iceintheveins

Either a LC pointer in 100 or 78 size, or a Dynamic Lures J - Spec.

The Live Target is much better. It keeps water out much better than the Spro. It also walks well and has a good hookup rate.

Cavitron buzzbait. Honorable mentions: Rapala Skitterpop, Strike King Rage Shad, Heddon Super Spook Jr, Booyah Boss Pop, Various Hollow Bodied frogs

I like to use jigs and spinnerbaits in murky water, or wide wobbling shallow cranks in bright colors. A black blue jig and heavy thumping trailer is great when fished in thick cover. Tight to cover is crucial in murky water. A double colorado spinnerbait works great too.

Does anyone know if they will make a 5 ratio model of the Curado K? I'm still old school on my reel speeds, not into the high speed craze except on a few different baits.

I don't think the Eeliminator is made anymore.

Almost always the bass will hold tighter to cover and closer to the bank. Spinnerbaits, jigs, and loud, wide wobbling cranks are my favorites for murky water. Buzzbaits and loud topwaters can also work too.

The XD series has a more aggressive wobble than the Dredger, though the Dredger will dive a bit deeper and cast a bit further for it's size. Sorry to say, but you gotta have both baits. They both catch the heck of them for me.

They indeed work. They cast better for their size and dive deeper for size than any other crankbait.

A jig

Abu Veritas Spinning Rods now make a winch model. That would be my choice.

Western Colorado you cannot use live minnows either.

McCoy Mean Green or Original Stren. I use nothing else for mono.

This same crowd wants to reduce bass populations in California. It started right here in Colorado, then moved to the rest of the west. Western fishery management is not to be trusted.

Colorado DOES NOT have a pike problem. They are one of the most popular sport fish in Colorado. It's just the fish and game who doesn't like them. Anglers WANT AND DEMAND THEM! They are NOT an invasive species and don't harm other populations of sport fish or native fish. Colorado btw has basically no native game fish. The pike spread from lake to lake because people demand them and the CPW won't listen. And in NO circumstance in this state have pike harmed anything. Biologists aren't always honest and don't always have integrity. It mostly boils down they are obsessed with control and being ecological purists. Pike are not the big bad wolves that western fishery managers make them out to be. They have IMPROVED many of our lakes by weeding out stunted panfish and tiny bass, so now most of our pike lakes have big panfish, big pike, and bigger bass. Our best overall fisheries have healthy pike populations and have for decades in most cases. Same thing in Oregon and Washington with Smallmouth and Walleye that the crooks in the state agencies call "invasive". They are CHERISHED gamefish that harm nothing. The real reason for salmon and other native fish declines are dams, diversions, and other habitat alterations. NOT introduced sportfish. The real invasive species is the ecological purist biologist with the agenda who lies his butt off and doesn't use real science. I hate this "get rid of anything that isn't native" mentality. It rarely is solid, scientifically accurate management. Water users have teemed up with environmentalists to deflect the blame from dams and habitat alteration to use non native fish as a scapegoat. That is what's going on. Not trying to be rude or mean, just wanted to clarify the truth as to what's going on by a Colorado native, one who's working on a fishery science degree, and one of many who doesn't believe the lies about pike and introduced sportfish. We'd have no bass and no sportfish period in many areas without introductions.

Mostly because California is insane, lol. But lots of states are, especially western ones.

Anything up to 6XD I use a MH. A 7'11" Halo Cranking rod is great. I generally don't use anything bigger than a 6XD, but I would bet a heavy model would be best for the biggest cranks.

Original Stren, or even better, McCoy Mean Green. Use KVD on both and they stay limp and strong for a long time. Both have great balances of strength and manageability. The McCoy is a little better but harder to find.

1. I usually start with topwaters. Generally poppers, buzzbaits or frogs, and sometimes spooks. If they aren't hitting these, spinnerbaits and shallow cranks are great. 2. I really like jigs and creatures after the spawn, as the bigger females have moved off the first drop off and you can get these right in their face. 3. Medium and deep cranks can be great too. The more they move off shore, the better deep cranks work 4. Bigger worms (7" or better, but 10" to 12" is best if you want to really attract outsize bass) 4. If the fish are turned off, Ned Rigs, drop shot, and carolina rigs can be great. A finesse carolina rig with a light sinker and a centipede, finesse worm, or ring fry type bait is a real sleeper for sluggish post spawn bass.

Yep, but like just about any time, they work best in choppy, or low light conditions. In stained water they can work with less chop, and in murky water a heavy thumping double or oversized single Colorado blade can be great.

I use a MH 7' , fast action Veritas, not a crankbait rod. The stiffness of the graphite allows you to pop the lure free of grass better, and still have a little give to keep the trebles pinned. A composite crank rod is too soft imo, but a MH action that isnt' a noodle might me worth a try. I throw lipless baits from 1/4 ounce to 3/4 of an ounce on mine. Fluorocarbon line helps too. Go with 10 to 17 pound fluoro depending on thickness of the weeds and size of the bass. A composite or glass rod with 50 pound braid is great in really thick veggies where bass can get real big, in places like Rayburn, Guntersville, or any similar fishery.

Most all hard baits IMO work better when there is some wind or cloud cover. This is especially true with spinnerbaits. I will reach for spinnerbaits first when there is a good breeze or during low light and cloudy conditions. If they aren't hitting topwaters in low light or cloudy conditions, a spinnerbait is what I reach for. But crankbaits can also work well during these times. I use cranks more over wood and rock cover, and spinnerbaits more around weed and grass. But generally I will throw both. I almost always have both rigged up.

Sixty is my magic mark, but there are occasions they will hit topwater in colder conditions. One of my best techniques for low light conditions in water below 60 is a spinnerbait fished moderately fast within a foot of the surface.

Actually you're lucky you don't live here. Our state wildlife management agency is engaged in active killing of bass, pike, and walleye because they are introduced sport fish and they wrongly accuse them of causing native suckers, chubs and squawfish to become endangered. We have the WORST wildlife management in the country.

Ghost minnow (it's even a decent bluegill color), yellow perch, silver flash, and gold flash. Dynamic Lures is right in my town of Grand Junction, I know the founder. The HD is fantastic for all species of trout, as is the J spec. The J spec is the best smaller profiled suspending jerkbait out there. All species of bass love it, as do walleye, crappie, pike, and trout.