Jig Man

I fish a lot of Ned rigs in the spring. One of my setups is a Fenwick rod similar to yours but shorter (6'). I have tried several different hooks from various sources. I did not like the Zman hooks at all. I ordered some from a company in KS that were better but still not what I wanted so I bought the Ozark Finesse Jig mold and 1000 1/0 Gammy hooks and now make my own. The 1/0 hook does a lot better job than the smaller hooks. As far as hook sets go I swing hard but always have a light drag whether it is on one of my spinning setups or my Ned bait casting setup. I am using 6# fluorocarbon line instead of 4. I fish around brush and rocks so 4# would drive me nuts. Keeping the rod tip lowered toward the water helps keep the fish down and fewer of them get off. Some days it is nearly impossible to get them to the boat especially if they are in shallow water but that keeps it interesting. My main bait is the Z man TRD. All colors catch fish.

Well that seems like a long time for such an antiquated term to hang on especially since a large number of the guys who use it weren't even born when those devices were being used and probably have never seen one. I guess that is kind of like the common use of "chip" to define a mapping card for a chart plotter and the old guy who lives next door calling every bait a "plug".

Why do so many fishermen refer to sonar/gps units as graphs? I know that there were paper graphs some years back but I don't understand the near universal use of the word for these units. Can someone please expound on this so I can better understand.

Only buy a deep cycle battery not a cranking battery. The amount of time you get to spend using the trolling motor is directly related to the Reserve Capacity of the battery. The larger the RC number the longer it will hold up during the day.

Build yourself an old fashioned rabbit gum. They are easy to use and make no noise. You can find You tube videos of how to build them.

Cheap clean CLR. Easy clean Pureklean descaler

The prop is likely out of balance as well as having a chip out of a blade. Your best bet is to have the prop fixed and check the prop shaft to make sure it isn't bent. Going the cheap on repairs could cost you a new lower unit and that will likely go over a thousand.

I use lots of Elaztec products. I have found that they ruin pvc boxes if taken out of their original packages. I have tried storing them in their packages in binders. The turn out flat if not used in a short time. So I have taken the rings and sheets out of some binder and have put the packages in them. It takes up more room in the boat but is easier to see and use (no zippers) plus they aren't cramped up and don't go flat.

Like stated where and how you fish should determine which molds. I have owned and used most of the ones listed. Several of them I have sold because I did not like the way the performed for me. My 2 would be football and Trokar swim jig molds, but that is just me and how I fish.

The only thing I have found is do some stretching. Many times I stop fishing and do some back stretching in the boat. The guy in the back just has to suffer along and cast as best as he can until I get done.

I have noticed that I lose more fish when I feel the bite as opposed to just feeling weight. I set the hook with a good sharp snap to bury the hook. I also have noticed that if I keep pressure on the fish so that there is always tension on the rod and line, but not horsing them enough to make them jump, I am able to get most of them in the boat. I only use medium light rods with 6# fluorocarbon line, Gammy 1/0 hooks, on the Midwest finesse jig head. Using this setup I have caught smallmouth to 4# and largemouth to 7# on the Ned rig.

Go out into your back yard with a casting plug. Close your eyes and practice casting. Do it until you get the feel for it then hit the water.

Yes it is if you like brown. Unless you have a bunch of scrap in the same color you will have to mix colors to get good pours and mixing colors winds up with brown.

You want sharp scissors go to the sewing department at Wal-Mart.

I like 6.5 MHF for spinner and chatter baits. 7' and longer just don't feel right to me and accuracy suffers.

Down in the water column I throw them out, count down, give them a pop, and start a retrieve (sometimes steady and sometimes herky jerky). A try various count downs until I find the depth that I want to fish. 10 second count down has been the best producer for me lately.

That red RTV silicone can be found in a lot of my molds as well as JB Weld. They both work depending on the circumstance.

Pitzen

Maybe silicone spray or WD-40 would loosen it.

A Zman rep told me that they are coming out with something new that he thinks I'll be all over but he said he couldn't tell me what it is. So I will have to wait and see.

On one boat my drain plug had an O ring. When it went bad I'd get leaking around the plug. Is yours missing an O ring?

I rarely use soap and water and never wax my boat. I use Bow to Stern which is a polymer sealer. Three coats of it and all you have to do is go over it with a damp rag then wipe it dry. I put on a new coat of BTS every 2 or 3 months.

Look at RC. Get the largest number you can afford. 180 or more. 200 if you can.

Learn how to tie the Pitzen knot. It is a very good knot and I can tie it in the winter in about 12 seconds with gloves on.

Fishing in a pond first thing I'd try is "dead sticking" it. If that didn't work then slow drag with rod pulling it to the side.