Jig Man

Jig trailer

I use critter craws and salt craws because I have only made molds of those types. I really like the big salt craw t-rigged in big brush piles. It catches quality fish.

I tie lots of jigs of different sizes and materials. The best line I have ever found is FLAT WAXDS. It is tough and smooth. It costs about $0.99 at BASS PRO. I used to sell jigs and have used this line of many thousands of jigs without problems. If you don't have a whip and bobbin, they really come in handy. All you have to do is take the wire tie off a loaf of bread. Put your material where you want it and wrap the bread tie around it a couple of times. Then go ahead and tie the thread however you want it and put a drop of glue on the thread. Remove the bread tie and you are ready to go fishing.

I agree with the 6'6" rod in MH for spinnerbaits. I have 3 different ones that I use and when I am using my IMX MH I can feel subtle strikes that I wouldn't even know about with my other rods.

I haven't used that brand. I make my own and use that design as well as others.

I have a Mag. Mer. Plat. I have used it for the last 4 years or so. I use it in the truck and boat. To get its full potential, I had to add software for the puter and a topo map of the lakes I fish. Right now I am 650 miles from home and I created regions before I left. I have all the major roads and even small roads and POIs loaded on sd cards. I take it everywhere I go.

What would you be willing to pay to get it to you?

Very impressive big fish catt. I don't have excell but keep track of many fishing trip items with Microsoft Data Base. With filters it allows many kinds of data reports which help me a lot. Keep up the good work.

It isn't bad if you mark the area to scuff. You can hold the unit up and mark around it with a pencil. Be sure you get a good seal as you apply the guard. I had a friend hold mine as I applied it.

If you are a little handy you can do it yourself. You will have to use a scotch brite pad and rough up the gel coat in order to get hood adhesion. Pick a warm day and take your time. If you have a creeper, the job is a lot easier.

I use swivels on jigging spoons only. Everything else gets tied directly to the line.

Carry a push pole. It can save you a tmotor transducer. I broke one off going after pard's spinnerbait one night $80 for a new one. A good fiberglass pole set me back $4.95. It will never come out of my boat.

I tried a variety of digitals and never found one that would give the same reading twice on a fish. I finally decided to bite the bullet and get a Boga. I would do it again.

I don't buy skirts. I buy living rubber in various colors and make what ever I want. Jan's Netcraft is the best price I can find right now.

If I were buying a new baitcaster it would be a citica. The most important part of your setup is the rod. Without exception every rod I own has cost more than the reel which is on it. I have both the IMX 843 and 844. For a general purpose rod I'd pick the 843. I use it for spinnerbaits up to 3/8, buzz up to 3/8 and jigs up to 1/2. The 844 is what I use for 1/2 spinnerbaits and jigs over 1/2. I also have a 783 and find it to be good for tubes and medium spinnerbaits. I don't like it for jigs at all.

I have 4 different sizes and just printed labels for them and stuff them in without any dividers.

Check this link provided by avid. I have switched to this knot. It is small and needs no glue. It has not broken at the knot once since I have used it. http://www.stripersonline.com/Pages/Articles/article_arby_albertos_knot.shtml

I always drop shot with Power Pro and a fluro leader.

Not me. I have a dozen and a half molds and all of them are 2-4 different sizes in each mold. You may have to have a custom job. You can buy the blank mold if you know a good machinist who will make you one.

I haven't seen any in stores in a very long time. Bucktail doesn't seem to be a material of choice for most companies. It is one of my favorite dressings for swim jigs and treble hooks. You might have to buy some spinnerbaits and a couple of bucktails and make your own.

Most any of the top 10 can make you happy. I suggest that you decide how long you need the boat to be, will it fit in the garage, whether or not you want a dual console, and how big of a motor you want to run. Then select the tmotor and electronics. Once you settle on those big items it is time to look at floor plans. Look at all the options and floor plans offered by the different companies which you can do on the internet. When you have narrowed your field it is time to go boat shopping and color selecting. Be sure to take along pencil and paper to take notes on what you see and like. If you have a digital camera, take it with you and shoot several angles of the ones you like. When I just go out and start looking at boats on lots, I come home dizzy and can't remember squat. Buying a new boat is a lot of fun and if you get one suited to your needs it can keep you happy for years. My brand ranking for the top three I like are Champion, Bass Cat and Ranger. I like the Champion best for two reasons: dry ride and simplicity of box lid and lock design.

For your offer to trade your rod for mine. Though your rod was not exactly what I wanted it got me to look at the St Croix Avid rods. Since then my wife bought a 66 M and I bought a 63 MF. They are both very good pieces of equipment. I never would have looked at them if it weren't for you. Yesterday I caught at least 15 bass on the 63. It is a great rod. Thanks again.

I have been using it for the last 5 or 6 years. Academy has some sissors that do a fair job. For a while I kept a sharp knife on board but I bought a Power Zap at Bass Pro which I now use instead of the sissors or knife. It also allows me to mend and or modify plastics.

Thanks for the feed back. I won't be able to look for them since yesterday was my last trip before I go into winter quarters myself. I was wondering if they go off somewhere and suspend of just what they do. The area where I am fishing has lost its shad concentration lately. Do you suppose the smallmouth are out there somewhere around the shad?

All spring summer and fall there have been a lot of smallmouth mixed in with the lmb and spots on my favorite banks. These banks are rocky and ledgy. One of them is rip rap. Usually 1/4 - 1/2 of the fish are smallmouth but the last 4 or 5 trips have only produced a total of 2 smallmouth. Yesterday we took 30 bass off the rip rap and only one smallmouth. If they don't winter in rocks, where do they live in the winter?