SWVABass

So I have a couple goals I want to achieve or continue Take my daughter fishing continue fishing with my son fill out a limit in a club event become confident with a jerkbait catch a new personal best both largemouth and smallmouth

Thanks I appreciate the input. I need a jerkbait set up and I like some of the applications you guys said I could double up with it! Much appreciated!!!!

So I'm looking at putting together a new combo for next year. I need a good set up fo a jerkbait rod and reel, but I would like to be a able to put the rod to use if they aren't producing. So the input I need is what else could I use the set up for, and need some help picking a rod and reel. I'm only 5'8" so a real long rod in my opinion is out of the question, I'm thinking something in the 6' range? Currently I'm looking at St Criox legend tournament rod. Reel I haven't decided yet but I own a bunch of pro qualifiers already and like them, but my thought was to find a lighter reel to pair up with. There is a brand I'm looking at but can't post it which sucks cause I want input on them but understand so I'll look elsewhere for that. So feed up your knowledge I'm open to all possibilities but want to say I want to keep the combo under 500 if possible, don't want my wife to kill me in my sleep!!

i would like to take a look at the rod and reel set ups, I struggle with matching these up correctly for different styles of fishing.

Yea you can fish lake mead. I have friends I fish with and they say it's a hard fishery even from a boat. I never fished it when living there. Good luck

I've fished them on a flick shake and have done well for number, nothing big though. I threw it after they weren't into biting a senko.

I have my son fish a drop shot from the bank and he has tons of success. We use soft plastics not loaded with salt so they a neutral I the water. I set it up any where from 12-18 in above the weight and then play with the set up from there. I like to fish it on a windy bank where hopefully fish are positioned looking towards deep water and ambushing prey as it is blow to them. Below is his best fish on a drop shot.

How do these fish compared to a strike King? I was wondering about the action and dive depth, and if they would fit well in to my line up? I fish a desert impoundment with tons of rock and visibility is great in the spring and gets worse as the year goes on.

Here is a link to what I like to use. Might not work for everyone but they work great for me. https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Gamakatsu_Octopus_Circle_Hook_Offset_Point/descpage-GOHOP.html?from=basres

I've use the 3" minnows before. They catch pretty much everything and all sizes. I've use the #2 owner mosquito hook, but don't really like it. I've had them bend out and a couple actually break. I was fishing them on 10lb test, Abu "Ike" series drop shot rod. I went back to gamagatsu (sp) circle hooks, #2 as well. As far as mixing the baits and jars I cannot speak to that. I think the 4" minnows will work just fine as well, I've been drop shotting up to 6" baits with success for largemouth.

Make sure your cranks represent the local forage both in size and color. So if you got shad find something you think matches that closely. Make sure your making bottom contact with them as well. I've found also going to a flat sided crank without rattles produces better in clear water with a lot of pressure. Maybe this will help. This fish my son is holding is a crank fish and what I described above is what helped to produce it. also read the forum a rare insight into crank bait fish, tons of great in put in it.

Hologram shad - roboworm bold bluegill - roboworm baby bass - gycb shad shaped worm

Ok thanks I'll see about picking some up.

Would like to know a little about these. Are they similar to a shad rap? What kind of conditions are they designed for ( cold vs warm), success with them????? I'm looking to add new tackle and this has caught my eye along with some lucky craft stuff. Thanks for your input!!!!

I had a similar question with the menace. I had been fishing them on a 4/0 and was missing fish. I went to a 3/0 ewg t rigged with a bead and 3/8 tungsten. I fished clean in my tourney and finished 6th overall as a non boater. So I would follow posted advice above and good luck.

I haven't been disappointed with their durability, I guess that's cause I fish a lot of senkos, and roboworm products. I didn't glue them either. I found that if I was getting bit by panfish, I was fishing to shallow. It was one of the changes I made from when I asked for help, to the successful day I had 4 days later.

I've found what works for me is to go above my spot cast out and allow the wind to push me back over my spot. Use a heavier weight to help to maintain bottom contact, and drift your spot. I had read about it but never put it to use until fishing a tourney in 25 mile an hour winds and it was pointless to try and sit on a spot.

Thanks, I'll look into them through the winter and give it a try. Been trying to find good line as here I have very little cover to fish, but I have plenty of rock to fish. So something that holds up good to that I would love to find.

Cool thanks for the info, the memory on mine is horrible. I bought it at 15 lb test so maybe I'll rig it up for fishing soft plastics. I've never had major problems except with seaguar line. But again thanks for the info sharing yourself and A-jay are helping me to straighten out my learning curve and all info is greatly appreciated!

Ok thanks for the input. I've tried using it a couple times but didn't like it and kinda felt like I made a mistake. Would you consider it better suited for flipping/pitching and fishing Texas rigs, or for top water? Also does copolymer stretch like mono, or react more like floro? Sorry for so many questions just not that familiar with this type of line.

So I bought some Izerline (spelling), to use for fishing top waters on the recommendation from someone else. I thought it was mono when I bought it. My question is does it float like mon, and what if any advantages does it offer??

So I fish from the back as well in a club that just likes to fish, that said some folks take it pretty serious. I am lucky we don't have enough non boaters for a draw so I can ask the guys I want to fish with if they want a non boater. That said two of the guys I fish I never offer up any ideas unless they ask, they usually have time to pre fish( I have a 3 year old and 1 year old and a full time job). If they do ask I don't offer a spot but a feature depending on time of year and success from the past. I primarilily fish with one guy. We have developed a great relationship on the water to the point in about half the tourneys he allows me the front deck and my choice of spots and he fishes how ever he wants behind me. My best opinion for you is the same as some above, but if you are getting to pre fish bring up a conversation about it and compare what your boater has to say vs what you found and it might give you a chance to weigh in on the days game plan.

Just a lil update, I fished it again yesterday. Changes made I fished it with a 1/4 oz Ecopro weight bead, on 20 lb mono, 3/0 hook. Worked perfectly, I never missed a bite and never lost a fish. I fished the neon black, which I changed from falcon craw. It was a great learning day for me and gained tons of confidence with the bait and that color. Helped me to finish around 6th in my club tourney as a non boater, thanks guys for the input here.

I took me three months when I picked up fishing again to get a bite. This was fishing square bills. But once I got it done they became my search bait, so maybe what you might wanna try is locating fish with a bait you have confidence in then switch. And fish lures that you think you will have success with. Having confidence in what your fishing will greatly impact your fishing.

Ok thanks guys.I figured the tail grabbers were small or something else. I did have two solid bites one I had a horrible hook set but the other I thought I crossed his eyes but Line went slack after a short fight. Grub came back and it was like the bait hadn't moved on the hook. Thanks for the input, I'll work on my hook sets and get some 3/0 hooks.