river-rat

I use the F13 quite a bit. It has produced numerous 5 lb.+ largemouths through the years. I always use a Rapala Loop Knot with this and any other floating jerk bait I use.

As I have mentioned several times on this site, I have been using the Trailer Hitch jig made by Oldham's Jigs for over 25+ years. I can attest that they are first class quality at a very affordable price. The Eye Max Jig is the best grass jig I have used for punching. I noticed this past week Oldham's is now offering a tungsten model jig. Here is a link - Oldham's Jigs

I have had good success using single #7 copper willow leaf on a 1 ounce spinnerbait.

I only carry 4 colors of flipping tubes. Black/Red Glitter Black/Blue Tail Green Pumpkin/Red and Green Glitter Green Pumpkin/Blue Tail

When I rig a tube I leave the eye of the hook outside the head of the tube. Rigged the tube doesn’t slide down the hook and ball up. Also the hook up ratio is higher rigged this way.

I have been using a flipping tube for many years. It’s one of my confidence lures. I am never without one on the deck. I use a 4” tube made by Right Bite Baits (bait and lures.com). If I’m somewhere like Toledo Bend or Sam Rayburn I’ll use their 5” tube. I always use a Texas rig with a 4/0 Mustad Big Mouth Tube Hook. And I usually insert a tube rattle into the tube. I usually start with a 5/16 oz. tungsten weight but I’ll go as light as 3/16 or as heavy as 3/8 depending conditions and cover. Hope this helps.

Tackle Warehouse has been my go to.

I've been using a Johnson Silver Minnow (JSM) since the 1960's and still rely on them when fishing areas with heavy vegetation. I have used just about every trailer imaginable from pork frogs to plastics. For many years now I have been using an old school rubber spinnerbait skirt for a trailer. These skirts are built around a round rubber collar. Lay the skirt out straight and insert the hook about 1/3 of the way into the collar and then turn it out. Rigged this way the skirt will stay in place. You can find these shirts on Tackle Warehouse under the Humdinger Lure3s brand. I use a chartreuse/white skirt on the gold spoon, black or black/yellow on the black spoon and a solid white skirt on a silver spoon.

On Toledo Bend there is a population of largemouths that live in shallow water and another that lives out deeper - say 18-25’. Those living out deeper will naturally migrate to the shallows to spawn in the spring but not all. There are some that will spawn in deep water but in my experience water clarity needs to be clear.

I have been using the Larew 4” Salt Craw (now made by Yum) since it was introduced in the 1980’s. It is rare that I don’t have one Texas rigged or as a jig trailer on the deck of my boat.

I have had a couple of instances of people criticizing me about fishing. I told them I really don’t care about their opinion and they need to mind their own business.

My Grandfather and Dad were serious bass fisherman and started taking me in the Atchafalaya Basin at an early age. When I was 12 I was taught to use a baitcasting reel and when I got good enough with it they would take me bass fishing. When I was 14 (this would be in 1966) my Dad and I were fishing an area with a lot of surface vegetation. Dad gave me an Uncle Josh pork frog on a weedless hook and told me to cast out and twitch it across the top of the grass. On about the third cast the water exploded and somehow I managed to catch my first largemouth over 7 pounds. Been hooked ever since.

That would be a hard no for me. But, you do you my friend.

I use them year round here in south Louisiana. I only use two colors - black/black blade or white/gold blade.

I have been doing this for years.

Punching hydrilla and water hyacinth mats is one of my primary tactics to catch bass year round. I usually have 3 punch rigs ready to go. Depending on the density of the mats I’ll use 5/8, 3/4, or one ounce tungsten weights. Plus, I’ll have a rod rigged with a 3/4 or one ounce Oldham’s Eye Max grass jig. For the Texas rigs I’ll use a Strike King Punch Bug or a Zoom Ultra Vibe Speed Craw on one rod. On the other I always have a 4” flipping tube with a tube rattle inserted. On the jig I use a 4” Salt Craw as a trailer. I’ll switch back and forth to find out what the fish prefer that day. While it can take a while to gain confidence in punching, once you have some success it can become addictive.

Same here. I bought a urinal bottle off of Amazon last year because I have had balance issues the past few years. It works great as far as I'm concerned. I always get a big laugh out of my fishing buddies when I tell them it's the best investment I have made in my boat in years.

I could be wrong, but I don't think bass prefer one type of bream over another. They are opportunistic feeders and will eat whatever is available that requires the least amount of effort to capture and swallow.

I have found Seaguar Red Label in 20# test somewhat difficult to cast with. Red Label in 15# test is easier to handle and should be more than adequate for Texas Rigs. If I'm going to be using fluorocarbon, I much prefer Seaguar InvizX over the Red Label. I have found it much easier to handle.

I have had the most success on two colors of Chug Bugs. Bone and Metallic Silver/Blue, so that's the only colors I carry.

Summer in south Louisiana is brutal. The heat index is 108 today and we have another heat alert tomorrow. The on my time I fish now is at night. We usually get a slight break in mid-September. That’s when I’ll start fishing during daylight hours again.

After 60+ years of bass fishing it’s not about the catching for me. Just being on the water is enough. I figure I have caught enough bass in my life that anything I catch now is just a blessing.

Those listed are pretty much all I use. Stained water - #1 is back/blue/orange followed by black/blue/purple. Muddy water - black/chartreuse or black/yellow I'll use brown or brown/orange when visibility is more than 12 inches.

I use a baitcaster to skip 1/2 oz. jigs with a modified Rage Bug or 4" salt craw trailer. Do a search on Youtube for skipping jigs for bass and you can find all the info you need to become proficient at this.

Still praying for you Tommy. You are a man of great faith, so I'm sure you know where you are going. May you be blessed by the Lord of heaven and earth.