Spankey

I’ve seen and touched both. With a Vanford on them seems to be an excellent set up. I liked the ML. I have the potential for big fish (Penna.) and have caught some nice smallies but the ML would handle them here. Enjoy it when you get it.

When I was a young guy this is all I knew for fishing river and creek smallmouth. Like you I don’t know why I got away from them. I should get slapped for that.

Straight Shank Worm hooks I’ve fished Owner and Gamakatsu for as long as I can remember. They both have light wire versions that I have had great proven results. A lot of my fishing requires a straight shank light wire. Call me crazy but l fish the Tru-Turn worm hooks quite often. Have a couple set ups with them tied on now. They have worked for me.

I’m all hooked up and ready to roll before first light in the morning. We have some heavy hitters moving in within an hour or two. I’ll do the lake thing vs. the river. I could get squat here at the house and north get slammed. I’ll get that water and river rise. Gonna get more cranking in, give the shoulder a bit of fishing physical therapy. But not overdo it. I have plenty of plastics to throw.

I’m not the most religious guy on this site but I believe. I don’t have voices in my head but the last week I got a sign that told me to pick up and start fishing regardless of how I’m feeling. If I put it off, what exactly am I putting off? I’m gonna salvage my season and I’m heading toward September and October which is my favorite part of it. These recent 100 degree days were a breathing killer. I may have had some type of a lung infection going on but ok now after a round of antibiotics. I refuse to let depression set in or start. That has to be worse than a physical problem.

Thanks for the replies. Where I can’t get stupid is at the boat ramp. There is not an algae problem, at least not yet. I have to ***** foot my way around on the ramp. Can’t take that chance of loosing footing and taking the chance of slipping and trying to support myself with the bad arm. Had one of my grandsons with me my last few days. All went well. I have to keep it that way. The lung thing I have no idea where that is going or what concrete issue there is. Feeling pretty decent for now. They want me to take a couple of tests. I’m not on a ventilator or any type of oxygen. Was taking some antibiotic up until the other day. I’ve never smoked in my life. But I’ve been in some harsh work areas with the work type I had done. Could be a COPD, might be of concern. I just do not have any idea yet. But these things for the medical field to figure out. I just want to return to some normalcy. Setting my sites on going on Thursday. Be a lake trip.

Guys it’s been a crazy year for me. Nothing that I’ve experienced in my lifetime. Never where it has interrupted my fishing the way it has. We all have medical problems that creep up in us and have to overcome the hand we’re dealt. I’m not gonna make it like the world crashed on me alone because there have been many of you guys here that have had various issues (probably worse) that you have had to overcome. I'm trying to overcome a shoulder surgery for torn rotator cuff and bicep tendon. Had surgery in mid March and doing the PT thing. It’s going but not that great that fast. Getting some range of motion back. Had to deal with a case of pneumonia recently than another breathing infection. At least I wasn’t in the hospital for the second bout. Throw a hernia surgery in all that mix but all in all that went like a million bucks. Had one before and knew what to expect. Dang thing hurts healing though. I was able to work with my one grandson with his trout fishing. Was doing the work of a guide. Had to be careful of where and how I was going about things. He’s doing well with it and was a highlight for my season. Well the other day I had enough of how things are going. I REFUSE to let depression get me. I’m not getting depressed to the point I need a straight jacket or shock medications. I REFUSE to hold myself back any longer. I REFUSE to have any medical personal hold me back or keep me down. I have nothing if I can’t fish. I’ve lost enough smallie time this season that I can never make up. I took to the river the last few mornings. Mid 50’s temps. can’t pass on that. A lot of hot summer left. That was like fall. Fished majority of time with soft plastics. Could do that slower and was bit easier on the shoulder. Caught a mixed bad of smallies and greenies the last few days. I’m on that mission to salvage some of my season. Maybe the physician are right and I’m making a mistake. I don’t think so. My overall out look is better and I think I’m feeling better. I won’t go out in 100 degree days and try to use common sense while I’m out. I’ll keep hydrated and won’t over stress my arm. Try not to do anything stupid.

I fish with the stubby finger fish monkeys. I like them. Not much of a winter glove but great with grip. I tried some golf gloves back a few years ago to shoot trap and sporting with. Did like that ultra light weight of them but between sweat and wood for-ends and stock checkering and touching shells they didn’t hold up well.

I’m not a big fan of those either. I’ve went as far as experimenting with boiling them to softening them up some. Not worth the hassle to me to not gain very much. I love fishing a cut tail worm. A worm I stumbled upon back some time ago at Cabela’s long before the merger with BPS. They were an instant fish catcher. The ones BPS were selling at the time (slightly different) worked great also and they had inbetween colors that I really liked to fish. Never felt the need to fish Yamamoto’s cut tail. We’ll all good things come to an end and Cabela’s and BPS CTs do not exist. Fish the Yamamoto’s these days but they have dropped many patterns. But I have myself pretty well covered if they stop making them all together. But I’m not gonna dis any manufacturers soft plastics. We all get different results. What we use is a mental game that plays in our heads.

What great old school lures. I still fish them. The Spooks and the Tiny Torpedoes. Not sure how many colors I have but black, Shad and leopard frog have always worked great.

There has been a few soft plastics (worms) that I had great success with from BPS and Cabela’s. Fish them with the same success along with the original manufacturers. But they drop them or discontinued them. For the most part just fish the major brands and buy them at the best price I can find.

On a jig it’s pretty much a twin tail grub. I’ll add a Zoom 4” Curly Tail Worm to a spinnerbaits or buzzbait. I bite the body down to get the size I want. A twin tail grub is very productive on the river smallies on just a plain round or football jig.

I’d like to think I do a great job of washing down my boat, trailer, motor and live well. Anything more than that I believe is overkill.

Great post. I can remember many many great fishing times, places and nice fish. But I’m also 65 years old and can’t remember everything in just a split second. But what I really enjoy is when you’re not really thinking about fishing and a real old memory of a time, place and scenario pops into my head. Many as a kid and young adult times. It’s not always a bass that pops into my head. I’ve had many great times fishing for trout, walleye, catfish and surf fishing. When I was a kid I use to work for this local farmer. This guy was who actually taught me how to trout fish and was a real mentor. He had some local doctors that were friends of his and they were Jewish. Apparently there is a fish delicacy that they prepare which needs carp and the carp they wanted them to be given to them alive. Well they (through the farmer) would pay a buddy and I to go catch them. We’d fish two local creeks, catching a few nice ones, was not too difficult, was easy to keep them alive, worse part of it was toting around the galvanized feed tub we used to transport them. We’d walk them back as close to the farm as possible then Walt would come down with the station wagon and pick them up. Now I’ve never seen it with my own two eyes but I hear they (doctors) would put them in a bath type tub for a couple of days and have them blessed. I hope I’m not speaking out of line. This is what I was told. I was a kid and had not reason to not believe what I was told. My business was to catch them and collect on my share of the cash. We had done this a handful of times as kids. Carp or carp fishing never struck my fancy but the moments of doing this with my buddy are clear as day and this was 50+ years ago.

My wife tells me I should keep an open mind about it. Not take it so personally. She is probably right. Especially in the world we live in today. But dang when they had target grade shotshells on sale they were a real killer price. I’ve reloaded my own shotshells since I was 18 years old and still do but that place was great to pick up flats for the kids and new shooters that would come out with us. I can’t reload for everyone. But times are not what they use to be.

Over the years I don’t think I’ve ever had a problem with Cabela’s, BPS, TW, ***, Sheels or any other. Sell me what I’m after, ship it and that’s about it. I do have a couple of Mom & Pops shops that have and can get me what I want. I'm not into Wally World for my fishing needs, especially bass fishing because they really don’t have a good selection. But this is in my area. Not all Wally Worlds are created equal. I’ve been in ones that have great huge selections. I will not step foot into DICK’S. I hear these days their fishing selection is pretty decent. I will never know. They are anti-gun. They removed hunting and shotgun sports supplies from ones in my area back some time ago. Why? No idea. Deer, turkey, sporting clays, trap/skeet shooting what's their problem.

I sort of like all the stuff that the rockers put their touch to. I can’t set there and listen to any Christmas music for hours on end, but I like popular and classic Christmas songs that are associated with the holiday also.

Thanks man. I just FINALLY got my MRI done on Thursday night. I’m not gonna push it. It will take what it takes. If they do operate I should find out real soon when to expect it to be. Even if I can’t start my bass fishing until mid June that is fine. If later, that will have to be fine. I'll be bummed out over not fishing some winter and spring trout fishing but I’ll go and be somewhat of a one armed guide for my one grandson. We’ll still have a good time. Hunting was a bust. Can’t shoulder my rifles or shotguns. Just can’t afford to hurt it worse. Next season, all I can do. But I trudged through from mid August up to a few weeks back bass fishing with it. Got use to bait casting both right and left handed this season. Good luck with your upcoming season.

I’ve never caught a lake largemouth with those markings. Over the years of river fishing for Smallies I’ve gotten many with those random irregular markings. But not real common and not surprised when catching one. All appeared to be healthy river Smallies.

I don’t think there is much to worry about. I have a feeling it’s an after spawn situation. They are a rare catch for me. Has always been with largemouth bass. Head doesn’t match the body. But we’re healthy and strong. May be just an age thing.

Were they caught in the same body of water? Prespawn and post spawn fish? Both are nice fish. Over the years I’ve gotten some nice length Smallies in the river but they were lean fish. I’ve caught some lake Greenies where the heads seemed large in comparison to the body and have no idea as to why that is. But appears to not be a health problem. Fish looked and seemed to be just fine.

Sometimes, 50% of the time I guess. I don’t fish big spinnerbaits and the added soft plastic will make one look larger.

I don’t fish ultra lite buzzbaits and spinnerbaits but I do fish them on the lighter side. Smallmouth and Largemouth. I use the Zoom 4” Curly Tail worm, usually bite off a piece to shorten it up some. Have been using them this way for many years.

I made up a fairly short list of stuff and gave it to the wife and kids a few weeks ago. A mix of hardbaits, soft plastics, lines and some terminal tackle. I'm sure something will come through. Nothing is a drop dead must have immediately anyway. Rapala had a few new pattern colors come out and one of them is gonna work out well for me, at least my plan is to make it work well. Anxious to see it in my hand. Rebel has some new matte finish craw baits out now. Want to try a few of them. Originals have been productive on the river since I was a kid. Wish I could but on a Christmas list to have better water conditions for this coming season. Hope the heat and drought conditions will be behind us.

I hope you get to feeling better soon. Rest up and take care of that thing. Sorry to hear that it sort of ruined your season.