papajoe222

I take a couple of trips up north every summer and rent a boat rather than tow mine. No electronics, just an outboard. Two things I do even though I always either purchase or download a topo map; I'll measure the light penetration depth by lowering a white coffee mug into the water until I loose sight of it. That's the depth I'll start out from by setting my anchor rope at the same depth and slowly motoring over a point or spot I've marked on the map. When the anchor catches, I'm at the depth I want to be. Another thing I do is attempt to find the depth the weeds are from the surface. I use crankbaits that I know the exact running depth of, when I start picking up weeds on one I know, not only the depth, but the type of weeds. I'm the type that has to have a place to start, or a point of reference.

Been doing the same for many years. What's nice about only taking a measurement is that five or ten years from now, that fish can gain a pound or so. Once you take a measurement, that girl ain't getting heavier. Unless of course you're an outright liar. I recall a 20In. smallie I caught back in '86. Had to go at least.................

After reading this thread, I was surprised that there was no mention of the fact a fish's eye, because it perceives light differently, requires less light to both see and perceive color. As an avid night fisherman, I can assure you that a bass can distinguish between a black and purple worm at night when you and I can not. It's also the reason that they can distinguish color differences in 30 or 40ft. Of water when a light meter will tell you that light penetration is only 17ft. that day and why salt water species living hundreds of feet below the surface have such vivid coloration. How this relates to matching your trailer to the jig, I haven't a clue.

Has anyone else used this system for running small minnow style or crappie sized cranks down deep? I tried it last season and had good success on both walleye and crappie. I was thinking of running a 6in. swimbait on it for bass, given as it was designed to imitate a small school of minnows being chased by something bigger. The only bass I caught using it last season was a dink that was foul hooked on the shallow crank I was using on it.

I believe it was Bill Dance who made the use of bow mounted trolling motors popular. In his early days of tournament fishing he took his transom mounted motor, reversed the head and figured a way to mount it on the bow. Prior to that, they were used strictly for trolling and I had both a transom and bow mounted trolling motors on my last boat as did many walleye anglers. Trolling a crank is one way to get them to run deeper. It's similar to long lining as a technique for both covering expanses of water and getting your crank to run deeper.

Not because it always produces, but when it seems that nothing is working, I'll find a nice steep drop off and work a Spook 10-20yrd. out. The other option is a small stick worm wacky rigged.

Just like other types of bass fishing jigs (flipping, swimming, stand-up, shakey head), hair jigs perform best when used in specific situations and presented in a certain way. They shine when a moving, bottom presentation is called for on a hard bottom. This is why most are built on exposed hook/ball heads, the hair flares open as the jig hits bottom and collapses as it is raised and moved forward. A dragging retrieve can also be used, but this usually incorporates adding live bait or a small, slim action plastic trailer.

A general rule is longer pauses in colder water along with shorter twitches, but don't be afraid to experiment. I stumbled on a straight/ fast retrieve last March when I was reeling in after a nasty backlash. You never know.

My best two producers for night fishing have been a black Terminator spinnerbait that they no longer offer and a Jitterbug. Big purple worms dipped in JJ's were killers during the full moon in water less than 15ft. I lost that Terminator spinnerbait and tried another brand of a 'night time' one, but settled on another color Terminator that I removed the forward clevis and blade from. Full moon or new moon, if you're going to fish soft plastics a black light will increase your catches. mine makes my 14lb. original Stren look like a strand of fibre optic from the water to my rod. At first I was surprised at how many hits I wasn't feeling, now I almost don't try to feel for them I just watch my line.

I vote that we send the monkey to your place, because evidentally he doesn't have your address but he has an express running from his place to mine.

Two new rod builds purchased last week. ($179 and $120) I can stay away from BPS and Cabela's, I just can't stay off the web. and I KNOW I'm gonna need a couple of new reels for 'em. TW, here I come (with a monkey on my shoulder)

What brand one uses, whether mass produced or hand poured, cheap or expensive is, IMO, a personal preference. I don't believe anyone here would recommend a product they haven't had some success with reguardless of those factors. Good soft plastics are like good sneakers. They cost more because of the components used, R&D, production costs, etc. Cheap sneakers are cheap for many reasons, but when it comes to walking they will both get you there.

For Texas rigging I basically use three styles of worms; ribbon tail, paddle tail, and curled or twirl tailed. Different actions for different situations. Ribbon tail for stop and go swimming action on or near the bottom (Culprit), paddle tail for hopping or stroking style retrieve (Net Bait 'Thumper') and curled tail when they want more of a verticle or falling presentation (G-Tail)

I break down my cranks by depth first. Wake baits, shallow and deep runners, lastly, lipless. Each catagory has it's own box and in each box I separate square bills, coffin bills, body shape, etc. I have similar boxes for 'silent' cranks (no rattles), although there isn't as much variety in styles and shapes. Colors aren't considered in my system, as far as having different boxes for different colors as the majority of my baits are either shad or crawfish variations. If you're inquiring about what style, depth or color to use in a given situation you can do a search and find almost endless examples and personal preferences from this site alone.

Thanks guys. I figured some builders supply either has or had offered the material. I'll check it out, but I don't think the finished product will have the same quality as single thread work. I'm learning that this hobby will teach you patience, I'm just a slow learner. Tight Wraps.

Use the force Luke

For flipping, I really don't see any advantage for a 7.1 over a standard 6.3 as you're working with such a short length of line and also because you aren't reeling line in for each flip. For pitching, if nothing else, it (7.1) gets your line in faster and that translates to more casts.

I like the way a 1/4oz falls., especially in cold pre or post ice temps. Although the fall rate is about the same as a 1/2oz. it isn't a straight fall and I feel it gives off more flash and a little different vibration on the lift and and unless I'm fishing water deeper than 15ft. it gets the nod.

Bananas for my fishing partner and an RC or two for myself.

I've done a few butt wraps (chevrons, diamond,etc.) and was checking out YouTube for some new ideas. In my search I ran across ones where a wide thread or ribbon was used rather than multiple thread wraps. Does anyone know what the material is, or where I cand purchase some?

For most soft plastics it's green pumpkin. Cranks-either shad or crawfish, topwaters-anything with a white or bone belly, jigs-depends on what I'm trying to imitate (I swim a lot of white and smoke colored jigs).

One suggestion that addresses clearing a jig, or most lures, of weeds; use braided line or heavy fluorocarbon. Other lines have too much stretch. There is more than one way to fish a jig and the style of jig you use will either make the task easier or more frustrating. It's a learning process, but well worth the time you spend doing so.

I'm in a different camp, I prefer offset worm hooks. Then again, I prefer straight shank hooks for fishing worms. 2/0 and 3/0 for the flukes and light wire when using 8lb. or less fluoro.

FatFreeShads and Fingerlings are the only Bomber cranks I use now and straight out of the box, I've never needed to tune them. Go with your experiences, but IMO there are worse cranks on the market.

I haven't stripped down my Tracker, but I do run two Group 29 deep cycle batteries for my TM and the same size battery for cranking. I'm not sure about the CCA on the cranking battery, but there wasn't enough room to mount all three in the rear compartment. I opted for removing the port side storage container and mounting it there. I accessed the cables ( the OEM were long enough) through the bottom of the compartment and used an automotive style battery tray to secure it. You can likely move the bilge and/or live well motors and mount all three batteries to the port side of the compartment and go with a shallower storage compartment when specking out your redo.