justfishin

I was just surfing around and went to this site from another and saw this. Its what they are putting in your kids heads. I drink a gallon a week myself so I guess that makes me a " MILK SUCKER ",lol. http://www.petakids.com/milksucker.html

When I do throw a hard bait, like a crankbait or trap, I tie direct. Only one hard bait do I do any different. Husky Jerks, Rogues, etc, I tie a Rapala loop knot. I am not sure if that is the correct name but, it gives a jerkbait more action and I never had one fail. www.animatedknots.com/indexfishing.php

I thought the same thing years ago but, smallies are smallies. I have caught tons of them and released every single one. If they are on the feed, say on shad, minnows, crawdads, or whatever, I don't feel, or at least, never came to a conclusion that it makes a difference. When smallies are on the feed they are on the feed, period. IMO

Well done, and thanks for all the hard work to make a better site.

I have been a fan of Cavitron buzzbaits for years. Whether its the Lower Potomac in Md, Susquehanna in PA or Lake Kerr in Va., they are the best .

????, What was this guy thinking ? Ummmmn, not the sharpest knife in the drawer. Its hard to tell by the pic but, judging by his fingers and taking a estimated guess I am going to guesstimate it at around 7 something. It is a good fish by the tail size. What throws me is 22 inches and 12 lbs? I would think a smallie that wt. would be 24 or 25 inches. Who knows.

I don't think I ever remember anyone mentioning Zoom Centipedes for smallies in here. In low clear water on our river they can be great either on a t rig for grass or wacky in low clear water and boat docks. Granted, a Senko fished wacky is a great smallie rig but, sometimes a centipede can be the ticket when they want something smaller. I have even used them on a jighead for dead sticking. Anyone else?

Excel Worksheet for logging all of my 10" fish,lol. ;D

I would fish the main lake channel or at least on the deeper drop offs this time of year and watch your depth finder for deeper structure, as in wood, rock piles, grass or humps, and get away from the bank beaters. Use a Ika, T-Rigged worm, " Alabama Rig " ( Ball head jig and Trick Worm ) or a mojo and 4" worm or Zoom Centipede in Watermelon or Green pumpkin. If you chose to fish the pads, I would use a black 1/2 jig and a Zoom Flippin Blue or Sapphire Pro Chunk, or a 4" Black Neon tube rigged with a 4/0 hook and a pegged 1/4 oz bullet wt. I like the heavier stuff this time of year because it rushes by the fish on the fall and at times it can drive them into a reaction strike. Don't forget a buzzbait over the submerged grass in the early hours. IMO

I have to go with a tube. You can flip them, pitch them, throw them weightless, fish them deep or shallow, fish them night or day, muddy water or clear, fast or slow water, winter, summer, green or brown bass, etc, etc. After that I would chose a jig.

Hmmmmmmm, big bait, big fish.

What RW said.

For open water jigging I trim the bulk of the guards off, as well as, trim the weed guards down and flex them so when bent against the hook it only takes up about 1/8-1/4 beyond the point. If its grass I usually " fan " my guard, as well. I do this both for open water and " Swimmin " a jig and worm. I don't think a medium rod is suited well for a jig, I would go to a 6'6"-7' MH-H and Xtra Fast. A great all around jig rod is a Team All Star 6'10" MH. Catts choices are excellent. As far as line choice mine in swimming and open water is green #15 Big Game. For flippin wood and spatterdock I usually use #20 Big Game, or Sten Dura Tough. If I am around a lot of Zebra Mussels, as on the Lower Potomoc in DC, I like to use Trilene XT in #25.

Stradics

:)Welcome, and this is by far the best fishing site on the web.

I feel soft plastics fishing comes with experiance. You have to learn for yourself whats going on at the end of your line. The taps, ticks, weightless feeling, line watching, judging the depth and seeing your line stop before it hits bottom are all generated from personal experiance. Jig fishing is a little different. Anything unusual and set the hook. They will not hold on near as long, especially with a 1/2 jig and big trailer. Most of the jig bites are on the fall so pay attention. I always keep a finger on the line while jig fishing, even when flipping in which makes up 90% of my green bass tactic in heavy cover.

I am no Fla. fisherman by far, and fish for smallies 98% of the time but, I think a real generic answer for night fishing is to slow down, way down. Seems your choices are good though. JMO

Thanks RW. There are a few clients I had that fished with me the length of my tender that I will still fish with. A lot of them purchased their own boats and are every bit as good, as if not better, at catching those smallies. I made some good friends over the years and some of them taught me things as well. I won't name drop, but, was was fortunate to have some pretty famous guys in the fishing world hire me, as well. I hope I helped some people over the years, and sure learned from some of them. I always kept myself open to suggestions, you would be foolish not too. It sure is nice to stand in the back and just fish for a change, and I always have my three beers at the end of the day,lol, its a tradition, ya know.

To all, I have heard so much about guides while being on this forum, some good and bad. Let me keep this short but, hopefully informative. I was a guide ( weekends ) for 17 years for river smallies. I gave it up last year. Yes, 275.00 a day for two people is good money but, here goes. I love to fish for smallies and love to see other people enjoy themselves catching them. Pros: Lets face it, you don't have to be that good to catch fish on the Susquehanna in PA. The river is a awesome fishery. I left in the morning for my 2 hour drive and met my clients at the ramp, ready and able. I knew for them it was a big thing. Some of the guys knew what they were doing and I da** sure knew where to go in every season. Spring and my favorite time, winter( temps in the 38-45 degree mark) were big fish and numbers times---somewhere between 30 apiece to 100 or so---you never know, as every day is different, the higher and muddier the better. Its easy to find them in these conditions. You all know how much it is to fill the boat and vehicle up, $$$, and after working all week I was usually beat to the max. It was a pleasure to get guys I already knew and knew what was up. We usually had good days and a 50.00 tip was what I recieved most days plus a lot of pleasue to boot. Cons: Guys reading about the Susky numbers and size of the fish and not hitting either and calling you a no good MF. Oh yes, I have had that. They have been fishing a couple of years and go out and buy all this cheap line, cheap reels and refuse to use my good stuff or tactics. Why are we here? I read where...... Hey man, throw a jig right in front of that rock in the slow water...but no, they want to throw a spinnerbait in a flooded river moving about 30 mph and bit** because they are not gettin a fish every cast or take the guy whom throws a tube on #20 test and reels it back as fast as possible and complains he will never come here again and threaten not to pay, oh yes, I had them all. I would show them what to do and catch 1 or 2 and they would prounonce, thats not how I read how its done. I will say these types are rare and most people were great. I have only had a couple where I had enough and took them back to the ramp and would not take their money. Its not easy to control the boat in fast water with a trolling motor on high all day and keeping your clients on fish, It will flat wear your a** out, especially on those cold, 30 something degree days when the snow is coming down sideways. Not all guides are bad, its a tough job, especially being a river guide. I think most of them I know do their best, so put yourself in their shoes...and thats all I have to say about that. P.S.- If this is any help at all, the best river smallie lures in my 35 years are the ones I have below. Some are better than others on certain days. IMO 1. Tubes are my first choice for river smallies, throw up river. Mostly dark colors. My best and all I use are, Green Pumpkin/Red Flake, Dark Melon/ Purple Flake and Smoke/Purple. White can be good as well but, day in and day out the first two are by far the best. 2. Grubs in 4" or 5". My favorite is Bluegill colored, also, Green Pumpkin and always have a Pearl ready. 3. Super Flukes in Pearl or Smoky Joe. 4. Senkos in Green Pumpkin, Watermelon/Red Flake, Smoke, Cinnamon/Purple Flake. 5. 1/8 or 1/4 hair jigs in black or green. 6. Jerkbaits, as in, Rapala Husky Jerks in Tenn Shad or Bone. Usually no. 10 but, in low clear water, no. 8. Both in deep diving and shallow. 7. Spinnerbaits, one of my favorite ways to catch big river smallies, usually in 1/2 white with Indiana gold blades. 8. Crankbaits, although I rarely throw them, I have seen guys eat them up using them. When I do throw them its usually a Norman. I always felt cranks were a small fish bait, not always, because there is always an exception to the rules but, mostly in my years it is a numbers bait and for smaller smallmouth. 9. Buzzbaits in white 1/4 to 1/2. Cavitrons over the low water grass beds can be awesome. 10. Topwaters, my favorite way to catch them. Zara Spooks and Puppies, Spittin Image, Torpedoes, and Sammy 100's. 11. Zoom Centipedes in Green Pumpkin or Watermelon rigged wacky, t rigged, or with a ball head jig head. 12. Zoom 4" Ringworm in Green Pumpkin, Watermelon, or Smoke/ Black Flake. There are plenty of baits for smallies, as well as colors, so use your own judgement and experiance for your area. I depends on the food in your region. Our smallies are by far, crayfish oriented but, do feed on shad and shiners, as well. Your river might be different and colors can be different. Don't go crazy on color though, as its a waste of money and space. Darker and lighter hues are the answer. IMO. I hope this helps some of you starting out.---Jim

Hello Grasemaster 101, I am always open to suggestions, it dosn't pay not to be,lol. What color is this teel?, or did you mean " teal "? Also, what size are you talking, big, as in 5"?, and how are you fishing them? We have had a great summer night bite here lately. Not a lot of big ( #5's ) so far, this year but, lots of good 2-3 1/2 pounders. Tubes, tubes and more tubes has been the ticket here as usual. I am interested in your night grub tactic, mainly in how you have been fishing them, as I never had much luck with them at night unless I keep constant bottom contact, as in tube fishing. A little insight if you would.---Jim

Stay safe man.

When we night fish for smallies this time of year the bats will drive you nuts sometimes. I have never caught one ,although, my buddie did catch a owl one night on a Pop R. I have been half asleep and set the hook on many a " Bat " bites,lol.

???, sorry Glenn, I did not mean to offend. I didn't think a bikini shot was bad, again, I apologize for the pic.---Jim

Smallies.

I will take those 3 1/2 pounders all day !!! I love catching 4,5's and 6's but, like RW said, when they start getting 3 1/2 pounds and up, it gets interesting. Its funny how there is so much difference in the fight between say a #2 and #3 1/2 smallie. I always felt the small wt. differences in a smallie make way more of a difference than in green bass.