Dypsis

Thanks for all the replies. Good points all around, especially about only getting a sample size and moving on. Adjustments are going to be key like mentioned, just hope I make the right ones.

I have my first away tournament this weekend. I'll be fishing all day Friday, Saturday and the tournament is Sunday. I've never fished 3 days straight before. Any tips on what all to bring? Advil, drink water, rain gear, spare line, drink water, etc and drink lots of water. I have an extra 3700 deep one compartment plano filled with extra plastics. Thanks!

This made my day.

I have 3 colors - black, white and yellow.

Wow, glad everyone is okay. Makes me think to pay extra attention to my surroundings.

Question on what angle to cast at targets (not to jack the tread OP, but I think it adds to the conversation). If you are fishing from a boat along the shore line and you come to a lay downed tree. Should I cast at it when approaching (maybe at a 45 degree angle) or wait till I am even with it and cast almost when straight in line with it.

I'm surprised he didn't put the rod wrap on in the car before he left! Or maybe he did...

I fish a TON of soft plastics and skin hook all of them pretty much. I fished alone for a long long time and learned most everything from this site and youtube. One thing that helped me improve my hook set was when I finally fished with a long time fisheman he told me my drag wasn't set tight enough so since then my hook up ratio has improved immensely. It could be your drag isn't set tight enough. Just something to think about. Either way good luck.

American Shad is my favorite, but they all seem to work.

Agreed.

Greeting, I'm getting ready to pull the trigger on a GLX 783C. I plan on using it primarily for the following - spinners, chatter and top water (poppers, buzz, walking). The occasional jig as well. I was thinking of putting straight braid on it. Maybe adding a mono leader when trowing topwaters. Do you throw top waters on straight braid - I've heard of problems with this? Thoughts? Also what pound test - 30, 40, 50? As always thanks! Matt

Haha - Yes!

I guess I just need to start throwing and see who's biting!

That's probably a good call. Do you buy seedlings, start your own, or direct sow?

I haven't been a big topwater guy but am looking to improve on that this year (as well as cranks). I've had pretty good success with Buzzbaits and LC wake baits. My question is what water temps do you look for to start throwing topwaters? Matt

I prepped the garden last week - tilled/graded. This past weekend I put drip down and plastic on top. Garden is Approx 60x30'. Yesterday - planted out my onions, lettuce (Buttercrunch & Black Seeded Simpson), broccoli & kohlrabi. Sowed sugar snap peas and carrots. Also, planted out 3 varieties of potatoes. All my warm season crops are looking good and have germinated. Hopefully that first weekend in May I can plant them out as well as my green beans. Good luck with the garden. I have an almost 4 year old and he loves to help. Let me know if you have any questions I'll help you or anyone else out I can. Matt

Love this bait, probably my only other consistent topwater producing bait outside of buzzbaits (although I haven't given many others a fair share). I also have the 2.5 size.

Unfortunately it is 'Limit one per order' - not even worth it...

Ok, good to know. I wasn't sure weather to go to a 2/0. I really want to try the Reins Bubbling Shaker on it. I am a big fan of that worm.

Awesome, thanks for the responses. I will defiantly be getting some of those owner hooks - they look great. A-Jay - the VMC hooks could work wonders, might have to grab a pack of those as well.

I am looking to try and T-Rig some worms this year on a drop shot. Fishing in and around grass mostly. What hooks do you think would work best? Light wire? I was looking at the Roboworm Rebarb Hooks - maybe the 1/0 Lightwire and the 1/0 & 2/0 medium wire. Thoughts? Matt

Got these guys in last week - upgraded all the hooks/split rings. Hope they are worth my first born...

So for example bass were fairly shallow yesterday and relating to wood mostly with deeper water nearby. There were plenty of stumps to cast and drag/hop back to the boat. I caught all of my bass on T-Rig senko, Shakey head Robo and T-Rig/Shakey Fuse 4.4. I don't know why I started with the worms but it worked and after looking back today, I was curious as to why I randomly choose a worm (it worked). But now I am trying to decide under what circumstances should I choose one over the other for future. I was curious how the day would have gone if I had started with a beaver or something - the world will never know. Thanks for all the replies and shared tactics.

Something I am adding this year - picked up a few items and hopefully get a couple nice toads on them! http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/148058-looking-to-add-a-10-12-worm-to-my-arsenal-suggestions/

I thought the exact same thing while looking for one yesterday.