shovelmouth83

active army 06 to 10. deployed from 08 to 09 Iraq.

i have fallen for the baby brush hog. i like it in green pumpkin or night purple.

jigs are my major go to bait. they can be fished with or without a trailer. my base for a good jig is 3/8 oz and a black or blue maybe a white skirt. they are basic and they catch fish. i will use them any where. i would rather fish a jig than a beaver due to the fact that the image of the bait is much bigger. i have lost a lot of beavers and texas rigged baits. maybe due that i use a small weight cause i like the slow fall. even in the channels or on drop offs you can get a weird little movement out of it and bang you got a hook up. the debate can go on for hours. you can punch grass and brush easier with a texas rig and a beaver. like scaleface says it is personal preference. i do like both but some days you feel one more that the other.

you can always use garden hoes and old five gallon bucket with rocks..

Out of the Buzz baits i use. i like the 3 bladed Booyah. the wire is strong for the tuff stuff that you get into. also i like the three blade due to the fact you can really slow it down. if you are a burner then i would go with the 1/2 oz double blade white on sunny days and black on dark days. i will do more burning on sunny days that on cloudy days. i have wanted to use the strike king swivel head series but i just cant seem to just pull the trigger and get one. i look at it and tell my self do it but i just cant. i hope this helps and gives you insight.

for my kiddos i always went with a taxes rig or Carolina. ball weight or a barrel. for bait wise i would use something that the hook can be buried in or just poke the tip out a worm.

welcome and hope you enjoy, learn and gain some good friends..

i had recently screwed my foot peddle down. i was having issues with kicking it around and once i kicked it straight off the boat. it has helped me a lot.

i have 3 bait casters that i use majority of the time. i have 2 spinning rods that i use for my light baits and also super tight spots. i would say 85/15.

welcome to the forum

hello brother and welcome to the group. i also served and am to 100% and work with the VA.

i use a 3/16 to 1/2 depending on the bottom and the water. for leader length i use 1ft to 3ft in flats. drop offs ill go longer, like 4ft to 6ft. it is tricky to stick the 5 and 6 ft but can be done. i personally like the shallow rigging best. 1 to 3 foot leader. tight lines.

i made a setup of a 5ft 6in med with a crappie reel. i can cast a 6/32 jig head with a twister. love it.

try the HERE FISHY FISHY. then take a board or paddle and smack it as hard as you can on the water. and repeat. might not catch a d**n thing but you might wake them up.

i love the tiny torpedo. i even have the big torpedo hat i like to call my corn cob. i would have to say when the sun is going down i will use the bone. it is lack with white skeleton on it. they love it. if it is in the morning or the afternoon and things are slow. i will use the red head with the white body. jerk and pull slowly and more than likely you see the wake coming from nowhere. love then

welcome to BR. hope you learn and enjoy

i use fluorocarbon leader with almost anything. i i will use 12lbs but nothing under. the best is 30 you dont have to be worried if you get a hawg and is going to take you in the bad stuff. i tie mine on with a looped leader and a uni knot.

welcome

for sure and i have climbed trees for jigs and other things. but cant let the hawg get away. deffently not with a lure.

having a 2 big fish and being able to fish different waters is really cool. hope it continues for many more years.

shaky head 3/16 oz green pumpkin craw, green pumpkin craw 3/0 worm hook Carolina rig with 1/4 slip sinker.

i used mine for pitching till i got real good. i had to tighten down the breaks and the tension to fine tune to my kinda of handling then i would light cast nothing arm breaking or extensive. when you get it down the reel and rod do all the work, practice practice practice makes close to perfect. use a 1/4 oz drop weight and go from there tight lines

welcome to the gang. hope you feel at home here.

okay I have been thinking about this for a couple of days now. The rubber bobber stops you get that are on little tabs that you slide the line in and slip the bobber stop on to. i have seen this idea at some tackle shops. that a clear soda pop bottle and cut it in to 1/2'' long strips 1/8'' wide. drill three holes and BAM you have a stopper. thread the line through the three holes to bind it. I believe that this will work with weights more than bobbers. I was wondering if anybody has tried anything like this.

i have never replaced bearings. i have always stripped, wiped down and oiled them. put them back together, and reline them. i usually wait till winter to do this. when i am not so fish headed..