fish365

I use my boat 52 weeks a year and will always have one.

Congrats. As the water gets colder, longer pauses between lifting and falling will catch fish all winter.

Try the Damiki Vault

P-Line hasn't let me down yet

Heavy metal is hard to beat on deep main lake points. Silver buddy, Damiki Vault and others will get a lot of smallmouth now. Like to throw on braid/floro leader spinning set up. Hang on when you feel a bite, not unusal to pick up other species like a big cat or drum also.

Cold as in 50-60, i use topwater, small cranks, jigs. 40-50 , suspending shad raps , lipless cranks, and hair jigs. Below 40, bladebaits, small lipless cranks, series 4 shad raps, hair jigs and small duckfeather jigs. Reading the river to see where current eddys are is key as fish won't waste energy swimming in current. A very small swimbait on a small jighead will also produce.

I prefer the EWG hooks myself. Feel as if a regular worm hook deep hooks too many fish. I use straight shank tied with snell knot when the rare occasion comes up i fish hydrilla or grass.

I carry a vaccination needle i picked up at farmer's co-op to fizz mine. Mostly use flip-clips and have never had a problem with a fish not swimming off. This is a necessity fishing TVA's reservoirs , as there is no closed season in this part of the country and it is fairly common to catch fish as deep as 30'-60'.

I have a bladebait and small lipless crank tied on all winter. I look for river/creek channels that swing along 45 degree rocky banks and fish them like a jig. Picking up slow and let fall back on rocks and just "tick" them across rocks. Use braid with a floro leader and only lose a few i can't get unhung by just putting boat directly over it and shaking rod or with a small plug knocker.

I do it in the winter tightlining with 4-6lb line.

If this is your 1st baitcaster set-up, i would suggest a shorter rod than the first one you listed. It will be easier to learn accuracy casting much faster with a 6'6" over a 6'10".

Noticed "wallyworld" sells them now..........

+1. Think they run $80. They load up great when you get a bite.

Jig with craw trailer

+1 on catching rocks with a flutter spoon.

I start offshore in the winter with a silver buddy sometimes, but normally all times of year i start near bank and work out as day progresses mostly in hotter weather. Like to throw a big football head or big mop jig with a "ginormous" trailer. Usually 1/2, 3/4 and 1oz for me.

Smallest: 1/16 duckfeather fly Largest: 15" texas rigged c-mac worm

The braid is the way to go on the line. Throw it into the heaviest stuff you see, as in pockets of pollen/sticks/trash, past openings in grass and pads working it towards the opening, under overhanging tree limbs, and parallel to rocky banks.

Tie direct

Live Target Golden Shiner

I like 20lb floro for larger jigs, and use braid/floro leader set up for finesse jigs. Mostly 10lb floro on the finesse.

+1. It is easier on the pocketbook to go through a pack of worm weights and hooks and a few packs of plastics. Sounds like it has the kind of cover you want to throw into.

Same line set up as last trip?

Small finesse jig, small t-rig craw or weightless senko

I mostly use braid/floro in winter throwing bladebait like a silver buddy and have used the Seaguar knot with fairly good results. Very easy to tie quickly in cold weather so i can get my gloves back on