galyonj

I should mention that I don't get to fish very much of what we would term clear water, but the fish don't seem to care. I mostly use Zoom trick worms or finesse worms, but all of them get rigged the same way: - weightless t-rig; or - light shaky head; or - sometimes I bite the head flush with the back of the jighead, and i throw them on a mushroom jig. @flatcreek dead ringers are money, too.

It's only illegal if there's a witness.

I have suggestions, but the secret ingredient is crime.

That channel cat more than made up for the fact that I was unable to find a smallmouth longer than 10" that day. ?

That's always desirable.

Doesn't take much to set the hook with light wire stuff like this. I just reel in slack, then kind of snap my wrist up.

That's exactly what I did. They were down to $20 a rod on the 7'1" medium spinning rods. At that price I bought two and called the shipping charge a wash. Gave one to @TnRiver46 as a token of my appreciation.

I bought a pair of Blackout spinning rods on deep, deep discount a little while back. Only experience with the brand, but they seem like nice sticks for the money.

I know this is a completely different situation, but there's some validity to that. By far my most productive jighead color is chartreuse. I've got PBs in three species with a chartreuse jig head on using different plastics behind it.

Black goes with everything. Don't sweat it.

@gimruis honestly that's fine with me, too. Narrows my focus.

That's a fact. Gotta make sure all the fish aren't on break at the same time before you go out.

I don't remember the last time I caught on a plopper.

The Bob Ross of fishing? Love watching that dude.

Just fish for them instead. ? Don't sweat the dirty water. I fish a lot of water with spooky fish from the bank (as you describe yours), and my go-tos are as follows: - a weightless stick or trick worm in either a very dark color or very light color depending on how bright a day I've got overhead (I'm partial to junebug or chartreuse/white, but you do you) - a ned rig if the structure/cover allows, same plastic colors as above) - light skirted jigs, as you already noted.

Steven Segar ?

Any time. Apologies for the confusion.

I don't think I was clear. I use a double uni for leader knots. The braid section of that splice is the first part through the guide on a cast.

There's already a Ford Escape (I think) sunk in the water near the ramp that @TnRiver46 was talking about. Been down there for a while.

Yessir. The tag end orientation's what got me to try it, but the fact that it's literally never let me down keeps me coming back.

The trick is gritting your teeth past all that, then you motor waaaaay on upriver where nobody else goes.

Nature is dope.

@Blue Raider Bob you have no idea. Same ramp that @TnRiver46 is talking about, I have personally seen people set up camp at the waterline on the ramp, and have a little picnic while they take turns with their jetski. Get the boombox out, half-naked kids running around in the line for the other ramp that's not blocked, the whole bit.

@NorthernBasser love that knot. I put that ish on everything.