gr8outdoorz

I use the 3" nose hooked on a drop shot.

This!

Havent been bass fishing much lately. Been going after big brown's on the Little Red (no spawners, I dont fish beds). Got a couple 20"+ last trip (one with a 12" girth). The fishing has been great so I been spending as much time there as I can. I'll post pics as soon as I can figure out how to make the file small enough to download on here.

I have a 6'6" MF spinning as well 3 casters. Not sure who makes them but I like them alot. Have landed quite a few bigguns on them (spinning included) and have never had any worries. For the price I think they are tough to best.

Congrats on your first trout on a fly! You may have just started a new addiction! Im opposite of most on here. I grew up with a fly rod in my hand and just started bass fishing about 5 years ago. Bass fishing is fun but, IMO there is nothing like picking apart a cold mountain river sight fishing for trout! Enjoy your new addiction!

You used a Hudd 4" shad as a swim jig trailer?? I have landed at least 6 bass on mine and havent had to use mend-it yet so yea I think they are pretty durable.

x2! For a small paddletail, this one has a nice action! I have become fond of Hudd's 4" weedless shad also. Swims nice and fairly durable for a swimbait. Mend it will make them last a while.

I've had most of my fish come from the wooded side and up at what I call "the cove" part at the far end. There is a trail that runs from the walking path through the woods to the top. Hope this helps! Carlton

I have a Sahara 3000 on a 6'6" Carbonlite M/F rod as my spinning setup and love it. I use it mainly for Shakey Heads, Drop shot, and Wackey rigs. I think its pretty good for just about any finesse techniques. Its a good reel!

Streamer patterns have been tearing up the Rainbows for me. All of the Browns I've been getting have been on midges. I did find a hiding spot for a really LARGE brown on the lower river. I've have seen her there the last 4 times I was at that spot. Haven't gotten her to bite yet but you know imma keep trying! I did get the "smaller" one next to her to bite and he measured 21 2/3". Big mamma was MUCH bigger though. My girlfriend thought she was a log in the water until she saw her start to swim. BTW Jeff...congrats on becoming Moderator!! Its about time!! Carlton

Caught a couple at daycare pond last weekend. Havent been bass fishin much lately. Trout fishin been too good Been takin the kayaks and floating the Little Red almost every weekend. Catchin a bunch of 16-20" rainbows and a few 20+ browns. Gonna be in town this weekend so Im sure I'll hit a couple ponds then.

1 tab green pumpkin/blue flake 1 tab army green/black flake 1/2 tab green pumpkin living rubber 1/2 tab banana seed 1/2 tab orange/black flake My favorite!!! Enjoy!

For the price I think they are a good rods. I have 3 Carbonlites and LOVE them. Light, balanced well, and sensitive.

Let me start off by saying great post! I fully agree with you on most everything you said. However, I have to disagree with the highlighted statement. While that may be true where you fish, I have caught MANY, MANY more bass on a brown/green/orange combo. Now dont get me wrong, I still tie and use black/blue jigs quite often and think they are a good combo color to use. In my experience, on the waters I fish (both clear and stained) browns and greens catch more bass than black/blue. Jus my .02 Carlton

X2!! It catches big bass all year long at any depth on any water!

chrome/blue, blue gill, & red...depending on water clarity.

Not sure about the rod either, but I have a 5.2:1 PQ on a 7'MM Carbonlite and can throw cranks a good ways.The reel casts very smooth imo. I have heard good things about those rods though. You should be happy with!

Anything that pulls anywhere from 19 to 23 inches per turn.

Tension first. Once thats good then set the mag.

Your welcome! Thats what is so awesome about this site...get help when you need it and give help when you can. Just dont ever give up. If you keep at it you will get em! Good luck! Carlton

Man I bet it was!!! I live in TN. Not sayin there have never been any here, but I been living here 30+ years and have not ever seen one here nor ever heard of anyone seeing one here. I'll continue to pray I dont see them though

Try some small paddle tails along with the flukes. They come through weeds/moss pretty well.

There are LOTS of ways to work them! The saying "there is no wrong way to work a jig" is true. I'll break down for you what I normally do when I fish a jig all day. This doesnt mean this is the "best" way, just the way I have found gets me the best results. To me its all about the cover/structure Im fishin. - standing timber - I like to pitch or flip the jig to the timber (making sure to hit it) and let it slide down to the base. If it doesnt get hit on the drop I let it sit for a few seconds then lightly shake it. If nothing hits it then I'll move to the next one and work the same way. - Lay downs - I like to pitch it so it lands ON the tree and let it fall off or hop it off the side. If no immediate hits, I start off by hopping it (quick jerks of rod from 3 o'clock to 1 o'clock) down the lay down. Usually 2 hops then a pause. I will switch up my cadence (sometimes 2 hops, sometimes 1 hop, 3 hops, etc..) to see what they want that day. I the hopping doesnt work, I'll drag it a few inches at a time then pause. If I drag it into something (branch/rock) I give it a quick hop over it. A lot of hits come at this point. - brush piles - I start off by pitchin just past the brush and let it sit after the fall (if no bites on fall) then drag it a few inces at a time with some hops between drags. I do this repeatedly on all sides. If no hits, I pitch/flip it right in the middle of the brush and shake it once it hits bottom. You will get hung up some doing this but Its worth it. Ive caught some good bass in the middle of the thicket. Just make sure you have stout rod/line! - structure/no cover - I'll start with a "faster" retrieve then slow down as needed. I like to swim it a few feet at a time then pause to let it fall back down. Now keep in mind when Im "swimming" it I never have it more than a foot or so off the bottom. If the faster retrieves dont work I slow down the retrieve. Sometimes I slow all the way down to a drag if need be. - grass - . I like to start out by drag/hop them parallel to weedlines to get any hanging out at the edges of the grass. After that I pitch/flip to any open pockets or irregularities in the grass and fish it same way as standing timber. Like I said before, there is NO wrong way to fish them. These are just the ways I like to fish them. They are by far my favorite lures to fish because the are big bass catchers! Its even more fun to catch a hog on one that you made Just keep changing up the presentation until you find one that works then repeat it. I hope this helps! Let us know how you do! Good luck! Carlton

As said before, keep throwin those jigs! If your huntin for just bigguns, jigs and swimbaits will get em. Might take you a little time but those will get them eventually. Good luck!

Hahahahaha! Luckily round here dont have to worry bout those!