Brad_Coovert

BTW - That jighead is a Bite-Me Series 300E jighead, in case you wanted to know. Brad

Being from central Indiana, I run into Terry at some shows and lakes now and then. Yes, he is a bigtime tube user and this is is favorite rig for throwing tubes. No way to really describe the rigging in a post, but I've seen him rig it and it is quite weedless. There are a lot of jigheads out there made to rig a tube weedless. I personally prefer a plain ol' EWG hook, 4" tube and a sliding sinker, but the jigheads will work just fine if you like jigheads. Brad

I keep my MegaStrike tube in my pocket while fishing. Stays warm enough in winter to spread easily. Stays cool enough in summer not to be too runny. Never a problem with it in all the years I have used it. Brad

Gammy Weedless Widegap Finesse Reaction Innovations Weedless Wacky Hook Owner Mosquito Hook All three are great wacky rig hooks. Brad

Spro Arukushads Lucky Craft LVRD7, LV0, LV300N, LV200 Cordell Spots I never hit the lake without any of them. Brad

It may be the "dumbest" looking frog out there, but it's an awesome bait. Besides, it doesn't have to look like a frog, it just has to look like food to a bass. This bait is an awesome bait, as you have found out btlva. Yeah, it does get water in it, but you just squeeze it out and go on. I don't even think about it anymore, I just squeeze it after every fish or every few casts. Most frogs get water in 'em anyway. I also agree that a longer rod is better. I use a 7'6" flipping stick and braid for frog fishing. The extra 6" has helped a ton. Also, the Basirisky has a cutting point hook I believe and these can tear a larger hole that needle point hooks. Helps the fish throw the bait better, especially if you only get the hook under the skin or just barely in the lip. Also, which size did you get, the 70 or 60? The 60 is a little smaller and might get eaten better. Good luck and keep froggin'! Brad

Mega Strike. Easy to use and never any mess. Brad

The DD22 is one of the best deep diving crankbaits on the market. Like RW said, you need the right tackle for big, deep divers or you're wrist, arm and shoulder are gonna pay for it later. Also, working these baits through deep cover takes some practice. They can hang up easily, but with some practice, you can learn to fell them through or over cover. Brad

I like the Brush Hog and Baby Brush Hogs on Texas or Crigs. I have equal success with both baits on either rig. As for colors, Watermelon, Green Pumpkin and Watermelon Candy are my best colors. Brad

abelfisher, what size Oring do you need for the 7" bait you're throwing? One of my club members works for a company that makes Orings and he should be able to get some for me. Brad

The S92F Fat Ika is a standard GYCB bait, not just at Cabelas. Same bait, different colors. Possibly a slightly more dense plastic. They weight about 1/2 oz. each, unrigged. Brad

I have no problems with Berkley Power Baits. I used to use Big Game all the time with no problems, but have switched over to Yo Zuri (thanks RW). Purefishing did anglers a disservice when they purchased Fenwick and Abu Garcia. These are not the same brands that they used to be. It will be interesting to see what becoms of Purefishing now that they are owned by Jarden company. Brad

Soft stickbaits, Texas rigged weightless or Wacky rigged - GYCB 4", 5" and 6" Senkos, Case Wacky Jacks Soft jerkbaits - ZOOM Super Fluke Tubes - Texas rigged or on jigheads - Venom or Prowler 4" tubes Creature Baits - ZOOM Brush/Baby Brush Hogs, GYCB Kreature, Case Brush Puppies, RI Sweet Beavers, RoboWorm SourPuss and Pitchin' Kraws Craws - NetBait Paca series, all three sizes, ZOOM Speed Craws, Berkley Chigger Craws Swimming plastics - GYCB Swimming Senkos, Lake Fork Tackle Live Magic Shads Swimming style worms - ZOOM Mag II, ZOOM Ol' Monster, NetBait Mac, Robowom RoboTail Finesse Worms/Trick Worms - NetBait and ZOOM, Gambler Giggy worms, Case Jacks Worms Curl tail worms - ZOOM G Tail Trailers - ZOOM and NetBait Soft toads - Gambler Cane Toad and ZOOM Horny Toad Others - Lake Fork Ring Frys, GYCB Fat Ikas Those are the ones I can remember using the most. Brad

I really like the Booyah Boo jigs. IMO, flipping wood and flipping grass are two different things. A jig with an upturned, flat eye like the Triple Rattleback is good in wood. A more pointed jighead with a straight eye is better for grass. The Booyah Boo jigs are a combination of both. The heads are pointed and the line tie is in-line, but the line tie is also slightly upturned and the jighead has broad shoulders and a flat bottom. I have done very well in all covers with this style of jighead. Vertical lures JIg X is also a great jig as there is no exposed line tie. It is very much like fishing a Texas rig. As for trailers, about any plastic bait will do. The trailer adds action, but it also adds builk that slows the jig down a bit and moves water. My favorite trailers are NetBait Paca Craws, Paca Chunks and ZOOM Super Chunks. Brad

It's my boat and it holds way more than I'll ever need, but that's half the fun! Brad

I never use braid with topwaters. The line is too limp and causes problems like the on you are having. Switch to mono. I use this topwater from time to time and never have problems. As for the eye, i have only had one LC bait lose an eye in all the years I have used them. I'd take it back to the retailer first if possible, next I'd email Lucky Craft. Brad

Welcome to the group. I'm up in central Indiana in Noblesville, but I fish now and then down by you. Brad

Soft Baits - GYCB, ZOOM, NetBait, Case, Reaction Innovations, Robo Worms, Lake Fork Tackle, Gambler Jigs - Booyah, Vertical, Buckeye Crankbaits - Norman, Bandit, Lucky Craft, Cordell, Reaction Innovations, SPRO Topwaters - Reaction Innovations, Lucky Craft, Pradco Spinnerbaits - Booyah, Secret Weapon Buzzbaits - Booyah, Accent Frogs - SPRO, Scum Frog, Deps, Reaction Innovations, River 2 Sea, Optimum Brad

Swimming Tail Worms - ZOOM Mag II, ZOOM Ol'Monster, NetBait Big Mac Curl Tail Worms - ZOOM G-Tail Finesse - ZOOM and NetBait 4" Finesse Straight Tail - ZOOM and NetBait Trick Worms Brad

IMO, the best bait is the one I have tied on. If you're trying to narrow down a pattern on a lake, then no, "what is the best XXX?" is not a good question. If you're a noob to a certain type of bait, then such a question will help you narrow your search for some brands to try. If you ask 30 jig fisherman what jigs they use and 2 brands are used by the majority of them, then most likely you have found two good jig brands to try. You can then get more specific on individual models, weights, etc. Same goes for colors. There are some colors that will catch bass anywhere. That's the great thing about this forum, there are a ton of great people here that have taken a lot of guesswork out of fishing if you're new to the sport. Brad

I have three Plano "waterproof" storage boxes in the boat, one for hooks, one for jigheads and one for weights. Brad

I'll be at ICAST in July as well....hmmmmmm. ICAST is the mother of all fishing tackle shows. It's the bait monkey show for dealers. Brad

They actually introduced the bait last fall for about one month, then their sales were shut off due to legal issues. I believe that ZOOM has a patent on the little nubs on the flaps. Has no effect on the overseas sales, only in the US. So, you'll have to do eBay or a Japanese site. I have three bags left as collectors items. I think that they will be back sometime with changes to the design. Brad

There are jigheads designed especially for wacky rigging. Here is a link to one: http://www.optimumbaits.com/japaneseproducts/zappu/index.html This style of wacky rigging is a quietly used method right now. Brad

When I was a non-boater, I kicked some serious boater tail with a 4" Berkley power worm on a darter head swam over rip rap banks, clay banks and gravel banks. For swimming a small 4" finesse worm in or near cover, I would Texpose rig it with an 2/0 EWG hook and the smallest pegged weight I could get away with OR I would put it on a small jighead with a weedguard. Brad