BuzzHudson19c

Channel catfish on a Yum dinger/crankbait/spoon/dry fly. Carp on a spinnerbait. Frog on a frog. All of these were hooked in the mouth not snagged.

I don't switch that often. Sometimes I'll just decide I'm going to throw one bait all day (that's usually frogs).

Baitcaster Braid Fish grip

I'm surprised I haven't heard more people say this, but have you thrown a poppin frog over it? One of the best lakes around me with the best concentration of big bass gets completely choked out with milfoil. It's pretty much only navigable by kayak or canoe and we have great results throwing frogs. I prefer the poppin frog to make a little more noise to carry through all that slop. There is nothing like watching a bass come flying through a foot of thick weeds and crush a frog.

I am not a fan of barbless hooks, but that is an ongoing topic for another thread. When you are drifting your bait stay in contact with it. Don't cast upstream and let it be completely slack line and just forget about it until it's down stream. While it's drifting reel in some line, enough to keep a little tension but not to effect the bait. I'm actually a little surprised to hear this about smallies. They are pretty aggressive and usually hammer baits, especially in rivers.

Well, in the fall it's all smallmouth for me. Smallies tend to go bananas and fatten up in the fall. I usually have the best smallmouth fishing of the year in the first week of October. This is very dependent on weather of course. Generally your looking at water temps in the mid 60's when they get really active. Some days in the fall I will tie on a buzzbait and never take it off. I take either the last week of September or first week of October off from work every year for the "fall feed" on the river.

I've always assumed that once a hook goes through the eye, it's lights out. Crushing down the barb will make it easier to get out, but chances are that fish has lost use of the eye anyway. (This is through the eye not just in the corner.)

I only trim them if they are longer than the body. Spro are good right out of the box. To me it's the equivalent of jig trailers being too long. You want the fish to get the hook in its mouth so don't give him too much to focus on behind it.

Top water baits should only come in white or black. Don't call it a "rat l trap" or "chatterbate," it's a lipless crankbait, bladed jig.

Run some crank baits over the top of it. Start with a square bill and if you're not dragging in weeds work your way down with a deeper one. Same could be done with a swim jig just vary your depth until you get a feel for how deep the vegetation starts.

When a big bass slams a frog and as you start to reel up the slack you see the line peel away from you under the surface. It's that moment you know hes got it and then just bury the hooks in the roof of its mouth.

First I would get out of this God forsaken hell hole of a state, New York, and head south. Probably eastern Tennessee. Went there last year on a road trip type of vacation and fell in love. There aren't enough people that still value freedom in my home state and it's downward spiral is in full effect. Not to mention the bass only grow for a few months up here.

Real men kiss pickerel.

Agreed. Drag some kind of toad across it.

Top water by far. Frogs, buzz baits and spooks. Once the conditions tell me I have to break the surface I die a little inside.

I have had smallmouth hit wacky rigs while reeling quickly back to the boat. They usually get a look at it and then when I rip it back they follow it in. Pickerel are really good at doing this too. I don't use it as a go to technique but it does happen.

Don't forget eels. While targeting bass I've caught catfish on crankbaits, spoons, and plastics but I have never caught bass while targeting catfish with dead or stank bait.

Usually I will just keep going. If I'm on the kayak and planned to fish for 6hrs then I will stay out until something works. If it's a ridiculous struggle I will throw some small jigs and catch panfish to try and forget about the beating.

I like fishing new spots. I have a lot of options around me. Two large rivers, several small, and countless lakes within 45 min. Every so often though I will try new lake and hate every minute of it. Recently went out to a spot that looked promising to throw frogs. Frogged it for a day, nothing. Went back and threw the kitchen sink at it another day, nothing. I finally got a few small largemouth and some perch on plastic worms but it was a struggle. It became apparent that carp dominated this lake. There is dairy farm adjacent to it and you can guess where the cow runoff ends up. I will not be heading back.

My pb was on a med spinning setup with 8lb stren. The fish came up with about 3lb of grass on it so it can be done but it's not ideal. It is nice to have a little extra horsepower to get them out before they get buried. Maybe just stick with what you have and when you have a few extra bucks get a heavier setup to complement the arsenal.

My cranking setup is a Berkley lightning rod from the mid 90's 6'6 med action with a quantum escalade 7.0:1 and 20lb power pro. I can get those light cranks out there pretty far unless it's a particularly windy day.

River smallies? BUZZ BAIT! Walking style, Kvd sexy dawg. In my opinion if smallies are hitting top water, don't worry about being subtle.

I like the KVDs but only own a couple. They catch fish. Most of my jerkbaits are rapala or yo zuri.

I've been having new found success with swim jigs for smallies. I cast past the current break, reel into it, and let it fall. A couple twitches followed by a steady reel. Basically if something is there I let them see it then start the retrieve. River smallies make up there mind pretty fast and are usually on it quick. 1/4 or 3/8 jig with a fluke or craw trailer.

Savage gear lily ninja. Walks like a charm. If you have trouble walking any frog, you can always throw a split ring on them to make it a little easier.