Ozark_Basser

I like to cast them past a piece of cover and slowly reel them through it. They are my go to bait when I can't get a bite on jigs, crankbaits, and other larger profile baits in clear water.

3/8 oz is about all I've ever thrown.

I don't believe that fish can become conditioned to the point they won't bite. You can always figure out a way to get them to bite. Whether you do or don't is up to you. With that being said, fishing pressure definitely does affect how well they bite. As far as intensity vs frequency, I would go with intensity. One 7 hr day once a week to me would keep the fish less accustomed to seeing baits than one hour days seven days a week in a small pond.

Looks like a SK red eye shad in chili craw.

I don't know about Friday, but Saturday's fishing sucked.

I've mixed various colors of soft plastics before and the colors did mix together. None of them were red, white, or chartreuse.

For future reference, buy some base hole pins. Teflon ones are easiest to work with, but the aluminum ones will work if you know how to do it right.

You can buy sleeves to fit over the weedguards so they won't warp as bad when you heat them. Some still may warp slightly.

I've never tried the Gambler bait, but I like the D bomb a lot. I'd look at what I was wanting to use the bait for. I use the d bomb as a jig trailer and it works well. The legs actually kick on the fall unlike most beaver baits. If I was going to do some punching or if I was fishing some thick pads, I'd probably look at the why not.

Haha. Well put.

Research has been done that suggests bass can see color. As far as red goes, it's supposed to be the first color that becomes less visible with the lack of light. Blue is last. If that pertains to bass or not is not known for certain. Here is a good thread discussing how bass see color and red is discussed in the first couple pages.http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/147612-how-bass-see-color/

I like throwing jerkbaits on fluoro. I'd like to try out some reaction fc in 10 lb. Been using sniper in 10 lb.

They make 14 lb red label? I thought it went 12 then 15. Either way, I've used it quite a bit. It's good stuff for the money. I've pulled some decent sized fish out of some gnarly stuff with that line.

I've seen this situation before. A lot of times it hard to fire them back up again, but you can always coax one into biting. There's a real good chance they are somewhere in the vicinity, especially if the shad are still there. My first choice would be a jerkbait just because of its drawing power in clear water. If it was stained up, I'd try a spinnerbait.

How does it get a sun tan under a thick sheet of ice?

I would be more concerned if the rod is suitable for the technique you are trying to employ. I'd say 3/8 oz jigs, t rigs, etc is about as heavy as you want to go as far as bottom contact baits. A medium power rod will usually throw 1/2 oz top waters and other treble hook baits pretty good, but that's probably as heavy as you would want to go there as well. All in all, go by the lure weight rating for your rod, but be advised that not all rods are true to their ratings, and not all techniques are necessarily suitable within the ratings either. Just because my rod has a lure weight rating of 3/8-1oz doesn't mean it is suitable for fishing 3/4 oz football jigs in 30 ft of water.

I'd check out the Honker Frog by Teckel USA. TW has them.

Definitely looks a little froggy. It would be hard to put one down there. Nice fish.

Also sounds like a perfect lake to test out the Hudd Gill.

According to the forage you listed, I'd stay shallow. Swim jigs and paddle tail swimbaits through cover would be good. Jigs in the thickest cover and topwater frogs would probably be good as well.

Haha. My mistake, Catt. I should have said bodies of water.

I usually go with Martens as a pick. I didnt this time. Figures. Glad I picked Scroggins. I expect more out of Faircloth and Ehrler, along with Ish. Good thing about these tough lakes is it can turn around real quick for anyone.

I was considering trying it with spooks and other treble hook topwaters. I usually just throw straight mono with those. I'll probably just stick with regular mono. I dont see any advantages of copolymer for those techniques, especially if it doesn't float.

Does it float?

I guess yozuri put a new twist on copolymer lines. Interesting, but I think I'll stay with braid with a leader.