BassinCNY

I use the eagle claw leaders too, 12 lb test, 6" long. I seldom target pike though. For me it's to protect my lure investment. I haven't tried many other options so there's probably something better out there. They do get mangled in the net but I thought any other metal leader would too.

Do these work well for you? I have a couple but after trying them I decided that if I needed something more weedless than a chatterbait that I was a lot better off with a spinner bait. They're now in my thought they'd work great but didn't drawer.

I guess I'm a junk fisherman. A large percentage of my fish come from a skipped cast. I love skipping so maybe I'm a skipper. Docks, boats, trees or bushes with stick baits, jigs, tubes or frogs.

I like to fish evenings, 6 until dark. If I fish in the morning I'm tired all day so I prefer evenings.

I've tried them but 1/4's have never been the right tool for the job for me. 3/8's have worked occasionally but whenever I've been on a good chatter bait bite it's always been 1/2 ounce.

We must be using the same hooks. I avoid the problem by just using the worm hooks I have confidence in and texas rigging the worms or creatures. If I'm fishing a fluke and sometimes with a worm I'll thread them on the shank and expose the hook.

Tender tubes or Power tubes are my preference for texas rigging.

Full disclosure- I don't think I've ever fished a pond for bass, but I've fished a lot of coves so I'll think of it that way. If a spinnerbait isn't working then I'd go with a squarebill in a ghost gill pattern. Non-rattling would be my first choice since I'm envisioning a quiet pond. Then I'd try a floating jointed minnow. As far as other baits I'd try a popper.

Lizards work at least as good as craws in my neck of the woods. T-rigged, weightless or my favorite is split shot/mojo rigged.

I guess misery does love company because I am sort of happy to hear that everyone is having the same troubles that I am.

I have a small single person canoe that's KBF legal.

Yes. That's me.

I think you mean me! But I agree with @ww2farmer. I always pay attention when he gives out info.

For me it's no contest. The answer is a senko. I'd hate to lose all the other tools in the box though.

One of the things I appreciate the most about doing local kayak tournaments is the knowledge I receive about what I could have been catching if I made the correct choices. It gives me something to aim for. Definitely worth the cost of admission.

40% Deet spray on any bare skin and my hat.

I've noticed the same thing. Perch are definitely little cannibals.

I'm throwing chatterbaits more and more. Good luck and have fun!

My favorite way to fish a soft plastic is punching. Usually a super speed craw. My go to plastic is a green pumpkin senko.

This. I also coat any bare skin and my hat with bug spray. I may lose a fish due to it but I'd rather that than become infected with a mosquito carried disease.

I think the problem is that your hook doesn't have a wide enough gap. You want a hook with a gap that is at least double the thickness of the bait. I'd use a light wire 2/0 EWG hook.

How about fishing for trout? They like this temperature and there are lots of bank fishing areas. The DEC has some maps telling you exactly where you can fish and park.

You sold me. It was just added to my shopping list.

I bought one over the winter to try this year too. The grey rat color in the 40 size. I'm interested in seeing how it fishes.

You sold me. Time to feed the bait monkey!