Mobasser

I'm unsure about the years, but the answer I was thinking is they all liked and preferred spinning tackle. Bobby used both, but the rest used spinning tackle almost exclusively.

Tom Mann, Billy Westmoreland, Roger Moore, Bobby Murray. What do these 4 famous fisherman have in common?

I don't have one. I eliminated what didn't work for me over 20yrs ago.

I always start with the lightest weight for soft plastics, then adjust as needed. Jigs the same

I too like the magic eraser for cork handles. Cleans them well without being abrasive.

Me too. In one of the smaller lakes I fish, bluegill are the main forage. A skirt with brown, purple, and a few strands of chartreuse is good. I threw only white, chartreuse, or a combo of those colors for a long time. Now, we can mix it up a little.

I'm pretty sure the V shape twin spin was made by Shannon years ago. If your inclined, you can get bucktail hair at BPS or Cabelas. Any good tackle shop that carries fly fishing gear should have some too. As for wrapping them, it's not really hard. Ask in the tackle building forum on this site.

If you look around there are lots of shakey heads. Some have different hook size, head shapes etc. The plastics guys use them vary a lot too. Worms, craws, and creature baits have all been used with success.

Colors in bass lures is one of the oldest and most debated topics. While most of the custom baits look good to the fisherman, are they the best? We may never know. Keep a couple of different natural colors and try them against old stanbys of chrome, crawfish, chartreuse etc. I'm not sold on them being the best yet. A lot of research has gone in to this, but we're still learning here

I've used the Riverside lures 3" and 4" grubs, but can't recall this floating lizard. As for trying them out, why not?The bass havnt changed, us fisherman do

Old Shannon Twin Spins? I might also add: in the summer very early morning when the topwater bite is often good, spinnerbaits will often catch fish when they won't hit on the surface, many times better than topwaters. Also, a 1/2oz single spin( large colorado blade) in black or purple with a chunk trailer is one of the best night baits ever.Another option: try a fast retrieve that just slightly bulges the surface. They can cover most of the water column, top to bottom. Classic baits that will never go out of style I havnt fished this all gold color yet, but I'm likin the looks of it already.

Spinnerbaits have always been great bass lures. I would rank them as a "must"have bait. Get some different types. All are well proven to work. Things come and go in fishing, but spinnerbaits are a long time favorite.

Yes. Sounds like my early tournaments. Anything can go wrong, and many times will. Regardless of what lures, rod/reel,teqniques used, being able to change to different conditions has probably won more tournaments than anything. Works equally well for weekend fisherman too

In colder water I always move my jig slower. Occasional pause, and slow lift and fall. Less has always worked best in colder water for me

Snagless Sally?

Looks like good t- rig worm fishing to me

I would have never guessed so many fisherman would be that concerned about rod colors either

We fished these tournaments in the hottest part of summer. They were half day events, over by noon. In my first couple I entered, I didn't do well.I spent way too much time trying to fish in shallow unproductive water. I talked a co worker into entering with me. His concept was to have 3 different spots - off the bank to fish. We would start the morning with hitting banks for no more 1hr- most times less. Then start a milk run moving between 3 deepwater areas, usually always fishing plastic worms. We could come back to these spots too, in rotation. I don't fish tournaments any more, now fish with my grandson mostly. But this can be a good way to go. It's not easy, and doesn't always work perfectly, but gives you some alternatives.

Good point here. As much as we all think we have fishing figured out, sometimes we just don't.Thats fishing. It's the kind of thing that you can become almost expert at, and still be learning things too.Use all your knowledge and skill, but a little bit of luck helps too.

There's so many good soft plastics out there by different makers I wouldn't want to limit to just one brand

I'll always have spinnerbaits in my tackle box. Versatile, great lures.

Your intuition Catt! That comes with experience

I've never bought a rod based on color either. But, if I have a choice, I wouldn't choose lime green as a first choice. I just like more traditional looking rods. I like all of these!

Catt, I used Larry Nixon as an example. In one tournament- I can't remember exactly where now- he started flipping shallow in the morning, then crankbaits in 15ft water, then plastic worms in 10ft deep. He never wasted time on an unproductive pattern. He was on the move! One of my heroes too, partly because of his plastic worm fishing, which is my favorite. He's a deadly worm/ jig fisherman

Yes. I learned this the hard way. In most small tourneys everyone is hitting the banks at first. Spinnerbaits , traps etc. Their catching fish, but many are dinks, to small to bring in. It was after I got with an older guy who knew when to move that I did any good. Banging the banks all day, especially in the hot summer, is a good recipe for failure. It might work for a short time, but then you have to find deeper fish- and often keeper fish too