BassBeat101

Wow, those jigs do look interesting - I haven't tried them either, but I think I will. It seems to have a little bit of fly fishing influence involved. Daryl

Wow, that's a pretty bad report. I thought I had heard bad things, but nothing like this - usually at least one person defends a lure! I'll just buy some decent buzzbaits. ;D Daryl

Ever since I started frequenting the local tackle and BPS a few years ago, I have always noticed these lures, but I have never heard a lot about them - recently, on a couple of the In-Fisherman shows, I've seen them use them - just curious to know if people used them and how effective they are. They almost seem like a pre-chattering chatterbait, without the skirt. Daryl

And then you can use the tail as a trailer. Daryl

I use both colors, but it's really more of a confidence thing for me I guess. I use the option of hook color in the same vein as using Spike-It for a shot of chartreuse on a tail or red marker on a crankbait. If I want a bit smaller profile, I'll go with a darker hook. Flashier, bloodier, whatever, red hook. I catch a few fish on each, but I never really experiment with just one color for extended amounts of time. Daryl

I don't know what it is about the chartreuse pepper Zoom lizard, but it just seems to be a pretty consistent fish catcher for me. It's kinda my confidence bait that I use on occasion - generally I like the lizards in redbug. Daryl

Yeah, I'll never kill a bass intentionally - it's too rare for them to get to that size anyways - even if they're only 7 pounds or so - and in this case, maybe it's a younger 10# bass that has a spawn or two left? Replicas are a good idea, at least give the bass a chance. Daryl

Yowza, it's freezing cold where I'm located! You're one lucky cat! Rig up a spinnerbait, or do like I do and rig a lizard and find the best looking place on your lake - at this time of year I'd suggest the warmest NW part - and fancast like crazy. Daryl

I wouldn't want to bite a flavorless piece of plastic. It better be salty garlicy for me to bite. I like to think a bass is no different. Daryl

1. Worm - Culprit 4.5" ribbontail 2. Stickbait (senko, etc..) - Senko, watermelon 3. Fluke - Zoom Baby Fluke, Baby Bass 4. Craw - Zoom Big Critter Craw, Pumpkinseed/orange tips 5. Tube - Small Zoom Tube, Watermelon/gold flake 6. Creature - Zoom Tiny Brush Hog, root beer/green flake 7. Frog - Stanley Ribbit, anything with a white belly 8. Grub - Kalin's Lunker Grub, Black 9. Lizard - Mann's Hardnose, 6" watermelon red 10.Other - Yum Woolybug, 3", red shad

From what I can see of the first, that's one helluva fish! Nice job! Can't wait to make the trout to bass transition! Daryl

I fluctuate between the 8# and 6#, but usually find my way to the 8. I am looking forward to experimenting with a copoly or fluoro this year, however. Daryl

I fish a public lake in St. Louis that's highly pressured, year round - but it's still my "honeyhole", for two reasons - it's the best lake within 40 minutes of my house, and through my time fishing it I know what works more often then not. If I'm following someone that is using something different, I can sometimes still pick one or two.

While I don't fish a lot of hardbaits, as far as plastics are concerned I try and go with as little hook as I can get away with. Many times I'll use a 1/0 even on my U-tails and Culprit ribbontails. If I'm having a lot of fishing just nipping the tail, I'll switch to a trick worm and rig another small hook on my line and run it out through the tail end - it also results in better action for the lure and fewer red flags for curious bass. Daryl

It is all relatively. They are simply not worth the price for me because I do not have the funds to justify a bait that expensive - I have to stick to the Rapalas, Cordells, etc. of the world. Now, if I had the funds to drop on a Lucky Craft, I would certainly do it - from what I've touched and seen they seem to be of better construction, and that would make me think it will have more consistent performance for a longer time - and the "realism" factor seems to increase as well. While only personal experimentation will only justify whether or not it is really "worth it", it seems worth a shot. I have a Bass Pro Bionix rod - is a step up to a St. Croix Avid "worth it"? Hell yeah. Daryl

I gotta go with the tube. I feel like I can always catch something with a small Zoom watermelon/gold tube. Heck, I even try and buzz'em sometimes. Daryl

I understand that protecting your skin is very important, but d**n Roland, if you have to apply that sunscreen you keep pushing that often, might I suggest nightfishing? Actually, he would still probably apply it. I'm a fish junkie that likes to see fish being caught, so I'll watch a half hour informercial on anything that's catching fish. Although Roland's is about the only one where I don't learn a thing. Even Shaw Grigsby will throw something in that I didn't know. Daryl

I like stickups, tall solid vegetation, and cattails - there's just something about reeling my spinnerbait past some sticks and seeing my line plow through the water sideways - it's an awesome feeling. Daryl

Not really a ton of tackle for me - 10 crankbaits 10 spinnerbaits Maybe 3 or 4 topwaters (I usually use soft plastic frogs) About 20 jigs 50 bags of plastics Of course, I'm also very poor. I shouldn't even really have half of the stuff I have here! An 8 X 8 room full of lures sounds lovely. Sigh, someday... Daryl

I figured I have been missing a lot of fish. I had an epiphony late last fall while fishing a small jig - what made it more amazing was the fact that I had just said to myself "I should probably start watching my line a bit more" - as soon as the thought was out of my brain, I saw my line move about 1/4" to the left - felt nothing, set the hook - felt weight, saw the fish jump and throw my jig - hence my curiousity. Thanks for all the replies, it has really motivated me even more to focus on my line. Daryl

For me it's red shad. I don't know what it is about this color, but in any type water clarity I always feel that it will catch me fish. The 4.5" Culprit worm in red shad T-rigged was/is my first confidence bait - now I always pick up plastics in red shad, when available. Daryl

The biggest bass is a real good looking fish! Shapewise, it looks like she's designed to go up on a mantle! D

Being somewhat new to the fishing game, each spring I try and really focus on a basic discipline that I want to work on for the year. Unfortunately I've never really been a strong line watcher, and since I usually fish plastics this is uhhhh... not good. My question is for you fellow plastic freaks, how many of your strikes are strikes that you see, not feel? I'm hoping I'm not new to having to learn this, so was it a bit of a surprise how many more fish you caught? Or just marginal improvement? (And by marginal I mean an extra fish a week would be awesome - but still). Daryl

I often give scientists the benefit of the doubt. Generally, they're not making a ton of money - and what money they do receive, is very important and based on the scientists getting accurate results. Few scientists can continually bend the truth and still be respected and funded (especially in such a tight circle). Of course Dr. Fish from BassMaster University is a little suspect, but most others offer honest research. And several scientists have always known the earth is round - ancient civilizations noticed that the last thing you see of a boat is its mast - it just takes time, trial, and error to find the truth. Daryl

Even if a bass could talk I highly doubt he would be willing to answer a question on "what color lure/hook would be the best to stick in your mouth". ;D