river-rat

I use a 5/8 oz. short arm Zorro Aggravator most of the time. I also make a 5/8 oz. spinnerbait with a longer arm when I'm fishing in heavier cover.

I fished with Larry Nixon a few times on Toledo Bend. I could learn more about the lake in one day with him than I could have in a week on my own. We never had a bad day and he is a true professional.

I've been using the short arm Aggravator for years mainly for night fishing. You can buy them online from this link. I also use them as a pattern when I'm making spinnertbaits with a short arm. Zorro Aggravator Short Arm Spinnerbait

The Devils Horse has been working in south Louisiana for decades. It's one of my favorites. I've had them in my tackle box since I was a kid and I'm 69 years old.

I can assure you that alligators like hollow body frogs also. I fooled around and hooked one about 2 feet long one day. I could have sold tickets to see me trying to get my frog back. My partner was laughing so hard he was no help at all.

This has been my experience also.

I try to always use a straight shank hook for plastics. Like CATT I mainly use the Mustad Grip - Pin hook for most applications. About the only thing I use a wide gap hook for is when I'm using a flipping tube or a standard Brush Hog. For those I like the Mustad Big Mouth Tube Hook.

I can assure you that is a Johnny Rattler. I've been using them for many years and it is one of my favorite topwaters along with the Hub's Chub Rattalur which is similar. I would recommend removing the snap swivel and tie directly to the line-tie. You will get batter action.

I've had good success with the Strike King Rage Punch Bug lately when I've been punching mats. I've also used Sweet Beavers and Strike Kings Rage Bug and Denny Brauer Flipping Tube in the past.

If you're in Florida, I would highly recommend a Smithwick Devil's Horse in chrome/blue back/orange belly. I have caught some really nice stringers on trips to Florida using that lure.

I'm night fishing currently until the Atchafalaya Basin gets down to a fishable level. The Basin is influenced by the tides so I pretty much time my trips to when the water is moving and there is a current. It doesn't matter what time of day it is. If the water is moving you can catch fish regardless of how hot it is.

I use the Frogg Toggs rain suit and poncho in the summertime. Summers are way too hot in south Louisiana for gore-tex rain gear.

I have used Zoom products in heavily stained to muddy water for as long as they have been available. You can always apply scent if you prefer.

I always have the following on the deck Texas Rig 1/2 - 5/8 oz. Jig Spinnerbait Buzzbait/Whopper Plopper Shallow Crankbait I have other rods rigged in the rod locker with backups and such things as a Frog, Rage Rig, or Punch Rig. I never carry more than 12 rods total. More than that I end up getting confused.

Spinnerbait Texas Rigged Ultravibe Speed Craw in Black Neon Texas Rigged Gene Larew Salt Craw - Black Blue Glitter/Blue Claws

I've been catching bass on a Johnson Silver Minnow since the mid 60's. It's still one of my most productive lures around heavy vegetation and lily pads.

The Hawaiian Wiggler #2 1/2 was also called the Sputterfuss and was used as a buzzbait. I still have a dozen of them in my collection. There was also a Hawaiian Wiggler #1 for deeper fishing and a #2 for shallow water. The Hawaiian Wiggler #3 was a weedless spoon similar to a Johnson Silver Minnow.

I used the Deadly Dudley and an Arbogast #2 1/2 Hawaiian Wiggler (also know as Sputterfuss) in the early 70's as a buzzbait in a shallow lake I fished during my college years. The lake was filled with buttonwood willows and cypress trees and was no more than 4' deep. We caught plenty of fish using both of these lures.

I have had success on this lure in the summer. From my experience it has worked best in heavily stained to muddy water. But understand I'm fishing the Atchafalaya Basin where that is the norm during the hottest part of the year. I don't see why it wouldn't work under different water conditions. I use a Texas Rig with a 3/16 or 1/4 oz. weight. I like to swim it along laydowns and through treetops. I only use the Red Shad and Junebug colors.

This is what I have used.

Agree with this 100%. When I am fishing from the bank I walk very slowly and stand at least 6' away from the shoreline.

I've been using 3/4 - 1 oz. spinnerbaits for years. I use them mostly during the winter months but I also use them at night when I want to fish grass beds in 10-15' of water. Also, I always carry rubber core sinkers to increase the weight on 3/8 and 1/2 oz. spinnerbaits. I attach the sinker to the hook shank or the lower arm of the spinnerbait.

I've had about equal success with both.

Blue Bell Black Walnut is hands down my favorite. Followed closely by Blue Bell Coffee and Ben & Jerry's New York Super Fudge Chunk.

Absolutely! That exact lure, color and all, was deadly on the lower Amite River back in the 1960's. And if truth be told it would probably still catch fish there today.