BigAngus752

Somebody likes the watermelon Trick Worm....

I feel that, regardless of the time of year, if you are fishing certain conditions (sunny day, clear-ish water, lake with gizzard shad as primary prey) you won't enjoy the same success with red as you would with chrome or shad pattern. Likewise, a lake with "dirty" water and/or cloudy weather you might find more success. I just can't get into the "this thing in this color during this month" thing. There are too many other variables. Throw your red lipless 50 casts in a spot you have confidence there are fish. There's your answer for that particular day and time. Try it on a different day under different circumstances, you may get a different answer. Make a mental note (or an actual note if you keep a log) of the specific circumstances and the success rate and you may not have to ask the question ever again. That piggy needs to switch to light beer!

I've had my RT188 for years. Can you power load where you fish? ALL of our lakes allow power loading. Even the electric-only lakes. Keep your trailer slightly more out of the water. I'm talking two more inches of the fenders above water. It solved that "slipping" issue for me. I can do jumping jacks up to my winch and not slip off. If you can't power load you're getting you're feet wet with an RT188 just because of the stupid spare tire.

Never without it. Much prefer the feel of the spinning rig for Texas rigs. I have a MH/F Cashion Icon with a Daiwa Fuego LT 2500D-HX. I will never get rid of that combo. Tons of bass dragging a Trick Worm or lizard around. I want to believe you but I am struggling to believe you have ANY time to fish, my friend.

I've never had any success with the "lift/drop". I always drag. I will say that many, many jigs bites have come right when I pop the jig over something I drag it up against. Some of my biggest bass have grabbed my jig or t-rig when I drag it, drag it, drag it, and then have to pop it over an obstruction. I did too until I changed my technique. I keep the rod mid-low and I drag the jig by pivoting left or right using my waist in a long, slow motion. IMO I can feel the bottom better doing it this way instead of the "low to high" rod motion. When I encounter an obstruction I'll turn back and face the target. I'll shake it a couple times and, if nothing, I'll pop it over the log or rock. This is where I've gotten a lot of good bites. Pivoting at the waist left or right helps me move slow and makes it easy to go smoothly or twitch the rod for little spurts of movement. Just find it easier to concentrate than the low-to-high stick for some reason. My own mental issues I suppose.

Agree. And the "fall bite" doesn't start until every other bass fisherman I know has put their boat away.

First Texas bass. We're in a VRBO on a small private lake/pond in east Texas. Took me all of 10 minutes on the dock to catch a 5-7. I like Texas so far.

That's interesting. I know they have some issues at the Illinois plant because my son had to go over and provide an estimate. The company he works for is going to make some significant corrections to a system that isn't working for them due to poor construction. That's tough when it's your only place to make your product.

It's not so much a question of "do I need a heavy rod" but that you are using a rod with specs that match the weight of what you are throwing. There's also a lot of personal preference in play here. I prefer a "heavier" rod for 1/2oz jigs than some other fishermen. As far as the Okuma TCS rods, I am a huge fan of their M/H all purpose rods for crankbaits, topwater, small spinners, etc. Because of that, I bought a H/F Okuma for jigs. It's "okay" but not as sensitive as I prefer so I bought a MH/XF Fenwick Elite Bass. That is a spectacular jig rod (for me). You just have to try some rods to find exactly what suits you. Getting descriptions from others is helpful, but it's not the same as having the rod in your hand and dragging a jig around. Good luck in your search.

Sorry, but incorrect. Rivian is only manufactured in Normal, IL. I believe you may have their corporate offices however.

That's funny you mention that. Don't want to hijack a thread, but I just had to call a training Sgt. at a police department to have a conversation with him about the duty pistol his agency's recruit chose to bring to our Basic Law Enforcement academy. The kid brought a CZ. We (the Master Firearms Instructors) thought it was cool, but it has no decocking lever and the young man brought a duty holster that would NOT allow the pistol to be secured in the holster with the hammer back, and we won't allow him to thumb the hammer down each time he goes back into the holster. I had to call his agency and explain the issue, why we wouldn't allow him to manipulate the hammer with his thumb 1000s of times, and that they needed to help him find a holster that would allow him to carry it cocked and locked. Fortunately the training Sgt I was on the phone with immediately told me that he had a 1911 on his hip and he would get an appropriate holster for the young man right away and they were cool with the cocked and locked CZ. Very reliable guns and rare enough to draw some "Hey that's cool" remarks.

I don't do it for weight, I do it for efficiency. Keep it organized and I have more time to fish instead of digging through stuff. No way all of my stuff fits in my Ranger anyway. I have extra hooks, lures and plastics in their original packaging hanging on pegboard in my garage and my extra rods mounted on the wall and overhead. If I'm not running short on something and/or it's not the correct season for it then it stays in the garage. My brother-in-law was telling people I have a tackle shop in my garage.

Do yourself a favor and, just this one time, order some Fogy's from @Siebert Outdoors. I have gotten rid of all of my other vibrating jigs. These things start instantly and can be rolled slower than any other I've tried. They are FIVE BUCKS and have great hooks. Much better than Chatterbait hooks. Just try them Get a couple with the regular blade and a couple with the bubble blade. More color options, better hooks, better action, and cheaper. Unbeatable. Heck, he's even got a sale code posted on this forum for March.

This was surprisingly easy: Zman ZinkerZ in Coppertruese (don't need any other colors) Zoom Trick Worm (This gets traded for a Berkley Power Worm when the bass bedding or guarding) Zoom Lizard Berkley Kingtail Maxscent BioSpawn ExoStick I can live without plastic creatures. I can use a jig and trailer.

This has just become norm in every single merchandise category, for better or worse. But sometimes it's just smart business. Especially if someone truly innovates. For example, how many striker-fired semi-automatic pistols are there? Why? All because a brilliant, Austrian engineer that manufactured curtain rods and knives decided late in life that he could design a more efficient pistol. And he was right. And every gun manufacturer with half a brain found a way to mimic it.