iceintheveins

The 1.5 shallow is great over really shallow cover. On 12 pound test it gets down maybe 2.5', but generally in the 18" to 2' range.

Booyah boss pop in the 3/8 ounce size, it's still under 3" long.

The Grand Junction area, where I live, has one lake that is okay, but occasionally produces a few 5 to 8 pounders.

I have only thrown the bluegill series, and I can say the realistic profile and tight wiggle it has is really good in tough conditions. It's not a game changer though, just another arrow in the quiver.

Reaction Innovations Flirt, and Robo Worm Fat Straight Tail

1. Shad Rap 2. 1/4 Ounce Live Target Bluegill 3. Bomber Model 5A 4. Strike King Mini 3 5. Strike King KVD 1.0 Also the Rapala Rattlin Fat Rap 4 and Risto Rap #4, but they aren't made anymore.

I have two of the older models, the 7' M and 7 MH. They are awesome rods for the price. Perfect action, albeit a bit heavier and less sensitive than newer, more expensive options.

Go with a Curado 200I 5.5:1. However as others have said, if you can find a used Chronarch E or Curado E, even better.

I use KVD Line and Lure rebelliously, there is no smell or residue at all. It really does make your line a lot more manageable. I spray 3 to 6 sprays on my spool twice a trip. For the first application on new line, you do need to let it sit for at least 12 hours though. It is harmless on a reel and I even used it as a temporary lube once when a reel was making noise and it worked.

I have five veritas rods, and one of them just broke setting the hook on a small fish. First time that's ever happened though. Another one has a problem with the guide inserts falling out. All in all though, they are great rods for under $100. Strong, sensitive, and light.

I use tons of pit bosses, they are my favorite all around creature bait.

I like the pepper custom baits football jigs better than any. I stick with the basic colors, green pumpkin and watermelon for clear water, black blue for stained water, and also a brown/orange crayfish color when they are on a heavy craw bite.

My biggest is about 15", there are a couple lakes in Colorado that produce good numbers of 10" to 14" perch.

Bullheads are a common bait for flathead cats, just check your regulations so you don't get a ticket.

I use mono from 6 to 20 for bass fishing. Six and eight pound test is fine for finesse spinning applications, especially away from super heavy cover. But sometimes you do have to downsize to get bit at all in tough conditions. I would say 70% of my bass fishing is with 10 to 15 pound line.

All around for me it is still the brush hog. For more stained conditions or when they want a profile in between the baby brush hog and the original brush hog, the rage hawg is my pick.

That would be the game hawg.

X2, I also really like a sluggo or other slow sinking soft jerkbait for shallow, weedy areas.

My Curado 200E is still my favorite casting reel. I wish they still made them. I should have bought more of them before they were discontinued. They just are super smooth and cast like a dream. The I series Curado is good, but not QUITE as good as the E series, and a little harder to dial in at times braking system wise.

I prefer a 5 ratio for most all crankbait applications. You can use a 6 ratio though with shallow and medium divers and do fine. I just find it easier to SPEED UP with a slow reel than slow down with a fast one. I've heard the Revo Winch isn't really good for lighter cranks, but does great for bigger ones. A lot of people give the Lew's BB1 rave reviews, but I've never used one. I really like a Curado 5.5:1 for most cranking applications, it throws both light and heavy lures well. Lew's tournament MB and the Daiwa Tatula are other really good reels in that price range.

So what are your favorite hog style creature baits? I love the rage hawgs, they have a great action and bass seem to just murder them at times. At other times though, the old time brush hog from Zoom seems to work even better, especially when they want the smaller profile baby hog. The action of the zoom is a little muted but still intriguing IMO, and perhaps better in clear water and tough conditions than the rage hawg.

It's a flat out great lure still, especially when they might not want to hit other topwaters.

Ned rig for sure, and night fishing.

I use split shotting a lot still. Generally I'm using four to six inch plastic worms, lizards, or french fry/centipede type baits. You can drag them like a finesse carolina rig or hop and fall them. A great thing to try in clearer, pressured water, especially when they aren't hitting bigger, more aggressive baits on casting gear and heavier weights.

Oh heck yeah! Suspending jerks catch everything that swims. I catch a lot of nice crappie in the 12" to 16" range on them too. But walleye, trout, pike, all go crazy over hard jerkbaits. Even cats at times like them.