RHuff

I think this thread proves there are a lot of good baits out there that gets the job done and it’s really about what you have the most confidence in.

It is man and they are CHEAP I order directly from Rapala. Dick’s carries them too for like $ 2.99 each.. I’ve had bass hit them so hard that they knocked the skirt down on them.

Give the BioSpawn Vile Craw a serious look. These are great baits that are so versatile in how you can use them.

I would go to bass pro shops at North Myrtle and ask them if they recommend any local places to fish

Diddo to this jig. Best jig I have ever used and quickly became my favorite. The green pumpkin orange with a black trailer has been money for me.

I am from WV and fish our small mountain lakes. I run a 2007 Triton Aluminum 17ft with a 50 HP Mercury 2-stroke which fits me perfect up here as most of our lakes are 2000 acres or less. I'd love to bring it down to FL and stay with family and fish Kissimmee Lake or any of the other chain of lakes to go after some Florida strain bass. We can catch numbers up here its just that our bass don't grow year round like they do there so a 3lb bass is really a big bass here. I wanna come down there and give it at a go at some true big bass. Is my boat sufficient to fish out of on a lake like Kissimmee? Looking for honest answers here. I know a 20,000+ acre lake would swallow a small 2000 acre lake like what we have up here.

At the end of my reply I said the switch has paid off for me and that it would likely pay off for you too.

I am right handed as well. I cast with my right and immediately hand the rod to my left hand to start cranking the reel with my right hand. This winter during the big bass Pro spring sale I purchased a Carbonlite 2.0 7.6 Heavy Rod with Extra Fast Action for flipping. I paired it with a left handed Okuma 7:3:1. reel. I practiced all winter and spring flipping with my right hand and cranking the reel with my left, but only for flipping. I still cast and fish the same way except when I flip I do it backwards so that the rod is in my right hand the entire time. On two occasions since April 1st, I have landed nice bass flipping jigs into heavy weeds. They smacked it as soon as it hit the water. If I had of switched the rod into my other hand I would have lost both of those fish. For me, it has paid off. I think it would pay off for you too.

Bought a new starting battery from O'Reillys in the spring of 2016. Thing was a good battery but dummy me let it go dry and fried it so I'm looking at replacing it asap. I have a 2007 Mercury 2-Stroke 50hp, 46lb Motorguide Trolling motor and a Garmin Echomap 73sv that I run. When I tournament fish I will use the livewell pumps but I do not when I fish recreation. I will also occasionally hit the bilge pump if it rains or anything else. I want to upgrade to a little better battery with a little more power. I'm eye balling the Interstate 24M-HXD Marine Starting Battery - 800 cold cranking amps and 1000 marine amps. It's rated at 135 hrs at 25 amps for reserve. My local auto shop can order it for me and have it in two days. Anyone else use this battery? Anyone with a little more knowledge care to give their opinion on if the 800/1000 is enough juice to run my setup? I know optima or AGM batteries are the cream of the crop but I can't drop $250+ on a new battery right now. This interstate retails for $122.00.

Lightening hit a tree about 100 yards from our summer camp and came up through the ground and hit my father in law that was standing 10 feet away from me. It took him down and stunned him for a few minutes. We took him to the ER and he checked out okay, thank goodness but it was one of the scariest things I’ve ever witnessed. When he asked the Dr how he looked the Dr said “Your here, aren’t you”? “With a lightening strike there is usually no in between, either your here or your not.” You don’t play around with lightening. It can fry your ass.

BioSpawn Vile Craw for me

I am going into it expecting the unexpected. I know from researching enough on here that things usually don't pan out the way you hope they do doing into tournament day. I appreciate all of the advice that is given on here. Thanks guys. I may not catch a single fish but it won't be because I didn't try lol.

Thats what I’m trying to figure out. I feel like a plan is better than no plan.

This is sorta my fear. Also, i’m not sure if they are the biggest bass in the lake but i am pretty confident they are solid enough to give me a chance to win.

I have my first club tournament coming up on Sunday on my home lake. I have fished this lake for several years and I feel like I know it pretty well. I have done a lot of research or (homework) over the last few weeks to prepare. I know where fish are. I know what they can be caught on. I feel pretty confident that I can catch a limit and have the chance to fish for some larger fish around noon for the rest of the day before weigh in. I am trying to plan out some potential patterns to set my game plan for tournament day and I just wanted your guys opinion on something. Do you think it's better to progress as the conditions change throughout the day and try to match the patterns with the conditions or should you go with the seasonal pattern and stick to it throughout the day. For example, should I start with an early morning pattern, then go morning, then high noon/afternoon pattern (supposed to be hot and clear with slight clouds)? I'm thinking of keying in 4 or 5 areas that I know are holding fish and going with early morning, morning, afternoon patterns based on water temp and visibility. Could the more experienced guys maybe chime in on how they might tackle this? I don't want to over complicate things but at the same time I wanna make sure I am prepared.

It’s hard to argue against the jig. It’s a proven bait that has passed the test of time of catching big fish.

I have better success in clear water and/or sunny conditions with a topwater in a translucent color. My go to is the Boyd Duckett BDT Topwater in size 90 in Aurora Ghost color

No worries. I switched to my heavy rod with 50lb braid and a 14lb flouro leader and was 2 for 2 on strikes yesterday with it. Both were solid hook sets. I guess my Med/Heavy rod just wasn't quite quick enough.

Not when pitching the jig into thick vegetation...

I was throwing 12lb flouro yesterday. They have been finicky as heck up until now so I wanted to use something that they wouldn't see. I have 50lb sufix braid on my flipping rod with the 12lb flouro leader. Should I go to that next time out and see if that helps with my hook up ratio?

I think next time out I am gonna use my heavy rod and see if that makes a difference.

Monantaro whatever you did it must have worked. Lord how mercy my home lake has come alive. Caught 9 nice ones yesterday on jigs. They are tight on the bank holding to cover.

A brown jig with black trailer has been killing it for me this week. The bass have finally come up shallow on my home lake and I found a stretch of 100 yards that bass have been loaded up in. I have had trouble with hook ups though. I have lost probably 2 out of every 5 strikes because of a poor hook set. I switched rods though to a medium heavy, fast action, with a fast reel and that has helped me land more fish.

Lucky dog lol

Fishing in WV is so screwed up right now......