CroakHunter

Getting into debt when you are young absolutely sucks. Trust me I know. If you wanna get off the bank that bad I'd suggest and bass raider or similar. Or also a small John boat that you can make your personal bass boat. Those plastic two man boats can be caught in sale for under $300, plus $100 for trolling motor, $70 for a battery, $20 for a charger, and $10 for some ratchet straps to strap it in the bed of a truck and for $500 bucks you have your own personal bass boat. Getting a good job isn't everything either. most of the time people get a good paying job, start making good money and then get over their head in debt and bills and cant ever afford the "fun" things in life. The more you make the more you spend. All in all my advice would be to try and save up 500 bucks and get a small plastic boat or kayak then, by next spring save up a few thousand dollars and buy an aluminum John boat and turn it into a bass boat and pay with cash to avoid debt and to get instant return in investment when you go to sell it.

I love dredging the bottom right after ice out with a spinnerbait.

Dirty water, little vegetation, pressured areas I throw the chatterbait. Clean water, wood, year round, bigger fish, I throw the spinnerbait

Probably got sideways on a conveyor. And everything behind it smashed into it creating a log jam

I am testing straight fluoro for pitching to start the year. But I also have a combo set up with braid-leader which is what I usually throw. Hoping the braid-leader win out so it will save me some $

I dont think it can be beat at full retail. It is a beautiful reel that performs amazing. Glad I don't get paid this week or I'd have 1 or 2 more headed my way

If I remember correctly, South lick fork ramp is off of hwy 545. It is somewhat of a protected cove, if you leave the ramp and go along the road there is a good hard bottom/rip rap bank and if you go under the bridge into the back of the cove there is a good amount of wood that looks like it would be great to flip a jig into. Left also looks fishy with if I remember correctly. Its been a few years since I've been on patoka though

Daiwa fuego ct off of ebay-$65 Berkley lightning shock-$35 Neither of those combos will hold a candle to the one I just listed. Imo.

I always have 1 or 2 jigs tied on, a couple pitching/flipping setups with heavy braid and big hooks. As well as a rod set up to fish deep cover/structure.

I'm with @Catt most guys go after 5 and then look for a kicker. I fish for 5 kickers! I also am not scared to pick up and leave if all I'm catching is small ones. And a big key is to always have confidence in yourself and don't worry about the other anglers.

I'm a bigger guy and wouldn't consider a kayak. And for 2 grand you can get a nice jon boat ready to fish

Ashley Feider Crews Daniel's Jr Frazier Can't do much worse than last event!

I'd say it would be more for noise than for casting distance and weight. That's just my opinion though. Not a frog expert

But also the fast rate of fall could be a key as wellb to trigger a reaction strike.

I have 4 tp-1 rods. A 7'3 heavy and 3 7' mh. They are superb rods for 99 bucks. They do run a tad on the stiff side compared to my other rods, but I like that. Haven't had any issues with the rods at all. The winn grips are a plus but they do get dirty easy. Not a big deal to me

It's very close to where I grew up, it's a very tough lake. Very very easy to not land a keeper. But my grandpa still tells me the story of a few years ago catching 28lbs on 5 fish on 6 casts. And it's not just a fish story, I've seen pictures lol. Pre-spawn, target any grass/flats/wood with a crankbait I think there is a lot of dead water up there but if you find em, you'll have a good day I'd bet. If you go there and get a hotel stay in jasper on the south side, eat at "Wings etc". Also the schnitzelbank, It's delicious. The roads around there are narrow, hilly, curvy so be careful driving, the locals drive em liquored up every weekend.

Magnum Rage bug, 7" senko, bladed jig

I would've probably started with living rubber in that situation. Less movement (distance) but still keeping the action (living rubber). Rate of fall is key with a jig and I would say that affected the bite more than skirt material

Maybe there was a big turnover or fish kill a few years ago and the big ones lived, and the 3-4 pounders died off and the small ones you are catching arent "old" enough to be 3-4lbs yet. definitely odd that you haven't caught any that side I would figure at least a few mixed in. Sounds like a fun place regardless

Good choice. I run a few fuegos myself

Glad to hear you like it. I love my ct's Make sure and look up Brent ehlers video on how to set up a reel with magforce z brakes. It's a different dialing in process than normal baitcasters

What does the field get cut to?

After a dismal day 1, I believe day 2 for me was worse. J Lee was the only person to move up for me, and sumral (my highest points getter) has fell way off. Oh well this is super fun for my first year and we're two days in

Siebert outdoors FOGY!

Recently bought a new spinning rod for drop shotting and other finesse techniques. I've never heard of this rod/blank company but thought for $60 if anything I could let my daughter or wife use it. This is the description of the rod "It features a Bushido Warrior Blank from American Tackle featuring Toray graphite, Fuji VSS reel seat with cork rear grip (no fore grip), EVA/composite cork fighting butt, Pac Bay Match guide/fly guide set (set up in a concept style)." I have no clue what that means besides the fact that it isn't an off the shelf rod. Any opinions on this rod. It is a 6'9 ml rated 1/8 to 1/2 I believe.