Spankey

I never caught a snakehead. I Bass fish where they are though. If they are prone to hit bass lures. Wouldn’t your bass fishing set up(s) be good enough. I know nothing about targeting them.

A #1 is no big deal. #2 go into the woods. Shore or beach yourself and go do what you have to do. Keep a roll of TP or paper towels in a ziplock bag under your seat for just those times even though they are not something that is not a regular occurrence. Stay prepared. And for those using the ole bucket and a pool noodle on the rim, what are you doing with it? Keeping it on the boat till you’re done fishing? Woods seem easier.

Started fishing this setup for deeper cranking last season. Abu Garcia Revo "Winch" Reel and Abu Veritas "Winch"moderate action rod. Has worked well and I'm satisfied with the results. I'm pretty much a long time St. Croix and Shimano fan boy, but over the last couple of seasons the Abu Garcia stuff I've purchased I've been more than satisfied with. Especially moderate action slower rods.

I lack confidence in my mind about the color purple/grape. Same with the color red shad. I will not fish a worm with a red tail. I will not get a bite on an electric blue type color worm. I'm pretty sure it's in my head. But the good new is there are plenty of other colors out there that I have the utmost confidence in.

I use it on some soft plastics. But if I'm throwing a Berkley worm, craw or shad I don't scent them. I have the confidence in how I use it. I believe it works on how I use it. I use only two versions. I would only tell you is to buy a reputable scent and try it. If it helps you, fine. If you see no difference at all, so be it. Your not out all that much money.

I’d like to think if you dropped me off at an unknown lake or river that I know nothing about. And there were bass there. I feel pretty good about catching one on one of my ML finesse Spinning setups. Split shotting a 4” PowerWorm on a 1/0 Straight shank light wire Gammy Worm Hook.

I still throw them on occasion and they are on the boat at all times. I’ve caught more chain pickerel than bass with them. Daredevil, Johnson’s and Timberdoodles. I generally have a single hook rigged to a daredevil to tip with a grin or trailer type.

I might be crazy but when I‘m worm fishing and feel like I’m off or the fish seem to be off. And want to stick to worm fishing. I’ll fish a Power Worm. 4”, 6” and 7” worms. They have a curly/ribbon/action tail on them. Many times got that fish by switching up. I fish a few different brands of worms. Power Worms I have the ultimate amount of confidence in. Along with RoboWorm, Zoom and GY. I use to fish them heavily back some years ago. As a bit of a change up for this season I picked up some Berkley Money Worms. Will throw them in the mix. I feel like I’m gonna do well with it. Overlooked it when it first came out. Not a curly tail but not a cut or straight tail. I use to fish a Case paddle tail worms for river Smallies but they dried up and can’t find them anymore.

My avatar (I think that’s what you call it) is a river largemouth that I caught on a 200 series Bandit back some years ago. It’s smaller than a dink. It blew me away that day catching that.

The Zoom finesse worm is a great worm. 4 3/4” - 5” straight tail. Colors are endless but the basic have to have colors is all you need. Most plastics are inexpensive. Zoom stuff is certainly inexpensive and works. I’m using the Trick Worm more and more because I’m trying to step my sizes up.

I agree with MN on the baby bass pattern. Plenty of variations out there and they work well. In all honesty I don't do well with live photo image type crankbaits so I stay away from using them. Not sure if they are still being offered but I fish a few older smallmouth bass patterned crankbaits. They are made by Bomber, model "A's". Not a live image look to them but definitely smallie likeness. They are pre live image baits days. I guess color means something but Crankbaits are a reaction bait and I don't believe color or pattern of it is everything.

Good post. Back some years ago I broke one of my favorite SC Avid spinning rods (6’ 9” ML) by so called high sticking. They replaced it for me. And am great full for that. Just got carried away boating a smallie that really was not that big in the full scheme of things. Did not loose the fish. Was dejected about the rod situation. Glad it got replaced. Has not happened since, hope to never have it happen again.

^^^^^^^ cool ^^^^^^^

I hope they can correct your vision some for you. Hope you make out ok. Be safe.

Fished the smaller version on the river for years, years ago. Zoom Flukes sort of put them on the back burner for a long long time for me. Caught quite a few river Smallies on A pink version. Not really using much pink these day either. Should break these out again.

Try a couple of packs of straight tail and curly tails in 4 1/2”. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. It doesn’t have to become your favorite. I think you’ll get good river results. No I don’t work for RoboWorm. I fished with them years ago in California. They produced. I brought a bunch back East with me. Fished them at home long before anyone out here carried them. One of my favorite overall baits. Great Post.

You might want to look at the FootJoys. I’ve been using the rain gloves for a few years. They offer a good sense of feel, thin but effective thin. Had the wife modify the thumb in one glove and finger in the other. I hear you about age. I’m doing things that I thought I would never have to do to fish and hunt also.

I'm primarily a river rat. Not Fishing that deep for the most part. 5 - 13 feet on average. My presentation is more on the horizontal side. I use a variety of 4 1/2” to 5” finesse style worms. Light T-rigs and splitshot rigs are the norm also.

Only my opinion but the BPS Excel Mono use to be great mono. Equal to Trilene XL in my opinion. In the 80’s and 90’s that is. Something happened, something is different. Basically have used Trilene and Stren XL’s and XT’s my whole life. I’ve been trying different monos and have found SUNLINE Super and McCoy to be decent line.

They are about all I use. I have not found better. I feel they are more geared toward largemouth bass. Which is fine. I do still buy from a mom and pop shop near home since I was a kid (most m & p’s are gone now) that I can get my Smallie and fly fishing stuff from. Their holiday type sales can’t be touched by anyone else. Personally I feel BPS fell off the wagon when they start pushing their own branded stuff and are not full line dealer of name brands they do carry. Just my opinion. To each his own.

They are a great bait. Though your catch wasn’t very impressive, it is very interesting.

For river Smallies 3” is primarily what I fish but do use 4” also. Many work great. Everything from BPS to Kailans to Zoom. But in my case the Smallies seem to prefer Power Grubs. Maybe not a lot of color options with them but color does not seem to matter much.

The DT’s I use pretty hard and They do see a bit of abuse. I have never had lip problems. Rocks will damage the finish right down to the balsa. I generally touch those areas up with clear nail polish. Build the divots up by dabbing it in there. My more productive patterns I have multiple lures.

Try not to touch the fishes body any more than possible. The slime layer is their protection. But it happens.

I have a new 2500 Ci4 I’ll be using at the first of the month. Long long time Shimano fan. Still use an old original Stradic, a few older Symetre a couple newer Nasci. Good luck with it. The new Nasci is a great reel. Sort of the new Symetre. Believe Shimano lost rights to the name “Symetre “, at least that is what I was told by factory guys a few years ago.