FCPhil

I don't recommend nail polish. I tried this and after being submerged for awhile fishing it softened up and came off in my hands. Maybe it was just bad nail polish or not enough topcoat but that's my experience.

We are post spawn here in Colorado and I can't buy a bite on clear calm days here. My best fishing usually comes from windy or overcast days regardless of the season, but Fall is when I have caught my biggest bass.

Looked it up because I was curious what it was like. I find it ironic that it is called "Giant Dog-x" as it seems small for a walking bait. I really have liked the Ima Skimmer. It doesn't sit level in the water which may be a plus or minus depending on your opinion.

Weightless rigged berkley Flat Dawg on a 4/0 Texposer hook. Wacky rigged finesse worm (maybe a trick worm or smaller stick bait.)

Adding a split shot to the line shouldn't affect the action much if the split shot is a decent distance above the lure. Another option if you want a smaller change in depth would be adding a split ring to the line tie and upsizing the hooks and split rings on the bait. Large heavy wire hooks can really change the buoyancy of a bait.

So I wanted to report back about after hearing the advice giving. I went fishing early this morning and tried a walking topwater, a large jerkbait, a fast stop and go retrieve on a crankbait, a few swimjigs and a paddle tail swimbait on a light keel weighted took. I didn't have much time to thoroughly test them all so I'm going to keep at it. The only producer was the walking topwater (Ima Skimmer). Hooked one small bass on it but he shook free because of a bad hook. Next time I'm planning on trying some soft plastics and a smaller jerkbait.

I think it has a significant effect depending on how timid the bass are. Recently I was fishing with both a black whopper plopper and a translucent shad whopper plopper. Only the translucent one got strikes.

Thanks. From what I can tell you are right. We are solidly post-spawn now.

I'm considering purchasing this lure but I need a shallow running jerkbait. Some websites say it runs 0-2 feet deep. Others say 3 feet. Anyone have personal experience of how deep it dives? Thanks.

I looked on Tackle Warehouse and didn't find a match. I bet finding a matching size craw that flaps a lot would be pretty easy. I have heard the rage tail craw has a ton of action.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll try some of these and report back if I can remember. One challenge I face is I am shore bound and have to be able to cast decently far to reach the submerged weeds.

this is my problem too.

Any suggestions for a really shallow running jerkbait? As in 0-1.5 feet?

If you can't fish on the bottom because of vegetation what are your most productive lures?

Sometimes I get strikes in open water right at the beginning of the retrieve (On the fall or when the bait starts moving) but I don't get bites in open water after that point. I know there is cover out there because the bottom is covered with submerged grass.

Hardly any backing. When I had backing the line would sometimes get snagged on the joining knot so I kept the backing deep in the spool.

I mainly fish medium size clear water size ponds in Colorado. The places I fish get a good amount of fishing pressure and they might just not be very good bass fishing on their own. I probably average one fish per visit. The vegetation on the bottom is thick enough I can't use any bottom fishing lures without dragging in a bunch of plants. In my experience I almost always get bites either at the very beginning of the retrieve (on the fall or as soon as the bait starts moving) or as the lure passes by cover. Occasionally I get strikes right at the end of the retrieve as I am about to pull the lure out of the water. I almost never get bites mid way in my retrieve in open water. I mainly fish crankbaits, topwater, stick baits, swimbaits. It has gotten to the point that I feel a good chunk of my fishing time is wasted as I retrieve my lure. Unless they bite at the beginning or as I pass cover I'm just wasting time getting my lure back to make another cast. Anyone have any suggestions or similar experience? Details: I only have one rod. 6:3 baitcaster with medium heavy rod. Straight 30 pound braid. Lures: Strike King KVD 1.5, Mann's 1-, various lipless cranks, whopper plopper, jackall pompadour jr. and Mikey Jr, small swimjig, arashi wake crank, etc. I have tried some spinnerbaits but never gotten a strike.

I know not all bass spawn at the same time but does anyone know when bass spawn on average in Colorado? I fish mainly medium size ponds in northern Colorado and can tell they are around beds but can't figure out if the are pre spawn, post spawn or spawning. I have not seen any eggs or fry but it seems like their leaving the beds I have seen. Anyone know from their own experience?

Are you using a baitcaster? With a baitcaster if thumb the spool before the lure hits the water it will keep tension in the line and you should not have an issue.

My wife uses a spinning reel when she fishes. It's an old Shimano reel that is probably a bit big for bass fishing. In the past we constantly had line twist issues with mono so we switched to braid. Problem solved! Now however we have a new problem. Often the braid gets small kinks in it on the reel. They are not in the line that has been cast out but deeper in the spool. When she casts often the line being cast get caught on the kinks of the line deeper in the spool and makes her cast stop mid air. I have tried pulling out most of the line and rewinding it tightly which seems to help for awhile. Anyone know how to avoid these kinks developing? We had been using 30 pound braid but we switched to 50 which improved the issue somewhat.

In my limited experience the point on Trokar hooks cuts through plastics easily so you get very little life out of soft plastics compared to other hooks. It's not a flipping hook but not of my favorite hooks is the lunker city Texposer hook. If it fits your application I think you'll be glad you tried it.

I'd say knowledge is paramount but depending on the circumstances you may need the right lure to be successful. Certain lures are more flexible than others. With the wrong lure in the wrong situation no matter how much you know you may not be able to catch bass. But, knowing the right lure, and having it, may unlock some good catches. Just my opinion.

I recently tried a lure I was so impressed with I wanted to share with everyone here. I recently tried the "Berkley havoc Flat Dawg". It is very similar to other senko style worms but it has a flattened cross section. Because of this the action it has on the fall is unbelieveable. It not only shimmies but wobbles back and forth as it falls. The action is much better than I have seen on any other stick bait and it has already produced a few good fish for me. They are not very durable but they only cost $3.00 for a pack. You can order them on Walmart and have them ship to your store for free. I recommend rigging them on a 4/0 Lunker City Texposer hook. If you have never tried these hooks they are phenomenal as well. Easier to rig than other hooks and have the perfect gap for fishing worms.

I have not used it a ton yet but I think if the fish doesn't miss it you will hook them. If anything it might not be as weedless as you want but I'd rather lean that way.

I like the jawbone frogs at Dick's sporting goods. At $3 they are easy to replace. They float like a champ and even the small frogs cast well. Only downside is the hook isn't the strongest but it is plenty for Colorado ponds. I'd recommend trying one before buying something more expensive. You might find the Jawbone frogs get the job done and save you some $.