Spankey

I take it you are pretty new to all this. I’m willing to bet on the flip side in the spring you’ll struggle to find them and then all of a sudden BANG they appear. I’m pretty much a life long river rat. Early spring and later fall has always been a struggle. Never could really catch on to the pre spawn. Had times in the fall where I hammered them on Columbus Day and a week later and after it was a struggle. It’s all fishing. Or they would call it catching. I’m no biologist but I don’t think it takes much in temperature swings to effect their metabolism. Then Michigan River Smallies will vary to Pensy River Smallies will vary from Georgia River Smallies. In my area I believe the fall lalapolusa is mid Sept. to end of October. Regardless of temperatures.

I’m as big a SC fanboy as anyone who has posted on this thread. Back years ago I got into the Premier Series Rods. Still use them. People I’ve taken out are using them. Great rods. Their Premier Series Crankbait Rods are the best rods they stopped making. Hands down I love my Avid Rods. I’ve never bought a series above them. Don’t know if I have to or want to. But the original post is the Bass X or Mojo Rods. I don’t think you will go wrong with either. And after fitting my grandsons up with Bass X Rods (their choice), a 6’8” Med. XF & 6’10” ML XF they chose that over the Mojos, I can see that possible. I personally feel that the Bass X has a better feel. The XF tapers felt the same to me. But only my opinion. I let them choose because they are using them. Without a doubt they are fishing a decent rod for a variety of soft plastics. But you can touch rods all day long. And feel whatever you are trying to feel for but to me (just my opinion) if you don’t have a reel on there that makes all the difference.

Guys I’m not a real real religious type of guy or anything. I try to live right. I know I have a real addiction to this bass stuff. I treat the fish correctly, I practice total catch and release, will use rejuvex in my live tank when necessary, help others that are newbies who want to come along that really are just curious to what my addiction is all about, trying to educate my grandsons correctly about life on the water. I feel my fishing life and addiction is clean. I don’t think my current PB and the fish leading up to that were luck. I sort of paid my dues to some degree. I just think the man upstairs thinks I deserve a real nice one on occasion. I’ll take that. Here in PA I try to keep my expectations and possibilities real. I know what I lost this year. I hope I get that chance again. I hope it’s a sign of what’s coming.

I was out Sunday for one hour. Wind got the best of me. Not really temperature issues. The wind is not my friend and I don’t know how to make it my friend. I fish to light. Some of you guys deal with the wind constantly. Needless to say it was a nothing day. Could not make a thing happen. Sort of heartbroken really. Had just gotten two new Rage Craw colors that I was hot on. I think I’m gonna shoot for Sunday again. I believe I’m gonna pull the plug after that. I gave my best shot for the 6+ pounder. But maybe I didn’t if I relive some things in my head. I’ll have all winter to think about her. I’m not planning on much different next season. Gonna stick with what has been working. I got a bit later start this year because of this CORONA Virus BS. State Ramps were closed.

I have not seen that info around in a long time. Are you still able to get them?

I’m no expert, never claimed to be. I don’t know it all, and never will. There are a lot of guys that are great at their craft of fishing. I’ll but some in that expert category. Quite a few tournament guys. Some of those guys who have TV shows, I’m not sure if I put all them in any kind of expert class. Anybody can make a 1/2 hour program. Actually 20 minutes worth after commercials. They spend a week filming on a body of water and never change their clothes. On some private pond where the bass never seen a lure before. I guess it can make you look like an expert. Majority of the experts will never get a TV show.

I’m just joking around. Old commercial that popped in my head. It was like a 500 piece kit of some type. My other favorite commercial was the lure that lit up. Think it put out some special secret vibration. But I sure many have caught fish on these. To each his own.

Banjo Minnow

I saw that. Being a Rapala Freak I will try a few. Couple of patterns that will work for me I’m sure. Not seeing them available yet. They appear to be a slight redesign.

Mine also were bought at the hardware store. Could walk or ride my bike there in the 60’s. They had Creme, Mr. Twister and another brand that I can’t remember but they were sold on a card that was wrapped. May have been Mann’s but I don’t think so. I never got into the ones with a pre-rig and spinner. Use to nose hook them with a split shot. Splitshot rig has been around longer than would have you believe. Black, natural and grape is what I fished. Use to fish an old quarry pit. Can’t say that I ever caught a giant there. If you got one 15” he was a giant if I can recall. Would have like to had a picture from back then with a few of those quarry fish. The old farmers wife would take a few and cook them up. Nobody hardly fished the place, had the place to ourselves. Great post. Jogged a few good memories.

My next time out it very well may be a plastics day fished real real slow. The Ned rig idea is good but slow creatures is about the same. I can’t make any excuses. I believe in what I’m doing. My baits are productive (generally). I believe the fish are on points that drop off to deep water quickly. Harder bottom. Don’t want to get frustrated over it. Will continue to keep trying. I’ll have to look harder for baitfish.

Happy Birthday. It’s nice to be able to fish on your birthday. Plus the presents you got. Mine is in May, usually trout fishing but the presents are there.

Man it was a beautiful day yesterday. Out at sun up. No wind, like glass. Got on the spots I wanted to hit. But I stunk the place up. I could not buy a bass. Few hits. I believe they were bass. Have rain moving in at midweek. Will try to get out before it. Weekend is looking wet. Looks like I’ll be getting wet. I feel the need to stick with it a few more times out.

It just another area you need to build confidence in. Limit what you are trying. On the river a Pop-R, Chug Bug and a Skitter Pop are my go to’s. Since switching to lake fishing it been a learning experience. Twitching larger baits seem to be the ticket along with buzzbaits. It’s a game. It’s a head game.

Did have high expectations for yesterday. We are in a bit of a heat wave here in the N. E. . Beautiful day and picture perfect. I could not buy a bass bite. Jerkbait, jig and creature fished. Had a few hits. Pretty much chalked it up to a few hours of practicing with a few baits. Have rain moving in at mid week. I may try to fish it just prior to it starting. I’m not ready to give up yet. Fishing hard bottom quick drop off points I believe is the place to be. I feel the need to stick to that.

Soft plastics are my favorite way to fish. But I fish crankbaits heavily. I like the reaction strikes, and over the years of fishing, crankbaits have gotten my bigger fish. Hard to not fish them.

In my experience of fishing like that, it is a productive or more productive as deadsticking a fluke. RoboWorm is my worm of choice. I like fishing Shad like colors. Great post!

We are getting a warm spritz right now. Will also be out Sunday but in all honesty it might not be until December. Good luck.

Nothing wrong with that. Gets the job done. You’re taking care of the home front and still catching bass. A $50,000 bass boat will not out catch you. Or land you an 8 pounder any quicker.

I know a bit late in the year to take on a new approach. But when you are ready worm fishing is pretty simple and hard fishing it wrong. Enjoy the time you have left in the season.

This here will be another mind blower. I had to work a rare Saturday this past weekend. Were you headed on US202 south on Saturday morning pulling a Tracker? I’m in Lansdale. Montgomery County.

Well we are truly in each other backyards. For real.

You Penna., Jersey, New York State? I’m Eastern PA.

You probably don’t want to hear this but give them something different to look at. Fish a light T-rig, Mojo, or split shot rig with a small 4”-5” worm. Weed less with a 1/0 or 2/0 straight shank worm hook or a Tru-Turn Hook. RoboWorm straight tail or curly tail, maybe a Yamamoto kut tail, PW, something on that line.

Face those obstacles yesterday. Couple of days of rain threw off water clarity and finally saw a sizeable water temperature drop. But this is just surface temps. I did not throw my live well thermometer over to see what temp was at 20-20+ feet. Threw some #7 & #8 Shad Raps, had a Chain Pickerel on and lost him at side of boat. OK with that. At least he didn’t take my lure. Threw a Rage Craw and Zoom craw for majority of my time was getting hits but could not say if it was bass or not. Switched to Bitsy Jig with a grub trailer and hooked up a 12” bass. He was like hooking a trophy. Fished through some steady rain. Winds picked up, and got miserable. Mid week temps are picking back up. I’m not ready to pack it in yet. A 6 pounder sticks in the back of my head. Have to believe it is doable.