Preytorien

I've used the Bang aerosol stuff. Bought it on a whim from the local Wally World after fishing with a friend who had been using it a day prior when we went out. I have to say, as skeptical as I was at first, it actually seems to work. I don't know whether they actually like the smell of garlic (or any other scent) or it just effectively hides my scent, but I noticed a pretty significant hookup increase with soft plastics when I used it. I used it mostly on Senkos but I also applied it to jigs and flipping jigs, it did actually seem to result in a couple more fish. I just got a jar of JJ's Magic this weekend which smells about 5 times stronger than the Bang, so I'm interested to see if it works. I've not tried the MegaStrike.....but I keep seeing good things about it. I think the concept is relatively logical.....fish can smell much better than us, so any and every foreign smell that might deter them that can be covered is good. I guess when all logic fails, you could use the arguement that it can't hurt your chances, so might as well try it.

Someone bought me a swim jig for Christmas, and to be honest I keep wondering how to use it. I've read some articles, but they're kind of vague, saying you really just fish it any ole' way you want, but I have to believe there is actual technique to it. What techniques do you use for it? It's a black/blue color. Do I need a trailer, and if so, what kind/color? Thanks!

Just a quick update.... I got the bottle of methylate and tested it out on 4 different colors - brown, green pumpkin, black/blue, and white pearl flake You guys were right on the money..... The darker colors (brown and black/blue) showed nothing The green pumpkin also showed nothing The white pearl flake became a soft pink color Either way I like the garlic dip, and I've also got a bottle of clear.....so in effect I now have 2 bottles of garlic dip that don't really change the color of the bait.....which is no problem for me. I've never tried a scent dip but I've heard great things about them, and I've heard JJ's is the standard, so I'm anxious to see how it turns out. Bring on spring!!!

X2 And usually much more accurately too Keep at it.....I made the transition to baitcasters this last summer and I am wondering why I took so long to get over my intimidation of them, they're amazing. I still use my spinning rig for ultra-finesse presentations and for panfishing, but the go to rig I use is a baitcaster, it simply works great. Good luck and if you have more questions just ask.

Great help thanks! That pretty much answered everything!

I've used Ardent Reel Butter.....it seems to make things smoother. In regards to oiling the bearings.....I had a couple of questions..... I tuned a brand new reel this winter, but when I soaked the bearings in acetone, even for 2 hours, the acetone wasn't dirty at all. Is this expected since the bearings are virtually unused? Also, is there an easy way to know your oil is actually penetrating the bearings? I stuck them on a pencil and rotated them, seemed smooth, but is there a way to visually see that it's getting in there enough?

Hey guys I think I want to attempt using an Alabama rig a little bit this season. I don't want to make it my go-to rig or anything, but I like trying new things. Who knows, I might have some luck. I just have a few questions and I'll use your expertise on this. 1. Is an Alabama rig a clear-water rig? Or can it be used anywhere? 2. I am using a Heavy-XFast rod with a 6.5:1 reel, 65-lb braid, will this do? I also have a MH/XFast/7.1:1/50lb braid rig, but I presume the former would be better for this? 3. What technique do I use? Just simply reeling in, or do you pulse it? 4. Is this a deep water rig or can it also be used shallow? 5. Here in Indiana, from what I see, we have a 3-hook rule, which means 3 of 5 baits can have a hook. Is this adequate? I'm pretty much a complete novice on these, so any help is appreciated. Thanks

I don't know if it's materially the same thing, but my mom, aunts, and grandma have some kind of metallic (aluminum or stainless) soap bar that they use to get the smell of onions off of their hands after cooking. It really does work. I've many times had gas smell on my hands tuning up lawn mowers and it somehow knocks it out. Maybe Jimmy Houston's is a similar product?

I cleaned a Shimano Sahara a few weeks ago that had a stubborn screw. I just used a flathead to break it loose, then finished it with the correct sized phillips head.

I had some extra ca$h from this Christmas, a couple of gift cards given to me by some folks. I got some JJ's Magic, in clear and methylate. I am wondering, what will the resulting color be using methylate on green/pumpkin and black/blue craw trailers? I plan on dipping just the tips of the claws in, but I don't know what the end result of color will or should be, and when to use it? Thanks for any tips!

I've got a little satchel type bag that I use. It came free with the Bassmasters subscription my dad's girlfriend got me for my birthday. It's perfect. It fits 3 Plano 3600 Hydro-flo boxes and one smaller box in the front. One box is for topwaters and blade baits One box for jigs One box for soft plastics The smaller two-sided box for terminal tackle. I usually keep my larger BPS Extreme 360 bag in the trunk of the car so I can get back to it and switch out a few things here and there if I really need to, it'll hold 6 - 3600 boxes + several other things.

I've got Power Pro Super 8 Slick on my spinning reel and that thing casts like a rocket, has virtually no line twist, and is strong for the diameter. I have 15lb test which I think is equivalent to 4lb. I have used 832 and regular PP on my spinning reel.....this is in my opinion, the best by far

Ah, got it, that's what I was looking for. Regarding the animal comparisons, thanks for making it clear for me. I wondered if they were hungrier like a bear would be. Thanks guys for the help!

i purchased my Boomerang last week from TW. I've heard good things about them. I remember seeing a rep of theirs at BPS last year during the Spring Fishing Classic. It cut through 85lb braid he had like butter. It looks convenient too. I can't wait to get/use mine.

So what kind of feeding habits could one expect from a bass during respond who's just came through a long cold winter?

I've not given one a try. I know personally the buzzbait bite seems to shut off when the water starts getting cold. I'm guessing it has something to do with the bass's slowed cold-water metabolism and just simply not wanting to expend enough energy to attack what is one of the faster moving baits. For this reason, most use a very very slow presentation on soft plastics and jigs. But hey, give it a try. Bass don't post on here very often so we don't really know if they follow our rules

Bass seem to be a fish that aclimate and change habits as the weather and conditions do. From one day to the next different techniques and presentations might be complete opposite ends of the spectrum. I know as a human, my activities and behaviors change with the weather, in fact, I'm on BR now more than ever since it's miserable weather up here in Indiana. So I was wondering, does a given length of "wintertime" affect the behavior of a bass pre-spawn? Does the extended time they are in a slower metabolic state cause them to be hungrier in the early spring? I've only been seriously fishing for about a year and a half, so this isn't really information I've ever needed to know. Last winter for us was pretty mild, this year it seems to be pretty agressive, I was wondering how different winter seasons affect the fish we pursue, what influences does the length of winter have on a bass?

I like the Spro Bronzeye Popper.....pretty much any green based color to match the frogs around here. I had my personal best outing ever with one. Used a spinnerbait with some success for a while, then switched to a Bronzeye popper the rest of the evening and killed em' on a shallow flat. They must've been schooling and hitting near the surface because nearly every cast had a fish on it. It was ethereal....I'll probably never have another night like that again....but I'm crossing my fingers. Try em' out......if you don't like them, send them my way I'll take them off your hands

Thanks for the input guys. I've still got some thinking to do about it, but like many of you, I tend to err on the side of I wear what I like, I just wanted some input. To those that inquired, I actually did write an article on here back in the summer, Glenn was kind enough to publish it on here, thanks Glenn. I wouldn't say I'm a consistently regular writer, certainly not a professional, and I've not made any videos, but I certainly am addicted to this site, and I recommend it to any and every fisherman I meet that will lend me an ear, to showcase it on any apparel I might wear would be pretty awesome. I understand the point of not actually being sponsored, or as the cycling world would call it "earning it", but rather than this be for sponsorship, it would just be to showcase to fellow anglers the brands and manufacturers I consider proud to use. It's actually quite dissimilar to wearing a team jersey, and more similar to how I wear manufacturer displayed jerseys for cycling. Like someone mentioned, I have spent a good amount of money on fishing gear, probably far more than my wife would like so I feel it gives me just a bit of leverage to display their name, besides, I doubt I would hear them complaining about the free advertisment I'm giving them. If the fabric is even remotely similar to what cycling jerseys are made from, it's some of the most comfortable material on the planet. It breaths well, wicks away moisture, and is generally great to wear from March to October.

So I saw the portion of BassResource.com that has the option to make custom jerseys. Man I really want one, I think they look cool.....heck they're sweet lookin' However, I'm a cyclist too, and I know there's a major "foul" committed if you wear the team kit of a professional team without earning it by actually being a pro. Most of us two-wheeled maniacs still wear kits that display the logos of various manufacturers of our equipment which is considered "acceptable" since it's not a team jersey per-say. That said, would it be considered off-taste or gawdy for me to wear one of those jerseys even though at best I might fish 1 or 2 very small tournaments this year? I just like the look and would like to proudly display the names of the lures/rods/reels/accessories I use even heading down to a local pond or river. I just think they look cool. Be honest, I've got thick skin, so if you think I'd look goofy then by all means tell me! Haha....

Agree with the Paca Chunks. I've bought a few different kinds this year to try, and they seem to "fit" the jigs pretty well, and they're not very expensive, so it's no big deal if one rips off.

Welcome Kyle glad to have you on-board!

I had some good luck with a Trigger X Hammer worm this fall. I have the 10-inch version in black/blue. I rigged it texas style and used a sort of more agressive hop on the bottom. It did alright. Might give that a whirl for a large worm.

I'm planning on really giving a more thorough use of jigs this coming season. I recently got a few Seibert jigs, and they look amazing. There are black/blue variations and natural variations. My question is, how do you tell when to switch colors of jigs? I know black/blue are ideal for stained water, and green/watermelon/pumpkin/natural are good for more clear water, but how do I tell if it's stained enough to warrant one color over the other? I ask because I fish several places, all with varying water clarity, so I'd like to make sure I'm using the best color for the job. I just haven't ever heard something to the effect of say "two feet or less visibilty use black/blue" or something like that.....just stained water = black/blue, clear water = natural....but what's a good rule of thumb to determine what's stained and what's clear? Any ideas?

What model of craw trailers do you suggest I use in concurrence with the brush jig (3/8oz)?