bpm2000

thats an interesting idea - trying to make your own. I would use a 4" slim senko cut down a bit smaller with some plastic from soem kind of packaging (that stiff kind that always houses small electronics - really annoying to get off so you always end up cutting it). I would hope that would be enough to float it... I think a 3" senko might have too much weight and would sink.

I would bite you too if you tried to stick a rock down my throat :-/

the only time i actually order direct is when a color or size i want is unavailable elsewhere. shipping from them is usually slow.

At what times do they hold on the flats other than spawn? This is my first yr fishing smallies and they are confusing me to all heck at some times.

T-Rig, you are not allowed to post bait pictures anymore - youre causing me to go broke! ;D To add to the thread, my fav is the black jitterbug.

I dont river fish too much, but to get you started, you can look for "seams" in the current ( i believe this is where there is a different flow rate in the water) and try targeting your bait there. Also, slack water behind boulders and such are a good bet.

WOW!! I thought I would be the only one to say "Jitterbug" Honestly I don't fish topwater much but the Jitterbug takes the cake for me. I like to replace the trebles with twin hooks and the front hook will fold right up to the body when you drag it across anything and you can fish it right square through the junk with no problems. A great bait that has withstood the test of time!! My next favorite is the Pop R. I hate buzzbaits for some reason, maybe because the fish seem to miss it as much as they get hold of it. thats a cool trick - bend side up yea?

haha not quite cali im sure, and most people up here are hung up on salmon/trout/steelhead and ocean fish. We do get our occasional nice fish though. So you didnt fish the columbia for bass then?

man i hate your stories... ;D j/k how do you fish those huddlebugs? rigging? I just bought a pack of the pre-weighted ones.

I know what a steelhead is, I live in the NW (and its actually an andromadous (sp?) rainbow trout) ;D some people here don't seem to know what a bass is though lol 8-) I'm wondering if there are some slimer anglers here (i kid, i kid) who has experience with these types of rods and if the "salmon/steelhead" nomenclature is just due to the extra length or if it also moves into the flex/action etc of the rod. I'll try giving them a call in a few if I don't get any more bites. Thanks for the #!

7LB TOPWATER FISH! That mustve been fun!

Does anyone know if this will be suitable for swimbait use? I need a 2 piece rod that can handle swimbaits and this looks like it might work: GS-S-862H: Heavy action, 8'6", 12~25 line weight, 1/2~4oz lure weight, 8+tip guides, and only 99 bucks. I'm just confused as to what "steelhead" rod really means - is this just referring to the extra length or do you think it might have some sort of flex/action that would not be suitable for this kind of use? An email to Okuma has since long gone unanswered so I turn to you folks. thx!

any specific spinning rods people are using?

check out the new huddleston shad - and i remember reading matttlures was working on one...?

those are cool lookin fish, wish we werent so cold up here!

What PART of the night are you guys finding best for topwater? All night? I am usually not up early enough for the "morning" topwater bite so I try to throw them when the sun is setting and maybe an hour or so into the night. I have never even had a blowup on a topwater yet, however. Throwing jitterbugs and buzzbaits btw.

Just ate my first one this weekend after wondering for a long time how it would be, with a helping of trout and bluegill (was a mixed bag day!). Didn't think it was nearly as bad as a lot of people try to claim. The bluegill were definitely better tasting. I will try one smallmouth this yr for comparison but I dont think ill be keeping any LM for eating anymore. Still have yet to find a fish I like better than yellow perch from the freshwater though!

whats a single spin?

4lb is a huge smallie to me! nice!

one setup - 7'mh spinning outfit. I do carry multiple spools tho so i can change from mono/braid. backpack with plano boxes, water/food, etc, good to go!

wacky fat ika.. that just seems wrong to me for some reason ;D nice tips!

What about them is "new"?

Ive been reading reports that tubes and lipless cranks are pullin' em in right now.

sweeeeeet

^ my favorite way to fish the senko.