Cgolf

Thanks it's been fun and a good learning experience. Now I just need a pool in the backyard and some underwater cameras;) Rigged the power worm looked about right, but in the water the tail really stretched out. The swim senko was a stunner, that thing pushes a lot of water.

The only thing I might worry about here is that it would get too long? Could use the jr skinny dipper instead and get a bait about the same size. Are you talking like a hitchhiker keeper? Watching the videos and seeing the jig wobble, I would think that a hitchhiker type attachment would deaden the jig action and increase the bait action? Not sure which would be better. Or did I completely miss what you are saying?

Part 2

Part 2 is in process. For part 3 I will need a TW order or a trip to the local bait shop in Sauk City for me.

Doing part 2 sometime this week with some swimbaits I have. I probably have shied away from using them as trailers because I have had very little luck with them in Wisconsin. The swim senko yes, but the go to retrieve was cast let it drop and sit, pop it let it sit, pop it again and reel in if no bite, never had a fish while swimming it. Not knowing much about swim jigs, I fished them like a lipless with a yo yo retrieve and got bit a lot. Never got bit on a straight in retrieve, but really didn't try it much. Personally I just like how they cut through the weeds, curious though if you all use a flatter retrieve than I do?

I have a swim senko and the reaction innovation dippers and zoom swim baits. I forgot I do have some double tail grubs too. I was really disappointed in the havoc grass pig, hope that other baits are better. What is the difference in action between a menace grub and a beaver bait? I am guessing if drops quicker, but has similar tail action? What is the eliminator, didn't see if on TW?

The Paca craw and the sideways rigged yum thing were my best producers this year. I did yo yo retrieve the jigs a lot so that might be some of the reason they worked so well. What trailers would you go with? I could do a second video. It really is a learning experience for me so I am game if you have some ideas.

I did a little searching and it looks like they actually had the patent on a two piece pool cue. The attachment point is stout, the screw used is at least twice the diameter of other two piece cues I have owned. Was also impressed that it is dead straight.

I thought I would share this with everyone. It is a video I did last night where I tested seven different trailers on a swim jig to see how each worked. It was eye opening for me, hope it helps others out too.

Today I found a vintage St Croix pool cue at an estate sale. While not a fishing rod this makes for an awesome collectors item and conversation piece in the man cave:)

When I fish on the lake I take the iPod out and jam to some music while fishing. I find this really keeps me focused and while I am listening to the music, I can never tell you the song that was going when I get I a hit. Getting burned while paying attention can suck worse. Was fishing a baby king shad for bass and when the bait was away from cover I looked up to pick my next spot to cast to and when I looked down and started to lift the bait out of the water I saw a 50+" Musky boat side. Unfortunately plopping the lure back in the water spooked the fish. This was a huge lesson to me to never give up on a cast, you could have a tentative fish following the bait. Haven't repeated that mistake and in fact caught a 45" musky directly under the boat by giving the jig one last wiggle before lifting it out two weeks ago.

Something a little different than what you listed is a Kalins 5" single tail grub. Caught a very solid musky and pike with that yesterday. Other than that similar to you, paca craws and a yum beaver styled bait rigged sideways did well too.

Cool, I will pull some back issues and look. The article I pulled it from was the infish bass guide from I believe this year. Just had a little blurb about trying it.

Will have to wait till next year to try it again or find a lake with less weeds. It hung up more than anything today, but the bass were in hiding so it still may have worked. Thankfully the pike and musky bit so the day wasn't a total loss. I think it has promise, just not in a weed choked lake.

The rod holders are stout, guys use them when trolling for musky, not worried about losing a rig. I guess this is easy for me though since my rig is set up for walleye fishing too with 4 rod holders on the back and 2 on the bow. Probably very few bass boats with rod holders.

Bass fishing two rods is rare, but walleye fishing two of three is normal there. I have vertical jigged with a rod in each hand or had multiple slip bobbers out then! And of course trolling. It is just a matter of different presentations, other then live bait there aren't many techniques for bass fishing where you can set a rod down and just watch the line an rod tip for a bite.

I am pretty sure it will be ok because the bait will be moving and not sitting. Now if I kill the trolling motor I will definately need to reel it in. The only thing I am basing this on is the issues I had with the Ned rig deep hooking a couple of fish when it was left with slack line. I changed my approach to always keep tension on the line while reeling as slow as possible and all have been hooked properly. Will see if I get a badly hooked fish the technique will be a no go for me, just sounded like a good idea worth trying.

Read an idea in a magazine to cast out a senko or senko like lure and close the bail and throw the rod in a rod holder. Then slowly drag the lure behind the boat as you fish a flat with other lures. Anyone try this? I will check back in the morning to see if anyone has any tips, and then do my own report after I give it a go Thursday.

Thanks guys, this goes to show that there is good reason to buy in bulk, because you never know when a good bait could get discontinued.

Googling ribbon tail worm adds to the confusion.I did find that some culprit 4.5" worms I have a very similar profile and tail design, a little beefier tail, bug they have very limited colors. Outlaw baits is the place I was looking at before that has almost the identical looking worm, just not the color. Maybe pink would work, smallies like that too, but chartreuse is just magic with smallies in off colored water.

The memory of it was a touch different then reality, guess just another sign of getting older lol. It does throw me though, because while a curl tail worm, if is a lot different than say the Berkeley or zoom 4" curl tails available now, those have a grub like tail. I think the original brand was rattlesnake which I am guessing was a cheap off brand I picked up at Walmart 15-20 years ago. And as fishing tackle goes, I didn't use them for like 10 years when I couldn't buy anymore. I once saw a steelhead worm that was similar, but the colors were pink and orange.

Couldn't find a picture of the worms you mentioned, but I will do some more searching. I took a picture of one of the handful I have left. It is a cross between a ribbontail an c tail. The zoom 4" C Tail worm has caught zero fish fo me on the river while the worm pictured crushed them. Other colors worked too, but the smallies really liked the chartreuse.

In the past I used to have a bunch of rattlesnake brand (I am pretty sure this is right) 4-4.5” Chartreuse Silver Flake ribbontail worms that worked incredibly well for river smallies. Does anyone know of someone that carries a worm like this? Worst case would be is there a mold out there for this type of worm?

Reef runners have a ridiculous number of color options. I am curious how they would work for bass. Could see a deep little ripper working pretty good fished like a jerkbaits in 6-10 fow. There shad baits have quite a few color option. The little ripper could be a good shallow water bait too.

The bait monkey got me today, but I got such a screaming good deal I think it is a draw lol. I had a spend 25 and get 10 off coupon from Dicks and low and behold they had a buy one get half off sale going on. I picked up 5 chatter baits and my first bag of real senkos for 16$. I think I did all right. Excited to try the chatter baits after having success with the mini chatter frogs.