DCales84

Recently purchased two packs of "Shakee Jig Heads" from Barlow's Tackle. These have a larger eyelet to allow the split ring to move freely which is an issue on many other pre-made jig heads. If I remember correctly... the 3/8oz sizes I purchased are loaded with 5/0 hooks. Worth checking out if you're set on picking some up.

Rebel did make an exclusive lure for BASS members that is solid black. The color is listed as spilled ink. I’ve came across them for sale on flea bay a few times. Not easy to find but they do catch em’.

Looks good.... may I ask what mold you’re using?

I'll be heading towards central Va around mid may and will be visiting Briery Creek and Sandy River for the very first time. I'll be fishing from a kayak and looking for info that may help me cut down the learning curve on these waters. I'm a big fan of kayak bass fishing and have watched a ton of shows with Chad Hoover and the KBF gang.... looking to see if I can figure out where the "Pig Pen" is located on Briery Creek. Thanks guys!!!

Its smaller than the Shadow Rap series and is pretty lightweight. I used one last year on a spinning setup with 6lb YoZuri Hybrid and it may have hit 3-4" at most. It did produce fish as well. Good colors and action as with any Rapala brand lure. Seems that most people don't like it as its much smaller than they expect it to be.

For 2017 my go to was a square bill crank bait in a variety of brands and colors. I would say that half of my fish for the season came on the same H20 Xpresss square bill in a Sexy Shad pattern... even lost it at the lake for a week and was able to recover it. Changed hooks and kept on slaying em’. When times get tough I normally lean towards a 7” power worm or a soft stick bait in a variety of colors based on the conditions.

2/0-4/0 EWG or 4/0-5/0 straight shank hook. Hard to rig a Pit Boss wrong as they are very versatile.

Like many others I have a box full of SK square bills and other crankbaits. I find myself going for the H2O Xpress line of crankbaits from Academy Sports more than anything else. They are tough, come with or without rattles, good colors, good stock hooks, and can be had for about $3 several times a year. I know you've been around here for awhile and may have already tried them but figured I'd mention them as they are an excellent option. I have some LC baits as well and they have seen very little action as the H2O lures continue to produce. The overall shape and body structure is very similar between the H2O and LC in regards to their squarebill offerings.

Yo-Zuri Hybrid in tests from 10-20lb on casting rods and 6lb for spinning. Not a fan of fluorocarbon due to costs. I only use braid for a small number applications as well. Yo-Zuri is inexpensive,strong, and very manageable.

Currently using a Lews Mach II 7'3" Heavy. Branded as a swimbait/swimjig rod but it works for both toads and hollow body frogs as well. Lews MB 8.1 ratio reel with 50lb braid. For hooks I use Stanley's double take toad hooks with great success. Nearly a 100% hookup ratio this year. will be trying a single hook setup next time out to compare.

H20 Xpress line of crankbaits from Academy Sports. I've wrecked em' this year on the CRS squarebill. Good paint, hooks, and sound. Can be bought on sale for 2-3$ a piece. I also have a truckload of Strike King squarebill lures which are also great quality but at a higher price.

Looking to possibly pick up the 6'10" model during the holiday sales. It's labeled as a spinner bait rod MH mod fast. Want to possible use it for the listed application plus squarebill and mid to large topwater lures esp walking baits as it's under the 7' mark so it makes things easier working from a kayak. Looking for opinions if anybody happens to have experience.

My personal best three... Strike King 3/8oz Football Jig - Blue Craw w/ Chigger Craw trailer in green pumpkin Strike King 3/8oz Football Jig - Green Pumpkin w/ Chigger Craw trailer in green pumpkin Siebert Outdoors 3/8oz Brush Jig with Owner Hook - Sweet Craw w/ Chigger trailer in green pumpkin

I'm a big fan of the Havoc line of baits.... The Rage Bug is better overall but often at a cost of twice as much.

Berkley Powerbait and GULP are both legit as they have been around for years and proven to catch fish. I add the scent to the bags of plastic and let them soak until its time to use them in most cases. I also only use scent on baits that come from the factory without any at all such as Zoom or Berkley Havoc as I don't want to negate the original scents. I'd say use it and if its not your thing its a learning experience.

For $40 at Walmart you can pick up a Berkley Lightening Rod Shock. I have two and can recommend a 6'6" medium heavy or 7' medium heavy as an all purpose rod. You can also shop other retailers such as Dicks or Gander Mtn and often find $20 off $100 online. The Lews tp1 series are good as well as the new Lews Mach series if you want to keep things brand loyal. Also the spring classic sales are coming soon for Bass Pro if you can wait they may have decent deals on their in house products.

I use them just about anywhere I would use a normal weighted Texas rigged setup. I bought the mold to make them about 2 years ago and have used them very often since. I use weights from 1/4oz and up depending on what baits are being used. If you're a Zman fan you can use a 1/4oz with a finesse worm as you would a shakey head as it will stand straight up. Same with Zman craws and even the TRD if you have a swinging head with a smaller sized hook. For baits such a Rage Tails use a heavier weight to keep them on the bottom and crank them in while bumping the bottom and any other structure along the way, I've done this on hard and soft bottoms with good success. To me its one of the most universal rigs for the way I normally fish.

I have a zinker that's been on my bench for at least 3 months with an o ring on it. No reaction as of yet so it's not a concern. They are tough baits so you could reposition them often if needed without an o ring. I've caught at least a dozen fish with them and aside from breaking off 1 or 2 from fishing in cover they work well.

I own three different Micro Bucco casting rods and they are all very good for the techniques they are designed for. The 7' Trap Caster is a true multi purpose rod and I've used it for spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and jigs without any issues. The 6'6" MH model is good for smaller jigs and plastics. The 6'10" H model I have hasn't seen much use as this year I had limited fishing time but its lightweight and has a good overall action for jigs up to 1/2oz. I don't think I would pay the retail price for the Micro versions as they can bend easy but overall I like all of them and they have taken a lot of abuse over the last 2-3 seasons.

Academy sports just listed most of the Powerbait line on sale at $3 a bag... They ship for free over $25.

Berkley did have a buy 5 get $10 rebate going at some point. If it's still going I would pick up some chigger craws and whatever other power bait lures you use. Check tackle warehouse and Berkley-fishing.com to see if it's still going. I know I used both rebates when DSG had 5 for $15 in store sale awhile back which made for a great buy!

Anything will be better than what they come with as I've had my fair share of pop r's I have had good results with the well priced VMC trebles including the feathered trebles as well. Prior to trying VMC I actually had good results with Eagle Claw Lazer Sharp's from Wal-Mart.

Lews Lfs Speed Spool from the big auction site for $80 and a Berkley Shock rod of your choice from your local WalMart. Will set you back $120 and you can use the other cash for decent line. Abu Garcia's Black Max is a decent reel for $40... its not the same class as the Lews but it gets the job done nicely. I have recently added one that I use when kayaking the local rivers. I tend to prefer putting my money into better reels over rods.

How are you guys rigging them... skirt forward or backwards? With or without weights. I have a pack that has yet to be used as I'm still figuring out the best rigging options.

If your going to buy one buy a shock series rod. They are well worth the $40 at your local Wal-Mart. I have several and fish them more often than my more expensive rods. They are comfortable and if I happen to lose one overboard from my kayak I won't be to torn up about it.