Senko lover

My friends like to stick little 4" finesse worms on there, and they enjoy some productivity. I prefer Dingers.

I just have a few in different depths. I have multiple squares and cranks because I have a lot of confidence in them.

Nice!

Doing some more jig fishing is big on the priorities for next year. I also want to get into craws a little more....I'm more of a worm guy.

Weedy waters can be a ton of fun. I had the chance to fish a typical MN lake-complete with a super weedy bottom and cattails galore-this last summer. Here are some good ways to fish them: Spinnerbaits: The ultimate weedless lure. These suckers can cut through the thickest weeds. You'll want something heavy to get down there, though. Buzzbaits: The topwater equivalent of spinnerbaits. Jigs: Not 100% weedless, but they get the job done. You can try flipping, pitching, punching, or just plain old casting. Topwaters of any kind on top of any water that doesn't have weeds poking through. This would include frogs, which are totally weedless, and soft plastics like the Rage Toad or a floating worm. Hope that helps.

I've made do with a spinning reel. You can flip with it, and sort of "pitch," but I'm looking forward to doing the real thing with a caster. I do utilize flipping from the bank, particularly with logs and other visible cover.

I find topwaters a lot for the obvious reason that they float. I have more topwaters than any other kind of bait for that reason. I've found some good ones (Lucky Craft Kelly Jordan). I came across a cheap fishing rod and tackle box in the woods by an urban pond, but decided not to take it. I've checked again and somebody does use them. Don't know who would be stupid enough keep their tackle in the woods, but I won't steal 'em.

Hey guys, Just did some trolling around and thought I'd share the good deals I found. They're organized by retailer and then bait companies: Gander Mountain: Strike King Red Eye Shad for 3.96 Strike King 10xd for 9.96 Strike King Caffeine Shad for 2.96 Strike King KVD Ocho, 2.96 Strike King Bitsy Bug: 0.96 Rage Tail Craws for 3.96 (!) Spro Bronzeye Frog for 4.97 (!) Rat-L-Traps for 3.97 Zoom lizard 15 pack, 2.97 Zoom Super Fluke, 1.97 (!) Zoom Trick Worm: 2.97 Booyah Boo Jig: 1.96 Abu Garcia Veritas Casting (all models): 70-90 bucks. Yum Dinger 2.96 Netbait Paca Chunk: 1.96 Rapala Glass Shad Rap: 4.96 Rapala Shad Rap: 3.96 (!) Gary Yamamato Senko: 4.96 There's a lot of generic Gander Mnt. combos on sale as well as some of their rods. Cabelas: My personal favorite deal : Cabela's has the Abu Garcia Veritas is available for $50.00 in casting and spinning with a free hoodie via mail-in rebate. Now that is a deal! I wish I had waited before buying the Vengeance. Oh well. Note: this is only a few models. The Diawa Laguna is Daiwa's 60 dollar baitcaster. They recently came out with a new model, and the old models are on sale for $40.00. Bass Pro: Diawa Lexa 100 for $100.00. (Usually 120) Dick's Sporting Goods: Pinnacle Matrix (caster) for $34.99 Quantum Escalade Rods for $49.99 Skeet Reese Signature Combos (casting and spinning): $80.00 As if we didn't have enough baits already.....I think I might snap up that Spro frog. Hope this helps. NOTE: Some of these prices may be different depending on the color or model you choose.

Maybe a zoologist. I'd guess Triceratops. Doesn't look like a T-Rex.

I actually have heard of a pro who uses Shakesperestuff, but I can't recall his name. He did a "day on the lake" with Bassmaster. Of course, he could have just been using their line or something, not their rods and reels. My personal opinion is that the only thing Shakespere did right was the Ugly Stik. Their other products suck.

Just curious, how does this reel compare to the BPS Pro Qualifier?

Shameless promotion going on here....

Maybe I'll even get the J. Francho color just to appease you......

Let me clarify. I didn't mean to be touchy or insult your opinion. When I said "opinions are free," I was referring to my opinion, not yours. You weren't paying for or expecting anything from my opinion, so I stated it. I'm free to my own opinions, you're free to yours. I'm glad you like wired tied jigs so much. I checked out Siebert Outdoors. They impressed me and will be getting my business sometime in the future.

Thanks for the help guys.

SO many of the pros use the Shimano Cronarch. I know someone who has 32 of them. It's gotta be a beast of a reel if it's so popular.

Opinions are free.

You guys seem to love Rage Craws....might have to pick me up a package.

I like the black and blue better than a green pumpkin on my ponds because they seem to stand out a little more on the bottom. The green pumpkin looks so much like the dirt and leaves on the bottom of the pond that I prefer the black and blue.

Thanks for the advice, guys. I have tried a suspending jerk as well to no success. However, as I posted elsewhere, I was able to catch one when I went out yesterday. My first fish since the cold fronts went through and also my first jig fish! It was fun. I used a small finesse jig (Strike King Bitsy Flip) and was able to draw that one strike.

You can throw either of those on spinning tackle. Okay, so they don't inhale a mile of line every crank of the reel handle, but they get the job done. Funny story. I was visiting my Grandparents up north, and had before that done quite a bit of fishing at a private lake and pond on other stops that vacation. My spinning rod got a massive, massive tangle while I was night fishing, and it was out of commission. I was pretty disappointed, because there was a pond and a stream right by their house. So, I borrowed my little sister's rod (that I got her): a Zebco Dock demon spincast combo. About a foot 1/2 in length, bendy as a switch and could handle-at the max-four pounds. So I take it down to the stream in an attempt to catch my first smallmouth. I tried several different lures and eventually ended up catching 3 on a beetle spin. They were really small, but the true test was yet to come. The next day I took it down to the pond. I caught one bass on a plastic worm (!) and then switched to a square bill. The Dock Demon probably had a gear ratio of 1:1:1. It was that slow. But it cast a mile, and I kept whizzing that squarebill out there. Ended up catching a two pound bass on it (okay, so I well roped him in) and released it. That squarebill must have been crawling! I couldn't believe that I had actually caught one on it. Not suggesting that you get a Zebco Dock Demon, but that story goes to show that maybe gear ratio's aren't as vital as we think.

Not a giant, sad to say.

Today, I did something that I've been trying my hardest to do for two months: catch a jig fish. I fished it and fished it (not exclusively, but often) for that time period without even getting a bite. Imagine my exuberance today when I finally caught a jig bass! Did a little dance move and whooped in the air......May many more follow!

Dude....If I had known that a month ago when I got the Vengeance.

Pardon the sarcasm.