Choporoz

Perfect thread for necro-post! Aside...the talk about marina(s) off-limits for fishing is rather disturbing...makes me sad (or made even), just to consider it

@7timechampion48, classy first post. Welcome. Tell us a little more about your first hand experience with those brands....or better yet, please don't. Take a breath and then feel free to bring some thoughtful value to the discussions here.

I don't recall thinking that I wanted to try to catch the same fish twice, and to do so, I'd probably best fish for him where he was last week. However, I do believe that there were reasons that fish was there when I caught him. And those reasons will probably apply lots of other times in the future....whether its the presence of baitfish, or shade, or cover, or structure change, whatever. If I pull a good fish off the third limb on the left side of a tree laydown at mid-morning in September....well, I won't be the least bit surprised to find a good fish in that exact spot next September....and lots of other times. A good spot for a bass will continue to be a good spot for bass, even other bass...until it isn't. edit: or what ^ @Doelmansaid while I was typing too many words

@Casey Hatley, I can't help you with your fish, but here's some interesting studies that try to answer your question: https://www.uvm.edu/seagrant/sites/default/files/uploads/publication/lcbp_report_bass_study_2013_reduced_size.pdf http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2009/08/02/In-catch-and-release-angling-competitions-freed-bass-still-face-risk/stories/200908020169 http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/fishing/documents/winnipesaukee-bass-movement-study-2007-08.pdf http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/07438140209354153 https://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/2000/20000022.pdf http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/fishing/bass-updates.html

No....but doing it because you're worried about the fish seeing your braid might be

Had anyone other than an elite said this, I'd have rolled my eyes and stiffled a chuckle...no...I still rolled my eyes and chuckled. It this another new technique we need to learn? Or, was he just conking then on the head with that small brick and the dazed fish didn't know what they were biting? I mean....what???

I won't speculate as to whether the fish cared. I have no reason to doubt that the pro believed it was important.

Good discussion...I'm in the camp that has never known when to quit. But there's something I don't understand above.... What does this mean?

I could have written this. My experience is with transom mounts and with MK chargers, but similar experience. I have one MK TM that is 8-9 years old and going strong. But more recent products aren't getting it done for me. I had another MK TM which had a switch crap out after less than 2 yrs, and lower unit AND second switch fail within another year. I went through a number of bad chargers. Customer service/warranty service were always top-notch, and I'd always belived MK was the better, longer lasting product.....but I, too, have wondered if QC isn't slipping...and if I should switch.

That's where I've had it the majority of the time....had one good bite, but lost him halfway up

Boom: Rage Tail plastics...is there a bad one? Bust: the answer to the question above just might be Smokin Rooster....got a pack as a gift...so, I have tried really hard....worked them much longer than I'd have ever stuck with something that I bought...I just need to send one pic of a fish caught with one...but, not sure its going to happen

As @ww2farmer said, it depends on the weight. I can't help but think that you're overthinking this, OP. Use the the rod appropriate for the weight that you're throwing and the bottom or cover that you're fishing. Maybe I'm just a simpleton, but to me, it isn't that much different than a jig or jika, or even a rage-rig at the lighter weights. I want to feel what it is doing down there; and I want to be able to set the hook, but I wouldn't begin to try to figure out how my rod affects deflections.

Had good day out there today...up until around 1PM, when they pretty much shut down. Jigs in shallow cover early, then I moved deeper. Was a bit of a challenge because they were up off the bottom. Had good luck pumping deep spinnerbaits. The bass were suspended around 13 feet, but active. Later in the morning, I found them on bottom with shaky head...anywhere from 8 to 18 feet. Largest was just shy of 5.

Come on, ice cream! Guess my mind went to a different video...lol

A few years ago, I bought the kit; half a dozen each of 6 or 7 colors. I tried them trig, weighted hooks, unweighted. I was mostly frustrated. Seemed that there was a very small window within which the bait swam the way I wanted. Too fast and it rolls...too slow and there's no tail kick. I admit that I didn't use them for very long, but they just weren't getting it done. I still have a couple dozen collecting dust in the basement. TBH, once I discovered CutR, I never gave the swim senko another thought.

It's all fine...I'm sure he was just getting some for his players...

Good thread. @mvanstr, would you mind elaborating just a little? "Missing 10 in two days" sounds bad, but really, it could be an anomaly. Some days are just like that. Couple months ago I got real confused and upset when I missed the first five good strikes of the day. I ended up boating the next eight without a miss. Dunno if its just the way the fish were taking the bait, or something in my angle/timing that I subconsciously fixed...no clue, but I wrote it off quickly. Are you losing fish on the way back to the yak? Or just not moving them at all? What are the odds that half of those 'misses' weren't even bass? An eight inch bluegill can hit a worm like a freight train some days....and still miss the barb. I especially like @WRB's suggestion about using light wire hooks when possible....an Owner lightwire will penetrate just about anything with even the weakest hookset.

I fully recognize that this isn't any help to you, whatsoever....but for me...if a pike appears to be less than 30"....well, I usually try real hard to lose them before I gotta get slimy....and, they aren't easy to shake off....even when slacking them....if the barb is buried....losing a hammer handle is no loss

I have some weedless spoons that might be good for that application..but they are far from 1/2 oz...in fact, it's hard to swim them below the surface. They do catch fish in the conditions you describe, however....oftentimes those fish are pike and pickerel, but bass hit them, also....just seems to me that there's probably a better tool than heavy spoons for pad edges.

didn't need to....you made it just fine...just agreeing...man, this bass stuff...ain't never any black and white...soooo much gray....at least we can all be right ....about anything, if it catches fish

Funny....I agree....but don't...lol. In most situations, I agree.....but, on the tidal Potomac when there's 8-18" of water between the surface and the grass tops....well...a vibrating jig is as good as it gets

Not sure I have the stomach to skip Megabass and Hudds under over and through anything...lol

Bill Lowen, KVD and Scott Martin all have pretty good vids on utube about fishing swim jigs.

I'd like to add that it took me nearly 50 years to learn to close the bail manually...and to commit to doing it religiously. And every time, it still bugs me ......every single cast..... that I can't use the reel as designed.

Agreed....and it is far more likely with very fine braid, like 10#. It doesn't take much twist plus breeze to create a very small loop of braid that snags bumps your leader knot and sends line wrapping around a guide....at least that's what seems to happen on mine. You're right that keeping that knot small and tag-free will help a lot, but you're still going to get twist that is much more likely to loop with thread-like 10# braid