the reel ess

The first thing is sharp hooks and a good hookset. If you're not using premium hooks like Gamakatso, at least sharpen them. Not that I change out all my trebles. I don't, but it can definitely help. Case in point: The Whopper Plopper. It has the best trebles in the business and I don't remember losing a single fish on it once they're hooked. And have your drag set right. If the fish goes right, leverage low left with the rod. If it goes left, leverage low right. Watch Bill Dance. But eventually you have to hold the tip up to land it. And things happen.

When I was a teen I used to walk through the woods and sneak into a pond only the owner knew existed. It was so small, round and clear it was very difficult to sneak up on the fish. I could easily see 5 pounders in there. I only ever got one bite there and didn't land it. If I could get in there now I'd take some nightcrawlers, cast one in and sit motionless until they forgot I was there.

I like a MH-F technique specific Falcon Bucoo. The MH tip is nice for pitching and placing baits accurately. I have a H-XF frog rod. It's decent for flipping, but pitching, not so much.

That was a joke, but it's hard to convey humor in words sometimes. But you've seen his bloopers where he greatly exaggerates his clumsiness. To be fair, in his very early days, he was fishing from an older Bomber style bass boat with a hand controlled trolling motor.

He recommends that because he's old and quite clumsy, apparently. LOL When I fish from a boat I try to stand. But after a few hours I usually take some rests. But I usually fish from a kayak and sit the entire time.

I could see a couple males on beds in a different area and I even caught one. But this was not in a usual spawning flat. It was in an area with overhanging trees and laydowns right next to deep water, a natural staging location for prespawn females. The one I landed was not spawned out yet. I also got a bite form one that ate the tail. After I got the bait to the surface, that fish bit again at the surface. It missed again. Naturally, it was bigger than the one I landed. ?

I caught a nice 4.5 lb on the jig yesterday. But I missed another bigger one and the fish kept biting the tails off the trailer. It was a Trashmaster jig with a Rage Bug trailer. The fish were swimming around with the bait and when I'd set the hook it would come back with no "claws". I went through 4 this way. My thought was that maybe they were just moving it. But there were no beds that I could see. Have any of you experienced this before?

Yeah, I had a Feelfree Lure that needed a rudder. Of course they are rigged for them and you can spend $250 more for it and install it yourself. But IMO, kayaks that need a rudder should come with a rudder. I later got the trolling motor setup, but I sold the whole deal because it was too heavy.

20# or 17# braid would work much better. You can tie on a mono or fluoro leader if you feel like braid is too visible. I usually do unless the water is chocolate milk. That said, you probably could. My buddy uses 15# Berkley Big Game almost exclusively. And that stuff is TOUGH.

Lots of forage?

Here's the rule of thumb. Rocks/wood, throw the jig. Vegetation, throw the T rig. But also, when it comes to casting and retrieving I do much better with a T rig. I use jigs mostly to pitch to specific targets, usually pieces of wood. But they can be used interchangeably. You'll get bites on both. I know a certain pro who hates the jig and only pitches/flips a worm. And he doesn't peg the weight.

The clemson Univ extension near Columbia, SC has a few lakes they are managing. They don't advertise it and you have to get on a list. No motors. They're using it to determine what catch and release vs. keeping fish is doing to the population. I've heard they make you keep a certain limit if you catch enough. There might be a slot. I know of one person who I believe is fishing there regularly and he posts a lot of pics of big bass on his social media.

I tend to try the floating jerkbaits when the water warms and definitely work them faster. I have a new Bagley's Bang-O-Lure that I want to try soon.

And big fish tend to be loners. Same. But I caught one on a no-fish spot.

On the lake I grew up on some people would put chicken wire around their pilings to keep boaters from fishing under their docks. Mostly it was to keep people from jigging for crappie under their docks. When the crappie were spawning you definitely wanted to jig around these.

6-6 on my T rigs rod and 6-10 on my jigs rod. I fish from a kayak and target a lot of specific wood cover. The shorter rod makes for more accurate pitches.

I've often seen a bass chasing bait in a patch of lilies and I cast the ol' Pad Crasher in and got it. Those fish have a false sense of security.

When it's muddy, I'm pitching the jig or T rig to every piece of wood cover. I'm of the opinion that bass will find some stump, laydown, dock, etc. and hang on to it until the water clears up a bit. If the water is high, fish in the shallow "new water". They will start biting reaction baits sooner than you think as it clears.

The one you mentioned first. But this is not a bait I fish a lot.

I've caught the most on a lipless crank, followed by a crappie jig (really), then a jig or T rigged craw. I got the biggest ones on the T rig and CC Super Spot gold/black lipless crank. I've also gotten 2 on the frog and one on the Whopper Plopper.

I will if I get the chance to go. Between work, weather and chores, I haven't been able to get out as much. But I'll end up going if I have to take a couple half days off.

Dogwoods are blooming in my region of SC. But we have two nights of 32 degree lows coming the next two days. All next week will be in the 70s with 56-59 degree lows. It'll be on then. One problem is the water is still so off-color some beds might be hard to spot.

I have bought some of their jigheads and just put a plain craw or a Hula Grub on them. They work well that way.

Same down my way, but they've been biting some anyway.

I don't plan my days around the solunar table. But I do look at it. Interestingly, I've caught some of my biggest bass during the full/no moon windows. But sometimes I only catch one big fish. IMO, weather can have as much or more to do with fish biting than the moon. But I think big fish and little-average fish are almost like different species in the ways they behave.