Spankey

That’s why I’m not a big fan of the WP. Floating cut river grass is not a friend of them.

I use some various Rapala tools. No complaints or rust. Their side cutters have worked on any hook I’ve tried to cut. Have a few of the various needle noses. Have not ran across any surgical issues using them. Have become a decent fish dentist over the years.

I will throw a buzzbait or buzz toad. But I throw on the lighter side. Have never thrown a heavier one or a double blade. The buzz I have a certain amount of confidence in. Both for river Smallies or lake Greenies. I can’t say that about the Whopper Plopper.

When to you have to store by?

I don’t fish for crappies all that often, but do nail them bass fishing on occasions on Shad raps, bandits and bombers also. If I were to fish for them I most likely use small grubs or tubes. Bandit and Strike King make a crappie series CB.

I use to. Was mostly a journal/log about fishing the local river for Smallies. I still have them. It was fun to do. Hope it helps you and it will. Have fun with it. Good fishing.

I think you’ll find the right use for all rods you buy. You’ll find and make it work. I’ve been all heck bent on touching some of the St. Croix Victory Rods. On a local level I’m not finding or touching many. On the spinning rods (2) that I touched, I expected to find XF to be a lot faster and close to Avids I fish. I’m not saying the rod is not good. Not by a long shot. Just surprised it was noticeably slower.

Fat Alberts on the lake. 3” PowerGrubs on the river. Don’t remember how I got on that kick or what is behind the differentiation of the two. Size I guess.

If it were me it would be going back. If it looked alright or not when you unpacked it.

A lot of times ( maybe most) fast, x-fast actions are not created equal between manufacturers. Also feel different between series of rods from the same manufacturer. That why I find it tough to buy a rod untouched at first.

Great approach. CB’s are a big part of my river Smallie fishing. I’ve gotten away from throwing a lot of the smaller baits a long time ago. I like to make a banging bottom contact or at least have that ability. I use to throw the smaller Rebel, Mann’s and the Rapalas. But I’ve long ago opted to step up the size. Example the Bomber model 8a will nail a 10” Smallie as well as an 18”. But I do realize we all are fishing different river conditions and depths. And there is no right or wrong to one approach.

Agree 100%. The old grub. A fish catcher. I’ll pass on the spinner arm, but I can see how it would be effective. Along with tubes they are a big part of my fishing. Those baits are overshadowed today by the newer latest and greatest.

Pretty common among fish to take in a bait and leave it in their mouth for a period of time. A bite you didn’t feel or see.

The hunt for the monster bass. Trying for the 7 pound Greenie. She be a nice bass up here in Penna.. The search for 23” + Brownbass. Fish to break my PB. I love to get my grandsons out. They know it’s fishing to break their PB. I think I’m gonna retire in May. Will get to spend more time with them. My fishing stuff has to go somewhere when I check out. They won’t be hurting for anything.

You are right. I believe that. I love this stuff. And would never try to be so negative to hurt anything about fishing. But I can see myself blowing off some type of poll. You catch me on the right day I may just take the poll.

I look at it like this. The post starts if a reaction strike is meaningful or have any value. Is crankbait fishing meaningful or carry any value to your fishing approach? Admittedly, over the years river fishing for Smallie I had days where it was tough to get a hit or a bite. Days that seemed like dang near everything in the boat you tried. I don’t like getting skunked and I try to take that never give up approach. I don’t know if a Rat-L-Trap means anything to y’all but it does to me. And the reaction strike that bait is meant to produce is just that. On many of those tough days I’d tie one on. Almost like fishing it in desperation and it would produce that bite to keep from getting a skunking. Chrome w/ black back and gold w/ black back are about all I use and need. Meaningful enough I guess. Value, kept from a skunking. Better than going home skunked. A Rat-L-Trap is a good way to start your day off with by throwing.

I think the numbers could be all over the place. And how much does it really mean. First I like to see everyone interested in fishing to be able to get out as much as possible. Secondly enjoy that time while you are out. But fishing being an activity and the more active you are within it. Putting in time I would think are the real true numbers and percentages. This is whether you’re bass, trout or shark fishing. Than there must be many people who fish for anything and everything. But if a person fishes twice a year is that regular? Regular enough to get true percentages. Maybe it is. IDK seems like a tough figure to come up with. On the fresh water side the only way I think they could come close is on a survey would be to question all those buying a license. I’ve been fishing since being a very young kid. Just part of my life. Big part. I have an equal passion for trout and bass fishing. I could not answer as to an exact preference. Good fishing, get out as much as you can.

I river fish Smallies various ways. But yes crankbait fishing, reaction strike, is a pretty high percentage of my fishing. Nothing pre thought out or big deal as to what I tie one. Have tons of them that equally work. Doesn’t mean my whole time out that day I’m fishing crankbaits but they will get used. Tube, grub and worm fishing is great fishing but at a slower pace. This I believe gives a fish a longer time to process what he sees. I don’t care if it’s hungry or is looking to kill it. I’m just looking to get bit. I’ll put him back and he can go on his merry way the rest of his day.

I would think your guess is about right. I would not think much more than that. There are a lot of serious carp fisherman around also. I’ve seen these dudes really get into it.

Surprising how those channel cats jump on crankbaits. Especially when the river clears from lack of rain.

Back a handful of years ago they had this crankbait called “hunt for center” craws. Sort of reminds you of a Bomber Model A crankbait. My intention was to try a few. Should of been great for river Smallies. OK I did drag butt to get a few BUT those things must be one of the shortest lived baits going because they were discontinued dang near as soon as they came out. Never did get one. Oh well.

In all honesty I don’t have a lot of LiveTarget. That’s because of lack of success with their stuff. I’ll throw cranks all day long. Have a lot of them. Not many with that name on them. But that said I’m not dissing them. They seem to put out a great product. Just not meant for my hands.

Not knowing where the fish are going to be (deeper) now I just want to stand a chance of getting them. If I can mark them this might help. But I have not intention of blindly throwing and winding them at nothing for nothing. Up here it’s crazy. Summer like temps. Surface water temps 73-75 deg. I’m getting bit and a few respectable fish but they seem to have pulled away from shallow or they are not there long or possibly in there at night. I’m just doing what I have to do. Or put it this way, doing what I think I have to to. Just hunting for that monster bass of the season. Thought it might be for river Smallies to end the season this year but all my ramps are ruined by the floods.

Surface water temps Sat. & Sun. 75 deg at 6:00 am. Transition may be on. Don’t know. Caught fish at 7-8 feet of water Saturday. Yesterday was brutal wind. Mother Nature got the best of me yesterday. I can’t fish in that. And She knows it. We have more rain moving back in this week. No idea how much. Cooler temps to follow. Most likely not enough to nose dive water temps. Can’t talk transitions or turnovers because I don’t know much about them. I just try to hunt them and fish for them. Grass and Lilly pads have not been the ticket for me. I’m fishing stone drop offs.

This deeper cranking (15-18 feet) is gonna be new to me. I’ll try a few this weekend. No plans to making a career of it. I’m to old to throw like that for hours on end. Not sure if I’ll get any fall on the river. The two boat launches are destroyed from the floods. Can’t go under the bridge if you were to get on because there are a bunch of trees pushed against the pilings. Been doing the lake since the floods. Pretty decent last week, had a real nice stain to it. Fish were close to the bank. This weekend was a lot clearer and fish were pulled back pretty far. In that depth range.