osbornj2

Matt - thanks for the note. I will probably try it first w/o the stinger, and if I find that I am getting a lot of short strikes, then I will try one. Does this sound like a good strategy, or do you recommend a stinger all the time ? I really do appreciate the advice, as I am a complete newbie in the swimbait game!

Has anyone ever actually used a treble "stinger" on their Bluegill? All the photos I have seen of them show the bait w/o a stinger. Would it affect the drop rate or it's ability to stand "nose down" ? If so, what size hook? I know that Matt's site recommends a size 1...just checking to see if anyone had other thoughts....Thanks!

This exchange right here is EXACTLY WHY I JOINED this forum in the first place ! Thank you all so much for all of this great input. I think that there are a lot of guys that would love to start swimbaiting, but are intimidated by the (perceived) large tackle requirement and the large price tags of a lot of the popular lure options, and simply not really knowing where and how to get started. I know that I am going to use all of this info to start my swimbaiting career this spring! In fact, I just placed my first order at Mattlures for the Ultimate Bluegill...so be looking for some pics in the next couple of months!

Excellent article! Well-researched, and told from a personal perspective. Thanks for sharing this treasure! It has certainly made it easier to quantify what it is that makes a certain lipless crank more successful at any given time. Cudos to you for bringing this to the Boards...this is EXACTLY why I joined this Board in the first place...to learn this kind of stuff

Robby, you should probably send a PM to Five Bass....he's our resident "expert" at SML ! (and you can tell him I said so !). Good luck, and tight lines...Jeff

I recently purchased some of the Microfuse because I've been wanting to fish braid on my worm and jig reels, but I also like to fish at night, and I really like using fluoro that I can see with a blacklight (I'm not good enough yet to go by "feel" alone...I am but a young Paduion (sp?) ) So, when I saw this stuff, at like $36 a spool, I thought it must be the best stuff since sliced bread ! All that said to say that I haven't even tried it out yet ! I also would like to hear from other folks that have used it, esp for worming / jigging/ or even c-rigging. Maybe I should even have a "daytime" reel spooled with "traditional" braid and a nighttime setup with either Microfuse or fluorcarbon that reacts to the blacklight. Any suggestions or recommendations?

Nice fish ! Man, why can't I live in Florida ?!?!

Hello All! I just wanted to remind / invite you all to attend the VOSC, which will be held at the Roanoke Civic Center (Roanoke, Virginia)from Feb. 22nd - 24th. They will have LOTS of guides (both hunting and fishing), tons of speakers, a giant fish tank, a Big Buck contest, casting contests, children's areas, and much, much more. I will also be there, giving quotes for boat and ATV insurance Here is the link to the official site, if you'd like more info, driving directions, etc: http://www.vaoutdoorsportsmensclassic.com/Index.html Be sure to stop by my booth (up near the speaker's stage) for a chance to throw a horseshoe for a cool prize ! See you there ! Jeff

Hello and Welcome ! Yes, you will find LOTS of great info out here, and maybe even make a few new friends as well !

Sammy is definitely the funnest to fish, but the Pointer is a more reliable fish-getter!

I've never really used them much for bass (although I don't really know why not!), but we use them nearly exclusively on our annual Canadian trip, and the Northerns absolutely love to inhale them! We'll either cast them into the thickest weeds you can find, and sometimes we'll even troll them very slowly, and BAM ! I usually use something like a Zoom Horny Toad or a Sizmic Toad, or even any kind of 6" lizard as my trailer. They have a lot of buoyancy so they come through the nastiest surface stuff like it's nothing! Of course, you have to occasionally sharpen the hooks w/a diamond hone, but I've actually had much better hook-ups with the big single hook than other lures with large trebles. Every year when we come home from Canada, I always say that I am going to try these bigger spoons (i.e. 1oz and 1 1/4 oz) for bass, but I never seem to do it...this year will be different

Awesome striper! We don't get 'em much like that here in the mountains! We get some nice ones here in the reservoirs, but not many like that behemoth! I'd be embarrased to put up a photo of my pb...yours would eat mine for brunch On another note...striper may make fine eating, but there is absolutely NOTHING better than fresh-caught Canadian walleye (how do you think those big pig Northerns get that way ?!?!)

Hello All, just wanted to give a report on a trip last week to Briery Creek. I snuck off of work last Tues (the 23rd) to try my luck down at Briery. I have only fished it 2 times prior to this visit, the last time back in the spring. Not knowing exactly what to expect with the drought and all, I loaded up my little aluminum jon boat, got me a thermos of coffee, and hit the road with eager anticipation! I knew from prior experience that I was going to get beat-up a little bit, but I was hoping that somehow, maybe, just maybe, that the low water conditions would make navigaton a little easier since the tops of most of the trees would actually be exposed, instead of just under the surface. This proved to be mostly true, although I was still able to hang myself up more than once! I never even bothered putting down the gas motor this time (until it came time to get the boat back on the trailer)...and, would you know, even in the locked, raised position, the motor STILL managed to get hung up on some stumps! However, all was not lost, as the fishing gods were kind to me that day. As I mentioned, I had been there twice before, and not skunked on either trip...but no real hawgs to write home about either. And though I didn't catch any records or anything, I did manage to find one real nice bass (right at 20" and about 5 lbs) , along with several other smaller bass (2-3 lb range) and even two pickerel (which are always fun to catch, regardless of their size). The weather was overcast all day long, and the air temp was probably in the mid-to-low 60's. There was a steady breeze all day too, so you know what this spells in my book...SPINNERBAIT ! I think that it was Jimmy Houston who once said that even if he wasn't catching any fish, that he'd rather not be catching them on a spinnerbait! (I'm probably way wrong on this quote, and it probably wasn't even Houston who said it, but you get the picture!!). Of course, I started the morning at the "upper" boat ramp (not the one at the dam), and I started fishing the cove there, as far back as I could until the fenced-off area. I threw buzzbaits and a red-fin, as well as a giant swim-bait...just hoping for an early morning big bite. But, alas, nothing there . In fact, I didn't see any baitfish at all in the cove. I was hoping that since it was a couple of days prior to the full moon that they would be aggressive, but *imagine this*...I was wrong about that as well!! So, I eventually moved out of the cove and worked my way back up the lake, throwing the white spinnerbait and a chatterbait as I went. I even tried a small Lucky Craft (which I know is plum crazy in Briery, and I did get it hung a couple of times...but I'm one of those dweebs who actually carries a lure retriever in my boat for just this exact reason 8-) I will have you know, however, that I do refuse to carry a ball retreiver in my golf bag...I do have some limits!). Anyways, nothing was happening at all, until I finally hooked up with several of the smaller bass on the white spinnerbait. They all came from near the bank, but not right up on it. I was fishing about 20 yards or so off shore, casting towards the stumps that were further out (probably 8-11 ft water). About an hour later, I found big momma on the opposite side of the lake, but in a similar situation. I hope that this helps. I would love to try to get back down there again this fall, because I know there are some brutes in there...I hope to see lots of replies to this post along with other photos and tips! Tight Lines....

Like you, I recently ventured into new lines as well....and I have had the same questions! Here's what I've settled on for now (with good luck so far....) For braided, I ALWAYS use a palomar, and have had positive results (i.e. several nice fish, incl some nice stripers on topwater, with NO break-offs). With fluoro-, I'm still using a Trilene knot, same as I did with mono. Maybe this is what you're "supposed" to use, maybe "knot" (hee hee), but either way...it has worked so far. Good luck, and Tight Lines!

I agree completely ! If you're right-handed, why on earth would you want to fight the fish with your left-hand (your "weaker" side) ? I prefer to fight the fish with my strongest arm (my right), so I crank the reel with my left. Not to mention that when you're working lures, it's a lot easier to get the precise action that you want with the arm that you have more control with. BTW, I'm not an old fart (yet!), but I also grew up using spinning reels that had the handle on the left side, so when I converted to casting reels, it was a no-brainer which felt the most comfortable

Has to be pan-fried walleye fillets, hands-down !