Bass-Addict

Are you saying the ratio of braid to leader effects breakage? I am exclusively breaking off from abrasion on the 8 lb Sunline FC Leader I’ve been using. What do you suggest?

Do you find you break off less in addition to the lower cost?

It’s been significantly tougher this year than last, I’m not sure if it’s pressure, if they have grown wise to my presentations or if summer really is as tough as they say? Last year I had no problem finding active and inactive fish, and every trip was catching dozens with ease. Most of them were under 17 but always managed to find at least one good one each trip. This summer started off with incessant rain and weekly blowouts for months, it was horrible. But once things finally settled it was like the fish had vanished. I still catch but nothing like it was. The strangest part is, I am a much better fisherman than I was last year. I have learned so much and adopted many new techniques, including perhaps the most important ace in the hole that is finesse. I was really looking forward to scooping up all of the less active giants I was missing, and I’ve still found several but for as hard as I’ve been fishing it should have been much more productive. I have worked my rear end off off to catch an 18 or 19 here or there, and the 10-15” gimmes I pulled out of riffles with ease last year seem few and far between. People say “that’s fishing” or “it’s not called catching” but this goes well beyond an off day or two. What would you guess is at stake here?

I’m afraid to ask what that costs ?

If I’m dealing with heavy algae stain I prob want a Colorado front willow back yeah?

Yeah I was thinking about how high in the column I was even when slow rolling the 5/16. I’ll give the 1/2 oz a go tomorrow!

What would you say the ideal size and blade type would be for a river? I was throwing that 5/16 finesse, can’t help but wonder if upsizing to a 1/2 oz with a ribbed paddle tail trailer wouldn’t incense strikes from bigger fish.

My river has been perpetually stained most of the summer. First from incessant blowouts now from the explosion of algae with record low levels and blazing heat. Yesterday I got tired of the 13-15” fish I was catching so I said may as well try something different. I had heard people having success with the Chatterbait so I figured with the clear sky and bright mid day sun the gold willows of my War Eagle finesse would shine and the thump and vibration would draw out some feeding fish. Holy moly what a blast! Size didn’t improve much but instantly more enjoyable to catch fish on than the old paddle tail or Ned. Reminiscent of my experiences fishing northern waters for pike and muskie, seeing a smallmouth follow it in and hammer it at the boat was pretty exciting. Something about the flash and vibration prompts a much more aggressive strike. I even had the biggest channel I’ve ever caught follow it in, scared the crap out of me. It took forever even on my medium heavy mojo casting rod and I was losing daylight, but I didn’t want to let him have that magic lure. Easily the most fun way to catch fish after topwater! What are your go to brands, sizes, colors, tips and tactics?

Yeah, my river is slightly larger, around 75-100 yards wide with average depths of 4-6 feet. It fishes more like a lacustrine environment than a creek/river in many stretches with deep, slow pools to pick apart, some 20-30 feet deep. Obviously those don’t hold bass but they’re nearby and finding them isn’t always quite as simple as targeting structure and current breaks. I’ve learned quite a bit since I first started fishing, most of the fish I catch have current nearby. However, most of the bigger fish come from slower parts of the run in deep (4-10’) holes. I’m not sure if this is normal in a river this size, but it’s what my experience has been.

What would you consider prime spots, how deep and fast?

I’m getting into tubes for river smallmouth and have been told the smaller 2 3/4 coffee tubes are best for smallies. Is it a bad idea to rig them weedless? I like how infrequently I have to retie with weedless Neds, figured the same would apply with tubes. Most of the jigs I’m finding are 3/0 and larger, isn’t this to big for a 2.75” tube? Thanks!

Heard the Suskie has some tanks

If everywhere, how exactly do you cover an entire river? Since I discovered the effectiveness of finesse I have learned that there doesn’t really seem to be any rhyme or reason to smallmouth behavior and where they might be at any given point. I definitely focus more on those key areas but to be perfectly honest I’ve caught very nice fish in areas I never would have cast, which opened my eyes not only to how many fish I’d been missing, but to how little rhyme or reason there really was to it all. I suppose it makes it more difficult that the entire riverbed is lined with rock, so even the muddiest banks are potentially holding fish. I have found myself tirelessly casting trying to cover every square inch of water now, and it’s become more of a chore than a hobby at this point. Am I wasting my time shooting in the dark, would GPS help? The only consistent variable seems to be depth. I typically find the biggest fish in 4-10’ of water, slower moving areas with rock and vegetation. What is your experience, any pointers?

So the Flatlands is still a decent amount smaller than the Owner? What are your thoughts on Zman Nedlockz?

Is the Flatlands smaller than the VMC on the Lifted Jigs? A poster below said that was the smallest EWG. Why exactly is an open hook the best way, less visible or better hookup ratio?

What do you use? What size are the finesse shrooms zman uses, #2?

I got some of these Owner EWG Ned jig heads that use a 1/0 offset hook to prevent snags. They work great in that regard, and I have been catching a good number of big fish but I’m starting to wonder if I haven’t also been missing a lot due to the visibility and size of this hook which sort of goes against the “thin light wire size 6 hook” imagined for the original Ned rig presentation. Bass, especially river smallmouth are sight feeders and the Ned is all about subtlety, you think I have likely been missing bites because of this and should downsize? What hooks do you use? https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Owner_Block_Head_Offset_Jig_Head_4pk/descpage-BLO.html

Yeah I would say dams would be the exception to the rule in my anecdotal experience.

Why so many Chatterbaits?

Holy cow what have you been doing to those things man?

I have a $50 a month TackleWarehouse habit, sometimes $75-100.

And how do you hit those boulders breaking the current? Yeah, how exactly do you work these features?

Isn’t it sort of one or the other, that is either they can see color or they can’t?

My buddy is telling me that smallmouth only really see the outline of the bait, and that all the different colors, flash and flake etc are gimmicks. If true, this is going to cause me to rewrite everything I have been doing in terms of lure selection. I get bored with plain, dull solid colors like green pumpkin. Does it really work that much better than Canada Craw or Goby Bryant? Also how can this be true if chartreuse has such an established use?

Are St Croix Mojo Bass underrated or overrated in power?