papajoe222

If you're concerned about too much stretch using a 5ft. leader of Invsix your concern is misplaced. If you're using straight fluoro and line stretch is a valid concern, Sniper would be an option.

A Daiwa Fuego 6.3:1 paired with a StCroix Mojo MH/M crank rod will get you where you want to be.

I hear you. I'm 74 and when I got on the water Monday it was 74. Three hours later it was 89 and not a cloud to be seen. Then the breeze died and so did my energy. If I'd been on my home lake, I could have found refuge in the shade of some shoreline trees. It was my shortest outing of the season, but I have a feeling it was a preview of things to come.

The one big advantage a jointed swimbait has over a soft plastic one is that when paused, not only will it sink much slower (if at all), but some will actually turn their head as if to look behind when paused and given slack. I only own two multi jointed baits and I can tell you to hang on when you pause one, because the hits that come on that pause will test your composure. As to when to use one, I don't have any specific situation except when the fish are keyed on a horizontal presentation vs. a vertical one.

I don't recall seeing this mentioned. Try cutting a slit in the belly of the bait from just behind where the hook goes in there to just in front of the belly weight. That will allow the bait to collapse more and less plastic for the hook to penetrate, exposing more of the hook. I do this with all my hollow body swimbaits and I don't see any reason why it wouldn't help here.

That happens to me more and more lately. I know I have something somewhere because I'd never discard it, but I'll be danged if I can find it when I'm looking for it .

No winter fishing for me as I hate ice fishing. For spring, hair jigs and jerkbaits with a blade bait or a crank added when they start moving shallow. Summer, Jigs, worms and cranks get the most use, with topwater making an appearance when I want a little more excitement. In the fall, hardbaits get the majority of use. Spinnerbaits, cranks and topwaters with a worm for a vertical offering.

YES! Especially a walking bait. Unlike you, I will choose a topwater when I encounter active fish any time of day. Just last month, the largemouth were crushing a jerkbait over the tops of weedbeds. I picked up a Super Spook Jr and had a blast catching 2-3lb. fish. The bite died, but for an hour or so, it was what I dream of. My PB largemouth came on a Spook at 1:00PM on a sunny afternoon. Although largemouth tend to ignore topwater void of cover on sunny days, smallmouth will travel a good distance to hit one most anytime of day in clear water. I've had them rise up for a spook from 20ft. of water and more.

One of my favorite, late summer/early fall baits is a short arm, single blade spinnerbait. As there are few offered from lure companies, I make my own from standard 1/2oz. baits. It's a simple enough modification that most anyone can do. Before the weeds up here start dying off, I can run one of these over the top of the weedbed and then let it helicopter down its edge. Lately, I've been partial to an Indiana blade as I prefer to run it at a good clip over the tops and a Colorado blade tends to run on its side when doing that. Occasionally, it will get slammed when running over the tops, but most hits occur as the bait helicopters down the edge. If you don't have any Indiana blades, just downsize to a 3/8oz. bait. For those of you that fish bluffs, this is a killer presentation when allowed to drop down. Cast parallel to the bluff as it will pendulum toward you from the resistance of that big blade. If you're looking to throw something different this fall, give a short arm a shot.

Honestly, less than $100. Not that I didn't want to as the bait monkey has me on speed dial and likely ran up a hefty bill with calls to me. I've been seriously chasing Ms. Largemouth since the early 70's and collecting gear along the way. Other than line and a few bags of soft plastics, there was noting I needed and I made a New Year's resolution not to buy gear just because I want it. That being said, please remember that I am a fisherman and we have been known to stretch the truth on occasion and who actually keeps New Year's resolutions?

I normally have one of each. The worm rod is the same no matter the depth I plan to fish; Quantum Tournament Grade MH and what I consider a Mod/Fast. My jig rods vary. For pitching, I like my 7ft. 3in.Browning Boron/Graphite, MH it has a fairly fast action with just enough flex in the tip section for pitching. If I'll be casting, be it a football, or Arkie jig, it's either a 7ft. St.Croix Premier H/Fast (Fluoro), or a 7ft. Mojo H/Fast for braid. These are older, moderately priced rods with plenty of sensitivity for this retired basser.

Back in the early 70's, there were articles in 'Fishing Facts' about making and using creature baits (there weren't any mass produced ones available then). I figured, why not and attached two worms together at a 90 degree angle. The resulting 'creature' caught a ton of fish, but twisted my line badly, to the point that I stopped making and using them. I've done some other lure modifications since, but the only one I still do is tune crankbaits to run to the right or left, for dock fishing.

I, too, am a hard bait lover. Cranks, spinnerbaits and topwater get the most attention, but over the past few seasons, I have been known to pick up a spinning rod when my mainstays weren't producing. I've been a serious bass angler for the better part of 60 years and the only soft plastics I ever used were worms,tubes and jig trailers. I will still downsize before picking up that spinning rod, but it has gotten results almost every time I have.

I use Sufix 832 Hi Viz braid for my jig and Texas rigged plastics. Using that color braid, I always use a leader, but I keep it around 2.5ft. and switch it out when it gets down to 18in. or so. I use it for better strike detection as it's much easier for me to see. I have no idea if the fish can see that braid, but I want all factors in my favor and if there's a chance that my line can spook the fish, I'll take my chances. I have other setups with Lo Viz green that I never use a leader with.

There you go thinking again.

If I'm confident that there are still fish in the area, I change profiles first. Going from a fat bodied crank to the long, thin body of a minnow/jerkbait , or flat sided one not only gives the fish a different look, but different vibrations as well. I've tried changing colors, or size of the same bait and even switching to something altogether different (eg. crank to spinnerbait) and sometimes that will work, too. One other thing that many anglers overlook, is changing the angle of your presentation. You'd be surprised how often that will not only get more fish from an area, but get bites from an area that wasn't producing. As others have mentioned, give the spot a rest and return in 30min. or so. If they aren't following forage, they are/were there for a reason. They will likely still be there.

Another that prefers Costa Green Glass for all conditions. I've tried other brands that have performed well, but my Costa glass lenses don't scratch like plastic and what I see through them seems clearer to me.

Your tackle is up to the task, so I'd agree with you that your hookset is what needs to be addressed. If you were a ball player, swinging for contact and swinging for the fences both accomplish hitting the ball. You should be swinging for the fences with that hookset..

Are you fishing from shore, or from a boat? A little more information about the body of water you're fishing, what locations and cover you're targeting, and what baits you've been using would help here. When it comes to big bass, location and presentation are of utmost importance. They don't get big chasing forage, but almost always position themselves at prime ambush spots. The exception would be during the spawn and if you're fishing from shore, the spawn is your best bet for catching a big girl.

Something to think about and this in no way disses Rage Tail or other action trailers: If you can, watch a craw as it scoots away from danger, specifically as it falls back to the bottom. You can see for yourself why chunk style trailers are so effective. Unless the water I'm fishing offers poor visibility and the added vibration is a plus, a Zoom Salty Chunk is what I reach for in clear water.

I don't see the need for backing on a BFS reel. IMO, the spool's line capacity, even for thin diameter line doesn't warrant the little you'd save using backing.

Congrats on a job well done. I,for one, wouldn't have put the time in to do it. 3-4 hours of work for a reel priced around $50 doesn't compute in my pea brain. Now a $300 reel..... I'd send it off to DVT and let them do the work. Can you say lazy?

I've really been struggling this summer. Finesse soft plastics were the only presentations putting fish in the boat, far from my favorite way to fish. I still start my day throwing hard baits and only switch to the finesse stuff if they don't get any love. Twice last week, I switched from my normal cranks, swimbaits and spinners to smaller versions and was surprised when the bass didn't continue to ignore those faster presentations. Crappie sized cranks, small jerkbaits and even a Strike King Mini-King, which accounted for 15 of the 20 fish I boated on Thursday, I'm happily surprised that they worked when the bigger versions were ignored. The overall size of the fish didn't diminish. I caught my biggest fish since June burning a small crank. Anyone else tried downsizing their hard bait presentations when conditions were tough?

First, I'd figure out the bottom composition. Is there any change from, say, hard to soft bottom, or areas of rock or bottom hugging weeds? The best way to do that is with a tungsten weighted T-Rig. Go with a 3/8oz. so you can maintain bottom contact and just drag it along the bottom. Be sure to count it down as you fan cast the area. You may discover a spot where the water gets deeper, or shallower. That change in depth, or changes in bottom composition may be your best options for finding fish. Then go back over those areas with your favorite bait. I'd suggest a Senko, or tube.

Isn't that the same guy that holds his spinning rod with the reel on top?