J.Vincent

1) Bomber Bushwacker 3/8oz Tandem SpinnerBait In White/Chartreuse 2) Berkley Pit Boss In Perfection 3) Berkley Smash Tubes In Bruised & Norm Blue 4) Zman ChatterBaits with Strike King Bluegill Skirt Pattern + Yum Christie Craw Trailer 5) Zoom Brush Hog In Watermelon Red ask in a month and I’m certain the Berkley Choppo and Lucky Craft Sammy will be added to this list !

Lots of good advice, and another thing to consider is fishing tighter to cover or objects in the water. Usually bass want something to relate to when the water gets stained or muddy; this includes isolated logs , isolated groups of pads, dock posts, tires, floating docks etc etc....the closer you can present your lure to the cover the better your chances of generating a strike.

Thank you for making the correction ; and Hopefully the OP gets a chance for a nice Largemouth !

The odds are lower for a FL double digit bass after March; but they can be caught. This 15lb 13oz Giant was caught in April or May from Orange Lake south of Gainesville . https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/FLFFWCC/bulletins/244315d

Jigs, Worms, Traps, Hollow Frogs and really anytime you are in a situation where you want to recover line quickly, cover a lot of water or catch up to a swiftly moving fish after the hookup.

The Field & Stream sun gloves at Dicks Sports, are a good budget option, they are super thin, light and dry quickly. But color options are limited , not bad though for $14.99 but Fish Monkey and Huk would be a more premium option with far more color options !

If I’m not catching Bass on standard size lures from 1/4oz up to 3/4oz , I first consider what could make the bite slow ? Or if my fish have moved out of the area? If I know there are still bass in the area, I will try to more closely mimic the forage while making sure Im covering the highest percentage targets with multiple casts from multiple angles. This gives me a better idea about how catchable the bass are under those given circumstances. Only when I’m absolutely sure the standard stuff isn’t going to work, do I then change gears to finesse tactics. Or if I’m certain I’m on a body of water that calls for finesse then I’m going to be prepared to throw finesse . Ultimately I prefer to focus on better quality bass with standard size lures ; and sometimes this means fewer fish catches per outing. Anyway just my 2 cents , hopefully it’s helpful to someone !

MH - SpinnerBait/Worm Rod M - Jerkbait/Topwater Rod

Having just one fishing rod is similar to a Golfer trying to compete with only a Driver. It’s possible but not ideal. I recommend a 6ft10 Medium Fast Spinning Rod and a 7ft Medium Heavy Fast Casting Rod. There are a lot of bases you can cover with those two rods .

I payed $1 dollar per bag for my Berkley Bearded Grubs at Walmart in March 2019. But at full retail $3.79 per bag of 5 , they are slightly more expensive per plastic than Chompers. Being they are Powerbait, I think the extra cost is reasonably justified .

I’m pretty sure the Berkley Bearded Series was introduced in 2017 , and the Standard Berkley Havoc Duece without the Hula Skirt was introduced in 2011 or 2012

Berkley Powerbait Bearded The Deuce Double Tail Grub or Berkley Powerbait Bearded Single Tail

Yes, Braid will slip with the wrong knot and the low diameter braid you chose can easily slide off the eye of a hook. Definitely consider a uni knot to a mono leader and then the leader to the hook eye. Should fix the problem , hopefully !

Very Good catch !

Check your rod guides for any issues that could cause micro abrasions and/or consider a different knot for connecting to your terminal tackle.

I can knock the whiskers off a muskrat from 45ft with a 30mph wind, in a thunderstorm from a kayak !

I wouldn't call it confusion but that's pretty good : ) It's more of a miscalculation : )

Thanks for all the input. Somehow between 1994 and 2018 I must have developed or acquired a preset notion about water temperatures and SpinnerBaits, based on misinformation.

This year I’ve been catching numbers and larger than average Largemouth in 44 to 54 degree water on SpinnerBaits. Prior to this year, my rule of thumb was to throw SpinnerBaits in 55 degree water and warmer. I’m wondering how many other anglers throw a Spinnerbait in colder water , and what is generally the coldest water bass will consistently bite SpinnerBaits ?

I like Yozuri Hybrid from 6lb up to 12lb. But it can fray when fishing around cover, but it casts well and offers good sensitivity !

What a toad....Ive actually fished on Woodcreek Lake in Kentucky , where the previous Largemouth state record was caught. Though I never caught anything over 3lbs, and I definitely wouldn’t have thought a Kentucky bass could grow to 14lbs !

If the fish population hasn't been depleted, the fishing should theoretically improve with a few days of heavy rainfall.....otherwise find the greenest vegetation available. Submerged aquatic vegetation and algae will produce oxygen with the help of sunlight, in a small pond the process doesn't take long but in a larger body of water with poor light penetration it may require months.

Are you catching Largemouth in the Tampa Bypass Canals ? I spend a few weeks a year in Clearwater and never thought to check those canals , I thought they were Saltwater. My guess is wherever you are fishing it might be dingy or muddy water ?

First step is understanding what you are trying to mimic and then think about what you want to accomplish with your color choice and blade combination. As a rule of thumb a willow leaf blade will move through cover and vegetation better but a Colorado or Indiana Blade will displace more water and allow the fish to track your lure better, this can be helpful in off colored or muddy water. Regarding color , I’m in the camp who believes in matching the forage as closely as possible , except in muddy water . Finally when fish are busting on schools of baitfish it’s pretty hard to beat a tandem willow spinnerbait, but in areas where you think the bass may be trying to focus in on one large meal (big Gizzard Shad or large panfish) then try a single large willow blade or Indiana blade. But always try various combinations including adding zoom Flukes or smaller paddle tail swimbaits as a plastic trailer this can provide more loft and realism. Good luck !

I usually call a larger than typical bass, a Chunk or a Toad or a Tank !