papajoe222

This is a subject that I've devoted more than a few seasons studying. There was a time that I didn't give it much consideration. When one didn't work, I'd try the other (keeping it simple). But having a few inquiring brain sells among the dozen or so that I still possess, I questioned why one over the other. Because bites are few and far between at this time of year, I began observing what factors were present when one presentation worked and the other didn't. Water clarity, light conditions, barometric pressure, even Ph. What I found was that the bass would take a jig dragged slowly and with pauses much more often than a lift/drop presentation. When the latter worked best, it produced numbers and the bites were much more aggressive. What factors contributed to the more aggressive bite? Exactly those that you'd consider during the summer. Cold front conditions made the lift/drop/hop presentation almost ineffective and although production using the dragging method wasn't something to write articles about, I'd get two or three bites on it. My conclusion was, and is the reason why I choose one over the other to start the day, don't overlook the conditions during this time frame. You sure wouldn't during the rest of the season. ?

Realism, like color can be the difference maker in which bait will catch when others don't. The OP compared two craw imitators, but I've done a similar comparison with tubes vs. craws. The majority of time, when both were presented the same they both produced about the same. However when one was presented different (say the tube spiraling down) one would out produce the other by a wide margin. Sometimes the tube and other times the craw. This leads me to believe realism plays a back seat to action and presentation. I also believe one craw can out produce another at times, but just like stick worms the difference could be the density, or bouyancy of one over the other.

3lb.-12oz. could do it. I only know that fact because it happen to me when I was netting said fish. Short line, rod bent to the max and drag adjusted too tight. you’ll never know for sure, so just call it a seven pounder. Before long you’ll be doing so without thinking about it.

This particular post is about how many of us miss out on pre-spawn because we don't realize when it's happening. In an effort to help others avoid this mistake, sharing our mistakes can possibly help others avoid the same. The talk about spawn is more toward how we missed pre-spawn and didn't realize it until the bass were actually spawning. Of course, the thread took a quick left turn and headed straight to the spawn.

Great post. I've witnessed Big bass on beds in April with water temps in the low 50's here. the big girls want to drop their eggs ASAP and have no problem finding a willing male. What we all need to remember is water clarity has an effect on where and when fish will spawn. I've found that clear, shallow water where there is a darker bottom (not muck) seems to draw their attention. The other thing that dawned on me was the fact that my TM mounted transducer doesn't give an accurate temp. reading as it sits over a foot from the surface. When checking the temp. on my console unit, the surface temp. was considerably warmer. Maybe the eggs only need sun to hatch and water temp. is secondary.

I had it happen to me on TableRock the first time I'd ever fished it. There was a bluff wall that extended 300yrds. or so on the north shore of a cove. I found an outcropping of chunk rock in 20ft. of water. It wasn't very big, but if I missed it with a cast, nothing. When my casts landed past it and I crawled a worm up on to it, I got bit. It happened again on TableRock three years later, but this time it was 3lb. schoolers and a Cordell Super Spot was my offering. The school had encircled a ball of shad and kept them pinned in one area. Best day I ever had for numbers. I lost count, but it only lasted for 30min. or so

For years, the only way I used them was on a C-rig. Then about ten years ago, I started fishing them on a true Texas rig at night. First time out I caught three bass over 18in. and four more decent ones in one hour. I began using them occasionally during daylight outings and although they didn't produce numbers for me, like jigs, they produced big fish.

Two, actually. Chatterbaits and Multi-Jointed Hard Body Swimbaits. I'm not super excited to give the bladed jigs a shot, but the swimbaits have me chomping at the bit. I'm an old fart and as such, I don't like change and I know and am confident in other lures that will produce in the same situation, but I'm also a big time tackle junkie. I live by the saying; If I'm buying it, I'm trying it (you can use that if you like). I've already purchased a few of each.

My suggestion is go to a smaller/lighter lipless and fish it on heavier mono. With spinning gear, I wouldn't go much heavier than 12lb. and you can keep a 1/4oz. SuperSpot running 2-3ft. with a 5.2 spinning reel. If you're set on a bigger bait, give a Zoom Mag Ultravibe Speed Craw a shot, you won't be disappointed.

I fish three different lakes, each with its own form of cover. One has an abundance of dead falls and milfoil early, but by May, the weeds have been killed off. For structure there are numerous drop offs and a few flats close to deep water. Another has milfoil and hydrilla and the shore is lined with docks. There are only three main lake points of which two have a steep drop on one side. The last has 6-8in. lillypads that exted from 15ft. to 20 yards fro the shoreline encircling the entire lake. There it mixes with hydrilla out to around 10ft. of water depth. There is only one point on this lake and it extends out to 45ft. of water. On the first lake, I target the weeds and the flats and after the kill off, I target the deep structure as the dead falls get pounded by just about everybody. The second lake is all about the weeds and docks. The deep weed line doesn't see much pressure and there are enough bottom changes that it isn't a straight line for more than 20yards or so. The walleye anglers and meat fishermen focus on the other cover, flats and points. The last one sees very little fishing pressure and I do well punching the pads for the bigger fish and work that point heavily after the spawn for numbers.

I switched to SuperGlue Gel a few seasons ago because I grew frustrated sticking my fingers to the jig/hook shaft. I'm going to check out the Loctite gel this season.

I don't limit myself to any particular brand of these. 3.5in. Tube 7in. Ribbon Tail Worm 5in. Trick Worm Craw style Trailer (Rage Tail, Paca Craw, etc.)

wish they had fishing flea markets around these parts. I have a ton of gear I'm looking to sell off, but don't want to hassle with trying to sell on Facebook MarketPlace. The lures I can list here or on FleaBay, but with the cost of shipping rods, there are few inquires.

I think those people are more concerned with their own comfort than with how the wind affects the fish. You also have to consider what one person considers wind and another considers it a breeze. Either way, the wind factor during the winter is the 2nd least of my concerns (the first being lure color) as it has little effect on fish location IMO. The side of a cove or shoreline that gets the most daylight is a much stronger determining factor then.

Single blade, Torpedo Double blade, Wood Chopper. I don't know if it's still in production, but the one I have has paint chipped off and teeth marks from pike. A River2Sea Big mistake is a slightly larger version of one.

For me, it depends on how I rig the plastic. weightless and pegged weights, I use a palomar or Pitzen and an unpegged weight I use a snell. For trick worms, I normally don't use a straight shank. I'll use a round bend worm hook, or nose hook them with a weedless hook for more action.

I've always relied on blade size (and cup size) and adjusted my retrieve speed accordingly. If you're looking to keep it deep and still move it along at a good pace, a heavier bait in combination with a blade with enough vibration for you to feel, can be the ticket.

Sounds like an informative read. Looking forward to maybe seeing it.

I mainly target the upper water column when searching for ice-out bass. #1 choice for that is a suspending jerkbait. If the fish appear to be actively feeding I may switch to a soft plastic swim bait, or a lighter blade bait that I can work slowly and still keep up high. If it happens that they're still holding on the bottom, it's jig time. Small profile and little or no action on the trailer. I'll drop down to a 3/8oz. Arkie or football jig with the skirt trimmed short and add a chunk trailer. The other thing I may try is a crank that's rated to run much deeper than the water I'm fishing. That way I can crawl it along and maintain bottom contact.

I have had nothing but great service from ordering from their web site. So much so, that I went out of my way on a return trip from NW Wisconsin to stop at one of their stores. I was very impressed with the staff's overall knowledge, not only of the department they worked in. The closest one to me is in Springfield, IL, which I plan to visit on my next trip south.

Let us know if he’ll be on FB, or have a web site.

They are great on a split-shot rig, but no matter how I rig them, I cut the front arm of the forward appendages. Cut from the nose end, they add more action on the fall.

Welcome to the assylum

What he is saying is he uses his electronics to find structure in shallow water. Bottom changes, depth changes, etc. A shoreline can be full of cover, but the majority of catchable fish will be in the cover closest to some structural element.

Add me to the latter group. A S/SW wind is when the fish are the most aggressive for me. Notice I said wind. Bluebird skies and a light breeze can be just a tough as wind out of the north or east, provided that wind hasn't been blowing for more than 12 hours or so. More than that, I'm hitching up the boat and heading out.