river-rat

I had the same experience with the Larew Super Salt Biffle Craw, one of my favorite jig trailers. I've got a decent supply but I don't look forward to the day I run out. The 6" Hawg Craw has been discontinued also. I just hope Pradco doesn't discontinue the 4" Salt Craw. It's been one of my most productive plastics since they came out in the 1980's.

For an all around jig I've been using the Oldham's Trailer Hitch Jig for over 20 years and see no reason to change. Comes through wood and grass extremely well. Quality is excellent and can't beat the price at $2.85 each. https://www.oldhamjigs.com/index.html

I have two favorites Bagley Honey B in Tennessee Shad or Chartreuse/Black Back Zoom Ultra Vibe Speed Craw in Sapphire Blue or Black/Red Glitter with a 3/16 or 1/4 oz. slip sinker

C - Creek Chub Jointed Dater H - Arbogast #2 Hawaiian Wiggler. One of the first lures I was given in the early 60's and I caught a ton of bass on these.

I use still use Timber Tigers and Brush Babys. Use a size 3 split ring and a #4 treble hook on the Timber Tigers.

If you're fishing Caddo Lake, Bisteneau, or Cross Lake, I'd start with a 1/2 jig, 5/8 oz. spinnerbait (slow rolled), and a Texas rig with a creature bait. Also, if you get a calm sunny day fish a Rogue or Redfin up shallow during the last hour of the day before sunset. I have done extremely well with this technique during this time of year.

I'd recommend the New Orleans City Park Lagoon System. It's stocked by the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Dept. and there are a lot of fish, including bass, caught out of there every year. If you do a Google search you can find out all the information you need.

JJ I'm using this combo in shallow water.

For years I have used black nickel blades with a black skirt on bluebird days after a cold front has passed.

I caught my first bass at 10 yrs. old in 1962 and still can't wait to get on the water. I'll be retiring soon and can't hardly think of anything else. So I would have to say the obsession has never died.

Here in south Louisiana I've caught bass on topwaters after a warming trend in the winter. If it's been a really calm day with a lot of sunshine, a topwater jerkbait (Rogue, Redfin, Long A) or Devils Horse fished slowly during the last hour of daylight can produce extremely well.

Toledo Bend or Sam Rayburn. Can't go wrong with either.

For texas rig and small jigs I like a Gene Larew 4" Salt Craw.

Agree 100%. The only thing that will keep me off the water is lightning.

Been using them for over 50+ years and they still catch fish. There are places here in south Louisiana with so much vegetation that the Silver Minnow is my first choice.

I always have a rod rigged with a buzz bait and a hollow body frog. I'll use a buzz toad when I want to fish through vegetation that I can't get a buzz bait through.

When you say "chunk", I'm thinking something without a lot of action. For me the Zoom Big Salty Chunk is my go to.

A blue plastic worm is still one of my favorites. Back in the 70's and 80's I used a blue Fliptail worm with great success. Fliptail is back in business and I ordered 100 blue worms earlier this year and they still work. I used them weekend before last and caught more on this bait than the others. I also use Sapphire Blue Zoom trailers, Rage Craws and Rage Bugs. Fliptail Lures - https://fliptail-lures.com/shop?olsPage=products

I'm retiring on 12/20/19. One of my sons owns a house on Six Mile Creek at Toledo Bend and I'll be spending a lot more time up there from January through May. When not up there I'm sure I'll be fishing around home (South Louisiana) also. Thank goodness my wife loves to fish. She's actually pretty good with a baitcaster so I'm sure she will be along for the ride also.

I use the old style rubber spinner bait skirt for a trailer. You can buy the Hummdinger Replacement skirt at Tackle Warehouse. https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Humdinger_Replacement_Rubber_Skirts_3pk/descpage-HMRRS.html I run the hook about halfway in to the rubber sleeve the skirt is wrapped around and push it all the way up. I tie direct to the spoon. And you will have to sharpen the hook before using. The plating process used during the manufacturing process makes the hook point dull. Not a big thing really. Just use a flat file to sharpen to a fine point and you're good to go. I can't count how many bass I've caught on this lure over the past 55+ years.

I used an H&H, Johnson Silver Minnow, and an Arbogast #2 Hawaiian Wiggler. I later added a Devils Horse and Snagless Sally.

This happened way back in the early 70's. My tournament partner and I were scouting for a tournament on Lake St. John near Ferriday, LA. We had each brought our own boat so that we could cover more water during the practice period. Lake St. John is completely surrounded by cypress trees and naturally you would sometimes come across a snake in the limbs over the water. Now my friend was deathly afraid of snakes and would do anything to get away from them. Anyhow, I decide to go check in with him to see how he's doing and I come across his boat drifting quite a ways out from the tree line and he's no where to be found. Of course, I'm thinking the worst and begin to try and find him hoping he was okay. I finally come across him and he is standing barefoot on one leg on top of a cypress knee and holding on to a tree limb for balance. When I asked him what happened he said that he had hung his bait on a limb in the tree and when he couldn't quite reach it he stepped onto the cypress knee with the other foot still in the boat. Just as he is trying to get the lure free a snake slithered out of the tree and fell in the water which caused him to lift his foot out of the boat and of course it drifted away. According to him he had been in that position for over 30 minutes. Of course I asked him why didn't he swim out to get his boat. His response was "are you crazy! There was a snake in the water and I didn't know where it was!" The funniest part was that he had a bruise the size of a sliver dollar on the bottom of his foot and could hardly walk for a few days. I still remind him of this every time I get the chance.

Do I still use balsa? How's this for an answer? Bagley Balsa B's - somewhere around 400 (some of which I purchased as far back as the mid 70's) Original Tennessee Shad - about 4 dozen Tennessee Tuffy - 2 dozen Black Label Balsa - 2-3 dozen So yes, I still use balsa crankbaits all the time.

I'm retiring in December of this year and one of the top items on my bucket list is to hire a guide on a lake known for smallmouths (like Pickwick Lake) and finally catch one. I've been saving up for a few years to make it a week long trip.

A Johnson Silver Minnow with a 10" ribbon tail worm for a trailer. I thought I would catch a monster on that thing. I did catch a few bass on it, but nothing over 2 lbs.