Big Rick

This. I've seen it before. A friend has a nice stocked pond that I fish from time to time. I caught a fish that looked almost identical to that one. I took it home to dissect and see what was up. Sure enough, there were 2 plastic lizards in it's belly.

A swim jig with a paddle tail trailer. It's less likely to hang up and be fished fast or slow. It's a great bait to cover water when you're fishing trees that are loaded with little limbs close to the water like your lake. They skip good as well, which can put your bait right in the basses face. Fish it as you wold a spinner bait with twitches that cause the skirt to flare out at times. Don't fish it like a jig and craw. You're representing a bait fish, not a crawdad. Give them something they're not likely to see everyday. You didn't say how much fishing pressure this lake gets, but you gotta stand apart and that means doing things a bit differently. A weedless fluke is a good option as well, especially along that grass.

Care to share the color you've had most success with? Or is that top secret....

To what brand are you referring when you have to throw away half the package? I use Zoom super flukes and have no issues with them performing as designed. I'm sure there are some that have issues with them, but I haven't. I just leave them in their original package, store them in a bigger plastic storage bag and keep them in my boat. YMMV

Welcome to Bass Resource. You'll get a much greater response by posting this request in your own unique thread rather than resurrecting a 4 year old one.

Well, I'm feeling generous tonight and am gonna give up one of my best secrets. The Dinner Minner Buzz Bait by Bull Sluice Outfitters is hands down the best buzz bait I have ever thrown. And growing up on a cypress infested lake had me throwing a buzz bait often. The Minner Dinner is hinged and will not helicopter or spin out on a bombed cast giving you great accuracy. And if you'll pinch the rivet down it'll squeak like nobody's business. The best ones have no skirt, just a paddle tail swim bait. I'll put on all kinds of swim baits with success. I get mine from the Tackle Trap. You're welcome.

Couple that with the title of this thread and it gets real interesting in a hurry....

You're in store for a lot of rusty hooks and plastics that have bled on each other to the point that all look the same. My definition of thrifty is a bit different than most, I guess. I'd prefer to save a $4 swim jig from rusting prematurely by removing the salty, wet plastic trailer than to save a $.30 trailer and ruin my $4 jig by leaving the trailer on until the next time I decide to use it. YMMV

I haven't seen any soft bait options yet, so here's a good fluke type bait color. It's Kalin's Sizmic Jerk Minnow in Arkansas Shad.

I fish a spinnerbait a ton. I have tried lots of options in reels and speeds. I have settled on a Daiwa Tatula SV in a 6.3:1 ratio. I really appreciate the SV when using a bigger bladed spinner bait in the wind. It also gives me more accurate and easier casts when throwing lighter spinnerbaits. The ratio is nearly perfect as I can slow down and slow roll near bottom or speed up for a burning retrieve. I also use like this reel for my bladed jig baits as the SV really simplifies skipping these baits under docks and low tree limbs. Again, the 6.3:1 ratio is near perfect for the same reasons as the spinnerbait. Skipping a Jackhammer is a joy with the SV reel.

Oh, man. Irene is so fired up! The sun has set and the stars are coming out! The direction this thread has taken will surely bring the ole girl out...

The size and type of your boat has a ton to do with it as well. A glass boat weighs much more than a comparable aluminum rig and also sits much deeper in the water. So, a glass boat is less affected by the wind and doesn't drift as much. I have an Ultrex on my aluminum G3. If it's calm or very light wind my boat will move around up to 10ft or so. Spot Lock has it's work cut out for it trying to hold me in that 5 ft diameter. Those heavier glass rigs won't drift as much and are much more stable in the same scenario.

If you leave them on the larger diameter portion of the tool, like in your picture, you will stretch the o-ring causing it to fail. Leave them bunched on the slender end of your o-ring tool until you are ready to use them. This will allow the o-ring to maintain it's elasticity and hold your bait much better.

I do too. It's my favorite swim jig and when using softer paddle tails the screw lock adds a lot of life to my trailer while saving me money. I love the Kietech paddle tails because they're so soft which gives them a ton of movement. That also shortens the lifespan as well. The screw lock on these jigs really extends the life of the trailer.

I love this stuff. It handles abrasive docks and rocks with aplomb. It's very shock resistant on hard hook sets in cover as well. You don't want it to spool up because it does develop memory. But for a leader 6 ft or less it is amazing.

Oh! Kastking is gonna debut TWO new reels instead of one! One will be a super fast 20-1 ratio and the other one will be a DC guaranteed to cast a 1/4 oz bait 60 yards....

What's gonna be real interesting is if Irene shows up...

You didn't create a monster. You actually prevented a potential monster in the making. Idle minds are the devils workshop. As the father of 5 boys and 3 girls I know it doesn't take very much idle time for things to get out of focus. Fishing will keep this young man laser focussed and also sharpen his skills for a lifetime of enjoyment. Well done, Scrooge. Well done.

While that statement is very true, delivering that $50 purchase to your doorstep with no additional cost IS free. Shipping, that is..

Buck the trend and do the unexpected: throw a topwater popper or walking bait. Bass are predatory and react well to baits that cause a commotion above them. Don't fish too fast but keep things interesting and don't allow too much time for the bass to figure things out. Jerk, jerk, pause for a second, then jerk, jerk again. They are totally impulsive and will strike out at a topwater when they've let everything else go right by. 5-6 feet is not at all too far to pull a fish into striking distance. Just be sure you don't set the hook until the fish has it. Otherwise, you'll blow your shot at a quality bite. And it's a good chance that very few people are throwing top water plugs out in the middle of the pond. So, you have a great opportunity to present something that these fish seldom, if ever, see.

My $.02. Take it for what it is. I distinctly remember you trying to sell it last year for quite a while. Now that you have multiple parties interested you're balking due to timing. Remember, we are nearing the end of the fishing season for many areas and the interest will drop drastically. Also, these people may not be willing to wait, especially if another deal comes along. And you'll be stuck again this winter trying to sell your boat. I say sell it now and move forward while you can sell it. A bird in hand is better than two in the bush..

If that's the case then, yes, it's possible it's a 5 pounder. A 23 inch long bass is a big one. Pic's are often deceiving. Didn't mean to sell ya short there.

Your location states West Central LOUSIANA. I grew up in Franklin Parish and had no idea there were salmon or steelhead within 1,000 miles of La..... I'm assuming you were fishing up north somewhere...

Amen!! I catch a ton on poppers when they'll hit nothing else in the top water line. It's my favorite way to fish and I usually run the gamut to make sure I'm catching on the best top water option. Popper strikes are often sudden and vicious. Also, you can catch every size from the smallest to a true giant. Daylight is optimum time and fish shallow. It's addicting, for sure.

A solid 3-3.5 lb fish. Ole girl looks healthy too.