Shadcranker

Make it a one year vacation: Start In Mexico for a month at Comedero and El Salto- January Amistad and Falcon- Feb. Guntersville, entire Coosa chain- March- two weeks at each California- Clear Lake and the Delta- April Ky and Barkley- May for some post spawn ledge fishing Dale Hollow- June- all night fishing for big brownies around the alewife spawn Canadian lodges (4 different ones for a week each)- smallie and walleye fishing- July Champlain and Erie (2 weeks each)- August for brownies Lake Fork, Sam Rayburn, and Toledo Bend- September Wilson, Wheeler, Pickwick- October drifting live bait in the tailraces Lanier and Hartwell- November for schooling spot action Mexico again- December That should just about do it.

Prowler Pro Pitch Tubes (out of KY). They are great baits. I also use their 'stubby tube' for finnesse applications (on a tube jig head). Wide range of colors, loaded with salt, and reasonably priced. You can buy a 100 pack for $26.00! www.prowlerlures.com With the 4" flippin tube, I use a 3/0 Gammy EWG hook, or if I'm skipping docks, I'll use the new Gamakatsu skipping hook. God luck. SC

Shad are the primary bait fish forage in our area, and these things really look sweet (4 1/2 inches which seems like a good size, in between our threadfin and gizzard shad sizes). They're very pricy ($16 a piece). just curious how they swim, which is best fall rate, and if they are durable at all? Thanks, SC

If money is not an object, go with the most expensive! I can say from experience that the Crucial Crankbait series is great value for the $$- I own two of them. I think the CB rods are the TX4 blank with more of a a parabolic action (not sure they make in split handle?). If you like the split handle design, I would highly recommend the Powell CB series (blue wrap version). I own three of them, and they are awesome for the money ($169), and the warranty service is great. Look at the 704 CB medium power casting rod for the 1/4 to 1/2 oz baits. Powell's design is very similar to Kistler. I just like them better (personal preference). Only other thing I would recommend is to look at a 5:1 gear ratio reel if you're going to be cranking mostly. You won't over-work the bait. Most people fish CB's way too fast. Good luck. SC

Goals: PB Lm and SM: 6+ SM 8+ LM Hope to get the LM out of the way on the G'ville trip in March. SM- not sure when. I may make a couple of trips to Dale hollow this winter.

Best I've found are the Zeal DS worms tht Culprit marketed a couple of years back. Can't find them anymore. Anyone know where to get some? They are like the first BPS worm listed above. Just a bit thicker at top. GYBC shad shaped worm is good too.

Fish it around cover. Most success for me comes over shallow grass (not matted). For matted grass I use a hollow body frog like the Spro. Just reel it like a buzzbait, as slow as you can to keep the legs buzzing. Use the bead or a carolina rig bead to keep the grass from building up on the nose. Works best in warm water temps (60 degrees and up). Also, use braid. It helps you stick the fish, but like with all frog fishing, you will miss a few. just wait til she takes the bait out of site before you set the hook (count to three). I've fished all the horney toad style baits, and the Ribbit is my favorite. If you're around big fish, try the big one (bull Ribbit). I use a Mustad Impact Keeper Offset WG Hooks. Favorite colors are white and catapilla. Good luck

I bought three bags of the Basstrix 5" PT tubes, and when I was at my local BPS last week, I saw the Luck "E" Strike version. I bought two bags. I must say that the paint jobs appear pretty comparable to the Basstrix, and the shape is almost identical. the detail is very good on the colors. Has anyone compared the swimming action of these two or the Basstrix vs any other knock-offs? The one advantage I kept reading about with the Basstrix was the finish or paint jobs, but these are really close. Just curious.

Life jacket Water / drinks for you snacks smaller tackle box (that will fit in most dry storeage boxes) 6 rods max (ask your boater)- you may want to bring one spare reel pre-strung if it will fit in your tackle bag rain suit gas money to give the boater ($30 or so) culling system if you need one That should do it.

It really depends how you hit them. The fish there really tend to group up in key spots. If you find them, you can easily catch 20-40 per day. I've had days when I've only caught five or six, but the thing that makes it so good is the quality of the average fish. I'd say on average in the Spring, I catch 10-15 fish in a day. Main thing is to keep moving until you find them, and then slow down and catch everything you can.

I fished there around six days last Feb and March, and in six trips, I had twelve fish over five pounds, including two over six. Most tournaments in the Spring, it takes 20 pounds plus to cash a check and at least 23 pounds to win (on five fish). So, if we hit it right, you can expect to catch 2-3 pound average fish with four to five good ones per day (four lbs. plus). I had one day last Spring, where I had 25 lbs on five fish in 2 hours, with a 7 1/2 kicker (pictured to your left). Also, I fished the BASS Weekend Series nationals last January there, and one guy had 31 lbs one day (with a 10 and 11 lbr in the bag). The potential is there to catch a ten pounder, and I would bet we'll see one or two on the trip. Guntersville does not have as many 10+ fish as Fork, but we should catch a bunch of 4-7 lbrs. Most locals there consider 8lb + a trophy. 5-7 lb fish don't turn any heads, simply because the lake puts out so many of them. SC

My Gator Mount is coming apart after 5 years. The steel pin that guides the pull rope broke in half, and one of the metal end pieces (like a thin C-shaped nut) has come off of another one of the steel pins. I am fairly sure I won't be able to find the parts to fix it, so I am thinking I'll just buy a replacement Gator Mount. Question: Are all the Gator Mounts universal? The one I have is circa 2001 model bracket, so I want to know if my TM will fit one of the newer model Gator mounts? I can grab one off eBay for relatively cheap, but I am not sure if my TM will fit it. Also, are the screw holes in the same position? Thanks, SC

Well, P-Line is all I use. CXX on Baitcasters, CX on spinning tackle. CXX is stiffer with more memory (tends to coil a bit), but if you spray KVD line conditioner on the spool it is awesome. Very abrasion resistant and great strenght. CX is limp, yet still a good, abrasion resistant line. The only spinning line I've found that behaves as well is McCoy mean green, but I can't buy it here, so I just buy the CX in green. Most spinning lines coil and jump off the spool, but not the CX. I also recommend the line condiditoner here. Keeps the line softer and tends to make it cast further. SC

When it's really tough, I down-size and throw a shaky head, drop shot, or bitsy bug. When it's really on in the Spring, and everything seems to work, what do you like to throw? For me, in order: 1. Topwater (pop-r or Sammy). 2. Fluke in clear water 3. Jerk Bait in clear water 4. anything on a TX rig (lizard, tube) I love the visual element of Tw fishing, and in clear water, I love watching a fish rollup on a fluke or senko (same with the jerkbait). Also, love dragging a worm rig around when they're hammering it. Never know how big it is until it tugs back.

Powell 703 C rod with Curado C100D- 15 lb Pline (green). 1. Zoom Trick worm in watermelon flake with 1/4 oz bullet wt 2. Strike King Bitsy Bug in Watermelon w/ Zoom Super chunk, Jr. 3. Strike King Series 3 Cb in Sexy shad 4. 1/2 oz Jewel football jig in Black / Blue w/ Zoom Speed Craw trlr. 5. 1/2 oz. Rattle Trap in chrome / blue

For me: 3 packs 5" Basstrix Paddletails 4 packs Falcon weighted hooks Under Armor Cold Gear base layer Swim Senkos 10 Strike King Crankbaits in "sexy shad"- (5) series 5, (3) Series 6 and (2) Red Eye Shads Assorted fishing clothes (3 hats, 4 LS Tees, 1 tourney shirt) New Cabels hooded fishing jacket Got to love when the family gives you gift cards!

Tim Chandler is the best IMHO. Great guy, and he stays on the fish. The topwater fishing gets good down there in mid April through June (post spawn to early Summer). You might want to try to schedule something the last two weeks of April. the shad spawn should be going on, and the spinnerbait fishing is awesome in the grass, plus you should be able to catch some on top.

the bait monkey got the better of me today, and I bought two packs of the real thing today on eBay (5" models). Does anyone have experience with these? What's the best hook set-up for rigging? Are they fairly durable, or are they a one-bite bait? Finally, does the bait itself have much weight to it? The recommended hook I've seen is the 3/32 oz Falcon keel weighted deal. Doesn't seem like much weight to me. Are you supposed to work this thing shallow, just under the surface, or can you swim it down in 5-10 ft? Thanks, SC

I'm considering registering for an Elite Series event as a co-angler for '08. Anyone done it? If so, was it worth the money? Did you feel like you had a legit shot to fishoff the back deck, or do the pros make it hard on you? Also, I am not a BASS Insider or Life member. They get fisrt crack at the registration. Do I even have a shot to get in without one of those priority deals? Thanks, SC

standard 4" finesse worm by Zoom

I've been experimenting with different finesse shaky style heads this year, and I've found one that is not well designed. Ironically, it's named the "screwed up" jig head. They picked a great name, b/c the wire spring they put on the bait breaks when you set the hook on a fish. I'm two for two on these. My guess is that the wire is too fine and cannot take much pressure. Steer clear of this jig head. The best shaky head I've found is the Davis SL (super long shank) head with the coated Mustad hook. if you can find the bulk pack, you get a heck of a deal at $9.99 for 25 pack. For a screw on type spring design, the Picasso looks good, but they are HIGH $$$.

That time of year, the fish should be moving up on the flats to spawn, but most will still be in pre-spawn mode on secondary points in the creeks and coves. A suspending jerkbait is probably the best way to scout for fish there in March. You can also probe the points and comb the flats with a Carolina Rig, swim a hiar fly, and also swim a grub on a 3/16 oz head. The upper end has more color and more largemouth. Up there, a floating worm, senko, and jig catch a lot of fish around willows and laydowns (depends on water level).

When the fish have lock-jaw, what to do you turn to? For me it's these three: 1. Carolina Rigged baby brush hog in Green pumpkin with a shot of chart on the tail. Use the rig if the fish are on a structure bite (ledges, humps, deep flats), where you still need to cover some water. 2. Strike King Bitsy Flip 1/4 oz Watermelon with matching Zoom Super Chunk, Jr. 3. 3/16 oz Davis Shaky Head (SL) with a Zoom Finesse worm in Watermelon. Use the Shaky head and Bitsy Bug on deeper banks, bluffs, points, creek channel banks. Just throw them both until the fish tell you what they want. Only moving bait presentation that works for me is to trigger a fish on a suspending jerkbait in late winter / early spring.

Best price on finesse jigs is the Sk Bitsy Flip for about $1.79 each. I catch a ton on it (Watermelon and straight black are my favorites). For value, try Tournament Force Tackle. These are semi-custom jigs with great components. You can pick the weight, style, colors, etc. www.tfbass.com For super high quality finesse jigs, try the Jewel Eakins Finesse Jigs in 5/16 and 7/16 size. For football jigs, I like the Jewel Mike McClelland design in 1/2 oz and 3/4 oz (the ones with the fiber weedguards). Another favorite flippin jig is the Oldham's trailer Hitch in 3/8 and 1/2 oz. For punching the mats in Summer, I really like the Scott Martin Grassmaster and Choo-Choo Jigs. I consider them all to be good value b/c they are high quality with excellent components.

www.atlanticmapping.com They have GPS waypoints for humps, etc. Good topo detail.