Largies4Life

If it were the case where LM are in season and SM are not, then I'd be on your side. Because how is one supposed to know if you're fishing for LM or SM with literally any type of bass lure. That makes sense, but I'm going to play devil's advocate here. Why doesn't every other state have these regulations in place? Is it because of the water temps? That's the part I don't understand.

I was just checking the MN DNR page! I was thinking, maybe, just maybe, your season would open up this weekend and I could travel up there for the weekend. Wrong!! What are your thoughts on changing these rules to C&R from March-May instead of an off season?

That's where it becomes very subjective. I've seen kids out on ponds fishing for bass with 5" swimbaits already! Assuming the DNR officer has been fishing for bass before in their life, I feel like you wouldn't get by saying that, but I could be wrong. I'd rather just not take my chances and just wait it out like everyone else (or mostly everyone else). I get where you are coming from though, just not worth it for me.

Here is what it says on the DNR website for WI. It's been this way ever since I could remember. Just hoping one of these years they will change it to C&R from end of March to beginning of May!

The snow bird is still around! Expecting a couple of inches of snow on Saturday in the southern half of WI. Now, THAT is insult to injury if you ask me!

@wisconsin heat - I completely agree man! I understand that we want to protect the fish so they have time to spawn etc. but I don't see any issues with C&R during late March through April. @J Francho - That would be awful!! How long ago did they change it from the 3rd Saturday in June to C&R during the off season? I would love to see WI follow suit in the near future!

I hopped on Google to read the articles on it. All the headlines are stating they were arrested, but at the end of the articles it says,"The subjects were also issued various warnings and face potential civil charges for the restitution of the fish. The value of the bass is $456 according to statute." This is a joke. It's only going to promote more people to do this. Doing the math, that's $4 per bass. Unbelievable. I get that the DNR does not have very good funding, but situations like THIS is where they should be making all their money. Instead, these 4 morons get a slap on the wrist and off they go to the next body of water...

I have used Google Earth quite a bit too. You can change the year the photo was taken so you can go back many years to see how long the pond has been around giving a good indication if it will hold fish. @Sam - You are right though about those hidden ponds. I have one that I have never seen anyone fish besides myself and it holds some giants for WI. Only 8 more days until I can get out on the water!!

Not in Wisconsin. Some river systems are open now, but nothing near me. Mostly all bodies of water in WI open up first weekend of May for bass fishing. Smallmouth Bass have a very weird open season, it depends where you are fishing in the state. Some areas, smallmouth bass fishing is only open from May-June...but most bodies of water the open season is from May-March.

As I am primarily a bank fisherman, (my father has a boat that we go out on a couple times a month) I am always looking for new ways to find bodies of water that hold fish. I primarily look for ponds most of the time as I know if I can find one that hasn't been touched, or barely touched, there is usually a big girl roaming around somewhere down in the depths. The other app that I've been messing with is On X Hunt. It shows what ponds etc. are public property and what bodies of water are not. This is extremely useful for those bank fisherman. I found a pond that holds some giants and people keep saying it's private land. Low and behold, it's actually all public land that belongs to the county. I'm keeping my mouth shut on the location of that one. It's also nice to have this app in case someone does try kicking you off the property, you can literally show them that you're on public land and be on your way! Anyone else use these apps or have different apps/techniques that you use to find new bodies of water?

All you folks out there slaying the bass already, consider yourself lucky!! Us Wisconsinites get to wait another week and a half until the season opens up. I'm betting these last 10 days will about as slow moving as this whole winter was.

Low Light, an oldie but goodie would be a jitterbug...They don't get the attention like they used to anymore. I've had some unbelievable strikes on the jitterbug at dusk and dawn. Even caught a 4 pounder under a dock that I just worked along the edge of the dock.

Not so much dumb, but just a series of unfortunate events. We just landed a very nice musky (mid 40" range) and when I went to down to grab her from the net, a big wave hit the boat causing me to flip over the edge and into the drink I go. My phone was the only souvenir that the lake got that day, and luckily it was a summer day so it was quite relaxing in the water! Highly recommend for anyone fishing on a hot day...

Another for the straight retrieve. However, being a musky angler as well, I am known to change directions with my topwater. I can't say it's proven to work on bass, but my philosophy is if it's a tough bite, changing the cadence or direction may be the ticket! Just a thought if the bite is tough.

This, to me, screams what the OP was just saying. Why make fun of people using this gear? Just because they're all seen as overrated by many people? The Googan baits are nearly identical to the Rage series so you may as well make fun of people using Strike King now, too.

Cabela's has two very good deals right now on the Berkley Choppo and SK RES. Only $3 for an RES and $6 for a Choppo?! Don't mind if I do! https://www.cabelas.com/browse.cmd?categoryId=2340703080

The most comparable would be the Crush 50 series either your 50X or 50S (silent). Their website is quite informative, too. Check out their website as they have descriptions for each one and how each crank works through the water and where each one excels per the 6th Sense guys of course.

I was just on there website and spent nearly an hour just looking through their shallow crankbaits in the 0-6ft range (Their selection is INCREDIBLE). They have a crank for every situation you could possibly come across! I'm definitely going to be picking a handful up before the season starts up here in a couple weeks! Don't even get me started on the paint jobs...

My suggestion would be try going there at dusk or early in the morning. You might just entice one of the big girls to come out from the pads or the dock. Some of my biggest bass have come from under a dock or nearby structure. Best of luck!

Rage Menace or the Zako for me! I personally prefer the Zako in clear water and the Menace in murkier waters. Tight Lines!

It is a 2500 size. I might try out the fluoro to begin with and then make the switch if I'm not liking it that much. I have heard great things about the FG knot. Maybe I'll try braid to leader on my jig rod and see how I like it. I hear a lot of people saying the knot gets caught in the guides or the reel. Does this happen often? I don't see it being an issue with the Chronarch since it doesn't have the t-wing like some of the Daiwa reels. How long of a leader would you all recommend for jig fishing if I'm in very clear water upwards to 20-30 ft?

Good Morning All! I recently got a 7'4" M/F Daiwa Tatula Elite paired with a Daiwa Ballistic LT and was planning on using this setup for shakey heads, weightless senkos, wacky rig, lightweight t-rigs, etc. and was curious about what line to throw on this reel. I've never used braid to leader before and am a bit skeptical. My main worry is that my knot will break. In addition, I fish a lot of stained water (visibility 4-5ft), and a lot of crystal clear water (visibility 20+ ft). My thoughts have been either go with straight fluoro, or go with braid and use just the braid in stained water and throw a leader on when I fish the clear waters. What're your thoughts/recommendations? I also got a jig specific rod (7'2" MH/F Expride with a Chronarch MGL) and am under the same predicament. I will be throwing a lot of casting jigs, swim jigs, and football jigs primarily on this rod. I've read a lot of people on here using braid to leader again with jig fishing as well, but I am wondering if I should just go with fluoro for this rather than braid since I won't be punching heavy cover with these jigs? What're your overall thoughts/recommendations on what pound test, brands, etc. I should go with for these setups? What do you all currently use? Thank you all in advance!

I even had my buddy rig up a wacky rig using a 4" senko on his ice fishing tackle one day and was able to stick a couple nice LMB's about a month back. Proof that they work year round!

I've been throwing a lot of Dirty Jigs recently. One reoccurring problem that I've had with them (and most brands) is that the trailers do not last long. I ordered a handful of the 6th sense jigs with the screw lock to see if those will keep the trailers on for longer periods of time.

Nor is it mine! Trust me, I've been in your same exact situation, wondering, maybe they forgot to send mine out? Or they misplaced my form? Most of my worry just comes from not being able to get any updates on where they are in the process, the only way to check is to see if your check was cashed like you did. I would expect it to arrive later this month!