Smokinal

I know exactly what you mean. Are you using the ZMan Shroomz jigheads with that little wire tang that holds the bait on? If so, and I use those too, I break off that tab, rig the TRD nice and straight and super glue the head of the bait to the flat underside of the jighead. Let the glue set up for a few minutes before you fish it. I've found this keeps the bait from balling up and twisting on that little keeper and it stays straight much longer.

Today should have opened up some water for us. Anyone still see ice?

HAPPY EASTER TO ME!! The live cam shows all open water on my home lake! Today is phenomenal outside; clear, sunny and almost 80! Today will open up a lot of water in Maine; southern areas anyway. Northern areas may still have a little while but I'm good to go. Does anyone still have ice?

Some good vids to watch as my water thaws; thanks

I just checked the lake cam and I can't believe it's still hanging in there. Ice is black and looks like just one big Cola Slushee so a good wind may just break it all up. Man, this has dragged on longer than I ever remember!

I do very well in an area just like that just after ice-out. It's a large, secluded cove with water between 4-9 ft and the main stream comes in there. But that bite only lasts a couple of weeks then it's out to the main lake where the bite can really vary from shoreline areas to deep drops. I fish the shallow areas with a jerkbait, soft swimbait like a Keitech and spinnerbaits. When I have to go deeper for them a blade bait in either silver or gold, depending on cloud cover, works well. And a jig is never a bad idea.

Good to hear! Give us a full report!

Still waiting for my home lake to open up above the Augusta area. Live lake web cam shows black, mealy ice so it isn't long now! That will be my first stop with jerkbait in hand. Anyone been out in Maine yet? Reports?

Like most will say, rocky bottoms are best (I have found) as it creeps over this cover well. I throw it in light grass but anything heavier for grass gets some other t-rigged plastic.

^^^Thanks for the update and I'm sorry to hear about your work situation. Are you going back to the same job or did you take another one?

Welcome to the dark side; you're going to be a changed man.

I would have to agree with FishnChip in that most fishermen are bank beaters. So the newly flooded areas were a big attraction to both the anglers and the fish.

Are they worth it? I'm about to find out. I bought my first 2 110's this winter and they will be the first baits I throw in about 3 weeks. I've also wanted to try the Ima Flit. They have some good write-ups and aren't too expensive either.

All of the above is good info. I'd like to add that you may want to introduce those bass to the Neko rig. Could be the ticket for a breezy day like that. The one thing I wouldn't do is try to force a senko if the conditions aren't right to throw it. Put a Neko rig on one rod and a weightless senko on another and alternate when you think you can get away with it. The other thing I wouldn't do is throw what your partner is throwing just because. Now, obviously, if he is getting good bites then I would match his technique but if things are mediocre, try something different. Tell us how it goes!

Nice job figuring her out!

Never swam for a fish. I did have to swim for my boat once; and that's all I have to say about that...

^^^That makes me smile A-Jay!! Good for you man! We better see a report with some pics! I'm keeping my sanity right now by seeing all of you guys catching some bass! The web cam on my home lake looks to show about another 10-12 days before it opens. I like to let it get a week or 2 of sun so hopefully Sunday the 30th...THIS GUY...will be out!!

The web cam on my home lake looks like it should be open around the 15-16th. I like to give it a week or 2 of sun so hopefully Sunday the 30th will be first cast day.

Hey Maine! How ya been? Getting ready to lay the smack down on some big girls this spring? I can't wait to see your reports.

Well done guys!!

wow, those are some good fish! SO glad to see you getting out Dwight!

Nice to see someone catching something!

OMG the smile on that kid's face is priceless!! Way to go Lo n Slo!! I so love to see kids get into our healthy sport of fishing. Our young are the future of our sport. So good to see. Thanks for sharing.

This is the case. Most plastics will have some sort of seam from the mold that you can use to line up the hook with. It is very important to have the bait straight on the hook for a proper fall, retrieve etc... Now, because you have fished it this way, your line may have some twist in it still. If you see that it does, just take your rod out to your yard or any large grassy spot, strip off about 2 long cast lengths, put some tension on the line just above the reel and reel the free line back onto your reel without any bait or weight on the end. This will get rid of any line twist you may have. And to stop further line twist on spinning reels, get yourself into the habit of closing the bail by hand; not by turning the handle. Hope this helps