Steveo-1969

I do this too. And then the Bait Monkey (who is always looking at the list over my shoulder) says "You know, you really need to buy some......"

My favorite wya to fish is a bottom contact bait and I'm usually throwing a jig or t-rig.

For me, I can usually avoid skunks from March - October. Then from November - February bringing home a skunk is the norm. For me those 4 months represent about 200 hours of fishing. Conservately let's say one cast a minute, 60 casts an hour = 12,000 casts. With nothing to show for it but cold fingers, a runny nose, and pesky ice in my rod guides. And when I get home and my girlfriend asks if I caught anything, the answer is always "Nope, but I had a great time!". Hmmmmm, is there such a thing as "Fishermen Anonymous"?

Based on what's available in the river I fish my preferences are: 1) Smallmouth 2) Walleye 3) Channel cats I only fish largemouth about one week per year and northern pike even less than that, but love them both!!

I wade fish the Shenandoah in West Virginia a couple times a year. Beautiful river!

Welcome to the forum, you'll LOVE it here! DAAAAA BEARSSSSSSS (da bears da bears da bears da bears)

I started seriously river wading for smallmouths 4 years ago and started with a 5' UL spinning rod with 4# mono, but I found I couldn't set the hook hard enough and lost lots of fish. So I bought a 7' UL and switched to 10# braid and it was better, but still not great. For the last two years I've been using a ML spinning rod with 10# braid (and 8# fluoro leader) and couldn't be happier. I get a solid hookset but still enjoy a great fight, even with small 8-10" fish. I love fishing with my baitcasters, but if I'm wading for smallmouth I want my ML spinning rod in my hand. As for baits, I've caught fish on LOTS of different things. But to keep it simple and just plain get bites I would throw a 4" Berkley Powerbait power worm texas-rigged on a 1/0 worm hook. Either weightless or with a small bullet sinker (1/16 or 1/8 ounce). It will go through grass and won't easily get hung up on a rocky bottom.

I try to get both knots to be about the same size and adjust the number of wraps according to braid/leader thickness. Right now I'm using 5 wraps on the braid (10#) and 4 wraps on the FC (8#) and haven't had any problems. This is on a ML spinning rod.

When you are reeling in slack line, point your index finger down by the spool and let the line bounce off your finger as you are reeling. This will give the line some tension as it's getting wound on the spool.

When the water is warm enough don't be afraid to wade in shorts and sneakers.

I don't have anything else to add that hasn't been said. Bottom-contact baits are my favorite way to fish, but beware... it's highly addictive!!!!! Rock... rock... log... branch... rock... <thunk> FISH!!!!!!!!

I treated myself to a $700 combo this year and justified it (to myself) because I would use this rod every time I fish. And I have with no regrets!! Enjoy that sweet combo Hootie!!!!!!!!

This time of year I'm wading and fishing 4 feet or less most of the time. I've had good luck with a 1/8 ounce skirted jig with a weed guard and craw chunk trailer. It's surprisingly snag resistant (though it will get hung up at times). I'm throwing it upstream at various angles. I let it hit bottom, lift it up and let it drift in current and reel slack until it hits bottom, lift it up again, etc. 1/8 ounce is heavy enough for the current I'm faced with. 10# braid with 8# fluoro leader for abrasion resistance. Works well for me.

I've always used Spike-It garlic chartruese, but I'm curious about Megastrike. Might have to try some.

Welcome to Bass Resource! I'm a transplanted Wisconsinite myself. Don't miss the cold or the mosquitoes, but I miss the lakes a whole bunch!!

You shouldn't need to overcomplicate your color selection. For soft plastics and jigs in my river I mainly stick to green pumpkin and watermelon red (or variations of these). I've also had success on white flukes, but a buddy swears by green pumpkin flukes.

I can already hear y'all laughing, but I'm having a really hard time finding YUM 3" Mighty Bugs. LOVE that plastic!!!!!

x2. Spike-It garlic chartreuse. It may just be a confidence thing but I rarely throw a soft plastic without it.

Thanks for the welcome everyone. I feel it!!

For a fish's size, I can't say anything different than what's already been said. So how about this? I think a nice fish is one that bites my bait and holds on long enough to let me set the hook, gives me a good fight and doesn't throw the hook. And I'm always nice back by telling them "thanks buddy", gently setting them back in the water, and letting them bite my thumb while they are getting their strength back before they swim away. THAT'S a nice fish!!

Hello all. I've been a member for a little while now and am finally getting around to my introduction. My name is Steve. I was born and raised in Wisconsin and fished regularly until... I moved to the eastern panhandle of West Virginia in 1997 and lost my way for 12 years. In 2009 I picked my fishing rods back up and now I'm physically addicted to all things fishing. I do most of my fishing on the Upper Potomac River from the bank and wading. I heard about this site when I saw Glenn May on Mike D.'s "Lunkerville". Bassresource.com??? What the heck is that???? I'm glad I found out. What a great website!!!!

X2. I bought one 3 years ago to use on a boat rental during my annual fishing vacation at Kentucky Lake (I don't own a boat) and it still works great. As already stated, not a great "fish" finder but invaluable as a "depth" finder. It will show depth change, weeds, brushpiles, hard bottom, and even the occasional fish... And 6 AA batteries lasts me all week.

I had a similar thing happen to me last summer. I was standing on a wall fishing 4 feet above the river. I hooked into my PB smallmouth and had to lift her up. I got her up to the top of the wall, my leader broke, she looked at me and said "See ya!" and flopped back into the river. I cried......

Personally I prefer fishing a slow bottom-contact bait. I think I'm physically addicted to the "tap-tap, reel down, set the hook!!!"

I mainly fish smallmouth in the upper Potomac and last Sunday I fished a jig just like this for the first time. Mine was an 1/8 ounce Strike King Bitsy Bug jig and for a trailer I put half of a 3" YUM Mighty Bug on it. I've never really fished a jig like this in the river and was really impressed with how well it came through all the junk on the bottom (even in current). I'm sure this will be no surprise to people who fish lots of jigs, but I could feel everything. That's a rock, that's a log, that's branches, THAT'S A FISH!! And I just couldn't get it hung up. I normally fish t-rigged plastics with 1/16 or 1/8 unpegged bullet weight. Definitely better feel with the jig and no hang ups.