Junk Fisherman

So you guys are saying I should do this in the chemical hood in my lab? Done. Going to try my hand at making some dice baits.

A medium light spinning rod; that is the most versatile finesse spinning rod action. I'd add the Daiwa Elite 761 which would be your workhorse finesse rod using it for Neds, Nekos, dropshot, finesse swimbaits, ect. Personally, I don't have much use for a medium action spinning rod. Maybe for wacky 5" Senkos. Before I use a medium spinning rod I'll go to a baitcaster.

I just wear my normal clothes which are of the outdoorsy style. Nowadays, I wear the same clothes to work or fishing or going out with my wife. Besides Guidewear bibs and raingear, I don't own any clothes that are strictly for fishing. I don't buy Huk, Simms, Aftco, ect... clothes.

I routinely fish down to 35' of water in the summer for smallies.

I went out this past Saturday and I used the Great Lakes Finesse Sneaky Underspin for the first time. I was shocked that it caught several chunky smallies while I didn't get anything on an Okashira Screwhead/Sparkshad which has been my #1 smallie finesse swimbait for the last couple years. Those Sneaky underspins are kinda pricey at $7 a pop. What other underspins are you guys using for smallies? I have the Gammy Underspins which are a little bigger than the Sneaky Underspin and the Great Lakes Finesse plastic is too small. What plastic are you putting on your underspins for smallies? Any info is appreciated.

Super important? No I have been known to pair a rod and reel if they both have the same accent colors. I never liked putting a Daiwa Ballistic (red accent color) on a Dobyns Champ HP (orange accent color) but I still did.

Fishing in the wind is one of my biggest improvements as a fisherman over the years. I used to HATE the wind and would always look for sheltered bays since I am primarily a finesse and plastics fishermen. But I've learned to have confidence in fast-moving baits and to look for shorelines that the wind is blowing into. By fishing swimbaits, chatterbaitssss, and spinnerbaits in windy spots my success rate has gone way up. Plus, my boat control has gotten much better over the years and spot-lock trolling motors and shallow-water anchors have made fishing in the wind much easier. Case in point, I had a tournament this past Saturday and the wind was howling with gusts up to 30 mi/hr. I fished a swimbait all day and threw a Ned when I could. Ended up 2nd. That never would have happened in the past.

Chatterbaitssss

Chronarch SF (the gold one with the wiffle spool) Early 00s model

Wobble head jigs, crankbaits, punching baits

I use 3/8th oz for Great Lakes smallies in 20'+ of water. I will go down to 1/4 if it is very calm which is rare. If it's breezy/wavey I will go up to 1/2 oz. Shallower water for largemouth will see me use 1/4. The lightest I ever use is 3/16th ounce.

The only things I pay full price for are items I need immediately be it the night before a tournament or if I'm on a trip somewhere. Being a HS coach, I get a discount on all tackle and I'm always on the lookout for online sales.

I almost always trim my skirts to the curve of the hook. Especially with chatterbaitsss I like the way it allows my trailer to be more visible.

Largemouth: White Chatterbaittt 6.4 lbs Smallmouth: Green Pumpkin Blue ISG Tube 6.6 lbs

Braidwood (cooling lake, warmer water) is likely your best bet but if it's your first time there are are obstructions that are not always marked. Most guys that fish there regularly have knocked off their skeg once or twice (once for me). I could give you some running lanes to get you safely in some areas if you like. LaSalle and Heidecke are a couple other lakes in that area. I've never fished LaSalle and Heidecke is more or a smallmouth/walleye/musky fishery while Braidwood is all largemouth. Heidecke is an easy place to run. Shabbona is another place you can go but you can only idle. The Chain of Lakes is another option but I can't give any advice on that body of water. Let us know if you have any other questions.

I just bought a Weize battery for my boat (Yamaha F175) and my research said the charging system would work on the motor and it was recommended the battery have BMS which the battery has. After a couple trips the performance has been excellent and the battery has stayed around 13.38 V.

How much is that Interstate lithium? I know you said brick and mortar but I just bought this battery https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CJ395FTR?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1 and have been very impressed with it after a couple outings. I test the battery charge throughout the day and it has barely moved from 13.35-38. This battery was highly recommended to me from someone from another forum and if you read the reviews they are very good.

I caught it on one of the smallest baits I throw- a TRD TicklerZ in The Deal color.

Hit up Braidwood twice this week and it's been tough. Cold front on Tuesday slowed everything down which wasn't that surprising but I figured today (3-27) would be excellent with overcast skies and SE winds but it was a grind. I did catch a 23 lb blue catfish on a Ned Rig. It took me 10+ minutes to land this fish using a light action rod. This sucker took a lot of line and was all over the place. I'm happy my knots held and my Daiwa Steez (The One) was really put to the test.

When I think of my arsenal, it's always about the rods.

That's a helluva arsenal! I like the fact that none of your spinning rods have a power higher than 2.

This is easy- go to Door Co for smallmouth. I prefer going towards the tip of the peninsula by Sisters Bay. If you wanna get a little crazy- go to Washington Island. Lots of good guides up there. You'll be surprised how much nicer it is when it's 85+ degrees and humid everyday around Chicago.

What do you recommend? I plan to throw 110s, cranks down to 10', and lighter topwater like walking baits and poppers. On my short list is a GLX 822CBR. Any other suggestions are recommended.

Spinning 7'6 Steez The One (2nd gen) + Vanford 3000 (Neds) 7'6 Steez The One (1st gen) + Tatula 3000 (Hair jigs, hover strolling, tubes. assorted finesse) 7'1 Steez Finesse Utility (2nd gen) + Ballistic 2500 (Neko, Dropshot, Shakey) 741 Dobyns Champ HP + Ballistic 2500 (Finesse swimbaits) 742 Dobyns Champ HP + Ballistic 2500 (swimbaits, dropshot, assorted finesse) St Croix Avid 5'9 MLXF (skipping boat docks) Casting 7'3 Steez Utility Player + Zillion (plastics, light jigs, spinner/chatters) 843 GLX + Zillion (plastics, Senkos) 844 GLX + 153 Advantage (jig, c-rig) 892 GLX + Curado 50MG (dropshot, finesse chatters and spinnerbaits) St Croix Tournament Bass 7' MH Spinnerbait Sweeper + Tatula SV TW (chatters, spinnerbaits, buzzbaits) St Croix Tournament Bass 7'10" Heavy + TDX 153 (A-Rig, punching) 735 Dobyns Champ XP + 153 Advantage (frogs, football jigs) Shimano Compre CBR + TDX 153 (jerkbaits, crankbaits, topwater w/trebles)

I could do it for smallmouth but why would I want to? Spinnerbaits, ch@#$^%baits, jerkbaits, cranks, topwater, C-rigs, Texas-rigs, frogs, A-rigs, jigs, and I'm sure I'm forgetting some all work better on a baitcaster rig compared to a spinning rig. And while I use spinning a lot more than the average bass fisherman, I still wouldn't want to not have baitcasters in my arsenal. They are simply a better tool for the job than a spinning combo for all the presentations I listed.