TxBankFisherman

I like what Crestliner said.. maybe try braided line... it has no stretch and helps to create powerful hooksets... mono you have a second or two where you have to get the slack out of the line... If the water is fairly clear you should use a flurocarbon leader... I guess around 20 lb. if not you can tie the braid directly which is what I do... and be sure to use a palomar knot... I like to get the rod low about waist high sticking straight out, and make a powerful upward force to drive in the hook.... also the hook may be your prob. spend the extra on gamagatsu... i know i spelled that wrong or trokar hooks....3/0 is a good hook size.. unless your fishing with 10" worms then you may want to go with 5/0....

yeah thanks for the help... most of the water I fish is stained, but plan on doing some saltwater fishing this year, and sometimes the water gets pretty clear, so I will tie on a flurocarbon leader... and also will use it on some ponds I fish that get pretty clear.... can't wait to try it out.... Also, what size leader??? around 2 feet???

my personal best came on a topwater lure in a pond you can throw across... still can't beat it and I caught this fish when I was around 16 years old... funny thing is my buddy was fishing roostertails and was schooling me... i couldn't catch a fish to save my life... I knew to top him I'd need a huge fish... just as it was about dark... I tied on ol' Billy Bass... he was so ready to leave as he didn't want me to have a chance at a big fish... I called out one more cast... gurgle gurgle plop plop and wham... I knew it was a huge fish as it swallowed the lure and stripped drag... I had my drag tightened all the way but she still stripped of about 15 yards of line... to my horror there was a fence across the middle of the pond and she tried to turn into that...I kept the rod low and reeled as fast as I could to keep her from jumping...I got her turned and lipped her... it was the only time this ever happened to me but my hand was shaking so bad... We didn't have a scale but my buddy said she'd go at least 10 and we released her...

yeah these guys are right... go a little deeper, and if you have a boat rely on your electronics... it can put you on the fish, and off the points on a dropoff is probably where a lot of the bigger fish are at... if you don't have one get a good quality fish finder... I'd also go to bigger baits... maybe try a 10" powerworm or a big jig/craw trailer presentation... and if you get low light/cloudy day type situation maybe try a zoom fluke or zara spook top water lure...don't let anyone fool you- the zara spook is a big fish lure- when they are biting on top....

yeah a regular swivel... no way... but a snap swivel will work great...most fish it will work great on.. but a big bass is very powerful... I'd be scared the swivel might break...

well this may be a stupid question because when I used braid, I tied directly with no leader... but am interested in trying it with the alberto knot...so my question is, when you go to cast you have a little knot where you joined the 2 lines.... does this knot interfere with casting???

yeah I like to drop shot a lot... and it seems you'll catch the larger fish on a senko... and I like to wacky rig it... Maybe for just one trip if you wanted to try something different you could rig up 3 different rods and reels with my 3 go to baits... 1. dropshot- senko wacky rigged or a senko fished tx rigged weightless or small split shot a couple inches above hook 2. zoom fluke- watermelon seed- or silver- tx rigged with small split shot above hook... 3. 7" or 10" powerworm-- tx rigged with slip sinker... in either electric blue or blue fleck... I feel these are 3 of the all time lures ever created and are hard to beat... and maybe it can get you a big one in the boat?? also on your worm rig if there are a lot of crayfish in the lake, you might also try a blue chigger craw, or a gene larew salt craw- in chart, or blue/black...

wow that's a great deal for $39.99 it worked great for dropshot fishing, flukes and senkos... also would make a great sand bass reel.... dang thought I was set on reels but gotta get one of these.. mine eventually wore out- so looking to get another one now at this price...

I like to throw a zara spook when they are on top like that... but as you said you didn't have any... might also try a fluke.. I like white, and watermelon seed colors..

I like to throw a zara spook when they are on top like that... but as you said you didn't have any... might also try a fluke.. I like white, and watermelon seed colors..

haven't tried it yet with a small fluke.. seems like it would be great with that.... I have been using a small white split tail grub for the trailer.. and chart./white.... I missed a lot of strikes on this, which is unusual for a spinnerbait, so I'd recommend a trailer hook..it works much better for me with this setup.... It's a funny lure- sometimes this is the only spinnerbait they will bite... and others they will bite standard spinnerbaits and won't touch this.... but it's a must in your fishing arsenal...

thanks for the tip on the alberto knot... I'm not too good at tying a lot of knots, but this one was easy, and is very secure.... it seems it would take quite a large fish to break this knot... highly recommended