Luke Barnes

What is a finesse jig anyways? Just a smaller jig? Ive seen some where it looks like they cut half the skirt and let the ends stick out forward.

Ive thought about this too. Thought about making a thread for it and now I will. Never used any so no idea what is good.

Ive thought about this. I have 5/0 and 8/0 circle hooks I use for catfishing and caught plenty on them but for bass wasnt sure. I saw a guy use a big ol flipping hook and some use Kahle hooks. To me a large Kahle hook seems like a good option then when they swallow the gill Jack the hook like its a jig. I would probably use my 7'2 H with 60lb braid if I did that. Circle hook i would use my catfish setup.. 7' M with 50lb braid and its spinning.

Wow that went somewhere I wasnt expecting. To be clear, im not talking I'll managed size and population wise. I have no idea if people keep the bass they catch. I don't. Thats all I know and care. I mean a few really good ponds are so chock full of weeds and vegatation, weedless and topwater are about the only things that wont require an hour of picking crap off lures. But I digress. Ones that are clear enough are so heavily fished that its finesse or nothing anymore. But when they were still sort of hidden i caught some good bass in them. I saw videos on you tube of people using live bluegill for bass and i thought it might work and looked fun and challenging. I like trying new things and new ways to fish. I'm the guy who wants to catch a carp just because I never have and want the experience. But I imagine there is better and worse ways to fish with live bait to specifically target bass and thats what I'm asking. Man that took alot of self restraint not letting my mouth fly off! I remembered this is family friendly. Thanks to those that actually contributed. To those who didn't, move along.

I'm not keeping any bass.... When I have a very short time to fish its either drive an hour round trip and fish an hour or drive 5 minutes round trip and fish for an hour and 55 minutes. But the close ponds are hammered by every lure under the sun, so I wanted to try live bait to catch and Release some bass for something different than walking the bank for that hour and 55 minutes and catching one dink.

I see what you're saying here. Because I can read it. What it means???? No idea.....

Ive heard good things about the Rye Surrenders for a few years now. I have a pair of Oakleys with the Deep Water Polarized lenses that ive work everytime I fish for the past 3-4 years and not one single little spec of rub off. They are the first polarized glasses ive ever had so didnt know that was a thing until this thread. I would buy them again in a heartbeat.

The local ponds are so pressured and I'll maintained and choked with grass, weeds, and algae, that its getting really frustrating and the bait monkey needs a serious break for me. With that, has anyone ever targeted bass with live bait? Bluegill, minnow, worms, craws? I dont know how to trap my own of any, can catch bluegill pretty easily and can buy worms. Whats the best technique for targeting bass? I imagine with worms it would be hard keeping sunfish off them. Just wanting to change it up anx stop buying so many lures and catching one bass per outing.

Ive caught some good bass out of Skiatook from the bank. 3lb smallie and 4.5 lb largie were the biggest. All in Tall Chief Cove. I want to go back soon.

Very cool idea I would never have thought of! I love fishing a fluke over a hard jerkbait will have to try this.

Do you jerk and pop like you would a single fluke?

What I wonder, is the purpose of this rig.

Ok I get it. So a rage menace over say, a rage craw for a trailer since its not so big and flappy? Ive put together some bitsy flip jigs with zman zcrawz so they are nice and small plus they have little action but are bouyant so the claws should stand up nice.

I'll be using a 7'2 H/F with 60lb braid to throw it on. Shimano SLX XT for the reel. Its a bit fast at 8.2-1 but I'll just reel really slow. Also I got it backwards and meant 1/4 oz on bottom but that's a good idea to use 1/16 oz if I offset the weights. I'll probably start with Swimmin Flukes because I have them already. Everything else I have that's smaller I have less than five of. Another question. Does anyone mix and match colors and profiles or the same color and size on all five?

I have it narrowed down to a Yumbrella Flash Mob Jr because of the weight and size. I will be mainly fishing in ponds with a once in a great while lake trip. I have tons of DK Squadron 1/8 oz swimbait jig heads and various soft plastic swimbaits and white curly tail grubs. Was thinking about getting a pack of Big Bite 3.5" Cane Thumpers for it as well, because I have some 5" I could use for the back attention getter hook. Would this be adequate? Should I put two 1/8 on bottom and two 1/4 oz on top? I read it helps them from rolling. Then 1/8 oz on the back wire with the bigger swimbait?

My basic question too. Full size jig or a smaller finesse jig? I have SK Pro Model jigs and Bitsy Flip jigs. Which would be better suited in 10ft or less? Also do you just drag it or do real small pops and then pause?

Ok good enough for me. I trust you guys so I'll pass it up. I like I already have plenty of swimbait heads and soft plastics to outfit an A Rig and its quick and easy to change colors. I'm going to make an A Rig post, so this can be a live target haters post haha.

I have never used an A Rig or umbrella rig, whatever you want to call them. Ive been very interested in picking up a Yumbrella Flash Mob Jr and using 1/8 oz swim jig heads and various soft plastics. I'm intimidated by them I wont lie. 5 wires and hooks and willows everywhere. I would throw it on a 7'2 H/F with 60lb braid. The flash mob jr itself is alot lighter than I thought, but add in hooks and lures I figure its best on the heavy. With that, I saw those all in one Baitball spinners by live target and curious if anyone has used them and if they are a good substitute for an actual Alabama rig. Cheaper but if you want different colors you have to buy their packs of different colored swimbaits. I just worry about chucking $25 worth of gear on the end of the line and losing it.

19/20 times I'm pond fishing. Some ponds are actually quite clear, some not so much. I fish a shakey and ned faster than normal to cover more water. But what you and @plawren53202 said are really good info and I never thought of a ned as a small shakey. I will definitely try a Wacky next time out. I still bring power fishing setups, but when those dont get bit I'm trying to be the most efficient with finesse that I can be since I'm from the bank.

I use a ML/F for ned and that's all that rod ever sees. Then i have a M/F that I currently have a shakey head on. But then to move to wacky is a retie. I bought some tungsten weighted wacky hooks so to move to Neko would be a retie. That's why I'm asking and thinking if I can't catch them on two techniques I'm just not going to catch them on a third or fourth. But if I was convinced switching techniques would get a bite I would bring another setup with it tied on. But that brings me back to am I trying too many finesse techniques in one spot and instead should just move?

I went fishing with my dad for the first time last year. He hadnt been in 30 years he said. He had a zebco 33 on a spinning rod. I get set up and start fishing and ask him what he is throwing. He reels it in and its a lipless with two big split shot above a snap swivel. I say uuhh..... He replies it helps it get down better. Its a 6 ft deep pond.... I just turn my head and chuckle.

Using the VMC Finesse Rugby Heads and i like that they have an EWG hook so they stay decently clean where I fish. I would have thought with the exposed Neko hook it would pick up more debris. Also that's a good idea about switching if I wanted to weightless wacky. I just bought some tungsten 1/8 oz wacky heads so if I used those I would have to retie to switch to Neko.

I buy more rods and reels for three reasons. One: specific action, length, power. Two: I am a victim of the bait monkey Three: I hate retying on the water so I bring way too many some times. That being said I plan on trying some finesse techniques that I've yet to try tomorrow at a pressured pond. Dont yell at me when I say this would be only the second time I throw a Neko or a Wacky. I always have a trusty Ned ready. I have a shakey head tied on another. Do i really stand a better chance at catching a fish if I fish a Ned, Shakey, Neko, and Wacky in the same spots or am I just over doing it? Yes if the shakey isnt working I could retie a Wacky hook etc... But I would rather just bring another setup. Is there enough difference to warrant 4 finesse setups with me from the bank?

Bumping this instead of making a new thread. Ive never really done either but decided this winter I need to try more. I'm say a pond from the bank besides weedless is there any time you would Neko over a shakey?

I was looking at the Flatlands and Lifted Jigs ewg heads and am shy of the 1/0 hook being too big. If any of them i would go with the owner blockhead. I picked up a pack of the eagle claw ned heads and I think I'm going to like them ober the zman heads. I dont care if its zman or not, as long as it works.