HookRz

Jason Lucas. Though we both prefer to fish alone is love hear his thoughts on how bass fishing turned into a comercialized monstrosity.

Get your Google-Fu on and search peer review articles on the effects of bass fishing during the spawn. Sort them out by funding, and the effect on tourism in the area the study originated, that is, University affiliation. I think you will find the studies funded by the folks that sell us tackle and those from places where local economies reap $$$$ from the spawn will mostly say it has little effect. I myself self see an effect on the Ohio lakes just across the Pa line. Not just in numbers but in size. When larger genetically superior fish are targeted their genes are not passed on. As as far as fish returning to the bed are concerned, some do, but it makes little difference when a hooked fish thrashes in the bed scattering the eggs all over. But where legal, it's a matter of individual choice. I just hate it when the bragging rights that come with winning some club tournament, or any tournament for that matter, influence that choice.

Some guys won't fish beds, some will. That ain't gonna change. Closing the tournament season during the spawn might be a good idea. We seem to have struck the right balance that way here in Pa. The year round fishing in our natural lakes and impoundments is noticeably better than in similar lakes just across the Ohio line, IMHO.

Pre-spawn: Finesse tubes, Rapala F-11 shallow; Shad Raps and finesse tubes slightly deeper. Traps and spinnerbaits on crazy bite days. Post-spawn: Jigs, Tubes, suspending jerks, small cranks, Ned. I don't fish for spawners. You can always find pre or post-spawn fish while others are on the beds. I seem to catch more bigger fish with that strategy. But that's just me. I've fished my home lakes for a lot of years, know them well, and know were to look. Outside my home area sight fishing spawners might be the thing to do.

Green pumpkin red flake finesse tube.

Great thread, gonna look at the archives. But I think the most important thing is lense color matching conditions the light conditions. I mostly use the lightest shade of yellow/tan that I can to match cloud cover/time of day. Any thoughts on lense color?

Tube.

I dislike dropshot, because I've spent almost fifty years learning to be a really good jog fisherman. But here is a neat twist. Dropshot a fly. Streamers, bunny strip leeches, the possibilities are endless. It works!

I used to have a favorite...but now you guys got me thinking. That fave was was an old Bill Lewis Sparkle Trap pearl with a greenish back. Haven't fished Traps much since I lost my last one.

F-11 original Rapala to use as a top water. As bank anglers we have all the time in the world to coax bites and when it comes to finesse fishing on top that baits a champ! On on the other hand you need your frogs when the banks you fish are all slop!

No need to rifle filing cabinets these days. Peer review published papers are largely available on-line. The worst flaw you will see in "promotional review" science is the claim that because only X% of fry survive in a given year everything will be ok if X% of the beds survive. That ain't how it works. You'll find a few peer review studies from the literature below. https://scholar.google.com/scholar?start=0&q=micropterus+spawning+success+mortality+tournaments+peer+review&hl=en&as_sdt=0,33&as_vis=1

If you filter for what you read in fishing magazines and from states benefiting from bed fishing tourism, that is, those with a financial interest, I agree 100%.

Nice!

The most important reason to identify bedding areas is to know where not to fish to insure successful spawns. Tournaments should be banned during the spawn.

Not a huge selection. They had them marked down to $440 since the end of summer, and rand a half price sale the last week of January. They still problem made money on them. Never pay full price for GLoomis. One drop shot model still failed to sell. It's an Erie thing. We grow up on the water. When you learned to feel an 8" perch inhale a minnow in 65' of water with your fiberglass rod and 10# mono at age 8 $550 rods are a hard sell. It all reminds me of "softball guy". If you didn't learn to hit as a youngster that space age composite bat might help. If you did, you just need a decent bat and a good pitch to hit. IMHO, of course. If I can't sell the NRX, an 893JWR actually, to Joe Club guy I might put it on the board. Frankly I've taken a liking to it playing in the yard, but I'm a big believer in using the same rods till muscle memory makes the rod an extension of your arm. I can't see what it would replace. My 7'1" old model legend elite I got for cheap, which it harder to do with St. croix, is still going strong and I don't even have to think when pitching it. Just happens.

Whoo_hool! Love this site!!!!!

Great deals can be found on Loomis. Ogbuhda can testify to that. His Field and Stream had NRX going for $220 about a week ago. Bought one and an IMX I wanted for top water for $110. I like the NRX 843jwr (except for the recoils) but will sell it used to some tournament guy so I can say the IMX was free. I just don't feel I need that good of tackle to catch bass. I like my "good enough" Avid, IMX range rods. Interested in trying Dobyns but no one sells them around here. Love to follow and play the market though!

They seem like decent blanks but I agree you can get a lot more for your money. Buying low end Loomis is like buying the "affordable" Mercedes. Your better of with a mid-priced Toyota. You'll get more bang for your buck from a high end Fenwick, Avid, or even a new St. Croix Mojo. And save money to boot. Its all personal preference in the end. Edited to add: I just looked around on the web. Do not pay full price! You can find them for St. Croix premier cost if you look. The premiers might still have better components though.

I've caught them on a Chug Bug, wedged between the top and bottom jaws, no hooks, a few times. Then again if fish the old style CB a LOT! The new ones just don't have it for some reason. Don't catch a lot on them. Even on the hooks. Lol. Seems like 15"-16" LMB are about the right size to make this happen.

A second mortgage?

Clear or shiny top water, variations of watermelon finesse worms,& tubes, BIG straight tail shakys for big fish. And as a surprise spinnerbaits; bulged just below the surface. Silver double willow with a clear firecracker skirt shallow, same only chartreuse, chartreuse, chartreuse, over deeper water. The latter can be a SMB killer. Gotta burn'em. Throw in a white buzzbait. Always throw in a white buzzbait. Lol.

In deep water, drop shot with minnys. Two hooks up the line one on a leader right on the bottom. On Lake Erie we fished them this way for about 80 years before some bass guy coined the name "drop shot" lol.

I'm a newbie here but back in the day my big fish confidence bait (stained water) was a black neon jig with a big motor oil Guido bug trailer. Two colors nobody used!

Thanks Lonnie g. My first thought buying the NRX was "I can turn this over and make $$$, I surely don't need it", but I think it's gonna be a keeper. Used other platinum priced tackle before and I need to see what the modern versions are all about. As I said in my post, I can stop by Swellmart, grab a bubble pack combo and drop shot with the best of them. BTW, that buy was at Field and Stream store. If your outside the reality TV bass belt you may find an outlet that can't sell that stuff near you and get a deal. Glad to hear about the older gent that took an interest in your son. We need to all think about what we have and to pass on. The most important moment in fishing is when you realize you're not out there just to catch the fish. And way after you get the idea the sport isn't about tournament checks. Minor leaguer "pros" will never get it. They are like "softball guy" buying the latest composite bat. Got out of that years ago after I ran out of room to hang my plaques. Pro fishing is tackle shilling pure and simple.

Hello gang! Been following for years and decided join. Great site, good info. Love bass fishing, but don't really go in for the commercial hype. For instance, don't try to tell me I need a $600 drop shot rod to feel a bass bite when any fishing kid that grew up in Erie can feel a 8" perch inhale a minny using nothing more than a Zebco 202, fiberglass "pole" and 10# mono in 60' of water by the time they're six years old! Some skills you just can't buy. No one learns to hit a baseball at 30 years old. Lol. Dont get me wrong, I love fine tackle. Good reliable reels, "good enough" rods in the Avid/IMX range, and whatever I can get in the bargain bin. Just picked up a GLoomis NRX783CJWR. Local store had it marked down to $440, and this week was holding a half price on discontinued merchandise sale so, at $220 I pulled the trigger. Last NRX on the rack. Can't wait for spring! Should be some serious sensory overload!