plawren53202

Sorry for the slow response...Dunn's Sporting Goods in Pevely, MO. The sale is actually online only (I went by there on Friday). It looks like a lot of the sale items are 50% off normal retail or more.

Thanks everyone for the responses. Sounds like the consensus is nearly unanimous.

I've had more than one frog hit a plastic worm. This summer was a first, I had a frog hit...a frog. Dang cannibals. This summer, I also caught a cottonmouth bank fishing. Thought my worm was stuck in the grass at the edge of the water, was bending down to see as the rod finally lifted up to reveal a 3 foot long or so cottonmouth hanging on the end. My son said he'd never seen someone jump backwards and up so fast.

A local bait and tackle shop has their Livetarget stuff on sale right now. Thinking about picking up some of the baitball crankbaits. Anyone had any experience with them, either way? Part of me thinks the concept--a crankbait sized lure that imitates several shad--is a good idea. Another part of me thinks that this is one of those "lures meant to attract the fisherman" rather than the fish. Thoughts?

I did a little reading on Lake Smith. Sounds like it is a pretty shallow lake and not much offshore cover. From Google maps it looks like the lake does have trees around a lot of it, which means that bass may hold tight to cover on the bank. What this may mean for you, and something a lot of bank fisherman don't think about, is that sometimes you need to take a really stealthy approach on the bank. Especially if the water is clear, or depending on the sun. That may mean literally sneaking up to the bank, watching your positioning to make sure you're not throwing a shadow on the water, or standing a few feet back from the bank as you catch. Also step lightly as you approach the bank and don't stomp up and send vibrations out into the water. I would also recommend trying lots of casts as parallel to the bank as possible...I see lots of bank anglers who just instinctively throw their casts straight out from the bank at a 90 degree angle. You may already be doing all of this, but just wanted to raise the possibility. Also, shallower ponds and lakes are more susceptible to the fluctuations of temperature, meaning that they can be really hard to fish in the heat of summer and cold of winter.

Like others, I'd like a little more specific info on water, cover, etc. to give you specific guidance. But I want to throw something out there for consideration. Lately I got back into fishing after for the most part taking off for 10 or so years--kids, kids' sports etc. just ate up all my free time for a while. Now that I'm back in it, I'm really into chasing bigger bass, at least as much as possible for a bank-only fisherman from Missouri. Even with 40+ years of fishing experience in various formats, it can be really frustrating. But this is what I wanted to throw out there--when I was younger, I didn't cut my teeth chasing larger bass. I spent a lot of time heading out to the small stream near my grandparents' house with an ultralight and a box of light tackle (panfish jigs, Rebel Wee R Craws, etc.) chasing sunfish and the occasional little smallmouth, whatever would bite. Typically these fish were more willing to bite than the largemouth I'm chasing now. I feel like I really got a good education in the basics of fishing, casting, detecting bites, landing fish, etc. from all of these times--and then those skills transfer to my current pursuits. So, I'm not necessarily saying go find a small stream and chase bluegill or pumpkinseeds (though it might not be a bad idea), but maybe consider really downsizing for a while? It would be great if you could ask around and find a place that has a lot of smaller bass. Take some time chasing them with a lighter spinning rod, smaller lures like Beetle Spins and crappie-sized jigs, 4-inch Texas rigged worms, etc. The good thing is you can get a totally sufficient batch of that tackle at Walmart for next to nothing. Chasing and catching little ones for a short time might give you a good foundation that you can then use to go throw bigger baits and recognize bites when the bites don't come so frequently.

I'm somewhat in the middle on this one. I do watch regularly, and greatly appreciate, the more "educational" YouTubers...names like Bass Resource, Iaconelli, Brian Latimer. I really enjoy and appreciate the way they typically take one topic or technique and systematically break it down. As a (relatively) experienced fisherman, this is very helpful to me. Even as a kid watching Bill Dance, Roland Martin etc. on TV, I remember liking in particular the shows that took a more instructional approach rather than just showing them hauling in fish after fish in some place that was probably private and stocked to the gills (pun intended). I also like a couple of more "average joe" YouTubers, Realistic Fishing and Debo. I appreciate their perspectives as people who aren't tournament pros, aren't the beneficiaries of major sponsorships, and don't seem to try to oversensationalize or "whoa dude" every little thing. If I were not a fisherman at all I don't know that I'd get into fishing just from watching their videos. But as someone who has fished for 40+ years and can still go out and get skunked, I really enjoy their viewpoints. However, I have also subscribed to a fair share of the Googan squad or Googan-type YouTubers--Kickin their Bass TV, Fishing with Norm, John B., LoJo, etc.--and I enjoy those as well. I recognize them for what they are, and also recognize where some sponsorship-type arrangements also influence content. But I enjoy the entertainment factor. I am also surprised (as someone else said in this thread) that I do pick up a fair amount of tips from them, many times not necessarily things they are expressly explaining, but just things in passing or things I see. Now, which is better for a newbie or someone not yet in the sport? That's a hard question. I look at my 16-year old son as an example. He has done a little fishing here and there but is not yet a diehard like me. I think he would find Tactical Bassin to be pretty boring and would zone out quickly. However, he has watched some of the Kickin their Bass, Fishin with Norm and Jon B. videos and found them entertaining. I think these YouTubers are more likely to generate interest in fishing, which then hopefully translates to someone digging in deeper and transitioning to the more instructional folks. I also understand that generational differences, etc., the Googan squad-type fishing bros just aren't everyone's cup of tea. Totally understandable. I think the number of subscribers for all of these folks, in each category, proves that each found a role to fill and are doing it well.

I saw those, which is what got me thinking about this topic in the first place. Bigger issues with Googan baits aside, I did read some reviews that said that they seem to tear easily. But I guess I'd rather be having soft plastics tear than not catching any fish...no risk of them tearing if I'm not getting any bites to begin with.

Super fluke (5.25") rigged weightless was by biggest producer this year as well. Like the others, I use a 4/0 EWG hook. Seems to be the perfect balance of weight but doesn't sink too fast. The Super Fluke and 4/0 EWG casts like a rocket on my spinning setup. I used it most often in my HOA lake; cast it up into the weeds or even on the bank, pull it across the top of the weeds (no problem with it being texas rigged weightless), and let it drop at the edge of the weeds. Most often nailed it there, if not, short hops and let it slowly sink each time. I got introduced to the super fluke when trying to find something to fish at a family farm pond that is usually choked with weeds that grow to a foot or so under the surface. Perfect for slow erratic retrieve over the top of the weeds, or I can let it sink down in them and then hop it up and out. I have the best luck with the bluegill flash color, also good results with watermelon red flake, and a couple of times when the water was extra clear, pearl white.

That's what would seem logical to me...for instance, none of the things I would associate with attracting fish in poor visibility (like a big thumping Colorado blade or rattling lipless) are present with the Ned.

So admittedly I'm a little late to Ned's party ?. Tried it for the first time this summer. I have caught a few on it in clear to moderately stained water--meaning up to (down to?) a couple of feet of visibility. However, I have not had any luck at all in water with visibility less than 2 feet or so--don't know that I've had even a bite. I have a full range of colors, and have tried colors I would associate with low visibility water, like black and blue, coppertreuse, and hot craw (I think that's the name, it's the relatively new one that is red and black). Have I just had bad luck, or do I need to be doing something different? I have only used the finesse TRDs so far. Do I need to use one of the bigger ones in dirtier water? Fish it slightly more actively (so far, I have fished it the "traditional" way where I let it just sit, or just slightly wiggle it, for long periods)? Other thoughts? In clearer water, I have had a couple of outings where the Ned lived up to its reputation and saved me from a skunking by pulling in a couple. In dirtier water, though, if I'm not catching them on other baits, I haven't had any luck on the Ned either.

What did plan B end up being?

Missouri...so Midwest like you and the OP.

Really glad to read this thread. I have been experiencing this exact situation on my HOA pond that I fish all the time. Fish hitting like gangbusters until the first really cold spell (highs in 40s, lows in upper 20s) hit about a week and a half ago. Fished twice this weekend, couple hours each time, had maybe one or two bites and none caught. I tried everything I could think of, wide range of baits, tactics and colors, both reaction and finesse tactics. Makes sense that the bite may pick up a little after things stabilize. This is the first year I have fished this pond so I don't have past seasons' experience to compare. On top of the temperature change, it doesn't help that the only structure/cover in the pond, weeds at one end, are dying off. Most of the pond is like a fishbowl, absolutely no weeds, cover or structure of any type. Two or three weeks ago I was still catching a bunch of them by throwing a weightless Texas rigged fluke into the weeds, dragging it out and letting it drop at the edge. But either the temperature change, the weeds dying or both put an end to that.