BrianMDTX

Great songwriter, singer and actor.

Here’s the rig. Couple of things. First, I had a 1/4 oz. and switched to 1/8 oz. Not a 3/8 oz. to a 1/4 oz. Second, I have the weight pegged. A-Jay ties a bobber stop with a bead. I think that’s a better idea. The weight doesn’t really peg tight to the skirt collar like it does to the hook eye on a EWG hook. It works, but I’d rather have the weight dead nuts on the collar. Live and learn. Still catches bass!

Well,I’d say the pond I fished (and 99% of the waters I fish) meet that criteria. Definitely soft bottom and light to medium cover. Over time I’ve basically purged my lead weights for tungsten. Do you use lead for the increase in size at similar weight?

I don’t know the “official” name of this bait. A Texas-rig jig? A jig Texas rig? Something else? All I know is that I learned about it here from @A-Jay so I’m calling it an A-Jay Special. I tried one last week but no dice. Started off with a jerkbait but no bites. Switched to the A-Jay Special and also no bites. But I swapped out the 3/8 oz. bullet weight with a 1/4 oz. and that made a difference. All 3 were decent and caught right near the bank. Also caught one (smallest of the 4) on a squarebill. I like this bait. You can swim it like a swim jig, drag it through wood like a jig and it has a lot of action. I was using a green pumpkin skirt with a green pumpkin Rage Craw on a Gamakutsu 5/0 hook with the weight pegged. Beautiful day! It was in the low 60°s when I got on the water and about 83° now.

Maine is beautiful. Never got to fish there but it’s gorgeous. And unlike the stereotypes you see on TV and movies, pretty much every Mainer we met was as friendly as can be. Not a huge lobster fan, but the fried clams were the best I’ve ever had. Washed down with an Allagash White. It was heaven.

I gotta give props to the Tigers. 0.4% chance of making the postseason in August and here they are. First time since 2014. They may be last year’s Rangers. A hot ballclub on a roll.

Nice bass! A 4 lb’er is always good in my book!

Is it “weird” to buy crankbaits when I truly do not enjoy fishing crankbaits? Or simply foolish?

A fair point. I was out yesterday and as always, for the most part I am running the motor at 1 or 2 most of the time. Coming back I did run it at 4 and I was surprised at how fast (relatively speaking lol) that I was moving. It was leaving a wake. Not big, but a wake is a wake! What surprised me is that when I connected the charger, the battery was still between 60%-80% charged. The first two times I used the motor it was at 40%-60% charged. So I am very satisfied with the performance of the battery and a 38-40 year-old motor lol.

It’s almost autumn, but you’d never know it in this part of Texas. I was on the water at 7:00 and out at 12:30. It was 94° and sunny when I hit shore. I caught six 1 lb’ers, so not a great day. But holy heck did it sap my energy. I turned 64 four days ago. I feel it today!

Camera adds 10 lbs. lol!

Looked like a 1/0 to me.

Interesting that he uses a MLXF rod. @roadwarrior would have something to say about that! 🤣

Not counting weightless TR, I’d say I always have two rigs set up for jigs and/or Texas rigs. Primary is a Kistler Helium TCJ (Texas/Carolina/Jigs) MH/F and secondary is a Falcon Lowrider All-‘Round Fast MH/F. Both can be used with jigs or TR (I rarely use 3/8 oz. weights on TR and rarely use 1/2 oz. jigs), but the Kistler really shines dragging jigs or worms through wood. This weekend I will be trying the AJ Special (swimjig Texas rig) on the Kistler.

Ok, the ever-persuasive BM sang his siren’s song and I ordered skirts, beads, hubs, weights, etc. and a selection of trailers and will be making some of those A-Jay Specials lol. I like swim jigs so these are right in my wheelhouse.