Joel W

Plenty of excellent info. One thing that you have to realize is that when the fish move to deeper water, your ability from the shoreline reach them will be very limited to unreachable. Fishing from the shore lends itself to smaller bodies of water.

Rattle Traps is the only brand of lipless cranks I have. One trick that I've learned from fellow reservoir anglers is the removal of the rear treble hook. 99% of the hook ups are on the front hook. By removing the rear hook, it's a lot easier to rip it out of the weeds without getting hung up.

90% of my spinnerbait fishing is done with 3/8 oz wt size.

I just love worm fishing. Spawn: 4 & 5 inch stick worms wacky rigged. skipping: 5 & 6 inch stick worms on a 3/0 EWG hook. Pitching into weed holes and along inside and outside weed bed lines: 7 inch Power Worms Tx rigged on a 5/0 EWG hook with a 3/8-1/2 oz bullet wt and bead. Will switch up to a 10 inch worm by mid summer. The big "girls" really like that size. 4 3/4 inch Zoom Finesse worms for Drop Shotting. 6 inch Zoom Trick worms for shaky head.

I've used them, and really don't like them. As others have said, they have a nasty habit of ripping out of the plastic lure very quickly. I've also become convinced that other then pitching/flipping into weed holes or thick brush, a unpegged bullet wt is the way to go. There is the added benefit of a little noise from the weight hitting the glass bead, but by allowing the bullet weight to move rather then being pegged up by the hook, it allows the plastic lure to have more action with less rod tip movement.

Thanks for the link. Going to order the 6 & 8 lb test line. I know I won't be disappointed.

As for me I really like the Rapala DT series. I've cant' recall ever having one that didn't run true right out of the box. The only thing I never really cared for is their Sure Set hooks. I replace them as soon as I get the new Crankbaits home.

I guess I'm cheap, but I still use plain old ball jigs ranging from 1/8-3/8 oz for shaky head presentations with a 4/0 hook. I use a Hitch Hiker to attach the worm and rig it Tx posed. Still, I don't fish a shaky head in the weeds, at best just around them.

When I'm pitching in weeds, I use 30 lb Power Pro. If I'm pitching in and around rocks that could cut the braid, I use a 2-3 ft leader. This is the only thing that I now use braid for, and that's just about a complete 180 degree turn around from a guy that not so many years ago used braid for everything.

The last few years I've used 12 lb test Power Pro braid on my crankbait setup. Last year I had to add a flouro leader as I was getting just too many cut offs from rocks, etc. I just didn't like how the leader felt going through the guides, especially the tip guide. So this year I'm going to back to co-polymer. My line of choice is 12 lb PLine CXX Xtra. For lite wt cranks I still use a spinning outfit with 8 lb Sufix Elite.

For my two spinning reel setups I use Sufix Elite in 8 lb test. Since one of the setups is dedicated to drop shoting, line twist was a issue even using a swivel. I've looked for the Yo-Zuri Hybrid Ultra Soft but I can't find it anywhere locally. I couldn't find it listed on either the BPS or Cabela's site.

I voted for winter because the reservoirs are closed to boaters even if the water hasn't iced up yet. But outside of that I would have voted for packing up at the end of the day.

It's been so long I that nearly forgot. My last Bass was caught on 11/11/07 on Cross River Reservoir. Got skunked the next trip out, and then my year was over.

From the two pictures you posted, I would definitely go with the lipless frog. BTW, I've never bothered trying to fish a fog in open water. I rather use a Super Fluke or a Horny Toad instead.

We fish out of 12-14 ft Jon and Semi V-hull rowboats on the NYC reservoir system. Presently we have two different anchors. The 1st one is a 15 lb mushroom for rocky bottoms. For weedy reservoirs we prefer a 12 lb river anchor.

As a NYC reservoir dawg I'm partners in several of these little gems.

I only use snaps for Crankbaits and lipless cranks. I've been using Duro snaps for the last few years, but I do modify the snap somewhat by increasing the angle of the locking part of the snap with a pair of needle nose pliers. I can still quickly change lures, but it takes more effort to do so. I've also been removing the split ring from my cranks since the snap really does double duty by replacing the need for the spit ring. I've also noticed that by removing the split ring and just using a snap, that the number of times that I've foul hooked my line with the rear treble drastically decreases.

When I'm fishing with my partner, we always say fish on. Yet, when I'm fishing with just about anyone else, it's usually: Got 'em. Now come to Papa.

Tough question. For me I sport fish (C&R) for the thrill of the fight. Naturally, 1st you have to find 'em. The hook set is just the opening round of the battle to come.

Smallmouth usually are looking to feed on Perch and baitfish when the water temps are just reaching the 40s. Tubes and jigs really aren't that effective as the crawfish haven't really emerged as yet.

The opening of the boating season on the NYC reservoirs which usually has been ice free for just a few weeks, will see me fishing the back NE corners of coves for Smallmouth with #8 & 10 X-Raps in Perch, Brewer 3" Grubs in Watermelon with Black flake, and Super Flukes with a nose nail in Albino Shad.

hey Mike, Just trying to get through this darm winter. BTW, will you be able to make the seminar next month ?

for me it's April 1st, as that's when NYC DEP allows us to use our boats on the reservoirs, assuming that their ice free.

This book should be a good starting point for you. Largemouth Bass. A In-fisherman handbook of strategies.

Something just doesn't seem right here. I'm glad he decided to just drop the matter.