AJ Hauser

I'm not (as) dumb anymore - thanks!

What's "free stone"? Gosh I'm dumb. Great - thank you! Do bass and other fish use points to "follow" up and down like a deer path? I have heard that one reason points are so important is because they are used to move up and down but... I mean they wouldn't have to do that... Thoughts?

This begs the question: what are the most important factors for a quality wintering location? Thanks!

Nice, thanks guys. @Cranks4fun what are some good stream / creek locations around the Bull Shoals area - do you happen to know of anything worth checking out or that is public access? I'd love to have some options so I can do different types of fishing on different days.

10-4

Interesting you say that because we're looking at that exact area (well, that area is huge so that "general area" I guess). Went down to fish it in November with Del Colvin and had two great days vertical jigging largies, smallmouth & kentucks. Absolutely awesome! What are you planning to fish (and how) when you go?

Hey @Cranks4fun - that's cool, I'll have to check that river out. We're going to be moving to Arkansas in '23 provided the country doesn't go up in flames before then. I feel it could go either way at this point... Any leads on the Neosho? Do you think they head to areas with higher current if they hate still water? @MGF are you talking about "regular" smallmouth taking off or the Neosho that Cranks was mentioning above? Thanks guys, back to hook sharpening...

Thanks man! This is interesting - I fish a lot of smaller bodies of water (10 - 20 acres) with similar properties. Some days crankbaits work great, other days... not so much... I'll have to try a few shad raps this year. Happy New Year!

Awesome man, thank you! What depth were you working with that Shad Rap? Was it jointed or standard / floating?

Awesome - thank you guys so much for all of the feedback - this was extremely helpful!! Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year - here's to a SOMEWHAT NORMAL YEAR. Best.

Got it - thank you very much @WRB and @Bird - that's helpful. Really. @MidwestBassAttack it sounds like you're in my neck of the woods brother - I'm in the same boat with the health & wellness kick this winter as well! I wanted to wish you luck with that, I hope you stay strong and you didn't cheat too much this Christmas season - and good for you for getting on a plan. @papajoe222 this is very helpful... I thought I was clever for adding some hair to my shaky head in the garage but apparently I'm way late to the party. Thanks for your input - much appreciated! All the best fellas - be good!

Thanks man - what kind of water / cover are you fishing with those?

Hey guys, I had a couple questions regarding the use of lipless cranks and squarebills this spring. They seem to be a popular option for several of the fishermen here... I was hoping to get a bit more insight so I could start to build a bit more confidence this season with both: 1. For early season lipless fishing - how would you all go about working this presentation? It's not a confidence bait for me, but I'd like to get better at this. Where are you looking (conditions / location / depth) and how are you working it? 2. Are squarebills an option and if so, what would I be looking for before tying one on? I have a bit more confidence in these after last year but I have only fished them shallow over rip-rap shorelines and had success. What causes the fish to move up shallow - and early on are they moving in and out or what would that behavior look like while the water is still really cold? Any info would be appreciated - thank you.

Got it - thank you! So you're saying there are areas where I can access the water and hoof it a long way and fish a lot of water? I am not familiar with that area at all so any tips would be appreciated - or any access point(s) that you recommend? Thanks man! ... that Baby 1-Minus is one of my favorites Thank you for your insight into the way that you throw cranks. I need to experiment with them a bit deeper this year I think. Two years ago I had no confidence in them, and I've caught some good fish banging around shallow rip-rap but if they're not there that day it's just a bust... Thanks!

Oh dang - checkmate!

@A-Jay I'm going to be honest with you... that's too many reels bro ? @Fat Ika I am about an hour outside Chicago and I've been to Braidwood once but never early - thanks for the tip! Hey do you have any good creeks that are public access up by you by chance? I fished a lot of those this year but also found out I was trespassing when a dude said he would shoot me. So... I mean we're friends now but it was an interesting afternoon @Spankey I laughed out loud at that dining room table comment - then read it to my wife and she laughed too. Hahaha. So two questions for you dudes if you would be so kind: 1. It looks like a lipless crankbait is a popular option early in the season - how would you all go about working this presentation? It's not a confidence bait for me, but I'd like to get better at this. Where are you looking and how are you working it? 2. Are squarebills an option and if so, what would I be looking for before tying one on? I have a bit more confidence in these after last year but I have only fished them shallow over rip-rap shorelines and had success. What causes the fish to move up shallow - and early on are they moving in and out or what would that behavior look like? Thanks all!!! Great comments - really appreciate the feedback!

3 weeks?! What the crap?! I mean good for you, but dang...

Thanks my man - I will give all 4 of those a shot - you must have warmer weather than me in the winter... or enjoy ice torture... er, ice fishing? Merry Christmas!

Hey everyone - Merry Christmas a little bit early! I'm coming out of my lack-of-fishing-induced depression, and starting to organize tackle and get ready for spring of the coming year. There were a lot of baits that worked for me this year, but I wanted to ask you all what you planned to start with as the water started to warm up in a few months? I'm in Northern Illinois (pray for me) and I fish small city lakes (less than 100 acres) and creeks for largemouth and smallmouth bass primarily. What kinds of baits do you think you'll be starting with this year and what water temps or signals are you looking for? As I watch the news and the world continues to get crazier, I find myself wishing for mornings on the bank by myself (or with my sons) a lot more. This is so important and this year I hope to have more success than ever before. Thanks very much - talk soon!

Thanks again everyone - this has been very helpful. Much appreciated!

Funny you should mention that... I'm thinking when I go talk to this next guy I take him some of my homemade beef jerky... with inflation growing at the rate it has been by next spring jerky is going to be worth more than a block of gold!!

This was what I thought too, but apparently the land underneath the water - the creek bed - is owned. I read that typically it is owned to the middle of the creek... although the first guy I ran into said that his land extended across the whole creek, and the guy further down owned the parcels on both sides of the creek so he owned the whole way across for sure. I think if I were a land owner in a similar situation I would put a sign up that said "Fishermen call 555-555-5555 before proceeding" instead of the standard NO TRESPASSING signs if I wanted people to let me know they were coming through. The first guy I ran into, when he came down and yelled and said what he said, started to complain about other people that had started fires this year during low water (we had super low water too this year) and people that had yelled and argued with him, saying that they didn't even have the common decency to come knock on his door and ask for permission. I get that, but at the front of his driveway when I went to meet him the following day there were "Dead End" and "No Trespassing" signs at the front of the drive... so... I mean if I wasn't on a mission I would have turned around just from seeing that. He also asked me what I was doing with the smallmouth I was catching, because people fill stringers up with little smallmouth and take 'em. What the heck. Between that and the fires and the garbage... I mean I get it. It's a shame, but I get it. *sigh*

How deep was the water? I don't think it matters much but just curious. The creek I was in I was floating on like 6 inches of water in spots and had to walk the riffles.

Thank you fellas for all the feedback... it appears we have a bit of a mess on our hands, and the general consensus is that no fishing spot is worth lead-poisoning. It also seems that my best bet is to go and do a bit of door knocking to just ask for permission to pass through... and I'll probably offer to pick up trash while I do so. We shall see... hopefully I don't have nightmares about all the fish I'm missin' if they tell me to get lost!

Got it - thank you so much @throttleplate, @PaulVE64, @OldManLure and @cyclops2 - looks like it's time for me to do some hook sharpening and gear assessment as I wait for warmer weather & greener pastures. I just got back from a trip to Bull Shoals and we absolutely hammered fish chasing shad over deep water (45 to 70 feet was the sweet spot this time), so I can't think of a better way to end my season... Although it is bittersweet, to say the least... Ah well... if it was simply always available, I wouldn't appreciate it as much. Godspeed fellas!