pauldconyers

Does that make them "superior"? Are their situations where the "normal" ones would be a better choice?

Just getting into fishing soft plastics and I have been using Gamakatsu EWG hooks. Today at the store I saw Gamakatsu SuperLine hooks, what are they and in what situations would you use them? If it matters I primarily fish Suffix 832 40lb braid.

I am going to play around with pitching a 4" Rage Bug by Rage Tail. I will probably pair it up with a Gamakatsu offset EWG hook but can't decide if a 3/0 or 4/0 would be a better fit for it. What say you?

Now I am wondering if the 3.8 would be the correct size for LMB? Whichever is best what size hook that I listed above should I match with it?

I thought one of the "important" features of an offset hook when t-rigging it was you could keep the body straight like this

Well I am now getting more confused but I guess that is a good thing because I am learning something here. Before I worry more about when to use what I better make sure I understand the hardware and its differences. To review I understand what an EWG hook style is and I ASSUME the round style is the kind that goes down and then up and around to the barb like the letter "U", correct? Assuming that is correct the next part is offset versus I guess the other style is when you guys talk about a straight shank hook, correct? When would I want to use an offset versus straight shank hook style?

I want to pick up a new square bill crank bait. I'm looking at the KVD 2.5 model. Looks like they come in the silent or rattling variety. Which do you prefer?

I am wanting to put together a little swimbait with an underspin to play around with. I am going to use a 3.8 inch Keitech Swing Impact FAT Swimbait for the body. I found a couple of Owner hooks with underspins and I am trying to figure out which blade style and size to buy. As for the blade (I attached a picture of both and what he final product would look like) they offer it in a willow or Colorado blade. Which would you recommend? As for the size considering the swimbait I will be using is 3.8 inches long here are the 3 sizes they offer, which should I choose? 1/8oz 1/0 3/16oz 3/0 1/4oz 5/0 Which blade style and size should I go with? TIA guys!

I am new to fishing soft plastics and have a question about when to use what type of hook with them. I’ve been fishing t-rigged Senkos and some different Rage Tail plastics. When I first started this new adventure into soft plastics you guys suggested I go with some 4/0 EWG hooks and I chose these Gamakatsu 4/0 EWG. I would like to start trying some Keitech swing impact fat swimbaits and it got me thinking about what kind of hook to use with them and my other plastics. I saw these Gamakatsu Offset Shank Round Bend Worm Hooks and it made me wonder when and what situations or lures would I want to use one or the other. Then I started thinking do I want offset at all? Would it matter if I am using tungsten bullet weights? I guess what I am asking is for what soft plastics would I want to use which kinds of hooks?

Yes, something like this is what I am envisioning. I certainly understand there will not be a ton of bells and whistles and that I will have to skimp on some things. I am just looking for pointers as to what kind of things or types to look for or avoid.

I am certainly hesitant to "buy someone else's problem" as it were. I was hoping to find a real sweetheart deal and if I don't find one to keep socking away money. Forget the money aspect for now, based upon my above criteria and questions what advice or counsel would you guys give me?

I've been saving up to buy a small used bass boat with trailer for me and my young sons. I have a 7 year old son who is crazy about fishing and a 3 year old who will be soon, I am sure. I do not want to spend a lot of money on it, need to keep it under $1K. I have to seat three, me and my two sons. I certainly understand at my price point it will not be anything fancy. Looking for something that will not be a lot of maintenance. Just load up and go and it answers the bell. Mostly we would use it on small lakes or coves/ offshoots of larger lakes here in Missouri. As for my boat-owning experience my parents have owned a pontoon for years but I am looking for something for us to specifically bass fish out of. For a few years I owned a 2 person, all plastic, flat bottomed, pond prowler powered by a battery and a trolling motor. I really liked that and if it weren't for the fact that one day down the road soon I will have to carry three of us I would get another one. After all the money I have seen my dad spend to keep his motor going I am kind of scared about getting a small gas engine. Because I certainly see it having a trolling motor if I can get away with it I would use that at the only source of propulsion. While speed would obviously be nice I don't want a boat so big that after hour and only with a trolling motor it is dead. V-bottom or flat bottom easier to use or safer with two smaller kids? Any advice? Other factors to consider?

Last year I bought an expensive (for me at least, $200) baitcast reel and 7 foot pole combo set. For my job from time to time I may have to to kill and hour or two waiting around on customers so I want to keep my rod and a small tackle box in the van. Problem is I have a lot of loose items that can sway and move around a bit and I do not just want to leave it back there and get it all scratched up or the eyelets destroyed. I'm looking for a fairly cheap option to protect my rod and reel. I would consider hard and soft options. I thought about a PVC pipe but it was going to be very pricey and have to be extremely wide to also get around my reel. (I'd rather not have to take the reel off then put it back on all the time.) I've seen some guys have a black "sock-like" netting option but I have to think some of you guys have some ideas or have ran into similar situations and found something you like. Thanks!!

For years I haven't really started fishing until April or May. This year I am going to try to hit the water earlier, like in March. From what I read with the colder water bass will be sluggish and that jerk baits are suggested and I'd like to grab 3 or 4. Not owning any I am looking for advice as to what to buy. Are the suspending variety the best to go with? Been looking at some of the rapalas and KVD Strike King variety but not sure what size or color to go with and need some advice.

I enjoy reading all the reports you guys post but not seeing a lot of the Missouri side. With us packing to move into a new house I've had no real free time to fish but when I do I'll report.

I just want to buy one type to start with. One that can be used no matter the terrain and such so I can get used to it and deliver if I want to get some more specific to the situation. Any other suggestions for a good all around one to start with?

Been learning to fish soft plastics for large mouths this year. Learned to fish weightless senkos be it Texas or Wacky rigged. Some times when T-rigged I've used a small tungsten sliding worm weight above the hook as well. I'd like to "feel" the lure a bit more and how my manipulation affects it's movement on the bottom and such. I've been told to try a shakey head but I have no idea what design/brand/size to get. If it helps regarding what you advise when T-rigging I have mostly been using 5 or 7 inch senkos with 4/0 EWG hooks.

Now that my son is 6 and really likes bass fishing with me and asks about catfishing some time. The problem is I know there is no way he would have any success catching them the way I used to and the setup I used. 15 years ago I used to do some catfishing off the dock where my parents kept their pontoon docked at a large public lake. We would sit on the dock and tie a treble hook on the end of the line, attach a clamp on weight 2 foot up from hook on the line and use chicken livers on the hook. Pretty much slowly let it drop until it was sitting right on the bottom about 20 feet down and them slowly reel all slack out until the line was tight. We had a lot of fun but MAN was it a tedious and frustrating process. You would have to sit absolutely still and STARE at the tip of the rod for the smallest twitch. Sometimes you would see the line swim away a bit and you could get them hooked. Sometimes you could just STARE at the tip for 45 minutes and in the blink of an eye before you could even move a muscle it would bob up and down and the fish had completely cleaned the bait off the hook. At 6 years old he could not show the type of attention he would need to make this work. I used to always see guys out on the bank catfishing that would throw the bait out and just sit the pole down and wait. That was SO different than the intense process I had of starring at the tip and holding the line between my fingers looking for the slightest change. I’m hoping someone can give me some tips on how best to go out and catch some catfish. Instruction on what hook and set up to use and more or less “how to do it.” A link to a youtube video or something. I see all the young kids that go out and catch them by themselves and know it is MUCH easier than what I am familiar with.

THREE MORE BATTERIES???? That just seems extremely excessive and a huge hassle wiring-wise. I've got a cubby hole very close to where the trolling motor would be mounted, what about getting a 12 volt model and just running it off its own battery like that?

As a gift I am looking to possibly add a trolling motor to parents 25' Suntracker pontoon. I have been told that 48 inch is about the standard shaft length for a trolling motor on a pontoon and I've been advised that I would need a model with 55 lbs of thrust at the minimum. Do you guys agree with these two statements? Also I had a question about the wiring and battery aspect of it. Would I need to get a new, stronger battery to replace his current one to also run the trolling motor, get a dedicated 12v model just for the trolling motor? I have seen most motors come in the 12 or 24v variety but I am at a lose as to how I would go about it. Advice please!

I've tried (rather unsuccessfully) to walk the dog with a top water Spro frog. Every time I try to emulate the correct wrist motion it doesn't sway back and forth but more up and down like a swimmer doing the breast stroke with it's head popping up and down. I've been told the key is to keep slack in the line and I have tried that. Had another idea and I wanted some feedback to let me know I'm nuts or not. I was thinking about using a small swivel or snap at the end of the line and clip it onto the frog. I figure that will give more "swing" on the end of the line and it would sway back and forth easier. I am not worried about loss of sensitivity as I'm not going to be bumping stuff on the top of the water and would see the bite/explosion and don't need to feel it so much. Thoughts?

A buddy of mine is trying to get back into fishing, specifically for large mouth bass. Looking around his garage he says his old tackle box must have gotten thrown out. He wants to go to our local Bass Pro shop and buy a bunch of new lures and it got me to thinking. What specific brand/color/type lures would you recommend to him? It is easy enough to say buy a couple of crankbaits, spinnerbaits and such. I mean like this lipless Strike King KVD crankbait in such and such a color, this size whopper plopper in this color and whatever lures you feel are must haves or you get tons of success with no matter the conditions and season. Just wanted to see what you guys consider must have, go to lures.

Yeah, I couldn't show the body/design of all 3 in 1 picture. Was looking for an answer from someone with personal knowledge of these lures as to the differences.

Autocorrect changed it to that from "Spro" I guess. Yeah the bodies looked similar but I did notice on the shad the rubber "tails" came right out the back in the middle versus the frog that had 2 separate spots on the ends, more emulating a frog's legs.

I wanted to pick up a new Spero frog today and was looking them over and got a but confused on the ones Spero offers. I understand what the popper model does, also the junior model is obvious too. But as this picture shows I found a Bronzeye 65, Bronzeye frog 65 and Bronzeye shad 65. What are the differences between these 3 models and how they perform?