river-rat

I make the majority of the spinnerbaits I use. I will also use the Stanley Vibra Shaft spinnerbaits at times.

I too am going to fish something on the bottom. I'm going to have a jig with a Gene Larew craw worm trailer, Texas rigged flipping tube, and another Texas rigged plastic such as an Ultra-Vibe Speed Craw, craw worm, or plastic worm on the deck and will cycle through these throughout the day to find what the fish prefer that day. I'll also have a spinnerbait on the deck because I have so much confidence in it. This approach only changes in the summertime when I fish docks on Mississippi River oxbow lakes. For this type of cover I'm going to be throwing a Bagley DB 2 and skipping a jig.

X3 on front blade facing in wrong direction. The hammered side needs to be facing away from the back blade.

My wife has never been upset about the amount of time I spend on fishing, whether it's in my tackle shop or on the water. I tell people all the time, I have a great wife -- she doesn't beat me, she doesn't write bad checks, and she smiles when I come home. What more could a man want?

Growing up in Baton Rouge, where the H&H home office is located, my buddies and I used H&H spinnerbaits all the time. I can remember paying $0.19 for them. I was taught to remove the skirt, turn it around backwards and slide it back on the body. The double hooks should be put on with the hooks pointing upwards. I still have a few in my boat for those times when the fish are feeding on really small baitfish.

If you are seeing big fish during the last hour of daylight under the conditions you described, especially no wind, I would throw a gold/black back/orange belly floating jerkbait such as a Smithwick Rogue or Cordell Redfin. Cast it out and let all the rings disappear. Then just barely twitch it and then let it sit. The fish will hit it while it's not moving. I have had good success this time of year doing this in the late evening. Good luck.

On the Mississippi River oxbow lakes, which are now landlocked, docks are one of the primary types of cover to fish. I've been fishing these lakes since I was a kid and the time of year has a lot to do with lure choice for me. For example, slow rolling a 3/4 oz. spinnerbait or fishing a jig along the edges works well this time of year. During the spawn, largemouths will bed between the bank and the first set of pilings. That's when a jig, Texas rigged lizard, or Cordell Redfin or Smithwick Rogue produces best. In the summer, a thermocline will set up at 11-12' and that's when a Bagley DB 2 produces better than anything else for me. The fish will suspend just above the thermocline around the deeper docks at 9-10' and this lure runs at that depth on 14# test line. I concentrate on the shady side of the dock and crank as fast as I can. I'll also skip a jig underneath the docks that are over water 10' or less.

I could fill up my house on the number of largemouths I have caught on a Snagless Sally with an Uncle Josh pork frog trailer. I have used it since I was a teenager and have never stopped. It is extremely productive in the Atchafalaya Basin and the marshes of south Louisiana all the way down to Venice, LA.

Just give me two rods with Oldham's jigs, another with a flipping tube, and a spinnerbait and I'm good. And I usually have a rod rigged with a Rattle Trap in the rod box.

The Bitter's Salty Sling works as well as the Senko. Plus the plastic is more durable so it doesn't tear up as quickly. And the price at $3.00 for two packs is a deal.

Bitter's Bait and Tackle out of Florida sells their custom line in bulk. I've used their products for years and can verify that they are first rate. Bitter's Bait and Tackle Bulk Pricing

I too can verify that 6 Mile Creek has plenty of grass. Housen has a good bit also.

Same here. I hunt waterfowl in the mornings and then go after bass or sac-a-lait (crappie) later in the day. Doesn't get much better than a limit of ducks or geese and a limit of bass in one day.

The spinnerbait I referred to earlier in this post that I make is not a short arm spinnerbait. The top wire extends to even with the hook point. Since I'm usually fishing shallow water I usually keep the bait in sight - no more than 12-18 inches under the water around heavy cover such as cypress trees and laydowns.

I've been making and using a spinnerbait patterned after the Redman spinnerbait for many years. I make a 7/16 oz. and a 1/2 oz. with a gold Hildebrandt #4 1/2 Colorado blade. In fact it's the first spinnerbait I choose in the Atchafalaya Basin.

Louisiana (where I live), Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Missouri, Minnesota, Washington, and New York. And I enjoyed fishing every one of them.

I have to agree with this. I would stay on that lake and learn everything there is to know about about it. By April of next year it will be 3 years old and with it being stocked fishing should be good. You might have to put up with some pressure for the first couple of years but don't let that deter you. And Catt is correct in saying that Texas takes managing their lakes seriously. I would be extremely surprised if the lake turned out to be a disappointment.

Mid December through February will usually find me with two jig rods and a spinner bait with a #7 willow leaf tied on.

I use a jig 12 months out of the year. I don't care what season it is, a jig is a primary weapon. I highly recommend Oldham's Jigs if you are fishing grass. Either the Trailer Hitch jig or the Eye Max jig will come through grass as well as any jig on the market. Being that you are in Texas, you can probably find them locally since they are made in Wimberley, TX. If not, you can order direct from Terry Oldham. oldhamjigs.com

I've been bass fishing since I was 10-11 years old (I'm 71 now) and my vote goes to the plastic worm as the best bass lure of all time.

I have been using Oldham’s Trailer Hitch and Eye Max jigs for many years and will testify they are a first rate product.

I guarantee that will catch a bass. ?

I have been using Bagley's balsa crankbaits since they first came out in the 1970's and still do so. I use the BB1, BB2 for shallow water and the DB1 and DB2 for deeper water. I also have a few Black Label crankbaits and have found them to be productive also.

Depends on what the bass are showing a preference for that day. I don't really have a "favorite" type of plastic worm. Some days a straight tail worm will out produce a ribbon tail worm and vice versa.

Although I don't fish tournaments anymore, I have a nephew that does. I don't mind sharing specific information with him. Other than that, I will usually share information about what I'm catching fish on with a few guys but seldom will I reveal exact locations.