Happybeerbuzz

I often bring just one spinning setup with me that I tend to use for finesse techniques. As a result I tend to throw wacky rigs on a baitcaster and save my spinning rod for baits that are too light for regular baitcasters.

Congratulations!

This was the first time since I got my boat that I managed to have the disapline to stay off the water Memorial Day weekend. Every year I tell myself “never again” because of the traffic and chaos at the ramps but this was the first time I did not go. I feel wiser.

I was fishing off the bank on the California Delta when I threw a Green Pumpkin Chartreuse Yum Dinger at a wood piling sticking out of the water. As it was sinking I recognized the line jumping for the first time. I have been addicted ever since.

Add something for deeper cranks definitely. You can use the Ugly Stick for light cranks in the meantime, but I would replace that next.

Three guys walk into bar. The bartender recognizes the three fellows since they frequent his bar regularly. He says to his regular patrons, "See that guy sitting by himself in the corner? That's Jesus." After discussing it, the three men concluded that they owe him a drink for dying for their sins. So they order 3 drinks and one more and head over to his table. After several fishing stories a few drinks more, Jesus tells the three men that he must go. However, before leaving, he would like to repay the three men for the drinks. He reaches out and holds the first man's head in his hands. The man cheers, "It's a miracle! I have been living with migraine headaches for years and my head feels like I just woke up from the best nap of my life!" Jesus proceeds to take the second man by the hands. He exclaims, "It's a miracle! My arthritis made me give up fishing years ago. I will be on the water tomorrow!" Jesus reaches for the third man's shoulder, but before he could touch him, he jumps back out of this chair and pleads, "Please Lord, do not touch me. I am on disability..."

I can not speak for their other distribution center, but Covid is still an issue here in California, both politically and culturally. I feel like it is fading, culturally faster than politically, but the effects are still present particular in certain areas. Until it dissipates, I can see TW having issues.

Yeah, now that you mention it, I have this bias as well. I actively avoid products made in China, but they are difficult to avoid. I get disappointed when I discover that I had bought something online that was manufactured in China or something catches my eye only to find out later that it is manufactured there. There is also an element of guilt when I end up buying something because there is only so much one can do to avoid buying something made there.

Matching manufacturers? No. Matching colors? No. However, I think I would color coordinate rod and reels to the color of the line I wanted to use if money were no consideration. That is completely speculative though because money is very much a consideration.

In addition to the their jerkbaits, I have a square bill in American shad that is in my starting lineup Plano 3700.

H2O Mettle. I still have it on a loaner rod.

It is simple enough to try. If the action is not impaired, keep doing it. If it is impaired, start tying those lures directly again.

I bought into this exact same thing only with creature baits. I still have 4 jika rigs assembled in a graveyard 3700 box. I should probably just get the hooks and sinkers back in the terminal box. I admit, this might not work either, but I am going to give it a try this year. I am hoping to consolidate two or more of my T-Rig, punch rig, and bubbashot setups. I sometimes have all three rods on my deck when I go to the California Delta along with others until the sun gets high in the sky and the top water gets put away. The weight should keep the rig anchored to the same spot while I shake the bait with the rod tip, but I will be giving up about a foot of leader (action) vs the bubbashot. What I am most curious about is how punching will work. Typically, punch baits get thrown in a hole in the mat and yo-yoed a few times. I am hoping the shaking lure will be something the fish do not see as often as compared to yo-yoing. The weight is easy to change. Just kut off the 1/16" to 1/8" you bent slightly to hold the weigh on, and put on a new weight. I was told not to curl a loop at the bottom. It catches debris. Also, rigging it this way, you can sometimes manage to pull off the lead and leave you the rest of the rig. I also saw a video of texas rigging a paddle tail on it and dragging the weight on the bottom in 30' feet of water while the bait swims inches off the bottom. It seems like this would work to me. Sure, there are various rigs that can do all these things. They might even do it better. However, if I can get away with one setup to do all of this, it would be convenient.

Jika vs Tokyo rig I said, "Going through the weeds is one element, but it is not the only selling point". You took what I said out of context to imply that weedlessness was the totality of what I said when in fact I was expressing the exact opposite. "Every rig is a compromise of some sort." That was my point all along. The wire adds to the rig and you do not get the same benefits by taking the wire off. "You say that having the bait a few inches off the bottom makes a difference. That's also a fair and valid point. How is wire better?" In some circumstances it is not better. I am not sure I understand what you are asking. Presentations where the bait rest on the bottom vs a presentation where the bait is suspended, even 3-4 inches is, well, different.

No. I never said that. I said navigating weeds was just one of the elements of the Tokyo rig, but there were other benefits as well that it had over the jika rig. I am confused as well. Just by looking at the two rigs, is it not self evident that one will keep the bait off the bottom a few more inches than the other? I think that leader length can be meaningful which is why most people never set up their dropshot or bubbashot with the weight one split ring's diameter below the hook.

You can, and you will get much more action, but it will be at the expense of a lot of punching ability.

Going through the weeds is one element, but it is not the only selling point. You can impart a little more action without moving the bait sort of like a dropshot, but not as much because it is only a few inches off the ground and the wire is rigid. Also, you can rig it with a paddle tail and keep it on the bottom kind of like a wobble head only a few inches off the bottom. I guess it could be more than a few inches if you used a longer wire, but that does not seem very popular. I bought 6 inch long wire, but I have yet to not cut it down to about 3 inches or so. While a jika has everything connected by to the split ring allowing for freedom of movement, you can not really move the bait without moving the sinker. I am planning to play with this presentation a lot more on the delta once it heats up and the jerkbait bite dies down. Wish me luck.

I use these as well. Also I have been experimenting with this style of snap swivel as well rather than a split ring and swivel. It makes it easy to switch out preweighted wires and different baits already on hook.

I cover up when I fish. I find that keeping the sun off me leaves me less drained after spending so much time in the sun. However, I like to fish bare footed. As a result, the half of my feet that are not covered by my pant leg get really tanned, but the tan line is not very well defined. What ultimately happens is that my feet end up looking permanently half of my feet are dark and the rest do not.

Heddon Baby Lucky 13. It is not the best casting lure, but it produces. Plus, they were one of my fathers favorite lures.

Who knows what goes through the mind of a bass. However, I operate under the assumption that they care what color and size lure I use at least some of the time. Why not the line too?

Kill them, don't kill them, it will have the same affect as spitting in the ocean. The only way to control the Asian Carp population will be to somehow commercialize the harvesting of them or targeting them like pest with technology. The only thing that you can do at the moment is enjoy sport fishing as we know it for as long as you can.

When I was young, I use to tape songs off the radio on blank cassette tapes. If anybody is making their own bladed jigs for themselves, I think it is about that serious.

Bottom contact jigs (not swim jigs) are my weakest technique. I bought new equipment for 2021, and I have been trying, but I would estimate that my confidence has not improved since March when I started fishing this season.

Braid to leader does provide a lot of flexibility with regards to having different setups available to you without having to respool. The only major requirement is a confident connection knot.