Choporoz

Check Cabelas and BPS. I've had a couple that took me forever to re-identify that turned out to be house brands from those two stores.

I think most will tell you that they want the bait to hit stuff; pilings, poles, trees, rocks, etc. When pulling through open water, I try to mix it up a bit -- varying speeds, stops, etc. I recently watched new vid from @Paul Roberts and he was clearly getting hit on the pauses. As to colors....IDK....I've only been bass fishing about eight years and I generally have no clue about crank colors. I just am never convinced that bass get good enough look at them to care. I do tend to go with more red in the fall, but that might be that I'm just fishing memories of one good day years ago.

A number of guys on here like pink braid for its visibility. I will say, though, that if I spooled pink line onto my wife's reel, I'd catch hell for weeks....would be something about me not taking her fishing seriously enough...treating her different...etc....so I'd be spooling it on mine before I gave it to her

I've got moss green 12# Gliss on a number of spinning rods and that line is totally invisible 90% of the time. Won't be buying more of it. I do like yellow and chartreuse.

https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/guidelines/

I wouldn't say 'only' crankbaits, but that is where they excel. Great for throwing Mann's Baby -1's, Wee Rebel, <1/4oz balsa cranks, 1/4 oz lipless, 3-4" jerkbaits, etc. All great baits that can be a challenge on baitcasting rods. Also good for 1/16oz mojo rigs, because of casting distance, though may not be perfect for setting hook with single hook lures. I've used them for 1/16oz ned rigs, also.

Any L or M spinning rid should work. I use a 7' MM Skeet Reese spinning combo that I got from DSG for about$35 a few years ago. I tie a 1/8 to 1/4 oz spoon with a shad dart about 12 inches above. Casts a mile and doubles not uncommon.

Almost always 'finesse jigs' - both because of the weight and the flared/front skirt. I have mostly Sieberts, but I've used others like Buckeye. The lightest ones I want the current to take and bounce down river through the rocks -- a bit heavier, not more than 1/2oz to stay closer to the bottom and move a bit subtler

I've only limited experience fishing for lake smallmouth, but a bit more in rivers. In swift smallmouth rivers, I can clean up with jigs, but can't buy a bite with a tube. I readily admit that lack of success leads to lack of confidence and a lot less usage, but I like to think that I've given tubes a fair chance on multiple occasions.

@senile1...no offense intended, but if I don't ever see that pic again, it'd be OK

Looks good! Thanks! In case it wasn't said above, I could do without the music Would love a little narration and a little nature and ambient noise. Oh, and I want to hear what was said at 1:08 and 1:25....:)

Had a robin in the yard about a week ago. One. I think I saw him headed back towards NC.

Lures with single hooks.

I agree with all of the above. But as @scalefacealluded to above, it also depends on whether I'm fishing from shore, boat or kayak. From shore, I'll work accessible spots extremely thoroughly. In a boat, I've been known to spend close to an hour on a single brush pile or big tree. Mostly, I fish from a kayak, and wind, current, tide all conspire against me, so I typically make far fewer casts to a spot.

We measure distance in minutes around here....most days, I drive between 15 and 30 minutes. Once or twice a month 90-180 minutes. In June, I'm driving 1600 miles and flying in another 60 miles

Sam's right. It isn't really too bad. Sorta like my vasectomy. The days and weeks leading up, thinking and worrying about it are much worse than the actual procedure.

Thanks....I'm overdue....probably should call the doc.....but that commercial for 'crap in a box' sounds almost appealing ..lol

I got a 15% email coupon from Austin Kayak.....immediately impulse ordered a Wildy Radar 135, Helix PD pedal drive and Rudder..... but, I was saved by the fine print....coupon didn't work on those items....and instead of 15%.... I dumped the cart....and I saved $2929! Talk about a great deal

Congrats. I use TMS carts from Amazon with no problem on our kayaks, and they are shaped similar to the Magellan....so, I'm not sure I can picture where the issue lies. Too much keel at the stern? What about placing on the cart closer to the middle? If that doesn't work, maybe some sort of packing foam can be shaped to set between the yak and cart. As an aside, don't throw out packing foam -- it has lots of great uses for yakkers....whether softer Pelican Case type....or hard foam like in a box for shipping a laptop, etc.....it comes in handy for lots of stuff - blocking and bracing and padding, etc.

I've always thought (with zero science, data or even intelligence) that this is quite a significant differentiating factor for all small waters near housing or farms...one guy simply using a different brand/amount of fertilizer or weed killer than another just a quarter mile away could make significant, and potentially lasting difference, I'd think

sooo many variables on even seemingly identical ponds -- maybe two simply don't have bass in them?

I've heard that, too. I've also heard that you have to use red hooks on your crankbaits....or red on some other baits....to attract a bite....blood in the water, or something.....so they can't see it AND they key on it...huh?

Except for 'moving baits', like spinnerbaits and crankbaits, my overriding consideration regarding visibility is whether or not I can see my line. I've not been too concerned about what a fish sees....for a couple reasons: -I'm convinced that we may never know what a bass sees, as far as color -And even if we do, we won't know how a bass responds to line he/she sees -- was one old pro years ago (I forget who) that said repeatedly that he WANTED bass to see his line - that he believed they follow it down to the lure oftentimes -I just haven't found that it makes a difference to the fishing effectiveness; however, I HAVE found that whether or not I can see the line makes a huge difference to my effectiveness

Greens and Alabama Craw on weighted swimbait hook....more than any other lure or bait.... maybe more than all others combined. I like the more horizontal fall...but sometimes on swinging jighead..sometimes trig....White on chatterbaits.

I've got a 2.0 7'MHF that I love. It did lose the tip insert....BUT, only because I was trying to dislodge a jig from an overhanging branch with the rod tip. I've otherwise used it hard for 2-3 seasons with zero other concerns.