the reel ess

I don't use anything more than what's already on the plastic. Seems the anise scent works great. Sometimes I'll take a lure that's dry and dip it in a bag full of new baits. I have used Powerbait mullet minnows for flounder. They think they're real enough to bite and keep biting them.

Whenever they aren't biting, try something different. Different color, varied retrieve, new lure, new technique. If you succeed it'll give you confidence in that technique. If you don't, you'll learn something. Most people on this site think they know a good bit about bass fishing. And most do. But almost everybody has a technique they refuse to use or don't have faith in that others are successful at. Most have a lot of baits in the box that have never caught a fish because they've not been used. So keep an open mind. My weakest areas are finesse plastics and jigs. I just haven't used them enough to feel good about them.

My friend uses crappie size crankbaits in bubble gum color when he thinks fish are too pressured or turned off. He reels them down and lets them float back up. It gets a bite every now and then. But not at a much greater percentage than I get with the usual offerings. And often they won't hit his at all. I'd say go back to basics. Dig up some old standbys like Rooster Tails and Beetle Spins. Down size and use what others aren't or won't. Or...use live bait. Night crawlers have caught a many o' good bass.

SHHHH!!! Don't tell too many people. The fewer that use them, the fewer fish have seen them and the better they'll work. I think that's a lot of their appeal to fish. They haven't seen stick worms much. Fish think they're alive and won't spit them out even when they feel you pulling. And they're generally quality fish.

Hootie, I caught 5 decent size fish on a wacky rigged Senko-type worm this morning. I wouldn't have caught but 1 otherwise.

How do you do it? Stringer, cooler, other? I've tried stringer-slowed me down. Too much drag. I've tried a floating basket. Again too much drag. Have to pick it up to get anywhere. I've tried a Playmate cooler with ice. Works great. But fish are really noisy for a minute when you throw them onto ice. In a kayak, I'm sure it turns some fish off. Another drawback is it takes the space I like to keep my milk crate with rods holders in. I like to keep some fish to enhance the experience, but I haven't found a good method yet. Ideas?

My boat sits. Even when I use it, it's to go to a place I can't run a motor. I have to crank the motor every so often to be sure it'll run. I'm trying to decide whether to take it tomorrow morning or the yak. I think probably the yak.

I'll meet you there if you like. That way if I get run off I'll have a partner in crime.

+1 this. The Pfleuger Trion reel is the ticket for the $40 price tag. I think it's basically the next reel up in their lineup, but without the lightweight components. I love mine. That's about the cheapest spinning reel I want. But I would suggest a Berkley Lightning rod 6'6"-7'. I have three. Med Hvy is going to be the most versatile for bass. If you might be crappie fishing also, I'd go with medium. $80 total and you'll get years of use out of the combo. If you like it, get another combo later in the power you didn't get this time. Those two will cover all your bass spinning needs.

I have through the years caught fish from a local lake with all kinds of growths, cycts, sores, etc. I just stopped keeping any. It's part of the game now.

Mine: Trick worm Rapala #9 Floating Minnow Wacky Senko-type worm Frog PopR Honorable mentions: Bomber A, Roadrunner, Craw cranks, Fluke

That's a pretty place. Try larger lures to see if you can cull the smaller ones. The problem with a hole that size is they're usually overstocked with bass under a pound. But they're hungry and dumb because they outnumber the bait. If it's alright with the owner, someone should take as many as they can for a while to thin the herd. Small bass from clean water are good eating.

...Camden? Have you ever fished Lake Shamokin? The pond that looks so dang "bassy" on Hwy 521 north of Camden at the Shrine Club. The lady running the bait & tackle shop (and produce stand) just over that little causeway told me you can put a kayak or jon boat in at the road, but not the shrine club-that's private land. I was curious if anyone had. I'm dying to try it. There are no signs there forbidding fishing or any kind of posted signs.

1. I almost always catch SOMETHING. Last time I got skunked was winter (this year). And I messed a big'un on a spinnerbait with Colorado blades. My wife bought me a fishing journal for Christmas and I finally started using it. I'm surprised how much it helps to write it all down and relive it in your mind. 2. Almost entirely private. But the best one has several people that fish it for bream, bass and crappie. A few of us share knowledge of what's going on at any given time. I got tired of fishing places where people with $50-60K boats managed to always get to my favorite spot before me even if I slept in the boat. So I decided I'd simplify and got the kayak. It was a really good move. If I hadn't I might have stopped bass fishing altogether. 3. At the larger places, all by kayak, back of my buddy's boat or occasionally my own boat. 4. The local reservoir (one of the backup water sources).

He meant wacky rigging with an EWG hook.

What size octopus hook?

Senko Lover, Please see my questions on pg 2. Thanks.

Bandit Flat Max

Senko Lover, here are some advanced "wacky" questions. Do you use an O ring for the hook? If not, do you hook it in-line with the worm or across the body? What hook do you like? How hard do you set the hook? I'm seeing a hard hookset is not my friend with a smaller hook. If I wait till I see the line moving away on a slack line, I'm hooking too many near the throat. Sometimes I have to get the hook out through the gills. How can I minimize this? I'm practically using a circle hook as it is. I've been using a 1/0 Gamakatsu Finesse hook. But I'm finding I miss maybe 40% of the fish that hit. I'm suspecting too much of the hook is in the plastic, so I bought some O rings yesterday. They thought that was funny at the local hardware store. I bought all they had.

My first cast with a purple Senko was on a big lake and it caught a bass. It was on a stump that's just below the surface that tends to hold a bass or two at certain times. So, yes, if there is a specific target in mind, a Senko is a good bait to toss there. I really thought I was onto a pattern but I didn't get another bite the rest of that fine Feb day with any bait.

That way if you're with him and he starts catching them, you can bum one. ;-)

It's probably very clear where you're fishing. Get a kayak and quietly approach from the other side. I use one and sometimes fish will bite right next to it. Fish early and late so the light level is low. Use quiet lures and light line or florocarbon. Try live bait under a float. Cast waaaay beyond them and bring the bait into their zone easily. Try a Senko and let it sit a long time after sinking, then just barely twitch it. Fish have a short memory. Wear camo, but I'm sure you considered that. That's all I got.

Trick Sticks seem to be more durable. Yum Dingers are tough too.

If they're swiping at a lure you can see on the retrieve, especially if it's a buzzbait or popper, throw a weightless Senko back to the same spot and let it sink. Twitch-twitch. Sometimes, they'll take that. Sometimes, they don't want to bite it, but want it to leave. Or throw a smaller version of the same lure.