38 Super Fan

That's a great tip on the nail polish. When you're just getting into jerkbaits especially, it really helps to be able to see the lure whole length of the cast. I love throwing a pearl jerkbait, no doubt when you get a bite with that thing.

I've fished the WP for a few months now (110 size mostly), and I haven't had many days that a buzzbait won't be a better producer for me. Largemouth, Spots, or Smallmouth. Poor hookup ratio on the WP compared to a buzzbait as well. I like the WP, and I've thrown it quite a bit, but it certainly hasn't been anything special for me.

That's great, but the 11 posts in 12 years on the forum is what really impressed me.

Picked up a few buzzbaits at the last TW sale:

I thought this was a fun thread, so I'll bump it up with my find from yesterday: I added new split rings and trebles and she's ready to go again. Usually the lures I've found were better off lost anyway, so this was a real surprise.

Pretty much Bass only here. But if a bunch of Stripers start schooling on top, I've been known to cast to them.

I only have 110s, and I throw those on either a 7' MH or Heavy and always with braid. I don't like a rod that's too long with the WP, it can make getting around those tighter places difficult. Braid because it allows for better hooksets on those long bomb casts you can make.

Sounds like a great frog rod too. Maybe some big topwaters like a whopper plopper as well.

Yep, sometimes they just headbutt lures with their mouths closed too, I guess they're trying to stun their prey. I had about a 3 pound Smallie come totally out of the water on a WP a few trips ago, I don't think she even touched the lure.

Find the one that squeaks the loudest, that will the best buzzbait you have. I've got this old Lunker Lure buzzbait that squeaks like nothing I've ever heard, and that thing is deadly! It's weird because they just don't all squeak the same, and although there are some tricks to making one squeak louder, sometimes you'll find one that's just in a league of it's own. That's when you've really got something.

I'd guess close to 80 percent of my fish this year have been caught on a jerkbait and a buzzbait. Variety is great, but when a lure gets hot, I stick with it.

I like the fast retrieve stuff myself. Let's say you're pitching around a massive grass bed, or hundreds of yards of flooded Willows, it's a huge benefit to have that quick retrieve. I like them for all topwaters (especially buzzbaits) and jerkbaits too. There's still certainly a place for the slow gear ratio though.

It's been tough here lately too. The Summer to Fall transition is probably the hardest time of year for me. Not only do the fish scatter out, they seem to get into bad moods more often this time of year too.

The Indians are incredible. I'm glad they traded for Jay Bruce, I'd like to see him and the tribe win it all this year.

For the first time in about a year, I got skunked yesterday. Cherokee Lake usually isn't too kind to me, but she was exceptionally tough yesterday. One of those days where days where I ran everything, and threw the whole tackle box at them, and just couldn't get anything going. Backs of creeks, secondary stuff, docks, main lake bluffs, transitions, points, and some long flats, it just didn't matter. From 12:30 until dark I only managed one for sure bite which came late in the evening when I tossed a jig into a big laydown on a bluff. That fish had me wrapped around a limb and broke off almost immediately. That ended another streak for me, because it has also been about a year since I've broke off a fish. I'm not complaining, I love to get out on the water regardless, and I don't get too upset when things don't go well. I just find it interesting how tough fishing can be at times, and how you can always get humbled on a fishing trip.

I know what you mean, most of the E. Tenn and E. KY lakes can be really tough this time of year. I remember an FLW tournament on Norris last October where 24 pounds over three days was good for a top 10 finish.

Glad to hear I'm not the only one confused by the Daiwa names.

Ha, finally got that pic up. I guess I overdid it too.

TW got to me the other day too, also on buzzbaits.

Bluffs can be tricky to fish, my local lakes have miles and miles of them, so I tend to focus on irregularities. Any little nooks, or laydowns should be good if you can find them. I also tend to focus more on the bluff-ends, where the bluff transitions more than the vertical walls themselves. The fish will probably be suspended, so something like a jerkbait is usually a good choice, but you'll just have to let the fish tell you as far as lures go, and don't overlook topwaters! Also, try to cast parallel to the bluff to cover more water more effectively. In case you haven't seen them, there are a couple bluff fishing articles here on the forum: https://www.bassresource.com/fishing/fishing_walls.html https://www.bassresource.com/fishing/bluff-fishing.html

I like them, they're hard to beat for the price.

Yes. For me personally, a square bill is one those baits that I'm not too picky about line choice with.

Welcome to the forum, and congrats on a nice fish! I'd guess a fairly chunky 21" Smallie would go 5lbs no problem.

The stock trebles are probably OK, take a close at them though, a couple of mine had rolled hook points and a messed up barb right out of the package. I'm a little surprised everyone else seems to like the stock trebles, maybe I was just unlucky.

If I were a Pro, I'd rather win the AOY.