OddChase

Caught some nice bass pitching senkos and creature baits along a grass line. Saw another boat catching bass using a floating worm in the same areas. The dog days of summer are upon us.

Hey guys I'm taking a week off of work soon now that summer classes are over. Is there any lakes in Indiana that I should visit? I'll have to rent a boat and I'm willing to drive a few hours, just want to test some new water. Northern smallie water would be preferred I might add.

I was given a fairly inexpensive set up not too long ago. 7' Med Fast Fenwick Eagle with a Pflueger President. Very light weight, very sensitive, very nice for drop shotting, senkos, and ned rigs. I often use it for panfishing.

I might do that, but for now I just bank fish so the shorter the better in some cases. Plus it's a solid blank and that makes for difficulties when it comes to transportation haha. I have a 7' spinning rod and it just barely makes it to the lake.

1/2 oz for getting through pads and just slop around ponds. Nothing above 3/4 probably. Which is why I said lighter because I know most punchers wouldn't consider those weights as a punch rig lol. I just want a decent all-around rod as I only have 1 caster right now and I'm still learning.

Okay thanks man. Appreciate it. Also - I've read that the power ratings are a bit low. Would you agree with this? I want to be able to pitch 1/2oz jigs and lighter punch rigs as well as thrower chatterbaits. Might get the 704 instead.

Mojos are on sale right now thanks to iCast The Dobyns 703C is exactly what I'm looking for though.. May have to spend the extra $20. Is it worth it ?

About to buy a real rod for my bait caster. Any one have a preference between the #8 BlackO or a Mojo Bass?

You can always check your local CL ads or even the flea market here on Bass Resource - for your first caster it wouldn't be bad to buy used in case you don't enjoy it.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned this. Try nose rigging your TRD on a weedless wacky hook with no weights. Pulls through salad pretty easy and will still catch fish. Setting the hook is something tricky when it comes to the springy wire weed guards, but it's better than getting hung up! Tight lines.

If fishing has taught me anything, it's that no two days are alike. Each day you might spend more time trying to find fish than actually catching. However, when it comes to fishing week by week, I might be able to locate fish and for a few days they may be in the same spot or nearby. Consistently catching fish in a handful of locations throughout a season however, is unlikely.

The ned rig has been used for several years in the midwestern states such as Indiana. We fondly call the rig "Midwest Finesse"

Here's a tidbit I posed in another thread: Since you mention you aren't having luck on plastics, what kind are you using? If you try a 4" GY Senko in green pumpkin and don't catch a fish within an hour of fishing it properly, I'd find some new water. You might also try some top water lures such as poppers, frogs, buzzbaits, or spooks. You can get some cheap knock-off versions to try out at DSG or Wallymart.

Not sure if you intended the pun, but TRD literally stands for "The real deal" But you're right, please no one buy them.

Yeah I don't know how well they work, I've used one in a small retention pond and caught a few on a white/char one. A Ned also worked in the same pond and out fished the chatter one time. Might have just been beginner's luck.

It seems like you're fishing a heavy pressure pond/small lake. Am I right? I also remember you mentioning weeds and stuff. Have you tried a chatterbait? They are pretty much weedless and can get bites when nothing else can.

You might try a buzzbait/spinnerbait that is similar color to the bait you are describing. I would think a fluke would work as well. Good luck.

Darker colors for soft plastics or jigs. Such as blues, blacks, purples, or a combination of the three. My favorite is a "junebug." For other hard baits, I think people use flashy colors like "fire tiger" or chartreuse. Tight lines.

Fished a river that wasn't even a 5 minute walk from my house and caught about 15 smallmouth and 10 rock bass on the Ned. Good way to kill a few hours and lots of fun as well. Interesting as well - the bluegill were bedding in the slack water. @neocrunch thanks for Westwood advice, I'll have to try it out.

I'm about to put braid on a reel, do I need to buy new hooks to use with it? I never thought about the no-stretch line bending hooks like this. Also - for the fellas who have fished Westwood, what's good to use there? I visited the park last night and didn't see a single bluegill or even minnow in the water. 4 foot of visibility and moss/submerged veg as far as the eye could see. Tried a senko and drop shot, didn't seem like anyone else was catching anything either. Spent my pizza money getting in so I would like some advice on how to fish it!

As a bank fisherman of 15 years, I might be able to offer some insight. Drop shotting isn't something most bank fisherman use, although it does work. Here in Indiana, the Ned rig has become extremely popular both in the boat and out. I encourage you to look into using more finesse style fishing techniques, such as the Ned rig or a stick bait (t-rigged senko). Here's a link to a list of everything you need to know about fishing the senko. Bank fishing also pays off when you are wanting to catch quantity over quality. Lures aside, picking a body of water is very important as well. Larger lakes prove more difficult for bank fisherman. A popular saying "10% of the water holds 90% of the fish." Fishing smaller lakes, reservoirs, or ponds will drastically increase your chances of catching a fish, hot or not. Tight lines to you, friend.

Not sure if you watch youtubers who fish, but this is them literally every time (Except Fluke because he always catches hawgs )

Yeah the crappie are behaving super weird. Someone told me yesterday that they spawn year-round whenever there is a new moon. Some of the ones that we kept still had eggs in them so perhaps there is some truth to that theory. Bluegill spawned out long ago on the lakes in my area so it seems odd that you're finding them on beds.

Got out this morning in the drizzle. Managed to catch bigger than normal crappies... they seemed to be in their spawning locations despite the cold front AND being early July? Not sure what's really going on. Managed to hook some small bass on the Ned as well.

Very hard evening on Summit. Small one on the Ned.