papajoe222

I'll experiment with topwaters when water temps stay above 50 and keep a dedicated setup on the deck after it hits 60. Pausing a bait with a feathered treble over a bed during the spawn can sometimes produce when other presentations don't get a second look.

Catching is going to be tough until the fish acclimate to the lack of cover and acidity from the die off. Fish it similar to the way you would cold front conditions and you should be able to pick up a fish here and there.

Ibuprofen normally works for me. I'll take two OTC before hitting the water and an 800mg before heading home. If I've been cranking all day, I'll ice the shoulder down when I get home. I'm happy all my parts still work. I'll trade a little discomfort for fishing enjoyment anytime.

RUN OUT OF PLASTICS? Just the thought gave me a panic attack. I have so many, that I need to completely empty a storage locker of my boat when taking a buddy fishing, or it'll be overloaded! Then there's the pegboard storage I keep full of 'extras'. My boat could sink, or my house burn down and I'd still have enough for the rest of your grandchildren's life. I'm an old fart, so I figure using your life gives you a better idea.

My favorite is a Spook My #1 producer is a black, double blade buzzbait

Red Sox and Cubbies World Series would be AWESOME

You have planes flying overhead all the time, what makes drones any different? Don't their owners have the same rights? Besides, the point I was attempting to get across was that the land owner likely feels violated and is taking action.

If the property owner purchased the land knowing that the 'water way' was not used by outsiders only to have someone come paddling through, that person at the very least is inconsiderate of his right to privacy. Look at it this way for argument's sake; You don't have rights to the air space above your property, but I'm sure you would feel violated if unlicensed drones started hovering over your house. I'm not implying that one party is right or wrong, just that the law is open to interpretation and both parties feel their rights should prevail. This is exactly why we have a judicial system. Where else would you have something like this decided? With the landowner and a shotgun? I know that sounds extreme, but history is full of fueds over water rights. Let the courts decide.

You have some quality rods. Why would you mount a Zebco on one of them? It isn't going to add any more fun to catching. If it's fun fishing you're after, pick up an ultra light combo. A good one. Spool it up with 6lb. YZ Ultra Soft and have a blast. Don't bother with the Zebco, it'll let you down at the most inopportune times. You'll hear guys that land 20lb.+ cats with one on a regular basis, but they aren't using the line you would be and they don't rely on a smooth drag the way you will.

Save your torn up Senkos. You can break them into small pieces and stuff them into the body. They will add enough weight to make casting easier, but won't sink the frog. A plus over split shot is they will compress enough to get a good hook-set.

I don't do it on single hook presentations, but I will sometimes on trebles. I started doing that on muskie baits to make both my and their release easier and less painless. Well, less painless for me anyway. If the fish are aggressively hitting my presentation and/or getting hooked deep, I'll grab my needle nose and pinch them down.

Sounds to me like you're campaigning for the bait monkey. Either that, or you're a sucker for a good sales pitch. Not that I've ever been accused of either one.

My wife.

Commiserate? Does that mean trade, because I have a few, precious, parts that are in good working order that I'd be willing to trade.

The old guy here decided to go the new route today......New Rod (7'6" Med./ Fast Forecast spinning blank/split handle casting I built specifically for jerkbaits)' new lure (Rapala XR10S with a splash of orange on the belly), New Line (Yo-Zuri Hybrid Ultra Soft 6lb.) and New Knot (San Diego Jam). The only things old were my Daiwa Sol and ME. WHAT A GREAT COMBINATION!! The rod/reel casts like a dream, great action from the lure, the line performed beyond my expectations and the knot's tag didn't catch the snot moss. Oh yea, all the above accounted for the five bass and one crappie of my afternoon. I Cant wait to try out my other new stuff. Anyone know where I can pick up a new shoulder, knees, or wrist?

Cotton Cordell Crazy Shad, WoodChopper, Smithwick Devil's Horse

WTG Steve. Awesome baits/fish/sportsman. Always good to hear from you.

Smithwick Rouge. They offer both suspending and floating models in different sizes. Their Perfect 10 has gotten a lot of positive feedback.

I'm always happy to see bass showing interest in what I'm offering because I know I can get their attention. I've solved the oh so important piece of the puzzle; location. Fishing is like figuring out a puzzle, you accomplish the task by following clues. Those fish are giving you a big clue, they're showing interest in what you're offering, but they're also telling you something isn't right. That puzzle piece looks like it should fit, but something is off. Did you try slowing down your retrieve, or speeding it up? I'm not talking about once you've seen the fish, I mean the entire cast. Mix it up on the same cast. If that doesn't work, try something else like changing colors, size, a similar lure with/without rattles, or as someone mentioned the line. Rarely is a major change (switching the type of lure) needed to turn followers into biters.

I slow down if I'm not catching them with a fast moving bait. Seriously, if I have confidence that the structure I'm fishing should hold staging bass, I attempt to find out if they are aggressive by using a fast moving bait. If not, why wouldn't I try something that would tempt fish in a neutral, or negative mood?

My go to is a jig. Hands down, it likely accounts for 50% of my catches for a season. My favorite is a ZaraSpook, but a hollow body frog is moving up the list and giving it a good run.

I recently stopped fishing club tournaments, but when I did I would estimate around 75%. The one or two invitational tourneys I would fish that percentage would drop to about 50% and similar to others, those winnings barely covered expenses if that. The one positive thing those other tourneys did for me, as far as becoming a more versatile angler, was teach me how to better prep for an outing.

The majority of reels I own are Daiwas. They are easy and simple to maintain as the majority of them are assembled similar. The feel in my hand is close from one model to another and some of the parts are also interchangeable between models.

You mean the Jimmy Houston Knot? LOL

Out of the box, I rarely find a bait anymore that needs tuning and when I do, it's likely a wooden bait. I do, however, intentionally tune cranks to run to the right or left. It's a great way to get a crank to run under a dock and then deflect off of one or more supports. If I know I'll be fishing a lot of docks with cranks, I'll rig two rods with opposite running baits. It also works great for standing timber. I keep a 'tuner' hanging around my neck whenever I fish crankshttp://www.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shops-Tuning-Tool-Key/product/52284/.