WookieeJedi

x2 I would say just watch out for snakes and gators, by I don't think he's got that problem in NY.

I fish craws on spot removers, trailing a regular jig, jika rigged, and behind a chatterbait. I rarely T-rig them, even though that's how I started out fishing them. I'm pitting the Rage Craws against my current favorite, the Speed Craw. The winner gets the spot in my box. I'll start posting the score as soon as I start craw-rigging again. Should be this month sometime.

It sucks, no doubt. Even when you anchor, you get spun around when the wind shifts. I try to tie the anchor rope off to a point that leaves me aimed properly, and I use a bungee cord as a shock absorber for the anchor rope at the boat. One reason I like the sit-on-top design is that it allows you to sit side saddle if you need to do it. I still prefer the kayak to a bass rig when the big water gets rough.

If you were just looking at my fishing tackle, you would probably come to certain conclusions about me, but if you were to look in my gun case, well, you should be so lucky...

Gotta say, "Slaunch" is kinda growing on me. It seems somehow phonetically descriptive...

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/13845-guaranteed-to-catch-bass/

I tie braid right onto my senko hook, she goes straight to the bottom.

For your fishing gear, pawn shops are great. I bought all my stuff in them when I was in school, and I liked it so much I still do it. Your best bet will be to shop the ones around the DFW area when you are on breaK. The economy there has put some quality gear in the shops, and all prices are negotiable. A kayak is easy to carry on top of just about anything. Get some rachet straps and a few foam noodles, Get a little creative with the noodles and you have a roof rack. Your best bet for a used kayak is probably going to be craigslist in Colorado.

I'll second that. In addition, bass bring in more business than do trout. Before Caney Lake was opened in LA, nobody, and I do mean NO-body went to Quitman, Louisiana for anything tourism-related. My guess is Lake Fork in Texas has had similar impact on it's area. Plus, bass fishers aren't as annoying as fly-rodding trout fishers.

I break off enough hooks that obsolescence isn't an issue. When I need 'em, I buy 'em. I buy good hooks, because they are like tires, where the rubber meets the road. I don't necessarily get the newest, most expensive ones. I usually get what the newest, most expensive ones were last year, after the price drop-off. One exception to that is with replacement trebles for hardbaits, I get the best ones, because they will be on the lure a lot longer.

Not stupid at all. Most of the time I tie my braid directly to the lure. Only in really clear water do I use a leader of any kind. Even then, that is only with the baitcasting setup. With spinning gear, I just switch spools.

I tend to fish with whatever suits my technique. You bet I'm using Ugly Sticks when I'm throwing that A-rig or targeting stipers. I have seen those fish splinter too many high-dollar graphite rods to risk my good stuff on them. For my graphite rods, I still like the Lightning Rod. I have been using them since they came out, I just spend less for them now, and they are better than the originals. Also, fishing from a kayak like I do can be rough on rods. I'm less likely to teach my son colorful language when I break a LR as opposed to a nice Duckett, so I mostly use stuff like the LR. I do own some really nice stuff, but I'll tell you right now, I did not pay retail for any of it. I buy stuff at pawn shops, I started doing it in college when money was tight. Go pawn-shopping somettime, you will be shocked at what is in there and how cheaply it can be had. The economy in decline has made for excellent pawn-shopping for high-end tackle.

During the summer, when the stripers start schooling, there's usually a lot of boats in one place. Sometimes it sounds like a beauty parlor out there.

Nice fish! I rarely see a smallmouth over 3 pounds, so that thing looks like a grouper to me.

First thing I'm thinking is, try to swim that jig some instead of switching lures. Jigs are more versatile than most fishers make 'em. But you asked a bigger question than just about jigs. When you start a new lake, first thing to do is get a good contour map and look at it while you are looking at the same place using the internet (satellite images). Work it over and pick out no more than 4 or 5 spots not too far from one another. Look in areas with appropriate water depth for the time of year. Next time you go out, run over those spots using a good fish-finder to get a good look at the bottom and any underwater structure. Go over the spots slowly, with the outboard off. If you see something that looks good, mark it on the map or gps. Then fish it for a while, then move on to the next spot. When you are out there, keep in mind the rest of the year, and if you see something that might produce at another time, mark it and make a note. Many cell phones have a voice record function that is great for that. I'm still doing this with a lake I have been fishing of and on for 30 years. Out of 5 spots I pick, one is usually a winner, and two of the others wind up being decent.

I have two I take to the lake, a white 2001 Ford Excursion 7.3 diesel 4x4, and a gray/woodgrain 1989 Jeep Grand Wagoneer. I have owned a disproportionate number of white vehicles. I don't think they show dirt as much, are visible on the road, and reflect heat.

You know what, I never even thought of that. I'm such a noob here, that it never occurred to me. I'll probably see him on the main lake when the hybrids start schooling, nobody can resist that. If I get to talk to him, I'll send him this way. He was younger than me (I'm 44) and he had all the brand name stuff. The kind of guy who wears the G Loomis hat AND has the rods. I gave him all the advice he asked for, and even tossed my frog over by his boat so he could match color and size. I think it would have felt a little weird telling him his entire approach to the sport is off. I don't mind answering questions, but don't want to get too bossy, everyone has a different style. I even put a fishing report for this lake on LA Sportsman forums. I only have one secret spot on the whole lake, I'll put people on any of the others in a heartbeat. The area I was in is about 350 acres of shallow flat with those little cypress brush islands all around it. I picked the best one because I already knew which one I wanted, and got there for sunup. While the one I was on is the best one, I know the other ones hold fish too, just not as many. It is a great spot, out of the wind, good scenery, and all the snakes you want for free. Did I mention it was only 1/4 mile from the launch? We had the place to ourselves until we left at one o'clock.

I went out yesterday with my 10 y/o, trying to get him in on some of that frog bite I had going just a few days ago. The full moon and some cooler weather had them a little off, but we still were getting some good strikes, and some good fish were still in there. We worked all day around this litle "island" of cypress and brush with the creek channel splitting around it. This one guy came up with a very shiny new bass rig and asks if I am doing any good. I just pulled the stringer out and showed him. Then he starts in with the questions. What kind of frog is that? Are you moving it fast or slow? Blah, blah, blah. All the while, he's running his trolling motor fast around the island, fishing the same water we were on all day. He made about two laps around it in less than a half-hour. While he was running around like that, we didn't get a strike. Finally, he gave up, and ran down the lake. 15 minutes later, the bite picked up again. He asked me a lot of questions, except for the most important one: "How long have you been fishing this spot?" Seriously, he could have gone to the next little island, dropped his power-pole, and caught a few fish. Sometimes you just have to slow down. And don't get frustrated by a guy in a $300 canoe whacking them while you struggle in a $40,000 bass rig. That monthly payment must suck... Rant complete.

When I started out, it took me a long time to learn to detect a strike. Once I learned, repetition made it almost feel like instinct. More than just a few years later, I got a severe cervical spinal cord injury and I don't feel my hands very well at all. Strange thing, though, I still catch them by feel. Sometimes I don't even notice I'm setting the hook until it's almost done. Those signals may not be reaching my brain any longer, but my hands and arms seem to know what they are doing.

Shad Rap BPS XPS deep diver Waddle Bat Luhr-Jensen Hot Lips in the discontinued dark brown craw/orange, just for smallies. Never fished a lure that effective for one species of fish.

Second one sucked for sure. I got jammed up really bad in the palm of my hand like that. I was only 16, and boated a 6 lb stiper on a pencil popper. He was still fresh and bucked while I was unhooking him. Left me stuck with the hooks in my hand attached to a flopping fish. No snatching those big trebles out, we had to cut the skin. Youthful exuberance took a pretty big hit that day.

It depends on the sink rate I want. FC is the fastest. The knot strength of FC has me only using it when I just gotta. I stick with braid unless I need a really fast drop or have to deal with clear water.

In order, mine are: 1. Frog 2. Frog 3. Frog

Hog Molly or Arkansas Razorback cheerleader.

When I first got them, I used the larger version with a speed craw trailer. It worked great, and I caught a lot of fish with it. Then I got a smaller one with a silver head, and instead of putting the skirt on it, I went with a Matrix shad (like a cocahoe minnow). That setup gets a lot of traffic. Right now I'm trying out a big purple/red saltwater split-tail grub on it. You can order your own chatterblades from Jann's to roll your own.