Spankey

That’s pretty darn impressive.

I guess pressured to some and others are two different things. What I feel as pressured and it is where I fish my be nothing to what you guys see. I get out early. Real early. I know I can get anal about a lot of things but I don’t let it get in my head about the pressure. I just try to fish hard and hope my results pay off.

Great Post! This is what ruined what was my home waters. Again I’m not by any means a biologist. But it effects the whole eco system at the river. The Smallies will move on to areas they want to be in. Sometimes it’s not that far, to habitat they like.

I’ve been using scent for as long as I can remember. First one being baitmate years ago. Been Kick’n Bass for awhile now. But in all honesty I really can’t say that it truly works or has that much of an effect. But I really can’t say it hurts either. Some of my soft plastics I don’t even put it on. Maybe I really don’t even need it at all. I’d be fishing a Black or Green Pumpkin worm I’m your situation. Scent or no scent.

Don’t underestimate a lay down. On numerous occasions I’ve caught a Smallie and a greenie off the same one. Maybe not in the same part of that lay down. Drifting down a rock and tree covered river bank I caught greenies where generally I’d pick off Smallies. No rhyme or reason to it. I look at currents and current breaks as just another form of structure. I’m not a biologists so I really don’t know if a Smallie or a greenie get real territorial. But my findings over the years is they don’t. Spawn might be a different story. My bigger river Smallies over the years have come out of all those different covers and structures. I don’t think they are that particular as to what they eat. Crawdads on more rock related cover, sunfishes and shiners in slack lay down and vegetation situations. Those Smallies know those rivers and streams like the back of their fins. What might look like is the perfect home or situation to nail one always doesn’t happen. He might be far from that current, structure or current break. Might be just setting on the bottom of the closest drop off in deeper water. Good luck. Very true. I find myself doing that same thing. I don’t find Green fish making their home there either. But not to say I have not picked a few fish off with a Rat-L-Trap or spinnerbait near that. I believe they were fish cruising around or just in that area.

Most of the ones I catch here are while Trout fishing in streams. They will hammer the heck out of a Panther Martin or Mepps. The rock bass bite generally starts a few weeks into the season or a streams warm. They seem non existent in real cold water. 10” is nice size for a fish like that. They are a really nice looking fish also.

Plenty of them out here in rivers and lakes in PA. You are right they hit real hard. The bite is way bigger than they are. But once they are hooked they flounder out to nothing. No fight is them at all. Nice fish.

I tie direct to split ring also. Are all split rings created equal? I don’t know but recently (last few years) I’m starting to like the oval or elongated style split rings more. My knot doesn’t migrate to the overlap section like on a round split ring.

I think the Zman TRD Craw is a good starting point for you. The 1/10 oz. size will be fine and you don’t necessarily have to use the ned head if you don’t want to. You may get better results with a more general jig head. I would try a couple of packs of the Zman. Catch some fish. Build up a confidence level. Than try a few different styles later. Do not underestimate the tubes. The TRD’s are very realistic for sure but tubes can be deadly. Types and colors are endless. Zman has a color pattern that is called “Greasy Prawn”, like a sand color. I do well with finesse worms that color. Trying to get the local shop to get them in for me without success and will just get them on my own. Should be easy enough. Seem to do well with that color in clear water conditions (late summer/fall). Don’t think it is a natural transition color of a craw but I have the utmost confidence it will work. I see some made in solid white but they don’t float my boat as much as this “Greasy Prawn”. Have never tried white. Good luck with them.

That’s a first for me also. I’ve never seen that happen. Don’t think I can remember seeing one crack unless I threw it up into exposed rock.

I am anal to the max also. But on my rods I’m using the majority of the time that line is not on there but an outing or two. Maybe three times out. I don’t want to loose that nice one due to line. I buy it bulk spool and it works out to be pretty cheap in the long run and good piece of mind.

Frabil generally has something for everyone. Don’t know the model no. but similar to what you are after.

Looks good I fish a few Nasci’s. Great reels. I guess you figured it out but the Nasci does not come braid ready spools like most good reels. But this is easy enough to get around. Has not been an issue for me being a mono and Fluor user.

I use a label maker also. Did the tape and write on method with fine point wire marking pen for a long time. Just use a wire label maker these days. Can get on there test #, and brand no problem than just wrap it to rod blank. Brother will do the same thing. But in reality I have a pretty good idea what is on there because I don’t fish a half a million different lines.

Not all lines (mono or flouro) are created equal. Some just are better at not line twisting or memory as much. I’ve pretty much have been a Trilene and Stren mono guy my whole life or as long as I can remember. I stumbled upon SunLine Super Natural mono back a few years ago and like it. Performs well for me. I give my spools a shot of Reelsnot sometimes the night before going out. I’m pretty anal about my line so I replace it a lot during the season. Not the whole spool but back to a knot. I’m not trying to sell you on SunLine because what’s working for me might be junk to you. Just putting out there that your line choice may help your situation on a spinning set up.

I fish on the light side also using that same jig. Buzzbaits in the lighter side also. I’ve just been using the Zoom 4” curly tail worm in a few colors. Bite off the amount I want expose for the jig or buzzbait. What I did pick up to try as a trailer over the winter was a few packs of YUM Swim’n Dingers to try and give the sort of boot tail look vs. the ribbon tail look. Same thing I can bite them to size. I think this YUM bait as a trailer on chatterbaits is going to work out well.

My boat is not in water year around. In the driveway covered/tapped. If I’m having back to back days out I’ll leave my stuff there for that time period. But tarp it when I get home. Some items I’ll keep in there year round but my rods and majority of my baits I don’t keep it it. Fortunately some soft plastics I have had in there year around have held up fine.

They make a white sharpie. Silver sharpie.

I’m not buying that. Maybe if the river is wrecked I’d stay off of it for safety for a bit but lake situation I’m not convinced. Last year after a big rain event with even the lake swollen my grandson and I had a day we both done real well just throwing at the bank figuring the fish pushed up real shallow. They did, we got lucky, probably is not a given with all big rains, will fish that way at next time lake presents itself that way. Generally those bushes would not be covered with water like that.

I believe he is the type of guy you can reach out and talk to. Private message him. I’m pretty sure y’all can converse on fishing or whatever. He’s a straight up guy who’s been at this a long time. Good luck.

I would not give up on the Senko style of fishing yet or that easily. Yamamoto, YUM a BPS all (I believe) have a 3” version. Pick up a few packs and rig them wacky style. I’m not trying to sell you anything or break the bank for you. Just get a few of the more popular colors and try that. Don’t underestimate the 3” size on larger fish that you are going to see.

I use a worm as a trailer most times. Maybe I’ll try that worm. Looks plenty long enough for me to bite off what I need to use.

First smallmouth Mepps/Panther Martin First Largemouth Rapala Floater

I’ve always been that family and job are my top priority. I can’t kick about my success fishing and hunting over the years. But I will say that I’ve let work take president over things I wanted to do or were planed to to. Big mistakes in the long run. Would not suggest anyone do it. It for the most part did not amount to squat. A regret most times. Now that I’m almost done working (couple years) I dog off a lot to get my fish time in the last couple of years. I would not think of it before. This spring at least once a week I showed up late (let them know I was gonna be late), trout fishing at sun up till a couple of hours. Felt NO remorse or what anyone thought or cared. More of it is coming. But my kids are grown, through school, have kids of their own. I can think differently about it nowadays.

I can’t overthink it right now because I don’t want to ruin my season. This is common for me when I’m in that transition mode from trout to bass fishing. I believe much of it is in my head. We are windy and raining right now. Suppose to be messy the next couple/few days. Hopefully it will only just make the river slightly high and stain it. I’d almost rather see it stained up some. Lake will be fishable.