bassguytom

I keep a net in the boat but only use it on really big fish. On the kayak I use a "boga grip" works great and I don't have to mess with grabbing a net. The boga is right between my legs. You can get a Rapala knock off for $20.00 or so.

I use 30 lb. braid on my jig and frog set ups and have never had a problem. If I use anything higher it feels like I am fishing with rope.

Bass seem to get some tail damage when my maid dust them too much on my wall. Nah just kidding I don't have a maid. My wife does all the dusting.

I don't think I have ever had a pick when my crank was stopped and hung up. All the time bouncing off stuff.

I will give advice if asked. If they are asking advice even after you tell them what you were using, how to use it and give them gps Lat/Lon they probably won't use it right anyway. There's more to catching fish then just fishing. And if they are asking how to fish well there you go. If I see someone struggling on a dock or with some kids I will try to spend a little time to actually show them how to catch fish.

The only time I use a swivel is when drop shotting. I don't use them often after I discovered the VMC spin shot hook.

I caught a 7.3 largemouth that hit a 2lb largemouth that hit a LC pointer. So technically I caught it on live bait. But it still counts to me!

Just read this. I was on Van Sciver on Saturday. I was fishing off shore with a shakey head and dropshot set ups and did well. Look for spots that where the depth comes up to 10 feet. There are tons of them. White perch breaking all over the place. The bass are down deep. If fishing the bank we do well on t-rigged creature baits running down the deep side of the weeds. If they hit it will be near the bottom. 5 inch senkos also if the wind is calm. Let it go all the way to the bottom. Good luck!

I also use a braid/flouro combo. Try a 1/0 Gammy Octapus hook. When you see the line jump reel down and keep pressure you will catch a lot more fish. It will take some getting used to NOT setting the hook but are guaranteed a better hook up ratio. Good luck.

If I only could take 1 hard bait on the boat it would be LC Pointer 78 Ghost Chartruse Shad. The cheap one don't seem to work as well for me. Try it you'll like it!

I don't drink on my boats and never have. I just have too much fun fishing and running the boat around. I am also very aware that I am responsible for the safety of all of my passengers. I never litter and get funny looks from people while picking up trash at the local lake. Just hoping they will follow my cue. Still hoping. Not against drinking and will raise some hell from time to time at party's and such. I have seen lots of people in cuffs while the coast guard is towing their boat behind them in the Deleware River. They are made examples and should be. DUI has impacted every person reading this in some form or another it's just not worth it to me.

Edge of comfortable water temp. Schooling bass.

Shakey head football style.

I've had a bunch of ticks on my jeans in then spring onetime when walking through the woods trout fishing. If you can see them they don't carry lymes. It's the deer tick that is the size of the period at at end of this sentence that carrys lymes.

Picasso shakedown round head. I stopped losing fish when I switched the these. I also fish straight tail worms on a shakeyhead.

I use that rig to drag small crankbaits along the bottom in cold water. If you try it I think you will find the results very surprising.

I picked up some of these today and was wondering how to fish them. I guess t-rigged but does anyone use a tube jig in the being hollow this might work well. Let me know if you guys have done this or how you fish these. Thanks, Tom

I've never caught a bass on a topwater frog. I always give it the college try but nothing. I will keep at it.

My breakthrough moment was when I caught a bass on a very unassuming piece of plastic with a hook stuck right through the middle and it dangling like a piece of crap. That was the day I discovered the wacky worm rig. I was hooked after that and wanted to learn as much as I could about bass fishing. I use all kinds of techniques now and am still learning but I have to say the wacky rig has overall been my most productive. Props to the guy that thought outside the box on that one!

Mike D. From lunkerville is a pro by googles standards. He's every man's pro. He's on here.

Try a weighted wacky jig for the senko. Works like a charm in wind and when fishing deep. And also holy crap man relax!!! If you want to catch fish and get back to basics take only 1 or 2 rods like said here. Figure out your lake and what technique works best. Concentrate on every cast and feel what you bait is doing. Enjoy the whole experience of being out on the water. Sounds like you are over thinking the I got to catch a fish thing. Hope this help!

This but weightless.

I tend to use my side scan, down scan and 2D sonar to fish high percentage areas to find bass. I try to stay away from triangles after that whole Bermuda thing.

Love the spook early in the morning then senkos and swimbaits.

I'm using the senko also. You can fish the whole water colum from shallow to deep until you find out where they are. This time of year is wacky rig time also. The other baits are a little more specific for me.