plawren53202

Not trying to hijack the thread, but taking a step back...can someone fill me in on when I would fish a scrounger head versus a regular jig or swimbait head? Obviously scroungers are big on TN river lakes, and I just started fishing KY Lake last year, but they were new to me and I've never used them. I understand that they give the bait more action, just wondering when I should go with one rather than a regular head.

Totally agree with OP. When I'm out on the boat, with electronics to at least see that fish are present, I have no issues with fishing slow. E.g. fishing for crappie with the Livescope, I can sit and hardly move a jig for minutes. Even if I know there is structure or cover in a spot (see it on the electronics), where I think a fish should be even if I don't see them, I'm perfectly fine to drag a jig or Ned rig for bass. But fishing ponds from the bank, it is tough for me as well to fish slow. Mainly because I have no idea if there are fish there, and many ponds I fish, I have no idea other than a very wild guess as to what the structure/cover situation is. Couple all that with, lately I've been hearing people I trust talk about fishing winter exactly the opposite of the slow/deep I've always heard. Fishing reaction baits fairly fast, and fishing shallow because the water warms faster there. In short, this winter fishing has me all confused. Can't wait for the prespawn.

Try the Hookup Tackle's YT channel. I don't follow Megabass special color releases, but I do watch the channel and they frequently do videos on new baits they are getting in, and I hear them frequently talk about special color releases.

Agree with you, I fish bluegill flash color super flukes a lot and they don't particularly look like bluegill to me...but they do work well in ponds where the primary forage is bluegill. IMO there are much better bluegill representations out there. Reaction Innovation's "sungill" little dippers look very realistic to me for a soft plastic, and they have worked great for me on the back of a bluegill pattern swim jig. I also like any soft plastic colors like Strike King's moon juice or Yum's bream, that have half green pumpkin and half blue. I think these imitate bluegill well, especially if you add a little dip in chartreuse Spike It. Overall, I don't think you have to have photographic representation of a bluegill to fool a bass into thinking it's striking at a bluegill; I think having some of the primary colors, combined with an appropriate bait action, is enough when a bait goes whizzing past a bass and they only have a second or so to decide to strike. Apparently that "bluegill flash" color does that alright.

The Hookup Tackle channel on YT just did a whole episode on the free rig. Really helpful if you're interested in this topic. Having just recently heard of it myself, I've thrown it a couple of times in my ongoing (unsuccessful) hunt for a tactic that works on my local pond winter bass. I can see the merit in it as a tactic, though, especially if you're using a wider body soft plastic that will sink considerably slower than the weight. I'm looking forward to trying it with my beloved moon juice Rage Bug in warmer weather.

Ike just posted a YT video showing how he likes to replace stock treble hooks with the two-pronged hooks or, if you can't find them, how to make your own.

When I first got back into fishing, I last remembered the days of my dad having one big hard Plano box with every bit of tackle he owned. Soft bag with Plano boxes in it is such a better system for so many reasons already stated. Also, you can organize your tackle into the boxes based on bait type, time of year, or other similar systems. I organize soft plastics similarly, by type, except they stay in their original packages and get put into gallon Ziploc bags by type. That way, for instance, when I'm heading to my local pond, I can grab a couple of plano boxes of hard baits, a few bags of soft plastics, all the baits I think I might use that day, and throw them in a backpack. No need to be taking topwater box with me if it's winter and I'm not going to be throwing a topwater.

Vertically on a bladed jig or swim jig when I'm trying to imitate a shad or bluegill; horizontally on a bladed jig or regular jig when I am imitating a crawdad. Colors and retrieve to match what I'm trying to imitate.

This is a really common debate in auto racing, I spent a couple of seasons racing a dirt track stock car. The problem is that rules aren't always clearly written, certainly at local dirt tracks but I'm sure fishing tours aren't much better. It takes a lot of ingenuity and work to find ways to push the boundaries but not break the rules. People would get mad at race car drivers who did it, but I know I tried to find loopholes or area for creativity and I'm sure most people did, it's just that success (like Wheeler) draws added attention. Heck Jimmy Johnson/Chad Knauss were accused of this kind of "creativity" for nearly their whole partnership in Nascar. Now having said that, I have very little patience for people who out and out just break clear rules...like people who would swap out the stock computer in their car with a high performance one (clearly against the rules) but house the cheater computer in a stock casing or paint the casing of the new one and then beat it up to make it look original. But my experience was that most people pushing the boundaries but still trying to not flat out cheat would be honest about it or even ask the officials beforehand, just like Wheeler.

Ditto on the LC Staysee and the Megabass Vision 110 +1 and +2. I have used the Staysee and the +1 and liked them as much as I like the regular versions (and I am a big fan of the LC Pointer and Vision 110). Also, if you need a more finesse application, Megabass just came out with the Vision 110 Jr. +1. I don't know if it gets down quite deep enough for your situation, but really cool that there is a downsized option that gets a little deeper than the originals.

Update from the OP: Thanks to everyone for your helpful feedback. Went out to this pond again this week and...it's still kicking my butt. ?I tried a couple new ideas from this thread, specifically the free rig with a 4" green pumpkin Yum Dinger, and the Carolina rig idea with a GP Sukoshi Bug (made out of elaztech so it floats). These did do a good job of letting me cast further and get out so I could drag the bottom out in the deepest part of the pond. Also threw a blade bait, couple different jerkbaits, and a finesse jig. But not a dang bite. It's like the whole pond has just gone dead. Absolutely none of the little baitfish, baby bass or bluegills that I can usually see from the bank. IDK. I'll keep at it.

I think I fall in line with the majority here--copying, at a reasonable distance, doesn't bother me; crowding in, bothers me immensely. I've had two new scenarios this year that helped me learn a lot on these issues, the Covid crowds especially early in the (first) lockdowns, and crappie fishing on Kentucky Lake. With the Covid crowds, bank fishing local ponds around me became a mess. There were periods when my subdivision HOA pond, about 1 1/2 acres (which is posted for property owners only/no trespassing--and completely ignored by everyone) would have four or five people fishing it nearly all day long. The ones who would ask me what I was catching them on, didn't really bother me. I quickly learned that if I just told them "purple Senko" or "squarebill," it didn't really matter. There are so many other variables, like where in the water column, speed and style of retrieve, what spots to target, casting angles, and not to mention a whole other issue, bite detection, that nearly all of the time, I would tell someone what I was using and it wouldn't make any difference. Crowding is a different issue. I lost count of the number of times I had people get so close that they cast across my line or even hung it up. And I think every time, it was purely the "bent rod" pattern whereas there was plenty of water available elsewhere around the pond for them. Couple of times I tried to politely say something, let's just say it was not well received. I've given up on that one and usually just move, hoping they get the hint. Crappie fishing on Kentucky Lake (boat) was new to me this year as well. My dad has no shame and likes to ask everyone he sees "what spot" they're fishing. Not surprisingly I think he has had only one or two actually give any information to that. I quickly learned I don't need to know a specific spot, anyways they move from spot to spot. What is more useful to me is knowing a pattern: single poling a jig on stakebeds 8-12 feet deep, live minnows on beds near a channel dropoff, that kind of thing. I can easily get on Navionics and find those kinds of spots on my own and then duplicate the pattern, so I don't need to steal someone else's honeyhole. I don't mind at all telling someone when they ask me, pattern details like that. I'm not going to tell them a specific spot where I was fishing that pattern. I even found a couple of guides (different area of the lake, but same lake) who, when I'm going there for the weekend, are happy to share pattern details. That is immensely helpful to me when I only have a couple of days to fish and can't take a week to figure out the pattern. I'd never ask them for a specific spot. So in turn, I'm happy to share the same info with others if they ask. Now tournaments....all this is out the door LOL. Every man for himself.

Oops, my bad. I was thinking about jerkbaits sinking more slowly in cold water. Back to Physics 101 for me.

Nope, nothing. It's barren up there. Up until just a few weeks ago I could see small bait scatter as I walked the bank with polarized glasses on. That's my fear, LOL, not having fished seriously in the winter before.

I bought a few but haven't fished them yet because shortly thereafter I bought several Vision 110s and was hooked. Just curious, what temperature was the water in the pool? Warmer water will make anything, including jerkbaits, float faster. Of course I don't know what temperature water you will be fishing. Cold water (like we have here in MO right now) will make them rise slower (or possibly not float at all) but I don't know if it would matter enough to make yours just suspend. Maybe if the pool was a heated 90 degree pool or something like that.

Just made an order from TW last night, and got an email this morning saying that it will ship a week from today (even though everything I ordered is in stock) ?

I did throw a small blade bait for a little while, a Damiki Vault (forgot to include it in my list). I haven't used a blade bait before so I didn't have a lot of confidence in it. It was also at the point when I was about to throw in the towel on moving baits altogether. And it does in fact cast a mile. I probably need to give this a little more of a chance. Great suggestion, I'll give this a shot. I have thrown bigger C rigs fishing deep ledges, but this is a good adaptation to the current situation.

That's a good idea. Also, the water in this pond has gotten REALLY clear as the temps get colder. It's probably a good idea to size down the line for that reason as well.

I think you're talking about the same stuff they put in both of the ponds in our subdivision once or twice a summer. I hate that stuff. One pond isn't too bad, but one they saturate so badly that it looks like an exhibit at Sea World. I'm by no means an expert on this, because I battle that stuff all summer long. It seems like I have had pretty good results in lower light on purple, specifically "Twilight" in the TRD baits or "Tequila Sunrise" in Strike King. Those "Morning Dawn" type bright purple colors. In brighter light, more subdued purples like PB&J in the TRDs or the 6th Sense Divine Shaky Head worm. My guess is the blue in the water filters out some of the bright purple and leaves some color the fish like. Also, seems like I have had some luck on soft plastics that have some glitter to reflect sunlight. Colors like "Bluegill" in Zoom Super Flukes or "Drew's Craw" or "Molting Craw" in the TRDs. Something with a little reflection from the glitter in the plastic but not full on bright colors like chartreuse. Your experience may be totally different, and like I said I'm no expert on that funky blue water. But these are just a few colors that I seem to remember doing okay on when they pump that stuff in.

Oh yeah, don't mistake my question for ingratitude about still having actual water. My pond does freeze up a couple of times a winter and I am not a happy camper while that's going on. And to the suggestions about a drone or RC boat...I can't say that I haven't considered similar ideas so far. I'd go to great lengths to get a 1/10 oz. Ned rig out there in the dead middle ?

I think somewhere some confusion crept in about what I am finding attractive about the SP for pitching and flipping. It doesn't have anything to do with the braking system. I've got several reels with great braking systems. I also understand that for many folks, a braking system is largely irrelevant to flipping or pitching. The appeal of a reel like the SP to me is the super shallow, low mass spool. For several reasons. Mainly, my biggest issue with flipping is that even when I turn the spool tension knob and brakes way down, it seems like I still have to put enough force into a flip that it makes backlash nearly unavoidable. If I turn the tension knob/brakes all the way off, the fluff seems unmanageable even with careful thumb attention. The second part of these shallow low mass spools that I like: less line to backlash. I understand that lots of folks can flip for days on nearly any reel. I'm not disputing that at all, I admire those folks. Here's my situation: I'm no spring chicken, I'm 47. Job, kids, yada yada. Despite decades of fishing, I've never flipped. I don't have hours and hours to devote to learning it at this point. I need any jump start I can get. This seemed like one potential aid and I wanted to look into it. Wishing at this point I had just asked generically about super shallow, low mass spool reels.

Up until about 2 weeks ago, here in MO we were still running highs in the upper 40s or 50s and lows in the upper 30s. I would guess water temps were in the mid to upper 40s on my local pond. I was having a really good jerkbait bite on a 110 Jr and Lucky Craft Pointer 78SP, also catching several on a Red Eye Shad. Then the temp dropped, highs in the low 40s and overnight temps in the 25-28 degree range. After 2 weeks of this I'm sure the water temperature in the pond is around 40 (if not a hair lower). The last week my jerkbait bite has stopped dead (as in one little dink in 3 outings) along with everything else. I have to imagine that the fish in my pond have all headed to the deepest part (it's a featureless bowl, so I'm sure they're laying flat on the bottom out in the middle, which is just at the furthest range of my casting, with my best setup and an easy to launch bait like a 1/2 oz. Red Eye Shad). Over the last 3 trips out I have thrown: 110 Jr/LC 78SP, Red Eye Shad, 1/4 oz. tungsten finesse jig with mini Zoom chunk trailer, 3" Easy Shiner, Neko rigged 4" Yum Dinger, Ned rig (original TRD). I'm sure I'm forgetting something else. All fished at mainly "winter crawl" speed, sometimes trying speeding it up just a tad. So here's a few random questions that I'm trying to figure out. (1) Since we've just entered the first long pretty cold spell, is it taking a little while for them to acclimate and maybe will pick up after they settle in? (2) I recently heard Mark Menendez tell his theory that cold affects small bass more than big bass, and there are only dinks in this pond; (3) everyone talks about a winter reaction bite, but these last few times out I've seen absolutely no evidence of interest in a reaction bite (like the jerkbaits)--am I resigned to slow dragging small baits on the bottom out in the deepest part? (4) the fact that the deepest part of the bowl is at the furthest limits of my casting with heavier baits is a challenge for slow/deep dragging small baits--e.g., there's no set of circumstances under which I can get a Ned rig out in the deepest part unless I were to upsize the head to something very un-Ned like a 1/4 oz. head. I did just run across the Free Rig and I'm going to give that a shot. I think with a 1/8 oz. bell weight, the bead and the weight of a moderate size plastic, I could put that on my longer spinning rods and get it out to the deepest part. I also think that slow flutter of the rig might work well for winter fish. I am thinking about giving it a try with a Super Fluke. Any other thoughts much appreciated. This is my first winter of really trying to just muscle through the cold, determined to learn winter fishing, but it being just barely December I'm not feeling super optimistic at this point LOL.

Thanks for all of the info...I don't mind tinkering and I do like cheap ? Actually if this spool change works out then I may PM you for recommendations on bearings and a handle off Ali Express (this was my first purchase ever there). I didn't really dislike the Black Max reels at all, they performed perfectly fine for me (if not super buttery smooth, but for $39 I can live with that). They just got set to the side as I got some higher quality reels. I really like the idea of repurposing them for more specific applications (like pitching and flipping) and still getting some use out of them.

I'd love to pony up for the Daiwa Tatula SV or the Lew's SP, but just ain't gonna happen right now. On the other hand, I have two Black Maxes currently sitting on the shelf. So what do I have to lose by trying the Ali Express Abu shallow spool other than $13? Ordered one today. Now just have to wait for that infamous Ali Express waiting time to pass before I can try it out.?

Earlier this year I put together a budget ML spinning combo because I anticipated not using it for much other than Ned rigs. I paired a Daiwa Aird-X rod with the Daiwa Regal LT reel. Regular price comes in right under your price point at $59.99, and you might be able to find one on sale especially right now. The Regal has performed perfectly for me so far. I even horsed in an 8 or 9 pound drum on it with no problems at all, drag did well. I like the feel of it, very smooth so far, and I have put it through quite a bit of work this year. If you want to jump to an even lower price point, I wanted to grab a couple of reels in the $30 range to be able to swap between braid and copolymer by just swapping reels. I picked up a Shimano Sienna and a Lew's Laser Lite. In all honesty I still can't believe that those reels can be had at that price. They both really pack a lot of bang for such little buck.