annexation

Yeah, it probably plummets down faster than away. I may try it out in the tub later, with varying weight sizes, and see what happens.

Hadn't though about that - I know some good smallie currents where I'd like to try it out, now. Yes - tinkering is fun! And unfortunately, all I got right now. Winter, man.

Awesome. Hope it works for you and has some decent gliding action on it.

Just messing around in the lab while waiting for the ice to thaw, I thought about trying this: Basically, it's a four piece rig: * A four inch or so tube * An egg sinker of desired weight * A section of tapered plastic (preferably from some torn up bait you were going to throw out anyway - in my example, I'm using the butt end of a senko) * A 1/0 or 2/0 EWG 1. Shove the egg weight all the way into the tube, ideally it will fit snuggly and won't slip around 2. Insert the small end of the tapered plastic chunk into the tube and push it in until snug and flush with the opening (you basically want to plug it) 3. Inserting the hook point into your newly created plug, run the hook through like you would texas style. Skin hook if desired. In the last photo there, I'm holding a finished rig by the weight in the nose. It seems like it'd work great but with the ice there's no way for me to test this. It's supposed to fall away from the splash point and go under cover, like fishing an reverse rigged ika, but with greater traveling ability due to the increased weight at the nose. I don't know how well it would hold up, but it seems like you'd be able to get at least one fish on it. Anyway, I was just curious if anyone has tried something like this, and whether it worked well or not. I have a ton of tubes I want to use up this spring, and it'd be great for me if this worked out.

I usually fish them ribbed side down - the hook point should bury itself into that little ribbed cove on the top if you do it that way. But like others have said, you can rig any which way and boat fish, even sideways!

I have a box of pre-rigged jigs that I just open and turn about in my hands individually every now and then. I know from experience that it's best to rig them on the water, but winter sucks and pouring over my tackle in the meantime is cathartic.

I always use the Palomar for braid - for those times when I want to conserve some of my leader with a smaller tag, I like the improved clinch. However, after browsing this thread I'm considering giving the San Diego jam a shot. Just learned the Alberto knot for joining braid and fluorocarbon and I've had much more success with that one than the uni-to-uni, so it's become my favorite line-to-line knot.

Gonna toss my hat in for the Havoc Pit Boss. It's about as close to an all-conditions bait as it gets.

I usually separate them, too. I imagine in cold water you might opt to leave them together, though, to make the action more subtle.

Texas rigged everything. But mostly texas rigged pit bosses.

I've always liked Power Pro for many of the reasons others have already tossed out: It's sold all over the place and it's inexpensive by braid standards. I like the moss green color a lot for those times when I'm not fishing a leader - it blends in with the veg pretty good. The color holds for a while, too. I've tried the Super Slick Power Pro and I'm not convinced it's worth the extra cost. Didn't boost my casting distant in any significant or obvious way and I'm not a fan of the white-green color.

I just spent an hour practicing the Alberto knot and man, once I got it down, it works every time. Great stress test results, with the fluoro snapping well ahead of the leader knot nearly every time. This is so awesome; the wait until spring feels even longer now.

Thanks guys - I'll give it another shot with the Alberto when the ice thaws.

I've tried the uni to uni in the past and it always ends in heartbreak. I always thought it was because I was trying to join small diameter braid (10 lb. power pro) to much thicker fluorcarbon (10 lb.). It's driven me to use small barrel swivels to join the lines instead, which forces me to use a smaller leader and makes casting a pain. I'll have to give the Alberto a try, but I'm somewhat gun shy. I've lost a lot of good fish from losing my line-to-line leaders.

There are countless ways to rig the grub - but I usually fish them on a little lead head or as a swim jig trailer. Hell, I've thrown smaller ones on spinner baits with decent success. The sky is the limit!

That is a thing of beauty - I'd probably never fish it for fear of losing it to the exact thing it looks like.

Ask me again, and I probably wouldn't tell you the same, but for now - Worm - 5" Senko Creature Bait - 4" Pit Boss Jerk Bait - Super Fluke Spinner Bait - Terminator (White), double silver willow (blades spin like a dream) Crankbait - Shad Rap Lipless Crank - Rat-L-Trap Popper - see below Walker - Super Spook Jr.

Huddle Bugs on a Bitsy Bug jig are smallmouth killers. Catch a ton of largemouth on them, too. I take the fan part off the tail off then thread them right onto the hook. Awesome in clear water!

I struggle with that problem, too, sometimes - wanting to bring everything. But I consider it an exercise in decisiveness. I'll usually stuff five or so bags of whatever in my backpack and call it good. I bring a few confidence bags (senkos, flukes, and ikas, typically) and then a few more bags of stuff I want to try force-feeding the fishing that day, or stuff I'm not experienced with and want to develop confidence in. But I'm very familiar with most of my local fishing holes and know what works best in those areas; I already have a general idea of water conditions before I walk out the door, and a quick glance at the sky usually tells me if I'll be fishing green pumpkin or black that day. When fishing new areas, I'm as guilty as the next guy of hefting around a bit too much.

Every summer I give the frogs a dedicated try, and they still aren't producing anything but infrequent and dramatic blowups for me.

I boated some of my best smallies this year using Huddleston Huddle bugs as trailers, sans tail. Looks just like a bite-sized craw.

My senko fell off my hook one day (I know, right! It happens now and then) and all I had left in my pack were some Pit Bosses. Not wanting to re-rig with a weight, I pushed it on the hook and threw it out into the water. Started killing them right at the top. It has a subtle action at the surface, but it's there. Nifty topwater when you need something a little less noisy.

I'm fortunate to have a lake out here that has a ton of small-ish largemouth that will take anything, seemingly. I know I can catch bigger fish elsewhere, but I like this lake because it's guaranteed to produce. Whenever I want to learn a new presentation, I go there. If you've got a place like that, it can do wonders for building confidence in new lures.

I love experimenting with colors, but there are two that just plain work, no matter what: Green pumpkin, and Black (with or without flakes). Those two are my very best, and I'll throw whichever the sky and water dictate that day. I don't shy from many colors, though - I'm willing to try anything on any given day. At least, until I get tired of it.

Pit Boss! The thing really is the boss. Worked for me from spring to fall, mostly texas rigged but sometimes weightless. Fantastic bait, especially for the price!