FryDog62

5 inch Caffeine Shad on a weightless or 3/32 oz 4/0 Owner Twistlock Light. Out-fishes any fluke style lure I’ve ever used 3:1. But has to be that hook.

In Minnesota it seems that the winters in the past 7-10 seasons has gotten about a month longer... either earlier in the Fall or later in the Spring (or both). It did again this year with December-like conditions in October (highs in the 30's, low's in the teens/20's and 8 inches of snow recently). Hard part is that if you're shut down now - its 7 months until the open water bass season starts again! We have a closed spring season due to protecting the sacred walleye and its illegal to fish for bass too until May. Its hard when you're passionate about an activity you can do for less than half the year... and ice fishing, or shivering in your boat on the Mississippi in below freezing temps in the winter just doesn't do it for me...

It was on Pokegama near Grand Rapids, MN... I also remember when Aaron Martens set the record 5 years or so ago at like 88 pounds... also on Pokegama, mostly drop-shotting. Lots of small-medium sized fish is where plastics/finesse can really shine at least for numbers in this part of the world.

Went on an expensive all inclusive group trip to Canada about 15 years ago. One of the guys had never really fished but decided to come along. For weeks before the trip, he sat up reading articles, scanning the internet for tackle ideas. Ended up bringing one tackle tray - it was the 32 assorted Banjo Minnow kit he saw on an Informercial. He ended up catching about as many fish as the rest of us...

Any particular site you’ve found the best deals on Tatsu? The lowest prices I’ve seen yet have been on Amazon for 1000 yard spools: •8 lb $130 •12 lb $158 •15 lb $162 •20 lb $182

I skip weightless plastics a lot and due to wrist surgeries had to give up spinning outfits altogether. So I had to convert to all baitcasters, even for finesse... but still wanted to skip without backlash, get maximum distance, and ultimate sensitivity to detect the lightest bites. It’s the one over the top rod/reel combo I have - NRX 852c and a Steez SV TW. No regrets...

This...

I assume its a mold that Strike King and GrandeBass have a patent on and not available to purchase?

The only other lure not mentioned so far that is popular here in the North even down in the low 40's are vibrating blade baits like a Cicada, Heddon Sonar, Silver Buddy, Thinfisher. If I can get out again before we ice up here (8 inches of snow already this week in MN!) I plan to try the new Rapala V Blade. That cold of water, its more subtle/short lifts instead of true rips, Medium or ML rod and fluorocarbon for sink and stretch, braid can be result in movement that is too abrupt this time of year.

I have done this on occasion when fighting a bigger fish near the boat. Usually because my drag is too tight or loose and I need to release the spool to adjust the drag. Its usually a pretty quick thing but acknowledging some points above, we are in pike/muskie territory here and leaving the spool disengaged very long could lead to a thumb burn and/or the fish can take off and wrap around a tree/weeds/dock, etc. Same thing could happen on a ML bait caster, 8 lb line, a big smallie and your drag is too tight. Its a quick adjustment method but not a long-term fix for me.

Thanks... I do wonder how Strike King or GrandeBass get the air bubble in there... if its part of the molding process or do they inject like you suggest?

Are there molds available for plastic lures that have the air bubble in the tail - i.e. Caffeine Shad, Grandebass Airtail Rattler..?

My experience it is overall much stronger when you get some meat in addition to the O-ring. O-rings are very thin and when fighting a fish the ring will stretch and cut through the soft/salty Senkos. You get more surface area when you run the hook through both the plastic and the O-ring IMO. The O-ring then reinforces the strength of the plastic vs. working alone. The other thing I use many times instead of an O-ring are the “Wacky Worm Sleeves” that Cadman Jigs sells (aka shrink tubing). It’s 3/8 in. wide and when you stick the hook through that plus the plastic worm, you get a lot of surface area and it holds even better than a thin O-ring. http://cadmansjigs.weebly.com/wacky-worm-sleeves.html And best of all, no tool needed to put the sleeve on.

Be sure to put the hook through both the O ring and the worm.

I use the Tatula 7’1” Heavy Fast for jigs 3/8-1/2 jigs works very well and priced even better. On par with a lot of $200 rods IMO.

I’d switch between 3 lures and see what works: •White Spinnerbait •1/2 oz chatterbait color of your choice •Glacier colored 5 inch Caffeine Shad on a 3/32 oz 4/0 Owner Twistlock Light - twitch/twitch and sink for 5 seconds, repeat as needed.

With a MH you’re best throwing a Flash Mob or similar... Traditional A-Rigs can be quite heavy..

Very rarely have I had a Palomar break, but I think there is occasionally a twist that I can't see when cinching down. I did switch to the double shindo knot this year and now prefer it. Double line wraps all throughout seems to make sense and so far 100% holds. I use it for fluoro, co-poly... especially nice when tying large treble hook lures you don't get fouled up when you run the lure back through the loop like when tying a Palomar!

I try to spray on all FC lines the night before, but always when re-spooling or on reels I use for skipping.

Pool 2 in February will yield some of the biggest walleye that the mighty Miss can offer. But yeah, you have to pick the right day and still might have to break through ice at the ramp to get the boat out. I have contemplated a trip south out of Minnesota in the winter for a couple years now. Health problems with family members have kept me from going but its still a goal. I think if you can time some decent weather, bluebasser is right and Kansas would be a good 1 day drive option. Otherwise further south to Oklahoma, Texas would be warmer but a much farther distance to drive. After fishing rivers up North for smallmouth for years, I think Pickwick would be a blast.

We may be renting a place this winter/spring sometime in CO. Half way thinking of driving my boat along with me if by the time we leave it’s not too snow packed on the roads. Spring might be better. When is ice-off and good fishing in the spring - March, April??

If it were me, I’d save the hassle and just have a custom rod made with the right handle and guides... it might cost a little more but you get what you want without jerry-rigging it and/or getting something not quite right.

Most universal, versatile to me is a 5 inch Senko on the 4/0 weighted hook below. Swim it, twitch it, skip, jerk, dead stick. Works most anywhere and pretty weedless too. https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Owner_Weighted_Twistlock_Light_3pk/descpage-OWTL.html

Everything goes with black ?

For me it was a couple with XF tips when loaded with lures below the max rating but above the mid-point.