Ozark_Basser

Just picked one up on TW. Kind of takes out a lot of the need for the vice, but it could still come in handy for tying.

I haven't seemed to notice a difference as far as if the fish mind it. The only reason I would ask is if I plan on selling some. Someone else might mind. The stickiness factor does kind of bother me though. I'll experiment with it.

You know how on the skirts you buy on premade jigs they don't smell so bad like silicone or whatever it is and they don't seem to stick together as bad. They seem a lot drier. How can I accomplish this with the skirts I buy from fishingskirts.com or whoever else. Do I just leave them out on a desk for a while or what?

That seems like a much better approach. I've been tying them in the vice. Starting with the front, I'll get it the way I want it then tie it with some fishing line with an overhand knot then flip it around and do the back then tie with copper wire. It's not too hard but your way seems much more efficient.

Aaaah the skirt expander. Do you find it easier to make multi colored jigs with a collar in the skirt expander then wire tie them in the vice then cut the collar? Edit: Nevermind I didn't see what you wrote above the pic.

Thanks! I can't wait until the rest of my stuff comes in so I can throw in some living rubber with some of the designs I have in mind. Should have started doing this a long time ago

It does. I do believe I'm truly hooked as far as making my own jigs.

First jig fish on my first jig I've ever made. Not a giant but a keeper at 16" none the less. It's a bunch of browns and purples with a hint of black and blue in there. I call it the "Ozark Special" lol.

Yeah I don't think mine's quite that big. I do think it pushes a smidge over nine though solely due to the fact it's a bit bigger than my last pb of 8 lbs. Should have had it weighed, but I took a pic and put it back. Oh well, hope it grows bigger so someone else can catch it.

It really doesn't seem as if was 10 1/2 pounds, but I don't see the calculator being too far off. My last personal best was weighed at a smidge over 8 on a hanging scale with a 19'' girth and 21'' long. The calculator estimated 8.2. So who knows. I'm gonna go with under 10 but I do think it's over 9

The only thing about winter fishing that I find substantially different than fishing any other time of the year is you have to put the bait right in front of their face. There will be some shallow (as long as the water isn't extremely cold) and some deep just like any other time of the year, but in the winter you're probably not gonna get a bass to chase a bait out from cover too often. I've yet to have it happen to me. Just think smaller strike zone and a bit slower and use what always works for you.

I can't vouch for anything but FX2 and Seaguar Smackdown. Never tried Suffix. I started out with fireline then spiderwire and didn't like them much. Fell in love with FX2 and have recently been using Smackown since it's an eight strand round braid. Will never go back to the flat stuff.

Go pick you up some 60-80 lb Sunline FX2 braid, learn to tie a double uni knot, and get some extra hooks for when you bend them getting the A-Rig unhung. I've pulled down good size tree limbs when I've gotten a frog hung up. I have never broken been able to break off with 80 lb and, to my recollection, never with 60 either.

Granted it was fatter than even your average fat fish, when I caught it I thought it to be about a 9. What do you think it weighs?

Thank you. I didn't have a scale. I took measurements and used the fish weight calculator on this site. The calculator estimated 10.37 lbs. How accurate is that thing?

Forget the mount. Just broke my PB today with this 23'' long 20'' girth beast

There's something about December when it comes to catching my PB. 23" long 20" girth and just about 10 1/2 pounds estimated on the Bass Resource fish weight calculator. Caught on a Pepper Custom Baits Fred Roumbanis Boom Boom Swim Jig in white with a white blade. She wasn't caught where I took the picture. I caught her across the lake over by the bridge on the left side of the picure in a thick patch of water willow. It was the only spot adjacent to some deeper water that you could reach from the bank. I wouldn't have learned about how bass relate to shallow cover adjacent to deeper water in winter if it weren't for this site. Thanks everyone. The fish seems a bit smaller, but take into account I am 6'3 235 lbs with large hands.

Jerkbait, reapers, hair jigs

If you fish the Arkansas portion of T-rock on Long Creek (although small it would be good that time of year), you can use the A rigs with five hooks. I'd start at the points entering creeks from the main lake and work my way back with the A rig until I found some good spawning areas. When you find a good spawning area, fish the buck brush around it thoroughly. You wouldn't think there would be as many fish up in the buck brush lining the bank, but that's where you're probably going to get most of your bites. Bed fishing will be hard because they can spawn really deep on Table Rock, but you can find some that are visible. Wiggle Warts, jerkbaits, shakeyheads, spinnerbaits, and jigs are all you need. I'd stick to the Warts, jerks, and spinnerbaits if the water isn't crystal clear where you're fishing or any time the wind is blowing no matter how clear the water is. I'd throw shakeyheads and jigs (especially finesse jigs) if you find slick, clear water. Go to Walmart when you're down there and buy one of their topo maps of the area you're fishing. Their should be two different maps, one of the east side and one of the west. Those maps will help a lot during spring because they show what kind of bottom you're fishing. Wherever you see bank transitions from rock to clay or especially gravel on that map near a spawning area, make a mental note. These are perfect staging areas for prespawn fish. I always make a plan with the map before I go out on either Bull Shoals or Table Rock. They're both big lakes where you will do better running around a lot with a mapped out plan unless you have some good electronics and find a really good spot with a lot of fish. This also helps so you don't get lost . Everywhere looks the same on those lakes.

I would use those electronics you got and find what I was looking for.

Also on the tnt jigs you can chip the paint to save your life if that matters to you, but I would just say make your own.

The only time I really fan cast an area from shore is around points. Fan casting makes fishing a bit too robotic for me anywhere else. The rest is just target casting pretty much.

Yeah I didn't realize how hard they were to put on until I just did my first one with my hands. Much harder than taking them on and off cranks and hooks. Good thing I have some split ring pliers coming in the mail.

I bought a whole bunch of owner hyper wire split rings. Size 2's