RI_Bass_Guy

Tried it for one year...did not care for it

The Naturals pictures looks like my basement.....seperated in plastics boxes so its easier to set up the boat trip by trip.

I use Zoom Fat alberts in Green pumpkin, Green pumpkin/red flake, Watermelon and Watermelon/red flake. GYBC spidergrubs in assorted colors. I believe its considered a grub. Spidergrubs rigged on a 3/8 oz football jig. These things are deadly worked slow on the bottom.

Reality is most of the fish "caught" were placed on the lures hook on the boat and put in the water,given line and then fought in. I have seen this first hand while fishing the Big O out of Rloand Martins marina.

My biggest smallie was 6lbs 13 oz. on a 3/8oz spinnerbait bait with perch colored skirt and blades from Lake Champlain. My brother in-law was with and he caught a 7lb. 11oz fish 5 minutes later with same bait.

Green Pumpkin Watermelon/Red flake Pumpkin In that order works for me

I agree....better hole shot,loss of top end speed, better control in rough water and at lower lower speeds. If you using an aluminum 3 blade I would go to a stainless 4 blade. Aluminum bends and twists changing pitch under a load.

9 degrees this morning with a high of 20 expected....clear skies

If you really know the lake you are going fish you can bring what usually works there. I have dozens of 3700's loaded with baits specifically for certain lakes. Same with soft plastic. But usually once I start throwing a jig, if I am catching fish, I will throw it until it stops working. The jig produces bigger fish for me.

.002 in the world of fishing is nothing unless you convince yourself otherwise. Especially if your using flourocarbon, most fish stike on impulse anyway. So if .002 makes a difference on a reaction bite why can I can smallie's carolina rigging with a braided main line and a 3 foot 10lb test leader? It should look like a cable dropping from the surface with lure behind it. Or how about when throwing spinnerbaits with 16lb test line? If you have confidence in something it works, if you don't it won't.

I leave them in their origimal bag then put it a labeled zip lock. I then put the bags in big tupperware containers. This way can seperate them. I have a box for drop shot baits, carolina baits, senko's, creature baits, frogs, etc,etc. This way I can take what I need in the boat depending on what Lake I am fishing. If i am fishing a shallow weedy lake, no use carrying the carolina rig baits, etc.

The diameter difference is to little to even notice from 4 to 8 lb test unless you are using a caliper. I use 8lb P-line cxx and never have a problem even in the clear water of Lake Winnipesaukee,NH.

I used to rig it the same way but the line twist was killer even with a swivel

The chatterbait definately gets hit, landing the fish is another story even with a trailer hook. I fished last year the same way I would a spinnerbait. You can rip it fast waking the surface, steady retreive it and slow roll it. The first Tournament I used it in I lost the first 9 fish that hit it, and I still haven't figured out how to keep them on with it. I lost more fish than I boated with them.

G.Loomis The lightest and most sensitive rods I have ever used. You can use their rods all day and not get fatigued. I used to use a team Diawa flipping stick and get the biggest knot between my shoulder blades by the end of the day. I bought a Loomis filpping stick and can use it for 14 hours without a problem.

I can't pick just one. Some companies great tubes but bad worms. Others make awesome senko's and bad trailers. Some baits are actually too soft. GYBC are great lures, I love the fat Ika, But if a bluegill or perch even sniffs at them they are ripped up. When wacky rigging GYBC senko you need to use a o-ring or split ring or the senko will rip right off on a hard cast or when bit by a small fish. Take Yums buzz frogs for example, for some reason they almost always roll over on me, But Zoom horny toads never roll. So I think a variety of bait companies is the only way to go. It is a preference thing. Some of the best soft plastics I have bought lately came from EBay. Like from Earthworm77. Those are my thoughts.

I have started using the red hooks when I drop shot and have found that the black nickel works better for me. But on the flip side a red hook on the front of a crankbait or rattle trap seems to be more effective than not. Don't know yet, have not figured out whether there is a big difference when throwing a drop bait.

The northern end of Lake Champlain is absolutely incredible. If we pull up to a spot and the fish are under 3lbs we leave to go to a better spot. In the middle of the summer last year we were catching 100 fish a day with the largest at 6 lbs 13 oz. It was smallie heaven... Lake Saccandaga in New York is also underated for numbers of fish but not size. Lake Winnipesaukee is also a fabulous smallmouth lake but a little harder to fish.

It is kinda a pain in the butt to throw a jerkbait on a C-rig. Alot of the time the treble hooks hook the line on the way down. It is easier to rig a fluke or senko and they work just as well. If you want it to float high use a 3x zero or rig a floating weight ahead of your favorite plastic lure.

Cavitron....hands down the best buzzbait I have ever used

When fun or pre fishing never. In a tournament always. In the open water I will flip the trailer hook over so the point is down under the bait. In cover I rig it normal. Sometimes when fishing for smallies over open water I will use 2 trailer hooks.

I use the barbless hooks when fishing a carolina rig deep for smallies. Most of the time by the time you feel a hit in 25+ feet of water the fish has swallowed the bait. It is so much easier to remove the hook and not damage the fish. Only lost 2 fish using them in the last couple of years. But this is the only time I use them.

I believe Bass see colors also. Water clarity plays a major role also. Where I live the water is crystal clear in most of the lakes I fish and if you not throwing a natural color your not catching fish. You may get a suicide strike occasionally on a metholate worm but I would not bet the farm on it catching bass consistently. Each lake in my area has its own color that works better than others. Green pumpkin works pretty much anywhere for Largemouth and Smallmouth. When smallmouth fishing, if its cloudy we use pumpkin/chart. tail lizards.. if its sunny watermelon or green pumpkin/red flake lizards. I have seen times when I was catching fish with a black blue jig and my partner could not get a bite with a black/brown jig. and vice versa

Topwaters will work fished around the bluegill beds in spring anywhere. The clear water may cause you use a jerkbait twitched on the surface, my favorite is a silver/blue back redfin around dawn or dusk. A small spook or pop r may also do the trick. I have seen spooks sitting still for 2 minutes get absolutey demolished. As with all bass fishing its trial and error.