djtrekker

My order would be: assorted worm hooks and weighted jig hooks w/weed guard (for tubes) assorted worm weights package of 4" senkos in pumpkinseed or purple package of 7" senkos (I like yellow but that's just me...) package of green tubes 1 buzzbait, white/chartreuse trailer 1 spinner bait 1 frog 1 spook jr That's my starter package. I often sit on senkos all day; you will hear that often...you can also throw senkos without any weight - they cast like a bullet and sink nicely without weights.

senko.

I recently bought two nice baitcast reels after trying a less expensive reel. The lower model is a Lews Laser MG, only $80. My question is, is it worth it to upgrade the bearings in a cheaper reel to boca bearings? With two other reels, I doubt I really need the cheaper as a backup, but I thought I'd ask this forum. I guess I'm looking for feedback on what folks think about upgrading bearings, does it really make a difference, and how?

I'm strictly a river rat when it comes to smallmouth. I kayak fish, though when wading I target the same type water. I look for eddies behind boulders (smallmouth are more likely to prefer rocky areas than wood structure), seams dividing current from more still water, edges of grassy areas (particularly in evening and early morn). I drop baits in fast, deep current to drag on bottom in rocky areas because bass will hold in eddy pockets on the bottom of such current, formed by large rocks. I target bottom, mid-column, and top. Most of my fishing is shallow 2-6 feet, but that's more a characteristic of the streams/rivers I run. In evenings I have good luck with jerkbaits like the bass assassin or tubes thrown in flats of riffly water over rocks. Go to baits: senko = #1 for versatility. Usually fish unweighted, Texas rig in faster water. Best luck with 4 inch for numbers of fish, 7 inch caught my largest bass to-date, 22 inches, and I've caught a fair number of large bass on the larger senko. tube = #2, and it is also versatile. Jig on the bottom or run like a swim bait, but mostly jig on bottom. toss up between torpedo and super spook jr for top water. I love throwing the spook jr, so that's my favorite; but have caught more fish on a baby torpedo. 80% tube/senko pretty evenly split (I carry two spinning rods, one rigged with senko the other with tube). 15% top water, 5% crank, spinner, buzz baits. I try all sorts of things, but these are my go-to baits. I have no luck with spinner baits or buzz baits, but of course these are good, I just don't use them enough to produce I suppose. Buzz baits have really worked for me on largemouth, pickerel and northern pike, but again when fishing those waters I beat them heavy with buzz baits, whereas on smallie waters I just don't prefer them. Habit. This summer I plan to experiment with creature plastics on smallies; I've been doing good with largemouths and want to see if they cross over; they should. A tube is essentially a creature bait. 2 spinning rods: 6'3" medium action St Croix Avid, 6' medium-heavy. I love the lengths for kayak fishing, easy to maneuver and compact - I can cast them both extremely accurately. I seem to prefer the 6' for accuracy and it just handles "right" in my hands. I had a 6' Loomis GLX paired with Shimano Stradic C14 reel - it was a sweet combo; lightweight and sensitive - I mean I could feel every tick on the bottom. I lost that one on memorial day when I tipped my kayak in a class 3 rapid. I replaced it with an Ugly Stik ($42) paired with a back-up Shimano Saros reel I had on hand (budget doesn't allow me to replace the original rig yet - next year). I am getting kind of fond of the Ugly Stik, it is much heavier than the Loomis and not as sensitive, but it's a good rod and I'm getting used to it and adjusting my feel for it. Glad I got it. The 6'3" can throw anything I have but is great for really light baits, plastic or hard. The 6' will also throw anything, but is the go-to for heavy spinner and buzz baits. Reels have at least a 6:1 ratio. Line: 15# power pro braid. I moved to it when I had trouble getting a good hook set with mono. It seems to have worked. No stretch gives me good leverage on long casts which I'm prone to. I use a 6' flurocarbon leader on the braid (I think it is 8 lb; leader for largemouth is 15#, that is to compensate for dense cover not so much the fish). When I fished mono, I used 8 lb mono line, occasionally 6lb. I prefer the braid. I have a baitcast outfit. I just started using baitcast this year and I love it, though I have a ways to go yet to get consistent with accuracy and avoiding backlash. 7'2" medium heavy fast action rod is good for the buzz baits and spinnerbaits, though primary use is worm and jig rod. The reel is a fast 7:1 retrieve which is good for crankbaits. I take it smallie fishing now, just for practice, but default rods for smallies are still spinning rods. I met a guide on the New River in VA this summer who swears by baitcast personally, though provides spinning outfits for clients due to need for simplicity. That's it in a nutshell for me ... I also do a lot of fishing on fly for smallmouth, but that's another story.

I'm strictly a river rat when it comes to smallmouth. I kayak fish, though when wading I target the same type water. I look for eddies behind boulders (smallmouth are more likely to prefer rocky areas than wood structure), seams dividing current from more still water, edges of grassy areas (particularly in evening and early morn). I drop baits in fast, deep current to drag on bottom in rocky areas because bass will hold in eddy pockets on the bottom of such current, formed by large rocks. I target bottom, mid-column, and top. Most of my fishing is shallow 2-6 feet, but that's more a characteristic of the streams/rivers I run. In evenings I have good luck with jerkbaits like the bass assassin or tubes thrown in flats of riffly water over rocks. Go to baits: senko = #1 for versatility. Usually fish unweighted, Texas rig in faster water. Best luck with 4 inch for numbers of fish, 7 inch caught my largest bass to-date, 22 inches, and I've caught a fair number of large bass on the larger senko. tube = #2, and it is also versatile. Jig on the bottom or run like a swim bait, but mostly jig on bottom. toss up between torpedo and super spook jr for top water. I love throwing the spook jr, so that's my favorite; but have caught more fish on a small torpedo. 80% tube/senko pretty evenly split (I carry two spinning rods, one rigged with senko the other with tube). 15% top water, 5% crank, spinner, buzz baits. I try all sorts of things, but these are my go-to baits. I have no luck with spinner baits or buzz baits, but of course these are good, I just don't use them enough to produce I suppose. Buzz baits have really worked for me on largemouth, pickerel and northern pike, but again when fishing those waters I beat them heavy with buzz baits, whereas on smallie waters I just don't prefer them. Habit. This summer I plan to experiment with creature plastics on smallies; I've been doing good with largemouths and want to see if they cross over; they should. A tube is essentially a creature bait. 2 spinning rods: 6'3" medium action St Croix Avid, 6' medium-heavy. I love the lengths for kayak fishing, easy to maneuver and compact - I can cast them both extremely accurately. I seem to prefer the 6' for accuracy and it just handles "right" in my hands. I had a 6' Loomis GLX paired with Shimano Stradic C14 reel - it was a sweet combo; lightweight and sensitive - I mean I could feel every tick on the bottom. I lost that one on memorial day when I tipped my kayak in a class 3 rapid. I replaced it with an Ugly Stik ($42) paired with a back-up Shimano Saros reel I had on hand (budget doesn't allow me to replace the original rig yet - next year). I am getting kind of fond of the Ugly Stik, it is much heavier than the Loomis and not as sensitive, but it's a good rod and I'm getting used to it and adjusting my feel for it. Glad I got it. The 6'3" can throw anything I have but is great for really light baits, plastic or hard. The 6' will also throw anything, but is the go-to for heavy spinner and buzz baits. Reels have at least a 6:1 ratio. Line: 15# power pro braid. I moved to it when I had trouble getting a good hook set with mono. It seems to have worked. No stretch gives me good leverage on long casts which I'm prone to. I use a 6' flurocarbon leader on the braid (I think it is 8 lb; leader for largemouth is 15#, that is to compensate for dense cover not so much the fish). When I fished mono, I used 8 lb mono line, occasionally 6lb. I prefer the braid. I have a baitcast outfit. I just started using baitcast this year and I love it, though I have a ways to go yet to get consistent with accuracy and avoiding backlash. 7'2" medium heavy fast action rod is good for the buzz baits and spinnerbaits, though primary use is worm and jig rod. The reel is a fast 7:1 retrieve which is good for crankbaits. I take it smallie fishing now, just for practice, but default rods for smallies are still spinning rods. I met a guide on the New River in VA this summer who swears by baitcast personally, though provides spinning outfits for clients due to need for simplicity. That's it in a nutshell for me ... I also do a lot of fishing on fly for smallmouth, but that's another story.

Hi folks, from Harrisonburg VA. Been in VA now for 25 years or so....took up fishing again after a hiatus of about 15 years due to military. Trout fisherman since childhood, still avid there, but took up smallmouth ardently in N VA in the past 10 years. Main haunts were the Shenandoah and Potomac rivers mainly; James to a lesser extent. Natural extension to largemouth...recently married and we do a lot of car camping near largemouth territory, though we enjoy kayaking the rivers (smallmouth). 2 weeks ago spent a week's vacation at Lake Anna and had superb fishing luck. All kayaking (weekend was a little rough with all the boating and waves). I enjoy fly tying, camping/backpacking, kayaking. Doug