scaleface

Yes , I could see the thermocline on my depth finder . The probe told me what was going on down there with both light and temperature . After awhile I quit using the probe because I knew what it was going to read . I still used it when the thermocline was absent .

I make my own 3/8 and 1/2 . I use the 3/8 with a paddle tail swim bait no skirt . The swim bait creates enough drag that I can crawl it along pretty slowly . It also adds weight so it cast great . Mine is a Do It mold . It dos not have a 1/4 ounce cavity .

Compared to those deep diving Strike Kings the Dredgers are easy to retrieve with a much tighter action . I use to throw the Manns plus series , those things were torturous and never produced for me . I even have a thirty foot plus that I tried to cast with a 5'6" pistol grip . That didnt work out very well .

Bass Pro Shop use to sell a temperature / light meter . It was a probe that was lowered in the water with a hand held display that would give a readout . I only used it on my home lake . The light and temp would gradually decline until it reached the thermocline ,then they would both plummet . That was a handy little device and inexpensive . I left the batteries in and they leaked out ruining it .

I dont have the skills to be a pro and not going to pretend I do . But , if the cards fell right for a week , I could cash a check .

LOL . When I was young I actually did that . Unlike your friend I did not catch a fish .

I fish cranks 20 foot deep and a little more . The deepest I ever caught bass with a diving bait is 22 foot with a Berkely Dredger 25.5 . I have caught them a bit deeper with a 3/4 ounce Red Eye Shad . I'm becoming reluctant to throw the Dredgers . They seem to spook the school after a couple of cast where the Red Eye Shad Two Tap bounced along the bottom doesnt . I imagine the fish I'm targeting have become nervous after being fished for with these baits . When I first started using the deep divers they bit eagerly .

So you retie all your lures before you use them at the start of the day ? Interesting .

Were getting off topic here but I just gave up fishing jigs in heavy brush . I must not have the touch because I have a hard time getting them to come through brush with lots of tiny spindly limbs .

Yeah , its fishing not boxing against Floyd Mayweather .

With some rods ,once a year but on others I might respool after one trip . My worm rod gets respooled often .

Where is this shop ?

I think there are bunches who could compete at a pro level but not dominate .

I carry 5 to 6 baitcasting rod and reels . One will be a 7 foot hvy "worm rod" the others 7'0" mh . They can handle a wide variety of weights when casting overhanded or in open water , when accuracy isnt a top consideration . When fishing visible cover that range of weight narrows down considerably because then I'm casting underhanded or side-armed where precision is the top consideration. Heres how I find the correct weight . If cast are routinely going left of target , more weight is needed. The rod isnt flexing enough . If the weight is to heavy , the rod over flexes and the cast ends up to the right of target . When its just right the lure ends up at or close to the desired location . Lighter action rods will be incorporated at times , especially in clear water .

What the ... and its all the fins . Thats a genetic freak .

I use the C-rig as a search bait utilizing a 3/4 to 1 ounce weight . I can cover deep water fast that way . I never use a leader over two foot and often just a foot . The worms I use dont float so I never saw an advantage , only disadvantages to a long leader . I tried longer leaders but felt I missed to many fish . Usually after I hook a fish , a buoy is tossed and a change is made to the Texas rig .

I'm not trying to compete with the pro angler. Mono has proven itself for decades and I like the cost . I use braid on my frog combo and thats it. I tried floro for worms and I'm not saying its bad , I just did not like the way it handled or the ugly knot that I did not trust . I'm retiring soon, watching my pennies and dont see a change coming . I use 12 lb Big Game on most of my combos and 17 lb xl clear blue fluorescent on my worm/jig rod .

I read about that , never tried it . Interesting idea . I'm to lazy to tie all my treble hooks on .

1 plastic worms 2 spinnerbaits 3 buzzbaits

Yep . I hold the rod by the foregrip, remember those , and run the line between index finger and thumb . I've fished like that since I was a kid . All my rods have a beefy foregrip .

All waters have their own personalities , so its hard to pick three . So thinking back in my life I'll try . Texas rigged worm is always in there . Bomber Model A has caught some big bass late in fall. Spinnerbait .

The first pond mentioned sounds perfect for a beetle Spin . I have a lot of confidence in those things . Get the big ones or assemble your own . The second one mentioned sounds like a place to throw pegged Texas rigs , jigs , spinnerbaits and buzzbaits . The third weightless worms Texas rigged , toads and frogs . Not all grass is the same . Some of it is not even rooted to the bottom like the chara algae that I am real familiar with . I still use spinnerbaits and buzzbaits around the edges of it , often getting fouled but they still produce a lot of bass .

I have a lot of confidence baits . If you describe in detail the water you frequent and equipment you use I would clue you in on what I would have confidence in there .

Looks like spinnerbait water to me . I wouldnt consider a C-rig here .

Me too . I user it to cover deep water fast . Thats why the heavy weight .