Mbirdsley

I use the shallow shad rap very early in the year around here on very shallow lakes which, are the first to warm up. Once the water is much above 60 degrees though, I generally put them back up in favor of a more traditional square bill. they are affective at catching a variety of fish. to get them to suspend I have been wrapping lead wire around the front hook.

I’m the board for 2025!!!! Been a long time. I had my Twins last June ( boy and a girl) and basically stopped fishing untill middle of July. Took the boat out to a lake an hour west of where I live. Hit the key the motor turned over but, nothing. Crank on the tower of power for 10-15 minutes and wouldn’t fire. Lake was small enough I could use the trolling motor to fish. Fast forward to beginning of march. When I finally had time to work on my boat. In the last month I’ve basically rebuilt or replaced the entire ignition, fuel system , and most of all the wires on my 1984 Mercury L6 90 hp ( tower of power). Today I took the boat to long lake north of Ionia and she comes to life as soon as I touched the key. As far as the fishing it was ok. Kinda a tough day 85 degrees and blue bird sky’s with 10-12 ft water clarity. I caught 10 pike around 20 inches +- 1.5 inches and also around 6-7 13-14 inch bass on a deep LC pointer in American shad. Looks like the spawn is winding down. Some males still on beds but, a lot of empty beds. Bed fish had zero interest in anything so I kinda left them alone. Plus I was looking for bigger fish but, never really found any. Good to shake the rust off

1 Medium diving flat sided Crank bait like a spro little John md. Silver and olive back. On a sunny day it will kick the snot out of various species. Makes life very simple. 2 Texas rigging a craw but, particularly a spine craw in various colors depending on day and water clarity. 3 Tube bait either stupid rigged or regular tube jig. Just depends on where I’m fishing. Color and size depends on a bunch of different factors. Generally speaking if they are hitting any of those 3 lures. it’s going to be a fun day with little thinking in regards to strategy.

the 3/4 oz LC LV-500 (might not be the right model #) is my favorite for working like a jig on the bottom in the spring. The only downside is that they can be pricy at $20 ish dollars apiece. However, they do have a distinct rattle. 6th quakes sense is my favorite lipless for actually casting out and work like a regular crank bait. I do have some Rat-L traps, and the new ones are much better than the old ones. I think for the money you really can't beat them.

Anything top water. I can count all of the fish that i have caught on top water with 2 hands. With 0 of those fish having any real size to them. Fluke style soft jerk baits. I keep trying them periodically but, again I think I've caught maybe one fish on them. Maybe I'm just not fishing them when I'm supposed to or how I'm supposed to. I dont know.

depends on the situation or time of year. The colder the water or the more negative the fish are. I will trim the top strands of the skirt all the way to the collar. Generally speaking, regardless of the temp or the fish mood. I like to have the bottom skirt either even with the hook or maybe an 1/8 inch past the hook. If the fish are really aggressive, they may like the extra skirt length on the jig

I think it should still spiral on the way down. if it doesn't spiral on the fall it should spiral by just moving the hook eye farther back in the tube. How it is rigged right now may be a little far forward but, you will not know that until you fish it. The eye placement could be alright.

Is this a mold that you designed and machined yourself ?

Maxx scent General, Yum Dinger, and Senko's are the primary stick baits that I throw while, wacky rigging. Generally speaking, if I am wacky rigging. I am sight fishing in 5 ft of water or less

if you are losing fish, I would put a split ring between the bottom treble and the hanger. That should fix the majority of your problem.

This really all I’ve bought so far this year. I’m going to put in a big spine craw order on Friday from lure net. However, other than that. I’m focusing more on non rod and real equipment upgrades. From my favorite E-bay vendors in Alabama 100 black and blue trick worms. 2 DD LC French pearl lightening pointer and 2 DD Crystal pro blue lightening pointer. So apparently, Rapala is discontinuing some of the original shad rap colors ? Delta craw being one of them ? any one know anything about that ? So the delta craw shad raps have been out of stock at all my normal sources of buying tackle on the internet. I was able to find a lot of 3 new old stock SR-5’s and 1 SR-07 from either independent bait shops or individual sellers on eBay. Prices were decent enough that I bought them. Early spring I have caught numerous big bass on a delta craw shad rap. A little pike stole mine last year.

I just picked this bad boy up for $20 shipped on eBay. It’s been rode pretty hard but, still makes a good collar less jig. I did take a stone to the machined surfaces to knock down any burrs. But, I plan on tying some hair/ maribou jigs. I’ve made them before but, it’s been almost 10 years. once school is out this summer my 7 year old daughter will have to come with me during the week on my fishing outings ( mom will be at work) . Which, means we may have to take blue gill fishing a little more serious on occasion. I’m hoping I can teach her how to make her own jigs which, will keep her entertained tying them. Than we can use them fishing. I’d rather her cast a jig and a bober rather than a treble hook for my own safty haha.

1) shad rap 2) 110 size jerk bait 3) chatter bait 4) spinner bait 5) lipless I have fished all day using a chatter bait or jerk bait in cold water with never putting it down. once the water starts to hit 55 degrees crank baits start to play and T-rigging plastic.

I really wish Michigan would institute a slot limit for bass. A lot of the lakes that I fish in Central and Mid- Michigan are inundated with 12-17 inch bass. I'd much rather have a small to medium size fish of given species to eat rather than the bigger specimens. This includes panfish. Problem is though is that most people in this state chase walleye, salmon, and trout. Which are better eating. I would like to see all tournaments go away from dragging fish to a weigh Ins. Eventually the non- fishing public will force the issue through state legislation.

I prefer catalogs. My BPS catalog came in the mail today. For some reason it is easier for me to find things. This is my favorite time of the year as it is when all of the lure building/rod building catalogs start coming in. I also find cool stuff when I’m just flipping through when I’m bored. when I’m on the net I kinda just look for what ever specific thing I’m looking for. The lure parts one came in 1st of the year. Lure parts web site is atrocious so the catalog is very welcomed. Usually Barlow’s won’t be far behind. Sometimes there is just something very impersonal about staring at screen all day.

#1 summer craw which, I believe is watermelon or GP on top and chartreuse on the bottom of the bait. Michigan bass will hammer summer craw from 55 degrees to 80 degrees water. I usually use it with a googan Bandito bug. However, I have used it with other MFG's creature baits and stick baits. #2 Yum's GB Hayes which, is smoke clear and purple flake. Absolutely a killer in gin clear water where visibility could be 20ft+. Yum has started to offer it in other plastics but, I found out about it from the Yum Spine Craw. #3 Yum's watermelon pearl laminate. Favorite bait to use with is the 6 inch yum dinger T-rigged. It does work well as a lizard and other creature bait color as well. #4 GP and blue flake. the farther you get into summer and the farther north you go in the state. Craw fish will take on a blue hue to them. Especially in clear Northern Michigan lakes

i’ve narrowed it down to 2 differnt craw trailers that I use on a jig. if i want some action on the back of a jig ill use yum spine craw. if i want less action ill use a strike king rage menace. I threw a chigger craw for a long time but, the spine craw has replaced it. The spine craw can be used t-rigged.

First things first. I am a conservationists first, Bass fishermen 2nd. Fishing for bass is fun. We grew up hunting fishing, and being in the out doors . This new age of anglers ( not just picking in the younger anglers) and tournament angler have it flipped with being a bass fishermen 1st and a conservationist 2nd. Respect the resource and the resource will take care of you for the now and future generations. 2-3 years ago I was starting to get into watching tournaments and wanting to participate in them. Now the more I watch the tournaments and just kinda see the direction everything is going the more I kinda just get turned off by them. The majority of the major tournaments are a money grab for the tournament owners and the resource be darned. Tournaments have their place but, they need to do better in the future of protecting the resource. Even just as businesses decision to ensure more bass. Probably the biggest reason for my self that I fish for bass. Bass are a hardy fish and take well to being caught and released. Yeah, if you fish long enough you’re going to accidentally kill one. My wife isn’t a big fish eater so there is no point in filling my freezer of fish we are not going to eat. I grew up fishing salmon and trout on lake michigan. We fish for those by trolling which, is a total meat game. Typical both species will fight to the death. Having a good release after dragging them at 2.5 mph just isn’t going to happen. Even fishing for brook trout in a small stream it is only 50/50 if the brook trout survive’s the fight. off my soap box

Cheating is not the right phrase. However, with the type of prizes and winnings on the line it’s definitely fraud and at the very least it is poaching. There is definitely a pattern developing with him and it is never his fault. It is always some one else’s fault or thing. It must be ego because, anytime a high profile fisherman or hunter gets caught doing somthing unethical or illegal. They can never say “i knew better but, did it any way. it’s my fault i’m sorry”. Him saying that would go farther than trying to explain the situation and talk his way out of it.

yeah, i generally use them in 8-25 ft in the spring as the fish are coming up. that is what’s nice and annoying about LC. they have a ton of variations for 1 style of bait. mine are not the skeet reese lv-500’s . I actually didn’t know that about the different sounds. I knew there was a skeet reese version but, didn’t know what made it different.

IMHO the people that stress and promote speed cranking are generally fishing for the biggest bass in the lake and are ok with sometimes going hours or days with out a bite. i don’t have that kind of time or patience so i don’t speed crank. I consider my self a decent crank fisherman. I also believe, if your going to speed crank you have to commit to it 100% and that’s just how you crank fish or you don’t do it at all.

the Lv-500 was designed to be hopped/ripped off of the bottom like a jig. They work very well for that designed purpose. I have caught a bass, walleye and pike working them like that in michigan. They work fine on a straight retrieve but, being worked like a jig is what they were designed to do. the LV-500 also has a deeper rattle sound. it is not as high pitched as the orginal rat-l trap, booyah, or strike king ( not one knocker ), and cotton cordell version. I would rather use the ones mentioned above in a straight retrieve as a opposed to the lv-500

thanks. its not done yet. hopefully this winter i’ll get it finished up. its basically done but, i had some epoxy do some weird stuff around the rod info sticker. so i need to sand it down and apply more epoxy. than its done. the wife and I had twins in june ( i also have a 7 year old) . I’ve been bass fishing 1 time since june 24th. hopefully next spring i’ll get to try it out.

once i’m hooked up on a fish my success rate is around 98%. I may loose 1-2 fish a year while fishing offset worm hooks or ewg’s. generally speaking the 2 fish that i do loose will be smallies when they start to jump. i’m 6ft4 260 lbs and i don’t really employ a hard hookset most of the time. usually it’s just quick set up and the fish is on. punching i do tend to crack them a little harder.

nice. thats the same blank i’m using. it will also be a spinner bait and chatter bait rod. this is the second mb 843 that i’ve built. the first one i use as a light jig/ t-rig rod.