Finessegenics

Alright. Two huge purchases this week, I'm done for a while. Cant wait to slay the bass come ice out. I'm most excited to use the Reins Bubbling Shaker and the triple underspin.

Well I trust your opinion more than my own because of your experience! Those are some beautiful fish! Just haven’t been able to figure it out for my watersheds and every time people mention “top smallmouth lures” the chatterbait doesn’t seem to get a lot of love... Is it a bait you’d consider a “go-to” or is it better for more specific situations?

I’ve been mostly using the original chatterbait in white with a pearl keitech. Also tried the original chatterbait in Carolina craw with a green pumpkin chigger craw trailer. I think I’ve been unsuccessful because I’m targeting smallmouth 95% of the time and if I’m not mistaken they’re not really into chatterbaits.

I just ordered the 30 degree ones the video used. I guess it’s good enough. My only question now is do you think a M/F spinning rod has enough power to drive a 3/0 jig hook? I’d think so but I’m wondering if I’ll be missing hookups this way. A M/F spinning rod works great even for heavier gauge hooks when they are exposed, but I’m having doubts about this one, since it’ll be semi-weedless edit: I don’t really plan on casting/pitching these into cover or grass, even though they can definitely get that job done. I’d be dragging/hopping them over chunk rock, gravel and sand flats. Just wanted to add that to M/F spinning rod question.

My bad...watched it very quick while taking care of some other business. Thought he just mentioned the size, thanks!

Are there any hooks that are similar enough? There’s plenty 60 degree jig hooks on TW but I’m not sure if those are the right to use, or if it should be more of a WG style? I’ll try out the phantoms either way but in the long run I want to try making my own.

That's awesome. I'll give those a shot instead of buying them, probably way cheaper in the long run. Which exact hooks and weights did you use? Thanks

I am just checking these out now. 3/0 or 4/0 for 3.5 inch tubes? They look great so thank you

If I didnt already have the 6'10 XF mojo bass, I'd definitely pick up fenwick's dropshot rod. Im a St Croix fanboy but I've always loved Fenwick too. I just have to admit the st croix series that are made in mexico (Eyecon, triumph, mojo bass) can't even compare to fenwick's models in the same class. The HMG and elite tech bass/walleye are much better balanced and feel much nicer in hand. Once we start talking about the premier, avids, LTB...st croix definitely outclasses Fenwick's offering. I got an amazing deal on a barely used casting Fenwick World Class 6'8 MH/XF. Didn't like it at all, wasnt sensitive like the croixs and it felt like a broomstick. I love my Avid X casting rod a lot more.

Wow! I spent hours on TW looking at terminal tackle last night yet I didn’t come across those ones. They look sweet, I just wish they had heavier weights. Gonna try them anyways.

I have a few questions. I am looking for suggestions on tube jigs (3/8 & 1/2) with a long shank and a 60 degree line tie. Doesnt have to be the goby-head like you see in the pic below. Would be great if I can get them on TW or anywhere online. The reason I'm asking is becayseI'm having trouble rigging my 3.5 inch tubes. I find that the shank of the hook is too short, forcing me to pop out the line tie before the end of the tube. Is this a real problem or am I just worrying about something that doesnt really matter? By the way, I like to use berkley power tubes and I picked up some coffee tubes today if that makes any difference, Thanks.

Went to one of local chain outdoors stores. All I "needed" was the ardent cleaning kit and line conditioner. Came out with jigs, soft jerkbaits, tubes, grubs, some terminal tackle and a new spinning rod lol!..just some run of the mill "essentials". Im so excited to the try new rod. Fenwick Elite Tech Walleye 7'2 M/F. Gonna use it for tubes and grubs 3/8oz and up, wacky rigs, jerkbaits too probably. It is marketed towards walleyes but I dont think that matters. Already have my Pflueger Supreme XT 30 rigged on it and I think it'll be deadly.

I've never caught a single fish on a chatterbait. I've thrown them for hours with nothing to show for it.

That sounds beautiful. I miss the days when fishing was that simple. It was only a few years ago and I'm still a young man so I have plenty memories to make. I choose to make it complicated now though ?. All I'd pack back then were grubs, inline spinners, split shot weights, hooks and nightcrawlers.

I bought the 1/2 oz goby ones this winter. They look pretty darn realistic and the paddletail seems to have decent action so I hope it works out for me. If it does I think I’ll buy the 1oz 4.5 inch ones. I also saw the swimbait Suckers on sale at cabela’s and I’m tempted to buy them. Look like they would slay the pike and musky here, probably the bigger smallmouth and walleye too.

I don’t know much, if anything about bass boats. But every once in a while I like to fantasize so I do a bit of research. Here’s what I’d like to own so far: 1. Lund Pro V Bass 2. Ranger Z521 3. Crestliner Raptor (multispecies boat)

What do you think he got wrong?

How would you format the spreadsheet? I’d love to see anyone’s copy to because I want to try it out myself

^ I saw it just fine. Weird. It’s pretty well thought out

Luckily for me, the shore along the dam is accessible for a good 3/4 of a mile. I would walk until I found some slack water pools, where the current breaks and it creates a tiny pool/bay. Some of these pools are no deeper than 3-4 feet and some are only about 10-15 feet across, but there always seems to be a fish or two in them. I usually use a weightless Texas rig to get the bass in there. I’m not sure if you have the same, but that’s the areas I look for along a river with heavy current. Research your area and look on google earth for any other spots along the river that are accessible by foot. Any slow pool next to current along that river should be a great place, as the water is always oxygenated, even during the dog days of summer.

Before branching out and becoming a "bass fisherman", I fished a spillway basically every single time I went fishing. I know that place like the back of my hand. I caught so many walleye, sauger, smallies, sheepshead and so on. Still go there from time to time, but much further downstream. I suggest a longer rod, not necessarily a surf rod though. See if you can find a 7'3-7'6 medium spinning rod. I'd say spinning because it'll be much much easier to cast the light jig heads out there. I feel like a float kinda ruins the presentation of the curly tail grub/tiny swimbait (thats what I assume youre using if you're after walleye). The only thing that's unfortunate is that the snags are unavoidable. Do the best you can by keeping your rod tip high to avoid snags, and just get a steady retrieve going. The 7'6 rod also helps here because it'll keep the bait off the bottom easier, even though the bottom is where we want it... I personally liked 1/8-1/4 oz jigheads but you must determine the weight on your own based on the depth, current, rod length and so on. Hope this helped and let me know how it goes!

Yeah! The spicy beaver's appendages flap more aggressively than the sweet beaver so it could be great for active fish

Just wanted to remind you again, that I've never bubba shotted so take my opinion for what it's worth. I just took a few minutes to search my memory and the threads on here to find someone who I know bubba shots a lot. @Fishes in trees, hopefully he can chime in when he gets the chance. Still, im clearly a huge fan of Zman so I'd go with their Turbo Crawz. Its more of a swim jig/chatter trailer but I don't see why it wouldn't work. It's the same elaztech material as all other Zman baits. That being said, I also really like XZone's Muscle Back Craw. Another good idea would probably be to use a beaver style bait. It'll get through the grass easily, and it imitates both a sunfish and a craw at the same time. I believe Zman has a beaver bait, but the reaction innovations sweet beaver is another bait I really enjoy. I dont think the exact brand of the bait really matters, just using the right style and being at the right place at the right time does.

I've never bubba-shotted before but my intuition tells me the zman fattyz or even mag fattyz would be great. They're elaztech so they'll have no trouble staying horizontal. On an open hook dropshot, elaztech baits tend to go "face down". The weight of and size of the flipping or widegap hook should be enough to hold the bait horizontal. And the action on the bulbous tail is crazy on a neko rig so I'd imagine it would be the same on a bubba shot.

How are the micro guides? Do you use braid to leader and if so, have you had any issues with the connection knot getting caught in the guides?