels right to me doesn't to others. Rod feel in a shop is important but you don't know until your out on the boat.

I would not give up on it. Don't over think your situation. I have a feeling the fish have not set-up in a summer location. They are still in somewhat of a transition period. I'm dealing with somewhat of the same situation on a river system. I think post spawn is my issue. We'll figure it out. Hang in there and do what has worked for you in the past.Use what you have confidence in. Maybe you'll go out tomorrow and hammer the heck out of them.

Got hooked on them as a very young guy. Passion still there many, many years later.

Yeah they do some dancing on the surface but, the bigger they get, the more they want to dig in deep and head back to where they were setting. Great post.

Take a look at the St. Croix Premier Series. Glass Blend crankbait rods. I love mine 6'6". I had mine a few years and want another. I want to compare it to the New Mojo Med Cranker first. I can't buy a rod sight unseen or without touching it first. Thinking about the 7' Med. Mod. Throwing 1/4 - 3/8 oz. Rapalas for the most part with it.