papajoe222

X2 I have two ProLite Specials, one for my wife and one for my 6yr. old grandson. They're also great for fishing unweighted plastics.

I've used it for backing under braid and also for leader material on my dropshot and C-rigs. I occasionally will use braid for dropshotting and will use a small barrel swivel to attach the drop line. It's easier on my eyes than using a knot and it keeps line twist to a minimum.

If I'm looking for a quick clean, I also use lighter fluid. If I'm taking my time, I prefer to use SimpleGreen letting the bearings soak overnight and agitating the container occasionally. Either way, I'll give them a good rinsing and let them air dry before oiling.

IMO, you had the right bait and blade and skirt color aren't as important in muddy water. As smalljaw said, color and blades become important considerations as the water clears up. If the water level was up, you may have been fishing too deep. With water temps holding near 60 you should expect the fish to be moving shallow. The muddy water would put them tight to cover, so your presentation should be too. The problem with muddy water is you have to know where and what type of cover there is available. Random casting may get you a fish or two, but if you're not making contact with the cover, it can be a long day. The other thing I think should be mentioned is varying your retrieve speed until you can key in on what the fish want. You can do this throughout your cast, but you need to know how fast or slow your bait is moving when a fish hits and although I almost always recommend changing direction and speed during your retrieve, making multiple casts with constant retrieve speeds in muddy water is my recommendation. BTW Raul, I guessed 90% of the time you fish with your eyes closed.

My plastics alone weight at least twice that. I'll put it this way, if I take someone fishing with me I have to unload about 50lb. of gear to keep my boat from being overloaded.

Unlike slonezp, I don't fish the Fox chain in IL. The worst lake that I do fish is Lake Geneva in southern Wisconsin. There are likely more boating accidents on one week-end than most lakes have in a year. I fish it in the spring and fall when it's to cold for the pleasure boaters, or at night during the week. I don't even think about venturing out there any other time.

Finally got everything I need for the trip.

Not knowing what type of structure or cover is present, I'd go with a shakey head or drop shot for post frontal conditions. After a couple of days of stable weather, I'd opt for a crank or spinnerbait depending on the cover. It's difficult to target pre spawn fish in a body of water that shallow as there is very little difference in depth between deep water and spawning areas. Rather than retreat to a staging area after a cold front, their movement would likely be to move tighter to available cover. Their strike zone will shrink considerably and because of that, finess tactics should produce better than going for a reaction bite. If cover allows, a lipless crank could be the exception to that line of reasoning. For some reason, bass will still hammer one of those while ignoring a spinnerbait or crank. Don't ask why, just be sure to give one a try. If you do get bit, switch to a finess presentation and you'll likely boat a couple more from the same area.

I've been using them for years, but I never attempted to make a suspending bait out of a floater. I mainly use them to obtain a nose down attitude on my jerkbaits and to adjust the rate that my cranks float up. I don't see why they wouldn't work, though it make take a few of the strips.

I'll do my best and a quick recovery to you ProCrafter and I wouldn't concern myself with the face thing if I were you. Everything from my right ear to my left ear hasn't been working right for years and the only one it bothers is the wife.

The majority of the time, I'm throwing StrikeKing tubes. Last year I tried NetBait's BK tube and fell in love with the 5.25 in version. Tubes are a great bait for skipping under docks and this larger version allows me to stay farther from the docks in the clear lakes I fish often. Okeechobee Craw and Green Pumpkin are my favorites, but a StrikeKing white tube in the fall is a killer when fished like a walking bait just under the surface. The majority of the time I'll fish a tube either on a tube jig, or with an internal weight T-rigged. The beauty of these riggings is, unlike traditional T-rigging, they don't hinder the tubes ability to spiral on the fall. The only other way I rig them is weightless and I'll fish them like a Fluke.

If I'm searching for fish at a spot I have a history with, I may go as little as half an hour. On the other hand, if I'm using the bait as a search tool on a piece of structure I'm not familiar with, I may stick with it for as much as a couple of hours if it's a large piece of structure, but in that case I'm looking for more than fish. I'm looking for irregularities as well as fish and if I'm getting good feedback from the lure, it's worth the extra time.

#1 Jig #2 Senko #3 Spook #4-5 Jig

This is wierd as I have one tied on my cranking rod for a little jaunt tomorrow in the rain. Don't remember what I paid for it, but after I colored the belly orange, this thing has been a steady early spring producer.

I'm only bringing one rod and a box full of Spooks. Why? you guys think I'll need something else? Wait, it's April 2.................................Never mind. I can't bring it all, but half a dozen combos and a dozen 3700s, my boat bag full of plastics and ........................... How much room in your truck Mac?

I finally saw the light and started fishing with FC line last season. The use of a line conditioner helped with the controll issues I had previously and changing from a Palomar not to a Pitzen relieve some of the line breakage issues. The Pitzen is a great knot and the only issue I have with it is the tag end sticking out to the side of the knot which picks up the fine weeds and moss. I have been practicing tying the SanDiego Jam (which to me is a variation of the Pitzen) and like the fact that it, too wraps both the mainline and the tag. How do you feel this knot performs with fluorocarbon?

I really don't want to go off topic here, but I see a lot of questions like these from anglers new to the sport. I'll give you some recommendations, but hear me out first. Fish location is THE most important part of the fish catching equation. It's a simple fact that you can't catch them if they ain't there. Lure, line, rod reel, lure color, knot used, etc. are unimportant if all of them are perfect selections and you aren't putting that bait in front of fish. On the other hand, the wrong bait, rod, reel, etc. will catch some fish if presented where the fish are. Just ask any crappie fisherman that has tied into a muskie on a wimpy rod and tiny jig. Don't get me wrong, the 'right' lure will produce more fish than the 'wrong' one if the fish are present. That is why many anglers put a lot of effort into choosing a bait. Research the fish you're targeting and the forage it mainly feeds on. That insight will lead you to, not only the type of lure that should be most productive, but more importantly where that fish will likely be in the body of water you're fishing under the current conditions. Rising water temp. in the spring will get the fish moving toward their spawning grounds and that spells shallower water. That is provided they haven't already spawned, which may be the case in your area. A minnow imitating lure is hard to beat and there are different types. Hard or soft Jerkbaits are likely the best imitators for lethargic fish, but after a few warm days of rising temps. a spinnerbait, or lipless crank can be a better choice. If you know the fish are targeting crawfish, a jig and craw trailer is a great choice and will produce even if the fish are keying on shad or minnows. Hope that helps.

#9 Original Floating Rapala. Twitch it, pause crank it, pause and repeat. As the water warms, just work it the same way, but pick up the tempo. OH, the question of PopR vs. Spook, and this is from a Spookaholic. Go with the PopR when the water is cold. Spooks rule after the spawn.

Geez, I'm lucky I can remember....................What was the topic???? Oh yea. NO

Worst all around was in '06 (I think) on Lake Michigan out of Muskegon 34, rainy, windy with 3ft. waves. No fish and I totaly drained my TM batteries. Worst weather was a few years later, same place, but it was snowing and the wind chill was 10-12 and the waves and wind were worse. I called it quits after one smallie and 2 1/2 hours on the water. If I were younger, I likely would have stayed out 'till weigh in. Only five anglers did. Believe it or not, I actually got points in that tourney for that one 3.6lb. fish!

You may get more response if you move this to the local forum. I personally haven't fished Newton, but it's on my bucket list of lakes to visit this year.

As my wife doesn't drive, it's up to me to do the grocery shopping or drive her there. This week she insisted on going to Meijer despite my objections. I gave in and while she was getting the groceries, I checked out the fishing gear. Low and behold, they had Red Eye Shads reduced to $5.24 + 50% off. $2.62! I grabbed all they had. Most were 1/2oz. Sexy Shad colors. I kept four and put the others on E-bay. If they sell, I'll have made a couple of bucks and have four baits that costs nothing. If they don't, I'll have a box full of them for under $25. Guess I'll be checking out the clearence isle every time she,er we, go shopping.

There are a few baits that I rely on just after ice-out and a 1/8oz. white maribu Road Runner is one of them. The only reason I mention it is because I don't see much, if any discussion about these little gems. I like to break them out when fishing is tough and when the ice is first off the water is one of those times. The guys at my club think I'm a little off because I throw them on baitcasting gear, but it works for me. I picked up this chunker today with ice still on the south shore. As Jimmy Houston used to say, you can't fish them wrong as long as you fish them slow. and that is no lie.

I'll use the jig vs. T-rig in timber or rocky cover and when conditions call for flipping or pitching, or in place of a C-rig. I'll use the T-rig set up when casting weed edges or tops, or when the fish are more lure shy as they can pick up the craw without feeling the weight or on those rare outings when my concentration isn't focused solely on fishing as the fish seem to hold onto the bait longer then.

You??? I haven't caught a smallie since 2011 !!!! I haven't needed a little blue pill since I sent in my application and I'll be spending the next three weeks just trying to find my skin as I jumped out of it in anticipation of this trip.