Bdnoble84

One of My co-worker’s sons is fishing Hartwell this week for the HS CHAMPIONSHIP. so I put together a care package to wish him good luck. Seems like blueback herring patterns are all over the board so just went with some more shaddy baits that had blue in them.

Thank you. Ive never actually fished bladed jigs. I’ve been unsure which way to bend it so that makes alot of sense.

Prototype micro bladed jig. Did get a couple hits. Rides higher in column than I expected considering blade size. Going to continue tweaking it.

Thank you. That makes sense.

Are u saying some trailers can be too big and kill vibration?

Ive been seeing some posts about using bladed jigs (particularly stealth and mini max chatterbaits) for smallmouth and im wondering what your favorite trailers are. Im fishing rocky rivers so im assuming a craw style one would be better. Ive never really fished chatterbaits but i can see where theh could really stand out in dirty water situations.

Ive been seeing some posts about using bladed jigs (particularly stealth and mini max chatterbaits) for smallmouth and im wondering what your favorite trailers are. Im fishing rocky rivers so im assuming a craw style one would be better. Ive never really fished chatterbaits but i can see where theh could really stand out in dirty water situations.

Your rod may be too soft. I use a ml xf and it keeps them pinned. It helps for a couple reasons. One is i feel the bite faster and there is more instant resistance allowing them to drive the hook in with ease. 2, a good mlxf rod is still soft enough to play a fish on light line but if the run at you or you have to catch up to them you can put pressure on them quicker. Ive found the biggest thing is keeping a loose drag while keeping on steady pressure.

Yes but with a 3” curly tail or paddletail. If you want to get really creative switch out for a painted white or chart blade. I was hammering them last week on a bfiahin moxy (i think thats what its called) in green with a white painted indiana #4. The water was murky for the rain though so i needed the extra thump.

Not a bite issue so much as when fishing over cover the hook point is susceptible to getting hung up.

I have this issue too. Seems more of an issue with lighter wire hooks. Im fishing open water in rivers so its fine but it is annoying. It helps to let it settle before starting the retrieve. I also think some toads are more prone to roll over than others.

Uts for rock. A small wire guard makes a world of difference. Weedguard is deceiving, its really a im sick and tired of getting wedged in rocks and breaking off or bending out sort of deal Im not convinced that the stress from that method on the rod isnt significant. I just inexplicably had my st croix snap and i feel like its maybe that i introduced stress fractures from popping the braid repeatedly

Well then you went where I go lol. I live right in town so its about as convinient as i get. I fish the whole stretch from the dam down to castle rock.

Agreed. The rock is already back down to its lowest levels last year. Positioning definitely is affected in rivers. In small streams it almost makes the fish better because they arent nearly as spread out, you can focus on holes. In the rock it definitely changes where i fish as the rip rap areas are dryed up to the point the water edge is pretty much in the channel. Just have to be flexible and change my locations/ approach. It also makes traveling the river more risky in a boat and i dont know if i could travel one side of the long island where i fish.

Its my sanctuary any time i need to really clear my head, thats where i go.

My childhood stream has been tough the last couple years for smallmouth while catching a-lot more northern pike. Monday night went down about 5. Not necessarily a hot bite. But they were biting. Caught 7 between 10-12in in a 100 yard stretch on a few different lures including a white spinnerbait with white blades and one good 1 between 16 and 17in on a easy shiner on an underspin twistlock. Normally i will catch 1 14-16” and thats it. Promising to catch that many. The last time out 1 caught a nice one in a big eddy but had several hits and misses because i think they were bed fish. Heres hoping they are coming back strong. I enjoy catching bigger fish but it is nice to see some numbers. Oh and no northern. also got a bonus fish early in a bigger river on a homemade glide bait.

Dinger4” or zoom finesse worm. If you can, us an O ring. Loose less worms that way and better hookups. You can buy an o ring cylinder and o rings in a lot of fishing departments. Keep in mind, the finesse worms are thinner so you will need to get smaller rings at a hardware store or online. for hooks, “1/0 is the biggest I go. Finiesse worms i will go 2 or 4. As mentioned, hook size affects rate of fall, so use accordingly. and yes they catch big ones in streams.

Use a leader. Tie a good fg knot and you wont need to worry. You can always stick to lighter wire hooks if you are fishing an appropriately powered rod but that means having to bend the hooks out.

Thanks. Yeah i put some #2 EC 3x becayse thars what i had and anything diff would def be overkill. The EC’s are surprising ly goid hooks.

5.3” 1.75 oz 1 piece glide bait. #2 or 1/O trebles. Pike and smallmouth most likely.

I’ve always thought this to be an accurate assumption. Its why I have never gotten into the musky game. I have never had a desire to go around chucking a 2x4 around all day just in hopes of spotting a 50”. But now im feeling inclined to try the smaller glidebait game on smallies and northern. I think because i feel like ill get consistantly bit by northern shere i fish.

This is what I wanted to know. I can honestly see the value if the difference is catching or atleast seeing tbat once in a lifetime fish or not. i guess what I want to know is why. What is it about the action? Wider “S”?, subtle wobble? The custom paint scheme. Are their any tangible differences that stand out?

We caught a butt-ton at reelfoot when we took a spring trip there. Put them all back. Got home and my uncle chastised us fir not keeping them.

Sheepshead are supposedly good as well. You have to be careful keeping redhorse. I guess certain species are protected, atleast in Illinois.

I get that its ok. Was just more curious about the why. Its hard for me to beleive a 200$ bait is going to boat x # of 15lb bass more than a 60$ bait to make it worth the cost if its just about catching fish. Thats why it would make more sense for it to be a collector/ status thing (which i pass 0 judgement on)