iceintheveins

The 6 range is best for all around use like plastics, jigs, and carolina rigs. It's fast enough for buzzbaits too. The only thing I use a 7 for is buzzbaits or rage shads, and it works very well. But for crankbait and most spinnerbait use, go with something in the 5 range. If you need a faster retrieve on spinnerbaits, the other two will work best.

Go with the symetre, or a Pflueger President. The Abu Garcia Orra S is good too.

Front always, they just are much smoother, even though I adjust my drag during a fight with a big fish.

Oh and downsize your line. Use fluorocarbon or a fluorocarbon leader. BTW how heavy of weights are you using, because I'm able to feel a 1/8 ounce weight at 15 - 16 feet on the bottom quite easily?

Just sounds like plain old tough conditions. Try a robo worm or Reaction innovations flirt on a split shot rig, or drop shot. A carolina rigged centipede is worth a try too, and of course the old senko. Once the water warms up, try burning a spinnerbait or lipless crank. Sometimes in very clear water, faster retrieves on aggressive lures like cranks and spinnerbaits are best.

And yes, the squeeking tricks can be worth it, so do all of the above. Generally, the buzzbait works best in low light or cloudy conditions, but don't completely rule it out on sunny days, especially to cover large shallow areas with lots of wood or weed growth.

Cavitrons are no doubt the best buzzbaits around. I've also done well on Booyah Pip Zqueeks and the Strike King elites. Don't neglect the Strike King Tri Wing either. If you are fishing heavy vegetation and cover, or the regular buzzbait doesn't work, try a chartreuse/green pumpkin or shad colored rage shad. Stick with 1/4 ounce and 3/8 ounce models, and fish them on 12 - 20 pound test MONO (the no stretch of braid is detrimental and pulls the bait away when the fish hits, and fluoro sinks slightly so your baits don't plane up as easy). Heavier line helps you break the surface faster but you have to balance it with casting distance. I generally use 12 or 14 on the 1/4 ounce and 14 - 20 on the 3/8. I generally use a trailer hook with buzzbaits all the time unless I'm just bringing in too much salad. Use a fast ratio baitcast reel (7:1 or faster is best) and a moderate action medium heavy glass or composite rod. As a rule of thumb, reel it as slowly as possible to get it gurgling on the surface. But on occasion, change directions, try ripping it, or reeling faster and alternating your speeds if sloooow and steady doesn't get bit.

I use a 7/0 EWG Gammy. Great bait for bigger bass, but don't be surprised if a 1.5 - 2 pounder inhales it.

I will have to check those out.

When I have used the full size brush hawg I use a 4/0.

Zoom's 6" Green Pumpkin is a staple of mine. I haven't tried the rage lizard yet but plan to. I also use the 5" and 4" zoom lizards too when more finesse is needed, but the 6" is small enough to catch all the 1 - 2 pounders you want, though I would say most fish I catch on 6" lizards are 2 pounds or better.

Chrome Blue too, even though there are no shad in my neck of the woods.

I've done it, even for a four pounder once when it was hot out and she had my only silver blue skitterpop. As long as it's warm enough.

How do you guys like this frog? Does it take on a lot of water like the spro? I can fix that by putting a little mega strike around the opening though.

I have only used the chunk and think it's the best jig trailer around. Going to try some of the craws though of all sizes.

What size and type of hook do you guys use on the 5" hawgs? I have been using a 2/0 EWG but was thinking of switching down to a 1/0 to stay more weedless.

Nothing wrong with keeping small bass where they are abundant to overabundant. But keeping a nice bass? Why? I personally can't see why anyone would rather fish for stocked trout than bass. Soo boring.

I have one of the old Curado 200s, just bought it last year and love it for lighter spinnerbaits, cranks, and topwaters. Shimano has changed it's baitcasting lineup this year of course, with many saying the Chronarch is basically the Curado E, and that the new Curado is a step down in quality. I have also heard that the new Curado is just as good as the old one. Views on this?

Anybody used this one yet? I was thinking it would be fantastic for finesse plastics, yet its mixed reviews so far on the BPS site.

Anybody used this one yet? I was thinking it would be fantastic for finesse plastics, yet its mixed reviews so far on the BPS site.

I have three PQ's and they are just about the best baitcaster out there for the money. I don't think my Curado is all that much better even.

The skitterprop is a good one when you need lots of noise. My favorite is probably a Baby Torpedo in Frog.

I was wondering how you guys like the Mad Paca and Rage Hawg in comparison to the brush hawg. Do they have more action since they have different types of flappers? I really like Paca craws so I assume the flappers on the mad paca have a similar action. The brush hawg is one of my favorite baits still though.

The tube seems to work better for finicky fish in clearer water. Anytime the water is dingier or bass want a larger profile, go with the jig. I think a jig catches bigger bass on average than plastics but gets fewer bites most of the time. However in stained or murky water the jig is the way to go. Weedless tubes come through grass and sticky weeds better than jigs though. In wood or rock cover, the jig is king.

The Yuma area and associated lakes are great on the Colorado.