mikey5string

dont forget shakey head jigs. I like owners ball head with offset EWG worm hooks. Have some 3-5/0 EWG worm hooks (Gamakatsu is a good brand) Some bullet weights. 1/4 - 3/8oz are good. Need these for texas & carolina rigs. #1 or 2 Gamakatsu Octopus hooks for wacky rigging. For Plastics: Get a big worm 9" + with a curly tail. Brand isnt important but Berkely Powerbait and Zoom make nice ones. Get green pumpkin or watermelon. Look for Berkely Powerbait "Power Hawgs" in green. They are a great little craw/creature bait and work well on shakey heads. Zoom super flukes in white. Zoom trick worms (the larger ones) . Get a natural color like green or brown. And of course some 5" senkos again, green pumpkin is a good all around color. For other tackle: I LOVE buzzbaits and wouldnt go out without one. I would get a large black one and use it at dusk. A rapala husky jerk. The 5" natural looking shiner one. get a 3/8oz flipping jig with a "craw" colored skirt. The Paca chunks by netbait are good trailers.

I cant for the life of me figure out why that word was censored....

hate to say it but someone gave me a few 5" pearl 006 banjo minnows and I really liked them! I am a big super fluke fan and I dont think I would switch but I was impressed with them. I just keep them in the bottom of my bag and tie it on when im out on the water ; ) I have been wacky rigging the super fluke lately, they look really good in the water wacky rigged. You can really get it to swim sideways and the action on the twitch is a perfect injured/dying baitfish. I havent used the Yamamoto ones. I dont want to like them. I stopped fishing senkos but only after spending a lot of $$ replacing them. I cant afford another fish catching, short lasting bait..... BTW, The regular fluke is smaller and a GREAT drop shot bait. The Gulp Alive minnows work well on a slider head or drop shot. They STINK in a disturbingly *** way, make sure the lid is on TIGHT! And the 4.5" Slug-go makes a GREAT fluke type bait. It has the best action of all of them for a jerk/twitch retrieve. Also makes a good DS bait. I have been meaning to throw a 9" one that I use for Stripers, I know a pig would destroy that if I got it in her face.

They are hollow so they float and so they compress when bit to expose the hooks. They are also more durable than worm type plastics which helps because they get beat up after being thrown in cover and nailed by bass. I found a site for making vinyl toys and have got an idea how to go about it. First I have to make a sculpture from modeling clay or something similar. Will post the process.

I have a box full of them. I started using pegged texas rigs this season and havent used a standard skirt jig in a while. I find it much more weedless and easier to get a vertical drop. When I do use jigs I use the type with the recessed eye and I spread the weedguard out I dont trim it. I found that pressing your thumb on the base and pushing towards the head spreads the guard out nicely. Adds some bulk to the presentation and allows for easier hookups. I do understand the special kind of jig bait monkey, something about the skirts.... I also have a box full of skirts. I like to change them, brush their hair and have a fashion show. BTW I was watching a fishing show and the guy was using a Buckeye mop jig and it looked awesome. The "living rubber" skirt really flared out and looked great in the water. I meant to get some but got into just using the t-rig.

I wouldn't enjoy fishing a "managed" fishing lake where the bass are bred, fed and located specifically to be caught. That's just me though I see how it would be a great experience to a person who doesn't fish much . I see nothing wrong with fishing private lakes or ponds. If fishing unpressured waters is cheating why not leave the boat home and stand next to the row of worm tossers on the fishing dock on a Saturday afternoon? Bringing in a 5lber there would be impressive ! ; ) What about fish finders? I have never heard of a managed bass lake in CT. If I can find a hole with 5 lb bass in it I will fish it and be pumped when I get one!

Carolina rig

The pegged t-rig is so much better than a traditional jig IMO. I have thought of adding a skirt and tried to add it to a worm hook a few times with no success. Are you using those one piece skirts with the center hole? I cant see how you could use a standard rubber band style skirt. Even better for a vertical presentation is the jika or "jig" rig as it has the sinker as the first thing in the water, not the line. I have also seen bullet weights with an eye that get inserted into the end of the bait and the hook is texas rigged from the other side and passed through the eye of the sinker. Much easier to show via picture but I dont have any, only seen it on youtube.

I really like this one too, see my profile pic. I just bought a pack the other day. Banned from tournaments? thats news to me. Id like to see them try to ban a soft plastic bait. The other bait in the pic is an owner yuki bug. Another great craw. Wish they made BOTH these baits larger. I wouldnt carry anything else.

it was probably just a thin LMB. I have seen/felt some LMB with more pronounced "teeth" that draw blood when lipped! The bottom jaw of the LMB is longer than the top and somewhat pointed when closed. It only become round when opened like when the fish is lipped. How long have you been bass fishing? I just ask because maybe you haven seen enough LMB to see the variation in size/color and even shape.

creme scoundrel worms for drop shotting.

The "fatness" of the fish varies but the 3lb class looks healthy. I have seen a lot of bluegill, minnows and frogs.There are a TON of dinks in the lake. I have figured out that they will not go after a frog like the larger ones do which helps. Throw a drop shot, fluke or senko and get ready for a dink every cast. I have been reading about the effect of overpopulation in lakes.I am considering thinning the population but keeping fish 12" and under. Thing is, I have never eaten bass and while I know its better for the population as a whole, I just dont feel right killing a bass and throwing it back i the water. I guess I could try eating them. Anything tastes good fried, right?

I have been doing well especially around dusk to about an hour after sunset with topwater baits. This is at a small private lake with minimal fishing pressure. I have been having decent to lousy days at other lakes but havent been skunked in a while. I fish weedlines, drop offs, trees & other structure, docks.... the only place i dont really fish is deep open water. Since I dont have electronics I cant see the structure on the bottom so I stick with what I can see. The summer is my favorite season for bass. I LOVE fishing topwater at dusk. Theyre out there.

thanks. I usually superglue the nose so it doesnt pull down as easily but I think this is worse as it causes the rubber to tear after a few fish pulling on it. Now just got to find a way to get a tiny drop of silicone on there.

I have problems setting the hook with buzzbaits and other single hook baits where you need to really set the hook. The rod seems to take a while to respond and I dont get a deep solid hook set. I end up just keeping pressure on the fish and getting it in the boat ASAP. I have lost several fish on a jump or at the boat. I use mine for cranks where the trebles usually hook up better with just a pull set.

how do you stop them from taking water? I have that issue with frogs and have developed a habit of squeezing them after every cast. When I get a bass they usually mangle the thing and slide it down the hooks.

Iobee by Jackall. Better hookups. Nice and soft.

the Iobee bluegill color is very nice. That frog is the best i have personally used. They are softer than the spros and dont have as much plastic mass in the back. Ive found this to help with hook sets. Honestly IMO as long as it splashes and has a bright belly it'll get hits. I really like frogs though and I appreciate the quality even if the fish dont ; )

WRB. I understand DH's logic but like you do best early or around dusk. For the last few weeks I have been doing very well with topwater stuff around dusk until about an hour after sunset. Mostly frogs but black buzzbaits also work very well. If there are pads in the lake, throw a frog on them around dusk. Twitch it a few times. If that doesnt work go home because there arent any bass in that lake ; )

Not trying to be smart but can you read a topo map? If you can and you know what to look for, you wont have to ask anyone. Its not difficult and you could probably find a site that explains it in depth. Id hit the drop offs or sharp increases in depth. On a topo map you will see several contour lines close together. These spots give bass access to shallow and deep water and often are rocky with overhangs and ledges for them to tuck up under and ambush. Something slowly fluttering down right in front of them might work, or something hopping/crawling down the slope. Maybe even a bait fish or two swimming parallel to the shore. Points are just that. Points that extend out into the lake like a peninsula. Imagine they keep going underwater. They will have deeper water on either side. Bass like to hold in these areas and ambush prey. If there is wind, fish the side that would be sheltered from the current caused by the wind. Think of things getting blown across that point right into the trap. You can also fan cast and fish the whole thing starting out further and working your way in. Look for ANY anomalies like submerged islands or holes...basically anything that differs from flat unchanging depth areas. BUT I would say that what you CAN see is most important. Structure and cover close to shore will hold bass. If you can find cover like pads/weeds/trees in an area that looks good on the topo than FISH THERE ; ) A large flat might not look impressive on a map but if it is loaded with baitfish and cover, it can hold BIG fish.

Depends on where you are fishing. I've had great days and lousy days in the last few weeks. My best days have come from a local private lake. It is shallow, stained and littered with patches of lily pads. The bass DESTROY topwater lures around dusk every night. I think its partly due to the lack of fishing pressure and a great bass habitat. Also the lake is not very large so there are more fish per acre and easier to find. I recently went to a clear, deep lake with virtually no cover on the shore. All the good fish must have been holding up on underwater structure/contours. Without electronics they are tough to find. I had to work to catch a handful of dinks. All came on a drop shot with a 4" roboworm.

they make weights for that rig with an eye to put the hook through. Ive seen them on youtube vids but havent seen them available at any tackle store. I would think that would help with the fish throwing the hook with the weight in front. It would be in his mouth so he couldnt get it swinging around to loosen the hook. I will rig some up and give em a shot!@ thanks

Thanks for the replys! I know that its a matter of just pounding it. Figuring out the lake and patterns. If there are big ones in there I WILL eventually get them! From what I have discovered first hand, the lake bottom is muck. Soft mushy whatever several inches deep. At least thats wheat I found when I decided to jump off the dock to cool off. I am hesitant to use a jig because of this. Maybe an "upsized" drop shot to get the bait above the muck would work. I will definitely try marking depths with a rope and fishing the deeper parts. I am just such a sucker for frogs on pads! The lake has several patches of pads in open water. Id imagine that it cant be too deep there are the pads have to root in the bottom. I have lost a few fish that felt/looked bigger (around 5lbs) but arent all the lost fish 5 pounds or better? ; ) Lunkerlust: Saltonstall is a great lake. Quality fish in there. I have caught a lot of bass there and the average size is better than any lake around me. Usually around 3lbs with my best being 4 and change. I have seen 5lb bass get pulled out of there in person and have seen pics of 6, 7 and 8's. Also GREAT walleye lake. I have caught several with none of them under 20". Have seen an 8 and 9 pounder and heard of 10+. I throw jigs in the hydrilla mats, frogs on top of em, flukes on the edges and in the gaps, weightless t-rigged worms (9") letting them slowly fall near the weeds and carolina rigs. All in or on the outside of the hydrilla. There are a ton of Alewife in there and I have seen fish schoolin on them, birds and everything. You cant chase schools with a 45 thrust trolling motor but if you had electronics and locate a bait ball I would throw a big swimbait or crank around it.

I bought a pack and used them several times. I think they are a fine product, just dont see how they save any time or eliminate much at all. They were a little tough to open too like I mentioned, they are difficult to open with needle nose pliers (the type most fisherman carry). I think a swivel is just as convenient. I dont c-rig as much as other techniques so I suppose that for someone who really uses them a lot, little things matter. I use a toothpick on braid when I peg bullet weights flipping mats. I dont think braid get damaged much but you are right, I would be hesitant to do it with other lines. logan, I suppose some add the clacking for presentation, I dont. I use the c rig so I can get a "weightless" worm floating and free-falling within a controlled distance off the bottom (however long my leader is). I never really understood the use of the bullet weight besides clacking - but I think that was a residual effect. It was probably what they had available when the technique gained popularity. There are a few weights out now made specifically for carolina rigging.

I dont like the carolina keeper. It is difficult to install (esp on braided line!) not good for your line to just slide it down and make adjustments and it picks up more weeds. I would rather just toothpick it, or use a swivel. in the time it takes me to thread the line through the keeper while keeping strong even tension on it with wide nose pliers I can tie a knot. I just started using C-rig more often. I use a thin sinker with swivels built into each side. Thinks its called a mojo weight? ANyway, that allows me to have some rigs made and just tie one on and be done.