Mobasser

Very slow reeling with occasional pause works well.

I've always carried one of the " frying pan" split shot weight assortments in my tackle. The best I've used are soft lead, and I always get the round plain split shot. I avoid the reusable type. For bottom fishing, the small " ears" on this style hang up on weeds, moss etc. Besides the well known split shot rig, you can quickly add weight to almost any lure. And here's a good tip I learned since I joined BR, from WRB. Crimp the split shot on the end of your line. Slide it back and fourth up and down the line up to 10". This creates a small groove in the soft lead shot. Clip this front portion of line off, then lightly crimp the shot in place where you need it. This helps to not damage your line, or weaken the line by just crimping the shot on. It works well on monofilament lines. I would imagine it works well with braid/ leader setups also. Do you carry split shot weights? Are there any brands you've tried that you like the best?

Your new combo will be much better than your current outfit. You should notice a big difference right away.

I learned years ago to travel light when I'm bank fishing. One small 6" x9" box which I modified to hang on my belt loop. I can carry plenty of stuff for a two to three hr trip, and not get bogged down in the process. One rod and this box and I catch as many if not more fish this way.

I don't have any Falcon bass rods, but have two Falcon Original light spinning rods. I bought them for my wife and I years ago for crappie fishing. Great rods. Very nice cork , guides and finish.

No. I could never do this.

The only Browning tackle I've ever owned was a Browning glass Silaflex rod many years ago. I never see Browning tackle mentioned here on BR. Are there still rods and reels being made with the Browning name? If youve ever owned any Browning tackle, did you have good luck with it?

I always prefer to buy in person but have ordered online a couple of times. So far it's worked out well.

You might look back at the history of finesse bass fishing. Look up Charlie Brewer, Billy Westmoreland, Guido Hibdon or Don Iovino. All fished they're own version of finesse. There are others also.

Bling doesn't catch fish. So, not important for me.

I have grown both a short beard and goatee in years past. It just doesn't look good on me. I think beards look good on some guys. Mine kinda makes me look like my face is dirty...

Clean shaveen and short hair. I get a haircut every three weeks

A good worm fisherman I knew years ago told me he changed plastic worms according to water temp. Early season- only straight tail styles, less action. Late Spring, introduce curly tail plastics. Summer, Warm water, everything. Curly, Ribbontail, and large plastic worms. Fall, most styles work well. Cold water, end of season, back to straight tail styles. He was successful by choosing plastic worms this way. The important time for him was early spring and late in the year, when he liked a straight tail worm the best. Overall, this has worked out for me too. Has anyone else chosen plastic worms based on water temps?

The closest I can get to the old Guido Bug is the Zoom Critter Craw.But I do wish the Guido Bug was still around.

I lean to purples, grape, junebug, and blues. Glitter versions also.

Have been fishing soft plastics for a long time. Worms, Craws, and others. T rig is my favourite method. My advice: fish them slowly.

My big brother was eight years older than me. He taught me the basics of bass fishing, while fishing farm ponds on our grandfather's farm in Chillicothe Mo. We would row a flat bottom boat to the middle of the pond, and cast to the shoreline, which was rimmed with moss. Back then, everyone called me Junior. Now, over fifty years later, I can still remember his words. " Slow down Junior, remember, bass won't always chase your lure. " Don't cast too hard, you'll always overshoot your target". " Don't bang the oars in the boat, you'll spook them away". " Let the surface bait sit a minute before you move it. Let them get a good look at it". " Always remember, fishing should be fun. Try to keep it that way." Just reminiscing about my brother who was my first real teacher. He introduced me to this sport, and my enthusiasm is still there every day, even more so now. When your starting out in bass fishing, it really helps to have a good, patient teacher. I was lucky. Some things you remember for a lifetime.

Chatterbaits don't seem to work well for me either. One of these days maybe. I D K

Have you ever used a lure that seemed especially hard to learn and catch fish with? Starting out, mine was a jig. For whatever reason, I struggled to catch my first fish on a jig/ trailer combo. I almost gave up on it, and nicknamed it the bait of 1000 cast. How about you? Have you had any baits like this? What was your own " bait of 1000 cast ?"

Rattletrap, jig, plastic worm( t rig).

Catt, that's my plan. It I set my expectations too high, I'll never get there.

No live scope here.

Thanks Tom. I think my realistic goal is an 8 to 9 pound fish in my area. More than one in a season would of course be fantastic. It would be unrealistic to expect a ten lb or bigger fish around here. One guy we all know about is Bill Murphy, with his stitching style. He camped out on spots and had incredible patience also, probably more patience than most anglers would ever have. I think many of the big bass hunters train themselves to have patience, and really work a spot over before they move on. It's like" I know there's a big bass down there, and I'm going to catch her. Maybe not today, but at some point, I'll catch this fish." It can't ever work for a guy who gives up easily.

A-Jay, I think timing ranks as high as location, tackle, baits, and everything. Even under perfect conditions, you may get one shot at a truly huge fish. It would be a long shot if you got more than that. It explains why camping out on a spot has payed off for some anglers. It may be the only real way to be there at the right time. But what is the perfect time, and how long does it last? I think only the fish know this answer, and I'm trying to figure it out. I read years ago that some huge bass live out they're lives offshore, and rarely if ever see a fisherman's lure. Maybe not so much now, with all the newer electronics, but I tend to think this is still true. If they stake out the best cover spot, which can be hard to find, and have they're food source readily available, why would they move? As you say, timing is very important.

As Catt, WRB and others have said here, I think timing is a huge part of all this. You've got to be there when the big fish is ready to strike. You can find the perfect location, make a great presentation etc. But if the big girl is not ready to bite, it won't happen. My lakes are close to home, so I can get there in 15min. This way I can be there when the time is right. At least, that's what I'm hoping for.