jr231

Sometimes you can find them in a discount bin ! I would get both. Sometimes they don't want the larger presentation (which seems to be the new custom) I swap the hooks on mine. I like VMC. But get the ones you Like, and that are in your budget. A spook is Definitely a good tool to have in the bag !

Or try the single hooks like you've decided to do and let us know how it goes !!! I like the lures you're choosing to use too.

Am I the only one who thinks 200 acres is a lake lol?. To me a pond would be under 20 acres. I'm sure there is guidelines but what do I know. The biggest "pond" I get to fish is 4 acres. Followed by a 3 acre and a 1 1/2 acre. I've caught the biggest bass out of the 3 acre. Then there is a 3000+ acre "pond" right by my house. Which I don't frequent much because of all the pleasure boaters and the natural "choppiness" of the lake. But it is one of the very few lakes in ohio where they stock musky annually. But unfortunately for me I haven't been dealt the life of leisure. And I've brought another life into this world, which makes fishing time cut into like a fourth. Wouldn't change it for the world though. I'm cool as long as I touch a bass's mouth at least once a week.

As a non tournament Fisher, I've had people come to me on A PUBLIC lake and tell me that this is their spot for the tournament and not to fish certain areas. I think that is pretty smug and if someone tries to treat me like that I definitely don't oblige and will make an effort to fish that spot even harder. I understand they want to win. But they don't own the lake, nor do they tell me what to do. Yea let me just go fish somewhere else. Where there's hardly any fish , and no cover to target. Let me spend my free time not catching any fish so you can come back tomorrow and catch them. Get real ! If you're good enough to fish tournaments then you should be able to find fish somewhere.. Really irks me.

I agree with just about everything that Everyone has said to you !! And if you insist on staying in the same area... try some soft plastics or something with just one hook. Then you don't have to worry about your cranks being destroyed and it won't be as big of hassle to get it out ( and the bite rate of the cats might drop too) . Personally I think itd be fun to catch cats on cranks. Not as beautiful (to me) as the largemouth , but often a very strong fight. And that's what I'm out there for.

At 18, (And very much younger) he has a mind of his own. I think the best way to show him is to do the things yourself. And hopefully he picks up on them . I know when I was 18 my dad always tried to TELL ME how to do everything. And although he's very knowledgeable, forcing someone to think the way you do is the worst way to approach it. Like I said. SHOW HIM (nonchalantly) what a stand up man is like. And hopefully he aspires to be one.

If the pond has been around for years , and nobody harvests the bluegill. There are for sure 100 percent positive bluegill in there bigger than 5" .

Ha-ha. @Onvacation Trust me in my own mind I'm a legend. Good stuff.

No dude not exactly. I've caught bass on just about every color that comes on a crank bait. I was just saying what's "hot in Mexico" isn't necessarily "hot" up north.

When I fish from the bank. I almost always use 15lb braid. And I have 20lb braid on one of my poles. The reason I do so is because I lost a 6pound bass out of my neighbors pond a couple years ago. With a weightless senko. It grabbed my worm I set the hook and only was using 10lb test. Well it dove into some weeds and that was the end. I couldn't get her out. The line broke off. I was so ticked. So I went and got some stronger braid. The reason I know it was 6lbs (actually a little over ) was because I managed to hook it again on a top water not even 2 weeks later. And there was my "wacky hook" still in its mouth. Lucky. But I learned my lesson. Nothing makes me madder than putting in the work , hooking the nice one , and knowing it got away.. (and that it might not live depending on where the hook was) . The only down side to this is you reel in a 1-2 lb bass just as easy as you'd pin a kid in arm wrestling. But when I hook one and know it's not that big, I just loosen the drag a little ; and let her think she's winning. But I know she's mine

Glad to see someone else from Ohio ! Lots of knowledgeable folks on here.

Try a thin profile trick worm on a shaky head. Slower the better. The film isn't going to stop your baits . Only dense vegetation. The options are endless. obviously try something different than what you've been throwing previously. You said you've been fishing the pond for 8 years. Well the bass you've caught WILL remember the lures that brought it to the bank . I'm not sure what you've been using ? Other than a ratl trap. Hit em with a silent crank. I'd choose something gold or silver. I like the shad rap. But here recently ive been using an xrap shallow shad. In a black and orange color. It's saved me from a skunk more than once in a pressured area.

I have good success with them t rigged with an 1/8oz unpegged bullet weight. ! Try that as well ! Much different presentation than with a keel weight hook .

I think what he meant was the results can vary due to the area. . If I don't know Mexico.. you might not know Michigan . Or ohio... the climate and structure can be very different and so is forage I'm sure.

Guess I'll be the black sheep . Rippin' rap !

@A-Jay I was re-reading this post , as I almost bought a pointer the other day. Did you catch all 3 of those on the pointer ? And if you didn't have the pointer , do you think you could have taken them on somethig else ?

Ha-ha @A-Jay not exactly ! As long as it's about fishing

@scaleface did you tell him you seen a trailer with a flat tire right where he parked ?

I agree with @bigbill . My favorite model A color however is the chartreuse blush. Hard to find anymore. I have one so beaten up I've retired it.

You can spend 20+ on the fancy "name brand " poppers . But I truly believe the magic comes from YOUR hands. Another vote for the rebel pop r. I got my PB on a rapala skitter pop. Mid day in the summer. Only cost me about 7 bucks. So for what it costs for one of the 'high end' lures , you can have 3 different sizes and colors. You're gonna have the people that swear by them , but I bet you whoever your idol is; can catch a hog on a much cheaper popper .

Restrictions aren't always followed ! I'd set up a trail cam to be sure. Someone at my past grandfathers pond snuck in at night and left their cigarette butts and about 15 bluegill on the bank. I don't know who it was but they are about as trashy as you can get. I'm assuming they kept whatever they were after .. My bass

Right ! So scale that down to 4 acres. Deepest spot about 15 ft. With bass , bluegill and catfish. Also figure I'm up north . I've never caught a bass over 4 lbs out of it. Down the road at a 3 acre pond with no catfish. I've caught 3 different bass out of it 5 + and one was 23 inches and almost 7lbs. The bass I do catch in the 4 acre pond don't really look skinny. I just wondered if it hurt their chances of becoming a real lunker. (up north )

I caught one about 9 years ago when I was 14 . In Michigan , I was in a state park with wooden walkways through a Marsh. I didn't have much tackle at 14 (or much experience fishing ) and I was fishing with some worms and a bobber. Just trying to get a fish ya know. Well it came up and struck my bobber! I was excited as I didn't know what it was but I knew it was big. I reeled it in slowly and it took the worm. I got it up on the walkway and into a bucket , it was making weird noises which I'm assuming is the "gulp of air" that was mentioned above. I took it over to the parking area to show my step dad what I caught. (who was in an ambulance, on the clock ) I wanted to know what it was ! And the EMT driving chimed in and told me it was a dogfish. Sounded right to me because of the sounds it was making. I know today that it was a bowfin. It was about 2 feet long. I'll never forget it.

@soflabasser how big is the water ? You're also in Florida. I'm sure the cycles are different in ohio . I can imagine how many times the gills spawn in Florida lol