BigAngus752

Only two suggestions I have: 1. Lightest possible weight for the conditions 2. Most important step 1 of trying to free a snag is be extremely gentle. If you are slowly dragging and feel like you're starting to snag the give it a very gentle jiggle (this will also tell you if you've got a snag or a soft bite). I've had this happen numerous times: Snag. Open the bail or press the thumb bar and set the rod down on the deck (so the snag line doesn't yank the rod into the water). PIck up another rod and keep fishing the same spot making sure not to cross my own line. Get done and pick up the first rod to find that the breeze or the wake from a passing boat has freed my snag. Don't stress too much about snags. Buy lots of hooks and weights and swing away.

For plastic worms get something greenish, something black/blueish, something brownish, something light colored (motor oil, baby bass), and something bright (bubble gum/merthiolate). Make sure you buy each of the green, black/blue, and brown both with and without shiny flakes in them. You will have the entire spectrum of what the fish can see covered and will be prepared to fish clear and stained water in both cloudy and bright sun conditions.

It's a trip, but go here next spring: https://ifishillinois.org/profiles/waterbody.php?waternum=00225 During spring tournaments the top 10-15 boats will have at least one 9 pounder in the livewell. Friend of mine fished one this spring and was cruising to the weigh in with 26 pounds thinking he was going to place. He did. He placed 9th.

Don't overthink it. I posted a pic in the "photo a day" thread that you can look at. I fish a small lake that has rip rap littered with huge craw carcasses because the raccoons gorge themselves just as @WRB said. A couple weeks ago I caught the fish in that pic. I saw that the craw was dark brown this time of year and I tied on a 1/2 oz @Siebert Outdoors G2 jig that has a lot of brown in it and I've been hammering them ever since. It won't work forever but it's lights out right now.

Or if I don't feel something I was feeling a second ago...

Worth it.

I'm not sure how this little guy thought he was going to fit my football jig in there also. He's worse than me at Thanksgiving dinner.

Because no matter what we say you just won't listen. We've about had it with you.

I'm sorry I have not but I just looked at them and the Elite sure looks interesting. It's either genius or junk. No idea which. Have you tried the "bubble blade"? It doesn't work all the time, but I've had a few days where they wouldn't bite anything and then I try a bubble blade and get big fish in the boat.

I have never fished any vibrating jig that will thump slower than a @Siebert Outdoors Fogy. It will thump just about as slow as you can move it. The main issue with bottom contact and a vibrating jig is the contact itself (with a rock, stick, vegetation, whatever) can stop the vibration. The nice thing about the Fogy is that just a turn of the handle will get it thumping again, unlike many of the Chatterbait products which need a snap of the rod to get it vibrating again. Full disclosure, I've never fished a Thunder Cricket so I can't compare. I probably never will because I can buy three Fogys for the cost of one of one Thunder Cricket.

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." ~ Isaiah 41:10

This is going to work out well for you. I found, by accident, an old picnic table that some kids threw in the lake during an ultra-dry year when the water was down. Same deal, small electric lake and this one has huge bass. I marked it on my bow unit and I fished it every time I was anywhere near it for two years with nothing. I've never seen anyone else near it. I kept at it every season and this year I have already caught three good fish off of it. Why now? Why not last year or year before? Only the bass know.

Many trustworthy retailers have had their sites hacked an infected with malware. They may be a great store.

The second I opened this link my anti-virus warned me of an attempt to access info on my computer. Beware of this site.

Another vote for a MH/F Daiwa Aird and a Fuego. There is not another combo as good for the price.

^^^this^^^ What Tom said. If you watch the pros on TV fishing something like this bait you'll see them reel down first and take a giant step back as they yank for all they are worth. And I would lose that mono leader. IMHO

That's tough to answer, us not knowing exactly what your weather pattern has been. Did the rain drop the water temps? If it just muddied the water then loud, flappy, and/or bright colors would be the go-to. For example, a vibrating jig in white/chartruese or solid black. Throw stuff they can feel and see. If the water temps have gone down then see what @Ski said and try to get to the deepest part of the pond with something slow.

When I was a kid my dad used to put two lawn chairs in the yard near the mole mounds and set a loaded .22 on my lap. We sat there perfectly quiet as the sun was setting. If you are quiet and you listen hard you can hear them eating and digging at the end of their tunnel. We would hear which tunnel they were in, I'd fire one shot into the very end of the tunnel, and dad would dig out a dead mole with a shovel. We killed at least 10-15 moles this way. It made for a nice evening sitting outside with dad when I was 10 or 11 years old.

Happens to several lakes in this area every year. Fish don't seem to care. Go gettum.

We initially put one up with wire and it didn't move in the wind. Worked for a few days and then I was spraying down that horrible smelling nest. Hung it on some twine....never a nest again. But it stays breezy here also.

There are some who will tell you that plastic owls don't work. That is not entirely true. The trick is to hang them in a such a way that they will sway and twist in the wind. We have barn swallows that try to nest on our covered porches every year. We chase them away every year with a single owl that we move around. If it sits still the birds will figure out that it's fake and will nest. If it swings in the wind and you rehang it on a different spot every week it will work. It only takes a few weeks before they stop trying for the year.

Get on the water early or late. Regardless of when you get on the water: 1. Look for baitfish busting or birds actively feeding (not just sitting close to the water) 2. Fish shade (shade lines caused by anything, even a single post sticking up out of the water 20 yards from anything) 3. Fish the wind (banks that have wind blowing against them or submerged points that have the wind blowing across them creating current) 4. There is more than one story of legendary fishermen who drop a t-rig or jig on a point, set the rod down, light a cigarette, and don't touch the rod again until they are done with their leisurely smoke. Slow down.

Well...that's fishing.

"Light and dark. No other topwater color there is". Yoda

Hey! It's the same all over! Me too. Only I came down with it first and my wife is just starting her symptoms. We are both fully vaccinated. I felt like I had the flu yesterday with aches and coughing up stuff but I'm already feeling better today. Like a mild flu.