Fishin Dad

Thanks Papajoe (BTW, I smile every time I see your name, that is what I called my grandfather who taught me to fish). That is a good idea, I have seen that people also put rattles in the hollow body. Thanks RDB. I had read that the claws on the chunk get hung up. I may have to give both a try and see how annoyed I get with it, but have enough craws as back ups.

I have used a paca chunk in the past and liked the action and they got bit. I just got away from them. I am going to order some, but don’t know what size. I want to use them on a swim jig. I know the flappers can get hooked on the jig, but I don’t know how often that happens. I am wondering if the regular or the Sr. Model is better on a swim jig? I am also going to order some of the Paca Craws to Texas rig. What do you all think of the Paca family of baits?

Wow, there must be a definite difference then. It will be interesting to see how it works for me. I am hope it works with baits where they need to hold on a little bit like T-rigs, drop shot, and wacky rigging.

Yeah, our Fleet Farm had them for $1.72-$1.92 per pack. I was there again today and they had some flat nose minnows for $1.72 again. I didn’t buy more. I need to see how they work. Not sure why they were doing that. I could have bought 100’s of bags when they first went on sale.

I sure hope the Maxscent works well. I bought 35 bags of it, but I only paid under $2 per bag. I am going to give it a test this summer and see if I did OK. I have heard it works better for smallmouth, but hopefully the green bass like it too.

Tungsten, while being of smaller size in the heavier weights also will not blow open a basses mouth as much and will allow better hook ups. At least that is the theory many subscribe to. I also like the smaller size to come through cover a little better.

Dang it Junger, I am jealous!! Hope you love it. Will probably be my next boat.

That’s awesome! It is a great boat and you are more than capable of handling those waters. Hope you got on some small jaws as well!

Yikes!! My tournament partner has the same boat. We have been in some waves on Mille Lacs, but nothing like that. Must be the great lakes with those waves. I really like the boat. It might be my next purchase. Glad to see it can handle some of the crazy stuff. Did you know it was going to be like that when you went out, or was this unexpected?

I think everyone with their first boat has fears and growing pains. The best way to learn is try to find someone with more experience, get some good advice, then dive in head first. Take it safe the first couple times out, then continue to get more adventurous. I agree with the other thoughts. Honor your brother by going out and enjoying your memory of him. The experience is what counts!! Fish or no fish.

That combo will work just fine. There has been a lot of good advice given so far. When you spool up a baitcaster, make sure the line is coming off the spool off the top as was mentioned, but also, make sure you spool it on your reel with TENSION. The line has to be tight or it will backlash. Pline 100% fluoro is an awesome line. It should continue to work well for you. Make sure you watch a video on how to set up that particular reel and you should be good to go.

I picked up a couple of the Revo Premier Gen 4 for $99. I bought two at the price and tried them out last year. I thought they were awesome. They cast great, were easy to dial in. I was casting 1/16 ounce weighted hook flukes. I also casted 1/2 spinnerbaits with the other one. These are the only Abu reels I own and I bought them because of the great deal. I like them. I might not like them $300, but at $199 or below, I think they are a decent reel.

Interesting. I throw a chatter bait all the time and often have 2 tied on my deck. They have produced more and bigger fish for me than most anything else (maybe behind a Senko for numbers). This year, however, I am going to try to throw a swim jig before and/or after a chatter bait on the same run and see what happens. I also throw a spinnerbait at times with success. The chatter bait has just been so good to me, I have a hard time getting away from it.

Out of those choices, it would be the Daiwa Tatula Elite for sure!!

Yep. The Revenge flippin wackers would be a wacky jig then. My bad. I always just called it a wacky rig since I hooked it in the middle of the worm. Something about that weighted fall makes the worms action and can cover more and deeper water. I have to call it wacky jig now. That's a good distinction. Thanks

I really like to have the weighted head and a stout hook and weed guard. While I admit power wacky rigging is a little out of the norm, it works awesome in moderate cover and trees. You do lose a lot of hooks to snags, but you can wrench them out of the cover when you need to. I do wacky rig a lot more finesse like, but there are times where it really works in cover as well.

The hook is OK. Not like the Flippin wackers though. The weed guard is weak comparatively as well.

Darn it. I have a decent supply, but I will have to look for a replacement now as well. I do have some fusion 19 weighted wacky hooks to try. I have tried the Bieber weighted wacky and they are a little weak in both hook and weed guard. I don’t even always need the weed guard, but I just had so much confidence in that hook. Thanks for the heads up.

Oh no! I have been using these for a few years now and love them. Is Revenge going out of business?

Losslakelunkers has it correct. Fish the deep holes. Drill many holes in the 18 foot area. Walk around and check those holes with your flasher. I don't even drop a line until I see fish on the flasher. The fish will be roaming in the deep basin. If you can find weedlines anywhere in the lake (preferably close to tight contour lines, steeper drops) you will find fish as well. If the weeds are nasty and dead, not good. This late in the year, it is tough to find any good weeds, but I am not sure how your area sets up for that. Don't hesitate to buy a tip up or even better, an ifish pro or finicky fooler and some live bait and set that on a break line or shallow flat for some pike. Good Luck Good luck

I also live in Southern Minnesota and without good sidescan, this ^^^^ is the best idea. You can see a lot right after ice out. Even when using sidescan in the Spring, I am always looking in the water to get a good visual. Look for high spots, bottom transitions (from mud to sand, gravel to rock, etc). Also, look for anything on the bottom they can use for cover. Actually, with a lake that is featureless, the person who finds the subtle features usually catches fish as that is the most logical place they have to be. I hear you trying to figure out the bowls we often have to fish down here. Everything you read online basically talks about river channels, ledges, points, brush piles, rock piles, etc. It frustrates when none of that exists. Good luck in your search.

I do still use them and they work at times. They have a different vibration and vary a lot in how they ride in the water column. Some will ride very high and some will track lower. Kind of a crap shoot. Hooks are kind of cheap too, but I have caught a ton of fish on them. I really like the project z. They have a faster more subtle thump to them. I just try different chatters until the fish tell me they like that vibration that day. Usually my partner and I will tie on different ones to eliminate them faster.

I bought a bunch of them for a little over $7. You can find deals if you look around and are not in a hurry. I haven’t had a chance to use them yet, but ALWAYS have a chatter bait ties on and love them. I have been happy with many different chatterbaits I have used. They have all worked. Some better than others, but on a different day, another works better.

I agree. That site has a ton of info. Very helpful people as well. They put up with me as a rookie idiot and are very understanding. I am impressed here as well. Bass resource is an addiction. So much info. I have been impressed with the rod building info here considering it is not a rod building site per se. Thanks again JJ!

Thanks JJ. I did post there as well. I was hoping I could get info from both. I need all the help I can get. A lot guys I trust here as well. I appreciate the reply.