bagofdonuts

Started pegging weights on fishing trips to big O. Now I peg the weight most of the time if I flippin soft plastics. Its easy, effective and cheap (you get 30 of them for 1.50). We don't have as much matted grass to punch, but i like the pegged weight around wood as well. Keeps the bait from separating and wrapping around a branch on the way in, low hanging green cypress limbs are really bad to get wrapped on and the pegging helps.

It seems certain baits work best in tandem, whether a true follow up bait or a combo search bait with slower presentation to pull a few more out of a spot. I was wondering what your favorite combos are. Mine over the last couple of years 1. In Spring- buzz bait with senko or trick worm follow up. i'd call this a classic follow up 2. Summer - citrus shad deap diving crank with t-rigged worm. More of a tandem if school slows down on the crank bait, a fast falling ol monster get's bit everytime. 3. fall - spinner bait, jig or gitzit 4. I dont really have one for winter.

zoom ole monster, candy bug

buzz bait swim jig

I really like the sun clouds by polaroid. $50.

Drop shot.

Great river bait. I just slow roll them on bottom. Heavy weight for fast retrieve less weight when they want a slow retrieve. My only gripe is the drum love them.

For some reason down here they shut off a 4pm from now till mid spring. I don't know if its the angle of the sun or what but its like a light switch. i'm with the 10-2 crowd.

I'm a river guy mostly. so the baits on deck don't change all that much during a certain season, but the type of structure the bass are using and their relation to current changes by the hour. so i change locations.

have any of you tried a double surgeons knot. i used it fly fishing all the time without fail. not sure how it does with braid.

that seems high to me for a 93 stratos. you could find a 93 ranger for 6k, with the same engine and a better hull.

There's a book on trolling depths for almost any crankbait (can't remember the name but a quick google search should bring it up). It will show feet of line out and a chart on the lures depth. I troll in the summer for crappie using bandits mostly. I measure 100 feet down the alley, hook a bait to my bumper and walk back to my 100 foot mark, then tie a piece of rubber band or old jig skirt to my line at the 100ft mark. You can also count the number of times your worm guide on the reel goes back and forth (that's what a line counter reel does). Almost all the crankbaits reach max depth at close to 100 ft mark. Its real effective when the crappie stack up at the thermocline.

i fish the arkansas river here almost exclusively. knowing how they are relating to current is the key. during spring and fall they will be in the back waters away from the current. summer here is all about fishing the rock jetties where current is present. winter is in between , they will be on the jetties/riprap alot, but not on the tip or in front (in the current) as much as they are in summer, you also find them at the mouths of the feeder creeks in winter. crankbaits and spinner baits are great river search baits ( i always have both tied on no matter the season). i also throw a hard head/biffle bug alot(river equivalent of a carolina rig, great for covering the bottom). for slower presentations trigged worms and jigs are the ticket here. I agree that lm usually prefer the slower current. when fishing a jettie or wingdam there is always a sweet spot where the rignt amount of current is hitting it. find that sweet spot and if there's a bigger rock or lay down in that zone it is golden. unlike lakes it is common to catch several bass off one rock or laydown, and then come back to it a bit later and more bass will fill in. river fishing is by far my favorite. it is always changing so you can't be fishing the spots that worked before, may be a good place to start, but you have to change with them.

gambler big ez, and the little ez for swim jig trailers. cheaper and tougher than most and have a different rolling action to them.

Hack attack heavy cover swim jig in blue gill with gambler little ez copper field color trailer. Best bream immatation I've found. You can find a pack of little ez for under 4 bucks. They are much more durable than other swim baits and the jig has a good keeper on it.

Just lost my favorite spinnerbait yesterday. Too many times having to bend it back in shape after a fish and it broke. Saved the blades though, so they will live on.

Look up Hugh Albright out of Mtn Harbor marina he's great. I haven't fished it much in December. But always heard a red rattle trap was good in winter on that lake. Rip it off the bottom at let it fall back. A shakey head is always good there as the lake is full of spotted bass. Would try to find some live crawfish too. I'd be more help in spring. Beautiful lake. Oh yeah. Forgot to mention ,if weather and water is right, a float down the ouachita river would be great for winter smallmouth. There are canoe rentals up river from where your staying.

Ask yourself these questions: 1. Have you ever tried to stop and not been able to? 2. Has your family or friends ever confronted you about your tackle buying? 3. Do you envy other people who can just buy one or two spinner baits? 4. Has your tackle buying caused you problems at home in the last year? 5. Have you ever had trouble remembering how you got so much tackle? 6. Do you ever lie about the amount of tackle you buy? 7. Do you wish people would quit asking you about your tackle purchases? 8. Have you ever switched from one brand to another in hopes you would buy less tackle? 9. Do you ever think your life would be better with out all the tackle? 10. Have you missed work to purchase tackle? 11. Do you ever tell yourself you can quit at any time even though you keep buying too much? 12. Have you ever felt you need to buy more tackle to catch fish, even though you have a garage full of it?

Ha, I just noticed your location. Probably talking about the same lake. Lake Conway. I haven't been in a few weeks but have you tried around the pad steams, those usually produce in the fall. I'd throw a spinner bait, fluke, or swim jig thru the pads to see if they in them chasing shad.

I fish a lake with a lot of log jams and it gets really good around the blue gill spawn. I think your kayak may be an advantage. Just drift up there right next to them nice and quiet and flip or pitch a jig in all the gaps you can hit. Then ease on down and repeat.

Looks like the gene lerue salt craw but I've not seen that color.

If its early spring the big "O" is great, and you have south Florida beaches near by.

I got a cranking rod from sports academy this summer. its their brand (x20?). can't remember the name of the rod ( i think its called an "ethos"), but its blue and around $90. I love it, its got quality guides and blank thru constuction, and a really comfortable handle. It may be a little faster action than some like, but i'm not a big fan of crankin rods that feel like noodles. I like to feel whats happening down there. I also looked at some new berkley rods the other day that feel real nice in that $100 range. Forgot to mention falco bucco. There very nice rods for the price. I've had a couple for 4-5 years and they hold up very well.

I'd go with something with more tip like a good all around spinnerbait rod thats not too long. good for spinnerbaits, topwater, jerkbaits, squarebills, rattle traps, and swim baits. Pretty much any moving bait, might not be the best choice for deep crankin but would work at that too. I have a 6'3" castmaster spinnerbait special that i've had for 10+years. Still probably catch more bass on it than all others because its so versatile. Also a bit shorter for tight casting situations.

Congrats. Boy I hate when you think your hung up, shake it free and feel the bass spit it out.