papajoe222

Ah, 'The magic lure' with a bit of a twist. Yes, when it came to a different presentation (drop-shot, wacky rig), I knew when I first laid eyes on them where they'd shine. With baits, not so much. There have been a few that lived up to the hype, Mann's +20 crank was one. That doesn't mean I won't stop purchasing ones that catch my eye. What can I say, I'm a tackle junkie. I can't wait for the next years new line of baits to be introduced.

Not for punching, but I have used some CB's Hawg Sauce in my tubes when using a dragging presentation. My thoughts are, it couldn't hurt, so why not.

I use 15 different baitcasters and 4 spinning reels during a season. There are 6 baitcasters that do most of the work and they all get a full breakdown, cleaning and lube before ice-out. I started working on them last week. The six I use most often get the bearings an level wind cleaned and lubed sometime in late July. Sooner if I feel they need it. I actually dislike taking apart spinning reels, but once I got some experience with them, I still dislike them and not just cleaning them.

I've been thinking of switching the grandson's braid to Hi-Viz, mainly because I've been trying to get him to watch his line. I don't know how many times I reminded him to set the hook because he wasn't watching. I've used Hi-Viz line with young folk when instructing them on fishing soft plastics and they picked up the idea of line watching fairly quickly. I was at BPS yesterday and picked up some 40lb. YO-ZURI Super Braid, yellow. I've never used their braid, so I have now way of comparing it to anything I use. It was the same price as BPS Hi-Viz braid, which I have used. Should I have stuck with something I'm familiar with, but not overjoyed with its performance?

For that lake, 3/4oz. tungsten punch weight- brown/black skirt-5in. craw tube. I stuff a packing peanut inside the tube to slow the fall rate. I go a little lighter, 1/2oz. early in the season when the pads aren't as thick and skip the peanut. When it starts sitting on top of the pads, I switch to the heavier weight.

I remember a Rick Clunn video where he showed the rods on his deck. All were the same brand and length with different actions and all the reels were not only the same brand, but the same gear ratio. His reasoning was he didn't need to think about how fast or slow to turn the handle to get the speed he wanted, line recovery never changed per handle turn. I didn't go that far when I fished tournaments, but all my reels were Daiwas and they all were the same gearing, except for my deep cranking combo. I didn't switch to different geared reels until I retired.

One of the lakes I fish in another state has lillypads so thicl you'd think you could walk on them and they extend 15-20yrds out from the bank. Every one that fishes that lake for bass is off the water an hour after sun-up because the bass disappear from then until just before sun-down. I catch them all day punching the pads and the ones I catch are almost always in the 3-4lb. range with an occasional 5+lb one. I've targeted deep structure on this lake and caught fish, but most were under 16in., so I stick with punching until the sun goes down.

I don't catch as many LM bass in colder water with a soft plastic jerkbait. That's why I opt for a hard bait then. What I see happen frequently with the longer, three hook versions, is the front hook will be in the front section of the fish's mouth and the rear treble will either be burried on the outside of its mouth, or somewhere down its throat. What I think is happening is the fish are hitting the bait near its head and during the ensuing fight that rear treble ends up someplace else. On those three hook versions, try removing that rear hook and adding a suspend dot to make up for the weight. You'll end up missing short strikers, but you'd miss them on a soft plastic bait too.

I'm guessing you've done some fly tying as some of those bodies resemble wet flies.

I wouldn't consider 55-60F winter conditions and maybe that's where your thinking took you, In most of the south, bass would be chasing baitfish and up creek arms is a prime area to find them. In your neck of the woods, I doubt water temps will get much below 50 and until they do, keep an open mind about fish location. After all, you have to find them before you catch them.

You're basically fishing for active fish, from what you've posted. What you need to accept and commit to memory is; In water that's less than 40 degrees, not only are bass only active for very short periods, they don't need to consume much when they do eat. Acknowledging these two facts, presentations geared to feeding, or active fish rarely produce. If they're your first choice and you don't contact active/feeding bass, it's time to switch gears and slow down. Concentrate on solid structural elements where you've marked fish.

Of the rods I own, only 1/3 of them are ones I've built. Of the rods I regularly use 1/2 are builds. The other half are St.Croix. I've added diamond and chevron butt wraps to a few of those to personalize them. I don't sell rods, but do build for friends and family. I have on on the dryer now that's a Christmas present for my grandson.

I've been using 12lb. test Original Stren for years for these two topwaters. I'm wondering if going lighter, 8lb., would add more action to them. I use a loop knot for attachment and always figured it allowed enough freedom of movement, but I also know that lighter line can improve the action of soft plastics and, to a lesser degree, crankbaits. Your thoughts. If you're wondering why I'm asking this in December, I'm doing my winter reel cleaning and need to add Mono to my list of things to buy with my BPS gift cards.

The only time I use a trailer on a spinnerbait is during pre-spawn and the only one I use is a Kalin's Lunker Grub. It's sole purpose is to slow down the retrieve speed while keeping the bait at the depth I'm targeting. I've never fished a bladded jig, so.............

I admit that I'm only faced with that cold of water for a few weeks in the spring after ice-out. During that short window, I rely on two presentations; vertical yo-yoing a blade bait. Notice I didn't say jigging, just a slow lift of a foot or so enough to get it vibrating and letting it fall. I'll let it sit on the bottom for a while before repeating. Dragging a hair jig slowly along the bottom is the other. I use 1/4oz.- 3/8oz. maribou jigs that I tie myself. I underwrap a layer of deer belly hair to keep the maribou from collapsing completely and again, I'll let it sit for a while after moving it a foot or so.

I've used a couple of methods that have worked well. One is a lazer stud finder placed on the reel seat pointed at the tip guide. once that is in perfect allingment, I'd wrap the guides and replace the lazer . the red line of the lazer should pass over the center of each guide. The other is to tape a long piece of hi-viz line to the center of the reel seat. Run the line through the guides and add tension to the end. Looking down the blank from above, you'll easily see any guide that is off center.

I don't build many rods, so it takes a while to get comfortable doing some things. Trim bands are one thing I still struggle with. That is, until I watched a YouTube video that Jake Hutchinson did. It adds about ten seconds (for me) to wrapping a guide and there's no concern about a loose band. I've tried a number of ways for adding trim bands to both the beginning and end of a guide wrap and sometimes it would take wrapping nine guides before I felt confident not to mention the extra time and effort they took. Anyone have an easy, single trim band video. I'm going to attempt a build with micro guides and would like to add them.

I throw them in cold water when a blade bait isn't producing, which isn't very often. I just have a ton of confidence in a blade. That being said, there have been days when it gets totaly ignored and that's when I break out a tail spinner. It has saved the day on more than one occasion. Seems to me that it happens more in water under around 45 degrees. Maybe it's the faster fall rate.

I frequently shop at BassPro/Cabela's, both in store and online. When you figure in the cost of shipping from some online places, their prices are competitive, even if their selection of name brands isn't. I can check to see if my nearest store has what I'm looking for in stock. If not, I order online and have it shipped to the store for pick-up.

A crank with a round or coffin bill will turn on its side when hitting an object. This exposes the hooks to whatever the object is as the crank passes over it. Snags happen if you continue to reel after the bait's bill contacts the potential snag. If you aren't experienced enough to tell when your bait is approaching a possible snag, you need quick reflexes to stop reeling so the crank can right itself and float up before continuing your retrieve. There are few square bills that will dive very deep, so a coffin bill is your next best bill shape, but they, too don't run very deep. A round or egg shaped bill, like most mid to deep diving cranks have is best suited for deeper water and learning how to avoid snags while still initiating contact with them, is something to learn. IMO, carry a good lure retriever while learning and keep it handy because even the best crankers get snagged.

Only a woman would ask a question concerning length or girth.

I remember you posting about that trip upon your return. If you came up empty fish wise, it would have really put you off going there again. Only two in 50+ years. The first was a MH cranking stick. A musky hit my crank on a short line. Broke it in half on the hook-set. The second was a cranking stick I built. I was attempting to retrieve a snagged crank and the wind blew the boat over the snag and the rod went between the boat and the trolling motor shaft. Before I could hit the spool release, it was too late. I literally cried as I put about 30 hours into that custom build.

Only if the water temperature is below 60 degrees. It helps keep the bait up in the water column and adds resistance so I can retrieve it slower. The only one I use is a Kalin's Lunker Grub. In the day, it was an Uncle Josh pork rind.

IMO, there's only two reasons to add a trailer to any spinner or buzz bait; To add bulk and to add resistance to slow down the retrieve. Some would say to add action. Either way, on a small bait, I really don't see the need, but you're the one that's going to be throwing it, so go with whatever knocks your socks off.

Fishing related, I organize my tackle, inventory it, make a list of items to purchase, swap out, or sharpen hooks as needed, clean and lube all reels, clean rods and check guides for defects, replace all Z-Rust strips and then organize my pegboard of extra baits. Sometime in early March, I'll rotate the tires on my trailer, repack the bearings, grease everything that has a grease fitting, including the jack and run the optimization program on the onboard charger. Normally I'll do two rod builds over the winter, one for a family member and another for a vet from my local VFW. As for non-fishing actilvities, I'll load a few hundred rounds of .223 plinking ammo and a hundred or so for bench rest for both it and my .308.