hawgenvy

What kind of line? For me, the improved clinch or palomar work fine for mono, and I use the palomar or San Diego Jam knot for braid. But for fluorocarbon I stick religiously to the SDJ as other knots, at least by my fingers, are more likely to slip. The SDJ is easy after practice, and I have neither heard nor experienced anything negative about it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1gYdceqHNs

I have several split grip and several full cork casting rods, and I don't notice any difference besides the appearance. The difference in appearance does help differentiate between rods at a glance when they are bunched up, so in that sense it's useful to have both.

Post spawn bass may suspend above an off-shore thermocline. It's either too cold for comfort below that depth or else the forage schools are at or above the depth where the bass are suspending. If you measured temperatures below your boat you'ld probably find a sharp gradient just below the fish.

And if you think every video showcases sponsors of rods, reels, lures, boats, etc., you ought to see this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GL8Jh5zODMk

Whoever thinks YouTube fishing videos aren't intelligent and helpful ought to see this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4YC-4n0ap0

YouTube is awesome.

Was out this past Saturday as well, in the Alley. Bass were small and few and far between. Very hot day -- almost burnt my hand picking up a reel and my feet on deck carpeting. Caught mudfish and pickerel on jigs and jerkbait. Largest bass were on a wacky senko. Caught a few on EZ Swimmers. My topwaters were ignored.

I assume you're using "MONEY" metaphorically. If by chance you fish night tournaments I'd like to know.

Sunday, two days ago, I tossed a Baby Torpedo along a grassy shoreline; a huge bass swirled at it and missed. Next cast: she ignored it. Third cast: she nailed it. I fought the fat six or seven pounder on #14 braid through jump after jump, and I actually impressed myself on how well I kept the line just taut enough through every jump, pulling her big head sideways and back down to the water every time she shook her face in the air. I felt like I was a great matador, Master of the Beast, and when she bolted towards some lily pads I was able to turn her head to keep her just on my side of them. Now I knew I had her! Yet, when she was just three feet from my grasp, a final lunge broke the line at the knot and she swam off with the Torpedo stuck in her mouth. What a shame! Okay, I suck. I should have retied that lure that I had tied on three weeks before. Sometimes you remember the ones that got away better than the even bigger ones you occasionally land. This fish will likely be one of those. I've been day-dreaming of hooking that fish again, of even recovering my lure and letting her go free without it. But that ain't gonna happen.

Thanks, Geo. Sort of committed to Alley this Sat. Club thing. Appreciate your input.

Sounds like you had a really nice morning. Thank you for putting out the report! I'm planning on fishing the Alley this coming Saturday. I always have on board a few bags of Zoom Super Flukes. Was the water level at Lox still higher than usual?

Weightless Senkos or Zoom Super Flukes fished slowly. Could also try a Black buzz bait at night. If these don't work the next step is electrofishing.

I'm not aware of any contemporary baitcaster reels that do not have a fixed anti-reverse mechanism. Unlike many spinning reels, you can not switch off the anti-reverse on a baitcaster to reel it backwards. You must instead rely on the drag mechanism to let line out when fighting a fish. Of course, you can also free the spool to unwind with the thumb switch as you do when casting.

So you finally caught something you can eat.

Spend a few days with a guide on Lake Leonero. That should improve your confidence. http://www.cubaoutdooradventures.com/lake-leonero-cuba-bass-fishing.html

The choice depends on the type of vegetation and structure where you intend to fish, and on the types of baits you like to throw.

After either fighting a fish or reeling in my braid against a hang-up in vegetation, there is usually some line dig in. I'll pull it out and then make a long cast into open water to unwind the loosest part of the spool, and I'll reel it back in while applying tension with my fingers. That way I now have a nice tight spool which will help reduce the severity of subsequent dig ins.

I bet those were Mann's Jelly Worms. They're still available, still smell like grape jelly, they come in several colors and sizes, and still catch fish. I like the Blackberry, the Watermelon Red, and the Marmalade Motor Oil.

So, everyone here always uses a trailer with a chatterbait, as do I. On the other hand, a spinnerbait is generally fished without a trailer. Clearly a spinnerbait and a chatterbait are similar in many ways. So the original question is a good one. In fact, nobody here has admitted that they have fished one without a trailer. So the question remains whether people use a trailer because it is customary or because it is truly and always better. I think Anantha Patel ought to stay open minded and fish it both ways, every other cast, and let us know which way is more productive.

I cast with my dominant right hand and then switch the rod to my left for the retrieve so I can reel with my dominant right hand. But when I'm flipping I toss with my left so I'm ready to set the hook right away. I've been able to get into a really good pitching rhythm with the left hand pitch. If I were younger I would try to get used to a left handed reel -- just makes sense.

Maybe with the light rod you'd do better with a thin wire bare hook, without the weed guard.

Why not get great jig trailers for free? I've been hoarding my used soft swimbaits, and flipping creatures after the nose is torn up by bass. Anything with rear end action is useful. Just trim the damaged nose with scissors and use it again as a trailer. Same goes for many plastic worms that have swimming action. Just trim the used ones down to size. I have lately been going through a lot of Texas rigged Gambler Burner Worms. I might end up with a handful of torn up worms after a spring outing. The usually undamaged rear third of these make particularly effective jig trailers.

Thanks, Catt. Now we're back on track.

Seems like here in SoFlo it's the tilapia spawn that comes after the LMB spawn. Probably bluegill, too. And then the oscars and Mayan cichlids. And snakeheads. It's all screwy here in south Florida -- mostly because of the invasive species. Now they're sayin' on the news that they've found Nile crocodiles near Miami. Alligators are as docile as bunnies compared to Nile crocodiles. The big crocs can take out horses and cattle. And they love people -- for dinner. They can be 18 feet long and weigh a ton. I've never been scared of the gators or the pythons. But Nile crocs, that's a whole different ballgame. (Sorry moderator: I've strayed. But I'm finished for now.)

Gorgeous fish. It is interesting how the Mayan cichlids and the Peacock bass have such similar color schemes. That their native habitats overlap is, of course, part of the reason. Gotta love the blue stripes.