Choporoz

Good luck! I know that many throw chatterbaits on less than fast rods, but I tried using the rods I throw cranks on and hated it. I only use MHF now. (Sometimes, HF for heavy, deep chatter presentations)

I suspect you are a much better light-line finesse fisherman than I. I haven't thrown a Ned rig in at least 18 months....dropshot is a last resort. My idea of finesse is a 7 inch SKRT Thumper on a light T-rig. How about some insider tips on what makes you successful? Rod? Line? Nuances in presentations? I got a new finesse rod a couple weeks ago and promptly broke off a giant from my dock when I couldn't control her and she got well underneath me....went right back to 15# line and beefier rod...lol

I never peg

Throug-hull works great for traditional and downscan.....not sidescan, however

@WRBexplained (more than once) that this was about sharing....not boasting....you may have to get past the title

TTT.....just because there's so much goodness about so many different things in this one thread. I may be a better wood fisherman than some of you. I love fishing wood....doesn't matter if it is a two week old lay down, or a tree that has been standing in 50 FOW since they flooded the reservoir 70 years ago. It isn't unusual for me to spend a couple hours on a single tree or brush pile. Even if it isn't real productive today, I learn more about branches and trunks and angles so next time I hit that spot, I'm that much farther ahead. I rpobe with a variety of lures, weights and jig heads. I generally feel that the actual bait is the least important of variables. Angles, ROF, horizontal speed....are all more important than bait shape or color.....usually. I approach a laydown, log or brushpile with spinnerbaits, crankbaits, chatterbaits, dropshot, shakeyhead, jig, t-rigs (multiple weights)....oftentimes all of the above in one visit. Sometimes the 'best' angles need to be skipped because of wind or current. I prefer 3 bites that I can confidently set the hook on to 5 bites that don't hook up. I really try to visualize every branch and exactly what my bait is doing in relation to branch and trunk. I fully expect there to be bass on every brushpile or laydown that I encounter. Any one day, the difference between 1/16 oz T-rig and 1/4 oz T-rig moving through the brush can be huge. I feel the need to try a range of ROF every time out. However, I do have a weakness when it comes to lipless in wood. Lack of experience and trying too hard not to hang up prevents me from being effective. I knew a guy years ago that effectively worked his traps through brush and I was always in awe. Even cranks, to some extent, are a weak spot for me, since I feel I hang too often and can kill a spit for a short time.

The hammer handle? In NC. Never caught one that long in VA.

Snakehead lay a lot of eggs....and hatch a lot of fry. Sounds ominous. Unless you are a bass or a perch or a bluegill or crappie that feast on them. I haven't seen data yet that concludes snakeheads decimate any species in any particular lake or water system. Our local pickerel came up from their summer depths a few weeks ago...all at once...lol....this guy was grazing close to my dock

I use CutR nearly every time out; never tried it weightless, but it should work. I T-Rig or Rage-Rig (weighted hook with spriral keeper). I'll finesse it through a laydown with 1/16 oz weight and drag it on deep points with 1/2 oz bullet...and anything in between. Can be deadly swimming through pads or across top of mats. Fish it like a senko....fish it like a grub....fish it like a jig.....can't fish it wrong. And once you have tried all that, flip the tail up and try them all again.

As @GetFishorDieTryin mentioned, Gliss is very fine. I use 18# (.006) with 6 and 8 lb leader to compensate for poor abrasion resistance.

Wife and I stayed at a cheap motel close to Watauga a few years ago. We had kayaks with us and fished one day. Gorgeous lake. I think it was summertime....just a few small spots, but it was quite enjoyable. We also put the yaks in on Douglas a couple days, but it was near town and big marinas....like the lake, but felt we should have been in a boat.

No question that there is money being diverted to many who are more social media personality than fisherman. The available pool of money is limited. Unfortunately, I expect that the circuits may need to alter things that favor 'clicks' and 'subs', over watching a guy watch his line. Me turning on ESPN 7 at 8AM on a rainy Saturday isn't nearly as desirable as a 20-something watching 50 straight tiktok things. The sliver of romantic in me believes there will be enough geezers and fanatics left to sustain high level tourneys that are still mostly about actual fishing....one can dream....

Wish you luck. Been looking for spinning rod every day for weeks. Mid-high end rods in med and med-lt are few and far between. I nearly pulled trigger on Tatula Elite the other day, but managed to walk away. Found one of my top options today (DX702SF) at TackleTrap, but I don't see that Daiwa available right now.

I grew up in fishing for walleye in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Ontario. You are correct, but I seldom separate them in my head. No reason I couldn't catch bass with a Little Cleo, Lazy Ike, Daredevle, bottom bounce rigged minnow, etc....but I don't try

Feeding the sunnies and cats would be my concern, as well. The panfish in our lake are extraordinarily skilled at worm removal. When I take the granddaughter down to the dock, we can go through a dozen red worms before coming close to hooking up.

Likely true. I'm envious of my colorblind brother in law who only needs 3 or 4 colors in his tackle bag.

@michaelb, I appreciate your contribution and respect your opinion, but I find that I differ on most every point. I absolutely benefit from each major function on my 7 inch Garmin; especially downscan, sidescan and GPS. The ability to find and mark offshore brushpiles alone makes it worth every penny. A 10 Amp SLA battery cost less than $30, weighs about 7 pounds and lasts me over 12 hours. And as for cutting up your yak....it is a bit frightening the first time....but it gets easier- get that drill and hole saw and throw caution to the wind. I only sit to fish and while I do knock the screen with a rod once in a while, like when fishing a jerkbait....but it is the exception and I never wish it wasn't there.

Lots of great discussion on spinnerbaits lately. I'd like input on the narrow focus of deep, slow spinnerbait use. I have caught good bass below 15 feet on spinnerbaits, but generally it feels like luck. This past weekend I found a school of fish near the bottom in 14-17 FOW. I couldn't interest them in plastics, swimbaits, chatterbaits underspins....but I got some good hits on spinnerbait. Unfortunately, I had a very hard time hooking up. I was using 1/2 oz Stanley with Indiana/Colorado blades; HF rod; 15 lb Invisx. Any gear or technique tips for slow rolling (or hopping) spinnerbaits in deeper water?

Alternatively, I have one kayak with a transducer pod that works well. I added a BerleyPro transducer mod/cover to allow sidescan to mount below the hull, while still using the kayak pod area. I have two kayaks with transducer mounted inside the hull using duct putty. Both methods work quite well.

Not thread. They use a strong cord ?

Check out Rogue Fishing phone tether. Love mine

Almost never on me. I do keep a couple fivers and a few singles in the truck console for ramp fees where i can't use plastic. 1.5% cash back for everything.

I have never used a bead. But as to the topic of 'light Texas rig', I am a fan. I use 1/16 t-rig in brush and fuller laydowns much more lately than I used to. Easier to work through brush, and slower fall can be just the ticket. Weightless can be too slow, especially if there is wind or current. I typically reserve 1/16 mojo or split shot for flat bottom dragging, and/or grass.

My dad and grandpa had a lot of lures, but one I recall them using every time out was a Bass O'reno....cupped face, red head, white body. I don't have anything remotely similar amongst my hundreds of hard lures.

For years, I preferred shorter handled rods from a kayak. Now, not so much. The difference was that I used to fish from a low, molded seat position and wore a bulky PFD. Now, I fish from a raised sitting position and wear an inflatable.