DitchPanda

Your always going on cool adventures in pretty scenery. No spots around me but I've heard they are the best eating of the 3 main bass...you agree?

You could bring the rod into your preferred tackle shop ...explain the situation...then put reels on it until you find one that feels comfortable to you.

I live in Northwest Iowa...our water temps here are mid to high 40s from what I've seen. My best baits so far have been ned rigs and vmc rugby heads hopped slowly off bottom. A jerk bait fished over brush has potential as well.

I use 10lb for small cranks and poppers...15lb for lipless and squarebills ....no complaints. Yes it has some memory but a little spritz of line conditioner and its good to go. Its tough, cheap and castable.

I made my bluegill fillets by sprinkling them with a mixture of lemon pepper and old bay then cooked them in butter on my griddle...fantastic!

I'm a fan of fried fish..particularly bluegills, crappie and perch...but that said there's nothing wrong with cooking them in butter with a little lemon pepper or old bay sprinkled on them.

Just caught a mess of bluegill with a bonus crappie this morning...time to do some knife work!

This is what I think...just a narrower profile

Freshwater wise bluegill is and has been my favorite eating fish for a long time...they are fantastic.

I like your style

I think those are the hooks in the eagle claw Ned heads...if so I caught several nice fish on them including a 5lb largemouth without an issue. Do you know what size fits in the do-it mold?

I know the owner is quality but I'd like a little cheaper option if possible.

Swim jigs and Ned rigs.Admittedly I didn't "get it" right away...maybe because they don't look like much. But a few years ago I learned how to use them properly...realized the tool they were and what jobs they are right for...now I throw them as much or more than anything.

I don't plan on pouring plastics and I think I'd use powder paint so it sounds like for just melting lead I should be ok just about anywhere as long as I'm not standing over the pot huffing fumes.

Thanks for the info

Where do you buy your lead from?

Not as critical with lead?

Let me say this upfront: I'm a shore guy..no boat. But I do have a few buddies I boat fish with for bluegills and crappies regularly. They are both superb pan fisherman and they use buoys often. I never really see people doing it...I feel like its just as or even more effective because it seems to be a lost art. All that said bass seem to school up pretty similarly to big gills so I'm assuming the same strategy would apply.

Is drum really that different from saltwater black drum or redfish?

I think your using a vmc dominator...I've used those as well with some decent success.

Getting kinda tired of the price of Ned heads so I thought about buying a mold...just curious for those using this mold what's your favorite hook?

Your own jigs and spinnerbaits...where do you pour? Basement? Garage? Also what is your ventilation setup? Been looking at starting to pour my own Ned heads for a while...just curious what's the best approach.

There's no doubt that the guy is knowledgeable... He's been a pro fisherman for 35 years and has won at the highest level including almost winning a classic. But he has officially gone off the rails. I do like when he does 1 vs 1 stuff with Johnny for fish the moment so ill probably watch that still.

Made it pretty clear in my post that up until this last video I was a defender. This may be the last one I watch.

You eating them?