Joel W

My 1st choice would be #2, simply because it's more weedless.

Drop shotting works in shallow water as well as it does in deep water. I've dropped shot in water as shallow as 3-4 ft. If the fish are there, they'll take your lure. The really nice thing about drop shotting when the fish are suspended is that you can keep the lure in their faces for a long time. Sooner or later one will get "ticked off" enough to take your lure. As for post frontal conditions, I prefer to move out to deeper water, say 12-15 ft. The temps are more stable and the fish seem to be some what more active.

I bought the DVD last month, and I've practically worn it out. Once you get by the BPS hawking, it's 1st rate.

The problem with both a Clinch and improved Clinch knot is that they do slip from time to time, and the line only goes through the eye once. Nothing is stronger or as easy to tie as a Palomar knot.

Go with the Palomar knot as the line goes through the eye twice. Just a very, very strong knot.

I've got several Daiwa DTA 153HSTs and they're just great reels.

Been using Power Pro for years and really love the stuff. I usually get two years out of a spool before changing it. As I'm starting to change a few reels this off season, I'm moving up to Sufix Braid as I've heard only good things about it. For one thing it's a 6 strand braid while Power Pro is made out of 4 strands. Will see which one I like better over the course of the season.

One trick I've found that really works with lipless cranks is removing the trailing hook. My hook up ratio is even better then when I used a trailing hook, and it's a lot easier to rip the lure out of the weeds after you've ticked them. When the Bass strike, they shallow the whole lure. Give it a try.

My go to Jerkbait is a #10 XRap. For Smallies I prefer a Perch or clown color. If they're not hitting the #10 XRap I downsize to a #8 XRAP or even a Floating minnow with a tighter wobble. For LM I prefer a Aurora/Black back or a Trout colored #10 XRap. As for my preferred knot, it's a Palomar knot.

Not a pretty picture you have painted. Have you discussed this with both of your friends? Most likely they aren't even aware of it. If they don't care one way or the other, then as you said, you need to find and make new friends.

Out of the two, I find the BPS more geared towards us Freshwater fisherman, although I make purchases from both companies. 95% of the time I make those purchases after doing searches on their web sites. Their catalogs do make great reading material while in the executive lounge. Unfortunately, both send way too many catalogs. One Master Catalog from each would be fine for the whole fishing season.

90% of the time I'm a rec fisherman who fishes the various NYC Croton reservoir system in rowboats. When I'm up front (doing all the rowing), and we're fishing shallow, I make sure that I leave enough opportunities for my partner or guest to catch fish. I will even turn the boat so that they get an equal opportunity to boat some. When I'm a guest on someone Else's boat I've never had a problem with always being out of position. A different presentation or slowing down really helps to even the playing field.

I keep a very detailed journal of every trip. After a few years of fishing the same bodies of water, you will be amazed at how much guess work will be eliminated from your thought processes on where to start based on time of year, weather condtions, what has worked and what doesn't.

The only fishing magazine I read is In Fisherman, and I only buy the issues that interest me.

For the vast majority of my drop shotting I either drop directly next to the boat, or pitch it within 10 yards. After the weight hits the bottom, I lift the rod tip so the line just starts to get tight, then a little tip jiggle. Then a semi slack line, then repeat. To move the DS I lift up on my rod and move the rig some, then repeat the process. Once I'm out of the strike zone I reel in slowly.

A very interesting piece of water. Since I'm dealing with Sunny skies and a little chop on the water, I'm tieing on a 3/8 oz spinnerbait and working the Lilly pad line. Then I'm switching to a DT-10 Crank so I can keep it right on the bottom of the weed line. If I found active fish, I'd then switch to a 3/4 oz jig with a trailer or more likely a Tx rigged Ugly Otter with a 3/8 oz bullet wt. and work any holes. I'd finish up by working a frog over the top.

I go with a drop shot rig post spawn for both LM & SM till the water becomes hard.

A no brainer for me. It's a 5 3/4 inch Zoom Finesse worm in Green Pumpkin on a Drop Shot rig. As it is, it's my go to presentation time and time again.

Try skipping a senko wacky rigged.....it'll scoot right up under whatever you want it to. Actually, 90% of the soft plastics I do skip are 4 & 5 inch Senkso, but I Tx rig them. I only wacky rig in shallow water where the falling action is critical. As for getting the Senko way back under that dock, I mostly fish the NYC reservoirs, and there aren't any docks. All my skipping is just to get the lure under a over hang a few feet.

I'm willing to bet that it's more about lure action, assuming you're throwing them both in the same place then color. Lipless cranks are a true reaction type lure. Fished right, you tick off the Bass and they react into bitting it for a quick meal. I like anything color that resembles a Perch in the early spring. Beyond that my go to colors are chrome with either a black, blue, or green back works just about any where. Low light and night time I like real dark colors.

For those of you that get Verses tv. On Bass Pros today, KVD did the 4 min segment on jigs and at one point was skipping a jig with baitcaster under a very low dock. Needless to say it was quite impressive. I would be thrilled to be able to skip a Senko under there with a spinning reel. One thing he did mention is that he prefers a 6 or 6 1/2 ft rod for all his skppping.

The few times I did get out and manage to night fish, I fished only sections of a reservoir that I knew extremely well. I concentrated on fishing shallow while keeping the boat out in 15 FOW. Even though it's night time, there is still quite a bit of light to see by once your eyes get accustomed to the darkness. Don't use a white light or your eyes will never adjust.

Not true. Go to any lake that you have opens shore line and practice skipping, pitching, flipping or whatever. While you're not skipping under brush, there are usually overhanging branches you can target.