Brian6428

Ok, guys. Let's talk about the Alabama rig. When do you guys use a rig with blades on it? What color swim baits do you guys prefer? Do you use all the same color swim baits or have one that is a different color in the middle? If "dummy baits" (swim baits without hooks) must be thrown due to state regulations, where is the best place to put them that is least likely to get bit? When is the ideal time to fish it? How do you fish it? I looked for threads about the a-rig but couldn't find any other than those talking about its use in tournaments. For this reason I ask that we refrain from talking about its legality in tournaments, or the ethics surrounding it. Strictly talking fun fishing here. Thanks!

Mainly just some more tackle. I got: 2 Luck-E-strike RC STX jerkbaits 2 War Eagle Jigs 1 Berkeley schooling rig kit (A-rig kit) 2 Packs of sweet beavers 2 Packs of Paca Chunks 2 Omega Custom Tackle Jigs 2 Packs of Offset EWG hooks (Gamakatsu) 2 Packs of lead bullet weights 1 silver spook

Chatterbait and poppers have never worked for me.

Yeah, that's definitely quite a bit different. In general, largemouth live shallower than smallmouth. Most of what I said catered to largie fishing, which is all I do.

To be perfectly honest with you, a fish finder isn't all it's cracked up to be. I have a nice boat with an HDS8 Gen 2 (side scan) and I use (I mean actually use to find structure, it is always on) it on maybe 1/5 of my trips. Most of the lakes I fish, the fish just don't seem to relate to deep stuff as well. You know what I do use EVERY trip though? The temperature setting on the fish finder. That tells me most of what I need to know for the day as to where the fish will be. I get to the lake, turn on my fish finder and check the temp. This tells you where the fish will be, what lures they will be hitting, and how active they should be. You can get a thermometer made for an aquarium for under $5, and it will definitely make you no longer "blind" on the water. Even if the temp is really hot or cold and you think they will be deep, you can still fish deep without a fish finder. Points, bluff cuts, creek channel bends, and humps (you said you have a topo map) can all be fished without a fish finder. Additionally, back in my day of being fish finder-less, I found a few brush piles by talking to bass boats going by or just dragging a c-rig in places I had seen crappie fisherman sit before. Give these things a try, but remember that in some lakes fishing deep just doesn't work as well. I know that on this site fishing deep is all the rage, but all lakes are different. Give it a try on your lake, but never leave fish shallow to try and find fish deep.

What brand soft plastics are in the ziplocs?

My first jig fish was a half pound dink. The second was my PB in my avatar. Now I almost always keep a jig tied up and on deck.

One thing that nobody seems to say is that a good rod really helps. I think one reason guys don't have confidence in jigs and t-rigs is because they can't feel the lure pulling, like a spinnerbait or square bill. Even a $50 rod will really up your game with jigs and T-rigs, and by knowing you will feel most bites you will gain confidence in them. I'm not sure what kind of rod you're using, but this is just something that really helped me.

Cool article. It is cool to see the lures that worked then and still work now.

Rods: Bass Pro, ***, Abu garcia, Berkeley Reels: Abu garcia, Bass pro, Shimano So far my favorite rod brands are *** and Abu, and my favorite reel brand is Shimano, but the PQ (Bass pro) is still a great reel.

Aren't you supposed to trailer with the boat in gear so the prop doesn't spin? That's always what I heard. My checklist is almost exactly like yours, except I make sure I have my phone and wallet. Not sure why, as I've never forgotten them, but I always check.

The overhand cast is about as sacrilege as wearing a jersey if you aren't a pro . Just kidding. On both accounts. About 50% of my casts are overhand.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=MlIrGnRnYQs#t=200 Hopefully this links straight to the tip for you guys. If it doesn't just skip straight to 3:20

Hopefully a citica or curado. I'd like to have one more bait casting combo for next season.

Thats funny right there! I don't really do any mods, but you can get plastics, specifically worms, to last quite a bit longer by cutting off the first 1/2" when they get torn up. It lets the hook enter in fresh plastic and exit through fresh plastic. Usually lets me get another 1-2 fish per worm.

Come to think of it, I thought braid casted pretty well when I first started using it, too. As time went on, though, and the braid got older my casting distance seemed to slowly decrease. Of course it was always limp and manageable, but it kinda had a tendency to stick to itself, or dig in ever-so-slightly, hurting my casting distance. I was using 50lb PowerPro on a BPS pro qualifier, by the way. After about a year of braid, I switched to 15lb fluoro and instantly gained 5-10 yards per cast, same rod, reel, and lures. My brother made the switch, too, and had similar results (he was using same braid as me and a Revo SX). I'm not sure if my explanation for why is correct, but I definitely noticed improved distance when i went from braid to fluoro. Also, just to reiterate on my initial post, I was fishing this morning in a 15-25 mph wind, and even when the wind was at my side I could keep in contact with my jig because I was using fluoro. Back when I used braid any wind over 10 mph meant I had to reposition the boat so the wind was at my back.

Funny you say that, I was just thinking about braid last night. For about a year I used braid exclusively, sometimes tying straight to the lure, normally using a leader. Long story short I got sick of braids bad casting and tying new leader knots all the time, so I bought a good spool of fluoro and a good spool of mono, one for each of my casting setups. After using fluoro and mono for about 4 months, I don't plan on ever going back to braid. Fluoro is way more sensitive than braid for bottom-bouncing lures, especial in the wind. Fluoro sinks, so it creates a more direct path to the lure, giving me more sensitivity on a slack line. Mono has more give, so I rarely lose fish on treble-hooked baits anymore (I lost fish on treble hooks all the time with braid). Paired with a good rod mono still provides plenty of sensitivity. Ultimately, I think using fluoro and mono in their correct applications are far superior to braid. The only time I will ever use braid again is when I get a heavy pitching setup, which isn't gonna be for a long time. There's a reason the pros use fluoro for almost every bait they throw. It's better.

Oh boy, this thread got brought up again. I asked a question a few pages back, but it never got answered, so I'll give it another go. How does this topic (namely swim baits) relate to tournament fishing? Are there guys throwing them that are winning tournaments? If not, why?

I feel like I stumbled into the YouTube comments of most fishing videos.A fishfinder does not find fish. You do. You know what a $3000 fish finder in the hands of a newbie is? A paperweight. The fishfinder is only as good as the person operating it. That's like saying rods over $200 are cheating because it is too easy to feel the fish. A fish finder is another tool in a fisherman a arsenal to find sunken cover, brush, baitfish etc. it is rare to actually see the bass you will catch. To the op, I prefer fishing lakes for the challenge.

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/143622-misconceptions-about-catching-big-bass/ This thread is what Catt was referencing (I think). Lots of good info, quite a bit of it from you, WRB, but the thread took a personal turn for some. By the way, if that argument starts again I'm on team Catt! (The Barneys)

I'm well aware that this doesn't meet a few of your requirements, but I HIGHLY suggest finding a way to fish with someone who has a true, fiberglass, bass boat. Unless you are fishing the great lakes these are the preferred choice of most serious anglers. Why do I say that? Let me explain. If you're going to be fishing 85% of the time, 85% of the time you would prefer a bass boat. A bass boat would be fast, big rod locker, and have front deck room. 25k is a nice budget for a used boat and you could probably find a fairly new 21ft boat in good condition. A bass boat that size could hold 4 people, which isn't your whole family, but you could use it to tube and just relax on, as well. Basically, what I am saying, is that if you are going to be fishing most of the time it may be worth the compromise to get a boat more oriented to fishing. You would certainly have more room to take the kids fishing! I liken it to using hand tools. Yeah, you could probably find a way to do nearly any project in the world with vise grips, WD40, duct tape, and zip ties; but, it would be a whole lot easier, faster, and result in a better project to have the right tool for the job. That is what I consider a bass boat to be- the right tool for bass fishing. Now, I know this post is gonna draw some flak, because quite a few of the guys here have deep-v boats and love them. Please realize, though, that this is just my personal opinion. I still advise trying to find someone's boat to go out on to get a better idea of what you want. Edit: let me also add that boat size affects how speed feels quite a bit. 60mph in an 18' boat is about as scary as 75mph in a 21' boat. Good luck!

Yeah got any pics?

Thanks for the advice. I, too, have thrown quite a few lures on a mh/f rod, but one of the main reasons I am looking for a new combo is to have more lures tied up. When I'm looking for a pattern I like to keep a couple different styles of lures tied up laying on the front deck, and a new combo would help me do just that. Since I am getting a new combo anyways, I may as well get one best suited to what it will be throwing. I think I'll probably get a 7' MM, but ultimately I agree with you. I don't see the need to have super specified rods for every lure, I'd rather spend that money on lures!

Can you throw jerk baits on spinning gear ok with gloves on?

I fish in Missouri so a flipping stick isn't really necessary. Do you think a Medium or Medium heavy rod with a moderate tip would walk a spook alright?