Choporoz

I prize accuracy largely because I absolutely love pitching under and between overhanging trees and into tight cover at/below the surface. I have much more experience and confidence flipping with spinning gear. I'll spend some time this winter practicing with my baitcasters, but when it comes to putting anything other than a jig into the tightest cover, I'm using a spinning rod and reel.

Me too. Took me a couple years before I got up the nerve to throw rattle traps even.

Somehow, I've managed to get at least four different types of weighted, pre-rigged craws....but never bought any. MTB, LTB, Bassmaster and I'm not sure how/who got them into my tackle bags. I've never tried one....not sure why --- maybe they look too real..lol. I've got white ones, blue ones, brown ones, red ones. Do you use them? Do they work? Drag em? Hop em? I guess they seem like they should be a jig replacement, but feel too light to have confident bottom contact, so I just tie on a jig. Thoughts?

Whenever I hit pike lakes in Ontario I take a couple of these along: http://www.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shops-Fish-Mouth-Spreaders/product/10205355/ Those and a sturdy forceps make life much easier up there.

Mine are only a buck and half each, so on the very rare occasion that they don't work, I don't sweat it at all.

lol.....I've got a Beaver Bay, but probably a different story. Was getting dark one evening and my wife and I were working the last bay before getting back to the dock. A very loud splash that must have belonged to an eight pounder behind us caused us to continue to work the opposite side until well past the time it would have been smart to get in. It wasn't until about a week later that we saw and heard that it had been a beaver we'd been chasing all evening.

I've mentioned them here before a few times, but I can't say it enough: Big Ugly Plug Knockers. Not sure how well they'd work from shore, but from a boat, they're golden. I used one successfully probably a dozen times this weekend. About 8 times on the same squarebill - thankfully, since that lure was killing them. Jigs, drop shot rigs, cranks....all saved this weekend by these simple hunks of lead. http://www.ebay.com/itm/BIG-UGLY-Plug-Knocker-Lure-Retriever-Quick-Easy-To-Use-NEW-IMPROVED-/331155075605

Tale of two Occoquans this weekend. Saturday the square bill bite was ON! I renewed my Bassmaster subscription recently and they sent a nice package last week that included an Xcalibur square bill (6' max - brown top w/LMB-type side 'stripe' and white belly.) That lure just killed them most of the day Saturday. Got a few on flukes and drop-shots, but most on the crank. They weren't just sniffing it, either. A couple of three pounders nearly took the rod out of my hand, they hit it so hard. Went back out in the gale-force winds yesterday and except for a couple blue gills that hit senkos, I got skunked. I was marking some fish around 17 feet deep, but I couldn't hold or position the boat long enough - even with an anchor - to work anything into them that they would touch. Absolutely nothing in the sheltered shores/bays.

Went out in the rain yesterday from 3-5:45. They were hitting pretty aggressively. Probably best couple hour stretch since May. Biggest was shade under 4 on a 3.5" line-through swim bait. They wouldn't touch a spinner bait, but cranks under bait fish and plastics flipped into shallows were hot hot hot. Sure wish I could have gotten out a lot earlier.

Try silverbuddy.com. Actually, I think mine was a Vibe from TW. Tied it on 8# spinning rig....I felt like I should have been entered into a Long Cast Contest. I was jigging it when I lost it, but dang.....you can throw these things a quarter mile.

I put my buddy in yesterday and he found rocks and never let go. RIP

Welcome! Take a quick look around the below threads and let us know if you have any questions! -Dave http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/133334-anyone-hit-the-occoquan-reservoir-lately/ http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/142728-northern-va-noob-to-forum/ http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/141789-nova-spots/ http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/121218-lake-accotink-va/ http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/130195-virginia-curious-whos-around/ http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/142348-lake-mercer-tips/ http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/142182-lake-by-silverbrook-elementary-school/

Ok, I'm past my (not so) subtle whining about my new reel that won't flip closed 'automatically'....for now....lol Does the fact that it doesn't close by reeling mean that there is something mechanically wrong that I should be concerned with if I commit to manually flipping over from now on?

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/145054-humminbird-fishing-buddy/?hl=buddy

Is this the cheapskate's Arig?

Maybe there was a 'bad period'? I guess my problem is partly that I grew up in the 60's and 70's with bullet-proof Mitchell 300's that lasted 20+ years and only with reeling the bails closed.

I see it here and other places all the time -- google isn't my friend today. Aside from ensuring that your line is running over the bail 'line guide' properly....is there any other reason that so many insist that spinning reel bails must be closed manually? Seems to me that arguments about preventing line twist are flimsy, if not fatally flawed. If the mechanisms can't take the stress, why are they designed that way? Even if it is all about preventing line from getting slightly fouled on the bail, it is a relatively rare and inconsequential state, IMHO. So, what am I missing? Why all the insistence on closing the bail by hand when the reel is designed to do it by reeling? Maybe I'm just an old dog, but I've always reeled them closed - I've got a new (used) reel that won't close automatically about 20% of the time and it frustrates me no end....but I wonder if I shouldn't be trying to learn to make manual flipping a habit? Any other good reasons except to compensate for a mechanical 'problem'?

Rage tails move water and give me confidence when it's murky. I usually (always) fall back to flipping Structure Bugs, Cut-R's and Menaces...regardless of what I start with.

Was it slimy?

FF, I'm right there with you.....lol....yet, I keep going back. I spent a good portion of Friday out there. Trolled north out of Fountainhead. Had a decent morning, but nothing special enough for the scale or camera. Largest wouldn't have gone 3. Probably 8 or 9 total fish. I thought I'd thrown a little bit of everything, but only got hits on plastics in tight cover. By noon, everything completely shut down. I stayed out until nearly 4 o'clock without another bite. The baitfish rafts are just incredible this year. I've never seen it like this -- some over a city block in size. Little wonder I couldn't get a bass to bite on a lure when the natural food is so plentiful. I realized after being off the water that I hadn't tossed an A-Rig or pulled a buzzbait across the top of the minnows, however....both of which I probably should have tried.

Thanks, Mike. Good primer. Why is the eye on your finesse jig oriented 90 degrees from all the others?

Prob not what anyone cares to hear about, but last weekend after fouling or breaking off two spinning rigs, I picked up a Sienna which I often take along, but don't use all too often anymore. And it was a joy. I've had it for years and it is still as smooth, quiet and comfortable as my Symetre, President, etc. It doesn't get as much use and won't last forever, but it is one of the best $30 purchases I've ever made.

I may be getting old, but I don't have the time or patience for any of those any more. I admit they used to be a lot of fun. Now, I get what I want/need online. The exception is that I enjoy going into the little guy near the lake(s) I intend to fish and talk with locals...about fishing, coffee, weather....whatever.

http://www.perceptionkayaks.com/product/index/products/angling_/pescador_12_0_angler/ Anyone have experience with this? I've seen a few reviews - all favorable. $600 seems a pretty good price point...for me. I've had this one in a shopping cart for a couple of months now while I debate it with myself...lol

Retired in 2010 after 27 years. All in supply. I know little about LE, but I'd be glad to discuss anything more Navy-generic.