Choporoz

I guess this means we are post-spawn...at least in this creek arm

I wouldn't hang my hat on made-up statistics to make an important point. I was intrigued by the motor vehicle number. Google tells me that Insurance Information Institute (III) estimates: The III estimates the lifetime odds of being involved in a car crash to be 1 in 366. National Safety Council (NSC) estimates: The NSC estimates the lifetime odds of dying in a car crash to be 1 in 95. Three times as many people die in crashes than number involved in accidents.

Nice. Only been once, last fall, since they reopened. Bass bite was tougher than I expected, but also did ok. What surprised me was the quantity and quality of the perch. Biggest I've caught while bass fishing south of Wisconsin.

@TnRiver46: "Where was your worm rod?" Maybe you found them in six different spots, but they wanted to eat off the bottom? I had 62* surface temps last couple days, also. Thursday, you had to cast into 2 inches of water, drag out to 6 inches...and wait. Yesterday, the active bite had moved out to 10-16 FOW - but only on windward side. I don't ever think in terms of search bait. Just doesn't work for me. If I commit to a certain search bait or baits, I have immediately limited my chances of finding out what the active fish want to eat that day.

Last year when a college angler was killed in a tournament, one of the coaches said, "**** happens". Yesterday, one of the MLF competitors said, "stuff happens" I am astounded that folks deep in major tournament circles seem to accept deadly boat accidents as inevitable. There's a culture problem that won't be solved by waiting for 'personal responsibility' to take over.

Trolling motor

All this talk about Bronco Bug .... I caved. Despite a recent note to self after organizing plastics...about not buying any new plastics... I ordered a couple packs. Put one on yesterday. 3/16 t-rig; pre-spawn bass feeding on shallow flats around new grass, and sitting in wood 1 to 3 FOE. Initial thoughts - Looks like crap in the water...to me. Little action. At least compared to Rage Bug, which is a staple. - Got bit quickly hopping the flats - Despite the hefty feel, they last only 2-3 fish - the back quarter with the flapper things breaks clean way too fast, IMO. - They got bit sitting still, whereas, the Rage Bug yesterday gets added attention on drop and swimming. The Bronco fish were a little bigger, but not yet convinced that was repeatable. - Will continue to put through the paces, but I'm not yet sold that they are unique enough to hop on TW and grab a bunch more.

Maybe impose a speed restriction for first period? I fished a kayak tournament on Guntersville a few years ago and I feared for my life one morning. Many bass boat operators absolutely overdrive their stopping distance in fog.

I was here several years ago. For topwater, I was convinced that bass in waters around me just weren't ever interested. It wasn't until I watched a video of a guy hammering them on my lake with topwater. So I tried at least a few casts each morning. Turns out that some days topwater kills. I won't force it for long if I don't get interest, but I will try for a little most outings. Similar for flukes. I don't get bit very consistently, but there are occasional days when it is absolutely the ticket. Usually around grass in shallower water.

After 2 months of trying to manually log hours, I buckled and bought it 2 years ago. So far, it does nothing for me except track hours. I guess that's not a bad thing. The only fault it ever registered was one time the kill switch pulled out. Is it worth it? At $223, maybe not. Seems like Merc could sell a basic version with just hours for a LOT less.

Rat-L-Trap - great dink slayer Red eyed shad - have a few...not sure any have ever gotten bit (same with Warpigs... no idea why I can't catch with these, but I'm about done with them) Cotton Cordell Super Spot - caught a bunch of eight inch smallies on them. 6th Sense Quake absolutely killed it this spring. A number of days, it accounted for every catch. Comes through wood and grass as well as any I have used. Burns great, but best with short hops on points and flats. Lucky Craft- all but the 100. Not sure why they felt the need to screw this one up. Their old 1/4 oz trap was amazing. Especially shallow when the grass comes to a foot or two from the surface. I am cautious with my last two. The 'new' 100 RTO does nothing for me. 200 and 500 are great. 100 with same design should be good, but they put a little dorsal on there and the action is not the same.

Snagged another big snapper yesterday.

I don't even touch the mud cats anymore. Fishgrips, pliers, drop 'em back in. Those things are nasty

If I had to, I think I could get by year round with just Rage Bugs and blade baits.

I know little for about what bass see, nor how they interpret when they see fishing lines. What seems crazy to me is the idea that bass don't see fluoro.

I have not. But I would think it might defeat your stated intention of having something to throw in the slop.

Wood is important for me, especially on channel swings. If it has wood, I will hit it all year long. As @Lottabass said, the ends are key, also (see @Glenn's video on transitions). Keeping your lure tight to the slope as it falls is always important. Sometimes that means skipping under brush and getting right to the bank. That first drop can be 10 feet, just inches out from waters edge. Casting from wide angles can also help your drop. I like a heavy swinghead, because it manages ledge wood so well.

I have more questions than answers. - Are you using a leader? If so, what leader knot? Tag ends trimmed tight? - Was it windy? - Lighter lure in the problem rod? - Do you close the bail by hand? - Did all the reels get the same braid (brand and test)? - Have you removed the twist in the line in that spool? Some line twist is inevitable. Less noticeable with braid than mono or fluoro, but you may be able to solve the problem by removing the twist before you fish that reel again.

Drop shot.

I lived in Norfolk and Chesapeake for a number of years. Bank bass fishing was tough. Golf course ponds were probably best. I did ok around ramps of local lakes, but not great. Best of luck.

Same. It is a difficult adjustment, as I tend to think of it as my responsibility

NC deer aren't so picky. They do have varietal preferences, though. The variegated ones get eaten last. I've lived much of my life in more or less suburban-ish communities where I felt yard maintenance was important. Only my 3rd year in much more rural environment and really enjoy having options to from full on natural to manicured lawn or garden. Depends where an area is in relation to house, and mostly how I feel this month. I'm retired now, so even fishing daily, lawn and garden get some attention - especially gardens right now

We have come a long, long way. Lol. In 1982, I got one of those in my sewing kit at boot camp.

6 or 8 years ago, my answer would have been emphatically Pflueger, avoid Shimano. Pfluegers were far and away the best in the rain. Some Shimanos had problems. Now, the opposite. I've had issues with newer Pfluegers. Shimano fixed their rain-related design problems.

Last of the dogwoods are in full bloom here and I have yet to see a bloodied tail. This is my first spring since I retired and I can fish every day. I am amazed at how much the locations of active feeders varies from day to day. We finally got a few really warm nights in a row, so if today's cold front doesn't affect them too much, I imagine there will be a lot of beds the next few days.