Felix77

x2 - just like you do with kids.

I posted my "Emergency Kit" which I use for when I travel. It's also the setup I use when I hike a lake for some fun-fishing. It's evolved a little more since I posted it but 99% of it is still in tact. If anything I added a lure or 2 that I wanted to mess around with (Frogs and a pack of Sick Fish) http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/114004-for-those-emergency-bass-fishing-moments/

That is great advice!

Welcome Steve ... Looks like I will be around your way a week from Monday for work. I might be bugging you for suggestions on where to go fish. I will only have Sunday and Monday after work.

interesting idea ... the only way to tell is to get it in the water and trying it.

I don't know why I am shocked ... This is getting out of hand. LOL

True ... saw that at the Suffern, NY first hand. Very funny!

Tried these last year with marginal success. I need to devote some more time to them this year. I have 2 packs left to wear out.

x2

Yes ... Here's a video on the product. Also check out a post I made on testing this stuff out in Dallas. I believe in it! http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/115239-dallas-tx-310-313/

If there is a stretch of laydowns I would prefer to move across them and cycle my way back around again. If it happens to be one specific laydown and you catch 2 or 3 on it I would probably stay there no more than 20 minutes before moving on. Remember that spot and come back later. Sometimes it may just need time to "rest", "refresh", "recycle" or whatever else you hear people refer to when it comes to wearing out a spot.

Congrats! Way to go!

I am dying to try the Rage Monkey and the Lizards but they don't sell them around here. I need to get another order in at some point to get these lures into my arsenal.

Don't forget the attractant ... something like a MegaStrike, JJ's or otherwise. Something/anything to differentiate your bait from everything else.

Cold water equals very challenging fishing and deeper waters to me. Drop shot is a good approach. Small finesse baits (dream shot, finesse worms, 3" senkos) should suffice for a bite or 2. Also if you have some type of attractant use it. Megastrike is what I use.

Easy ... finesse, finesse, finesse Drop Shot Finesse Worm weightless Shakey Head Senko weightless wacky I am stuck on the bank a majority of the time and these 4 work for me. Don't be afraid to try more aggressive baits like spinnerbaits and chatterbaits as well but if they are highly pressured it always goes back to finesse.

Like the idea for bubba shotting. Do you put the bead there solely for a buffer between the weight and the swivel or to add sound? Maybe both?

Looking for my drop shot members to help out here. In general there are 3 different styles of drop shot weights on the market. Round ball (clear bottom, scarce rock bottom) pencil (weeds, chunk rock) teardrop ( ??? ) I keep reading about the various applications for each with the exception of the teardrop kind. Is the teardrop supposed to be "the best of both worlds"? Couldn't you get away with just one type? If so which ones? Thanks

Toss between a finesse tube 2.5 - 3.5" and a Finesse worm on a drop shot

The whole set of Little Tubes and rigging from Confidence Baits. This d**n internet needs to stop showing me more cool stuff.

Fish them to your hearts content. As for bragging ... I always felt being modest was the best thing to do. Take a picture with it, show it if people ask what your biggest was but never forget to mention that it was in private ponds where you caught it. Don't boast about it per se. I have a small pond which I use to test out techniques all the time. I have caught some nice ones from there. It's still a challenge landing them around trees and through the brush like I did for one lunker I caught.

2 words ... Awe - Some!!!

"Opinion is easy. Knowledge takes work." -Carl Sagan Like that quote a lot!

When I first started learning I was fortunate enough to be able to get out on a charter with FLW pro John Cox. I asked him this question back then and he did not hesitate with his ONE rod to start with. 6'6" MH Spinning Rod. Because he fished Abu Garcia's I did too. To this day I fish that one rod more often than I care to admit. I can do it all with that thing. To complete the set I filled it with 10lb Braided Line. For faster baits I began with a Spinnerbait (Chartreuse/White 1/4 or 3/8 oz) For finesse it was a senko - Green Pumpkin with a 4/0 EWG hook. I would start there and leave the rest to when you acquire more confidence and knowledge. I have been fishing for literally a year and a half now and with the help of this forum, DVD's and as much on the water as I can get I have become very proficient very fast. Last but not least ... have fun with it! If it's not fun it isn't worth doing!

Cool ... I ordered the micro draggin' jigs and some of the tube jigs they recommended (3/32 and 1/8). For "regular" finesse jigs I already had 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 oz tube jigs. I'm psyched to see they "suck".