Ozark_Basser

They are really nice to deal with. I just wish they would show which products were on backorder online. At least they called you. Next time I order I will call them first.

I usually just blurt out a curse word. Sometimes I'll just pretend it didn't happen and just go right back to casting, then mumble out a curse word a few casts later.

I skip, pitch skip, and backhand skip with a baitcaster. If you have a bait that skips well, its all about your rod tip and your release point. I skip with a 7MH TFO Signature Series. This rod has a super soft tip, almost feels like a crankbait rod. The lighter the weight of the better, but with a baitcaster, you're probably gonna want to not go lower than 1/4 oz. I pretty much just skip arky head jigs and paddle tails. The trailer does matter on your jig. Chunk trailers with long flappy claws don't skip as well as twin tail trailers or beavers. I usually have a 1/2 oz arky jig with a beaver trailer tied on. I wouldn't try to learn with 1/2 oz though. 1/4-3/8 are good starting points. The head design matters as well. Arkies skip the best. Footballs skip all right. Swim jig heads and brush heads take some practice. Paddletails skip really well, but it tends to wear them out a lot quicker. The screw that goes in there nose tears out while skipping. I always use a 3/16 oz keel weighted hook for paddle tails. As far as the technique, its just a roll cast with a lower delivery, it's all in the wrist. I keep my settings loose. On a Curado I, I have the mechanical break almost turned off, two brakes in use, and set to 3-4 or the dial. I use the same setting for casting. Big flat braided line would help you skip better than 8 lb fluoro. I skip with round braid like smackdown or fx2 and a fluoro leader. Once you get your release point down, it's no big deal. I skip even when I don't need to sometimes just because it's a softer presentation. I almost always skip to laydowns just because it looks more natural and when you skip to a laydown, it gets you as close as possible to the cover.

Only one way to find out....

Braid/fluoro helps. Also, a longer rod really helps, but at the end of a long cast, its harder to stick them regardless. I'm 6'3 and and it takes all I have to stick one at the end of a long cast at about 40 yards with a 1/2 oz jig and a 7H rod, and I'll still miss them if they catch me off guard.

Is he on gear? I'm assuming you are joking, but Ronnie is an IFBB pro, so yes, very much so. He's pretty much a walking juice box. That doesn't mean anybody could get as big as him though. He's still a genetic freak.

Dont get too hung up on gear ratios. Although for deep diving cranks, the lower gear ratios are better in my opinion.

I have a 14' Saranac. I love the seats in it more than anything. Sits pretty low compared to the discovery 169 I have.

The only bait that does well for me around moss is a hollow body frog. That moss should be gone by summer though.

Get a topo map and do some reading on seasonal patterns.

Also learn to fish a dropshot.

Get good at casting. Accuracy is of course important, but get good at your backhand and skipping. It really helps you get to places other bank anglers don't.

Ive always used heavy braid with a 20 # mono leader. I think I remember Butch Brown saying somewhere he uses 15 lb invizx for 8" hudds.

Yes from the bank. No for brackish water.

Newest edition to the build. The LED light i work under makes the colors look different, but it's black Fuji poly no cp with fishhawk gun metal no cp as the highlight thread. It matches up really well with the rest of the build. I'm pretty happy with it.

Clear, calm water. It's more of a last resort or clean up bait for me though.

If the bass can fit under it, they will use it as cover. I wouldn't worry too much about scaring the bass. Bass are a lot harder to spook in heavy cover. It gives them security. I would use the lightest weight I could get away with though. I've punched mats five feet away from me on the bank and have caught fish. A lot of people don't do it, and sometimes it really pays off.

It does, but in stained water, bass tend to relate closer to the bottom and/or cover than they do in clearer water. A short leader would probably serve you better, but in my opinion, there are better options.

Here's one I got tonight on a bronzeye frog in killer gill. Moss was everywhere, so the frog was pretty much the only choice. Water temp was 55 degrees and falling when I checked it. First top water fish of the year.

I've caught smallmouth in the heads of shoals a lot. They will face upstream and pick off whatever passes by.

Clear water. Jerkbaits have an advantage over most lures in clear water due to their drawing power. High skies, clear water, and a flashy jerkbait is ideal to me, especially for smallmouth.

Spinnerbait

Nice fish! How do you fish that rat at night? Just a steady retrieve? I'm thinking about picking one up.

I feel a craw colored jig is just fine for all water clarities except for muddy. I like black and blue in muddy water, but that color would still work. Catt will probably chime in with some good recommendations for Toledo Bend.

Dude! That thing looks so sweet. I must have this. Thank you for this.