r83srock

I have had very few issues with other bass fishermen, or anyone for that matter. However, last Saturday dad and fished an open tournament that our club puts on. I had done some pre fishing for this event and had the bite pretty dialed in, however we were taking off about mid pack. When we got to spot #1 I was relieved to see no one was on it. This is a rail road bridge in a river, the two sides are 150 yards apart, so there is room. I’m about my third cast in with a buzzbait and another tournament guy shuts down in the middle of the river. I didn’t think anything of it, I just figured he was going to work the other corner. Naw, a whopper plopper, comes flying in front of me. I look over at him and my exact words are, “really dude!?” “I wouldn’t do that to you”. I proceeded to brush it off, keep a positive mental attitude, and catch about a 3 pounder in front of him. We had a very good day. I really wanted to have a conversation with him when it was done, just to work it out, but I seen him leave right away. I love tournament fishing, but I am not going to jeopardize the integrity of the sport bydisrespecting others. There is a lot of water to share.

Berkley shock, 7’ m casting.

Today in WI, water temp 58-63. Pop-r, popping frog, and buzz bait were all working today.

I like it for reel gears and snap-on ratchets.

There isn’t much better than a good jig bite! You could have been getting pecked by panfish, but I feel it’s unlikely that often in a day. One way to know is to check your trailer. Is it torn up or have heavy sandpaper like abrasions? If so, that’s a bass doing that. Bass will often inhale a jig to where you may not feel it, but you will likely feel him spit it. Make sure you have slack out of your line, if you aren’t already, and really watch it. If you see that line jump, set! What weight jig are you using? A lighter jig like 1/4 or 3/8oz, can sometimes give you an extra second or two. Often, a big one ounce jig will get spit out fast, and that can be an indication for me to go lighter.

I should really give a trick worm a shot again, been years since I’ve thrown one.

True that! We are frozen for at least 5 months here, so every day on the water after ice out is a good day. PMA (positive mental attitude and some small changes like CATT mentioned can be all you need.

A trick worm isn’t something I really fish, and I know some use it as a seasonal bait. It can be deadly around the spawn, I just prefer other methods. A fluke isn’t a ton different, more of a different profile. A ribbon tail worm I fish if the fish in a lake are generally small or if a jig isn’t producing. It’s just a different profile to say a jig. I use a senko everywhere, rigged any way I feel appropriate. It’s a bait I often start with, but it’s a bait I’ll throw when it’s super tough, I’m just that confident it it.

Also, this person has their grub rigged tail down. This is is how i usually rig mine, on swim jigs too. The only time I rig it tail up is when the smallies are hammering a grub and I want to get the most out of a used bait, by flipping it around .

Can’t agree more. Wouldn’t mind owning a bunch of them if I needed rods. I have shocks that I like every bit as much as anything else I own. I’d recommend shock or standard lightning rod. Back in the day, the lightning rod was a “good” graphite rod. I don’t think much has changed in regards to that reputation.

I wasnt dead set I ever needed a 8:1 or even 7:1, I still don’t think you “need” em. But I purchased a 8:1 Fuego and I love it. The extra speed to take up line when jig fishing or frog fishing is something I’m glad I have at this point. I’d love to buy more.

I bought a citica for $90 nib, and a pfluger summit spinning reel for $30 nib. I knew the baitcaster was a good deal but wasn’t sure if I was getting a great deal on the spinning reel. I liked it so I bought it. Only two items I’ve purchased from the bargain cave.

I use that same mojo for jigs and to me it’s far from stiff. I use it for 1/4-3/4 oz jigs as well as frogs. It’s softer than other mh croixs that I have. I guess I am just used to st. Croix. Like mentioned, stick with what you have, nothing at all wrong with lightning rods, best bang for the buck in my eyes.

Straight braid... ?

Frogs, my favorite! A popping frog that walks well is the pad crasher Popping frog, just trim the skirt legs some. Also, consider trying a 5/16oz scum frog. It’s more of a finesse frog for me, it won’t cast as far as a bigger frog but it is less obtrusive, very weedless, compact, and soft, allowing better hookups. It’s great for skipping docks and overhangs. Like others mentioned, a Texas rigged buzz frog is great too, when the smash it but don’t commit, stop and let it sink. Often times they will hit on that fall. Like mentioned, keep at it!

Sizmic toad.

I keep a Gman mentality, I keep it simple. I do this with hard baits as well as plastics. Things are subject to change. I don’t always bring tubes, unless I’m targeting smallies. I won’t bring lizards year round either, but in spring I fish em hard. Right now I have 5” senkos in watermelon and black/blue, 4” pitbosses in watermelon and black/blue, small and large chunk trailers in black, 7” red shad shad power worms, 4” grubs in white and blue flake, white small swim baits for Texas rigging/swim jig/buzzbait/chaterbait, etc, and some buzz frogs in any color I currently have. I like to keep my bait in the water and stay efficient, the less I have the better things are for me.

I too use 30 on most baitcasters, but I go to 65 for frogs, jigs, t rigs. Fishing in and around shallow cover is my bread and butter and 65 is like 30lb with an insurance policy. 30lb works great on swim jigs, cranks, more open water stuff.

It happens. My dad stepped on the handle of one of my curados, he’s a big boy so he ended up snapping the crankshaft. I was able to get a new one at the time for like $20, back in business. I’ve seen guys break the knobs off of handles, but those are cheaper reels.

I love me a Chicago dog, but I’m not giving one up to a bass. Try a sour gummy worm, those work pretty well! If not that I’d say a big worm or jig.

Thanks for sharing! A few guys talk about using big jigs with a more parabolic rod. I understand the concept, I too have tried it, but quickly returned to my standard jig rods. I have a nice parabolic 2 pc casting rod I use for cranks. Last weekend I brought it with me camping, fishing from shore. I ended up landing a 4.5 on a senko, in the pads, thank goodness I had braid on.

I use a curado 200b38 for medium to deep divers, it allows the bait to run its best for me, and never wears me out. I use a curado E 5:1 for square bills, and a 6:1 Citica G for traps.

That’s the number! Nice system. Your plastics are basically how I have mine. 11 pounds of gear is more than enough, very manageable.

I have a lot of avids and legends, my friend has avid x’s. I like my mojo 7’1mhf the best. It’s just the deal for me.

Consider using Plano 3771 or 3701, they are quite a bit thinner than a standard 3700. I have terminal tackle, jigs, cranks, topwater, in 3771 boxes, and plastics that I’m using that day are out of the package and organized nicely in a standard 3700. I carry 3 or 4 bags of plastics that I might throw in the back pouch of the bag. A small thin spinner bait box holds 6 spinners. All this comfortably fits in a “smaller” 3700 Plano Walmart bag. With everything, sunglasses, scent, leather man, hook cutters, first air kit, etc, I’m at about 19 pounds of gear. It’s a good system for me for tournaments, but I’d definitely take less if I was in a kayak or from the bank. Plano makes a really thin 3600, I forget the number. I love downsizing, I’d like to downsize more. But what I have now was a big step for me towards downsizing lol.