GreenGhostMan

I fish out of a kayak, so making a drastic move in location isn’t an option. Sometimes I can’t get a bite on “other” lures, so I’ll tie on a weightless senko because I have confidence in them when the bite is tough.

I use Bass Patrol deflection jigs. Tackle warehouse has them. 3/8 and 1/2 oz mostly like the above poster. I usually only fish them on hard or rock bottom. Reeling just fast enough to tick the bottom. I typically use SK rage bugs and other beaver style baits, but you could probably use any soft plastic and get bites.

As others have said, I carry a leatherman. Not sure of exact model.

I just tried the stutter step over the weekend. It looks unconventional but it basically walks itself. May be more of a beginner bait, but wanted to mention it.

Academy is my first stop over Cabela’s, BPS and Dick’s. Their H2O line of crankbaits are great for the price. Especially the CRS Squarebill.

I’m interested in this too. We haven’t had a substantial rain in over a month and the small lakes I fish are way down. All the manmade structure near the bank is out of water.

I use GP swing shads to imitate bluegill and it’s been working for me.

Hello Gangreen, If you are still looking, I think you should consider living in between Lake Cumberland and Dale Hollow. Both are large lakes with several creek arms. Both have largemouth, smallmouth, spots, crappie, walleye and of course sunfish and catfish. Cumberland is also world class for landlocked striper. I believe Dale Hollow claims to hold the top 3 heaviest smallmouth on record and something like 10 of the top 25. The trade off would be living in a very rural area as there are only small towns in between the lakes. Good Luck!!

Get some scrounger jigs, especially if you have shad in your lakes... and even if you don't. Some lipless cranks and like someone else mentioned, paddletail swimbaits. The eco pro swing shads are only $3.49 a pack for 5, which is almost half the price of Keitech's and they are just as durable with the same great action. Fish them on a VMC drop dead hook, 4/0-1/8oz.

They make one that has a solid black body with blue/black legs. The local Wal-Marts near me actually started carrying the booyah pad crasher this summer and only in the solid black color. Check your local Wally world!

Norman deep little N in the "chili bowl" color. Near perfect condition after I cleaned it up. Not that great, but I haven't been fishing long!

Senkos are the classic king of pond lures. Should always take them when fishing a pond. Spinnerbaits swim jigs hollow body frogs whopper plopper swing shads on weighted swimbait hook squarebill if not too much vegetation around shore texas rigged trick worms pitt boss rage bug Shakey head super fluke roboworms finesse worms pitt boss

Yes. A good frog. My 2nd favorite behind live target. Pad crashers are soft and collapse well. Don't take on water as easily as most brands. Good frog for the money in my opinion.

A tip for using elaztech on a shakey head I learned a while back. Take a lighter and heat up the coil on the shakey head. Should screw right on, smooth as butter after that. Should last you until you lose the whole thing to a snag!

To pick a starting color for soft plastics, I normally follow the below. But if that color doesn't work, I just start going thru the colors I have. There are times where the color they bite doesn't make any sense (at least to me). For example, I was fishing a small lake that was ultra clear with a bright sun and the only color I could get bit on was junebug. Clear water w/ sun: shade of watermelon clear water w/ lowlight: green pumpkin stained water w/ sun: junebug stained water w/ lowlight: black

Have you handled the 7'3" too? I'm curious to know if they differ in action at all, or if only difference is length?

I had a bag of green pumpkin shim-e-sticks and couldn't get a bite on them... Ended up throwing them in my old plastics pile to be melted down and molded into something else. I probably didn't give them enough time, but they just felt cheap to me. I had no confidence in them.

For $150 or under, I'd have to suggest the Lew's Tournament MB... Wicked distance and smooth as butter.

I'm new to baitcasters and have taken a liking to Lew's. Give them a look. I came into the market with zero brand loyalty or bias and found my way to Lew's.

I'm looking to add a jig and texas rig rod to my arsenal. I love my original Tatula rods, so I'm very interested in the new Tatula Elites. Has anyone fished either of the below? What are your opinions? Daiwa Tatula Elite 7'3" Heavy-Fast Takahiro Omori "Pitchin' rod" model# TAEL731HFB Daiwa Tatula Elite 7'1" Heavy-Fast Andy Montgomery "Skippin' jig rod" model# TAEL711HFB

Resurrected a very old thread. Wonder how many of the people that originally commented are still active on here.

Check out the Daiwa Tatula rods. Amazing rods for the price. Very light and very sensitive.

Can't go wrong with a Lew's speed spool LFS.

I second this... I also like the pit boss and SK rage bug.

I had two that were just about even. 1a) Weightless senko (I know a lot of you probably think this is lame, but I just started fishing last year and when I'm not getting bites, I default back to this.) 2a) Texas rigged SK structure bug in green pumpkin