BrianMDTX

It’s not the size that made me think it might have been the hook. It’s the first worm hook I’ve used without an offset point on a Texas rig. Not sure, may just have been coincidence.

Reloading ammunition (after recouping cost of the tooling) saves money over factory fodder. Handloading ammunition improves accuracy and terminal performance over factory ammo. I would think one would take the time to build a rod to exactly match the end use the angler is looking for, with upgraded materials and the ability to ensure everything is done 100% correctly and to their specs. Building fishing rods just to save money just doesn’t sound logical to me. I doubt the cost is all that much cheaper in the long run.

Of all you posted, I highlighted this. Why? Because many times I’ve hooked a bass, reeled it in and thought “What did I do”? Was I hopping it off the bottom? If so, how much? How fast was the retrieve? I could go on and on. I'm really trying to hone in on what I’m doing on each cast so I can remember what I was doing, and when, I got a strike. It’s easy to get complacent and then Bam! Fish on! But what the &@%# did I do to finally get that bass on the hook?

Old thread, but I am trying to figure out the need for this tool. I simply roll on a 5/16” ID O-ring to the midpoint on a 5” Senko in about 1.5 seconds. It’s not a super tight fit but it stays on and keeps the hook on. Nothing is easier!

To the OP: I just got back into fishing in late April after years away from the sport. I had a Daiwa Millionaire 3H baitcaster, which is nothing like today’s modern low-profile reels. I wasn’t afraid to spend $$, but did not want to re-start fishing again with a high-dollar baitcaster that may have frustrated me learning the casting game again. I did some research as well and decided on a Black Max. Paired with a MH fast action Fenwick HMX rod and spooled it with 12 lb. Yo-Zuri hybrid. I decided that having zero experience with braid (when I really got into hunting and stopped fishing it was so long ago I never even heard of fluorocarbon or braid, other than old-timey Dacron braid), I was going to start with something that was more user-friendly. So far I have not had one backlash casting with the this reel. I’ve had a few trying to flip lol. Not bad ones. Maybe 20-30 seconds to square away and ready to fish again, but I either have a ham-handed approach or need to do a better job of adjusting the brake and/or spool tension. But as far as straight casting it’s been a pleasure to use with frogs, crankbaits and Texas rig Senkos. Good luck with your new combo!

I’d throw a weightless Texas rig or wacky rig Senko. Flip it close with little splash.

That’s some nice fish there! Looks like a heck of a trip!

It’s definitely different. It would be akin if you could “see” every bass and decide if it was big enough to catch. Then again, there is no catch-and-release in hunting!

There are probably a lot of lures made most don’t know about as new ones have become the flavor of the day lol.

The two bass I caught yesterday (both about 2-3/4 lbs.) both had bleeding tails. I’m sure not from me. I’m guessing something to do with spawning?

Third. Especially fat bluegills!

I think you are spot on. I started casting lures without a true plan, caught nothing off the bat and quickly moved on to another lure with the same results. if it’s decent water, the bass are there. I caught a decent bass yesterday casting around the same spot many times. I knew there should be something there and kept at it. I changed the lure but kept working around that spot. It paid off.

I have participated in online bowhunting contests for years, where you can enter one antlered and one antlerless whitetail. You have to submit a pic with the bowhunter, the deer and the bow. Trying to do that holding a handheld phone the pics look bad. I tried a small tripod and a digital camera but getting back, supporting the deer and readying for the pic was a PITA. Then...I got a selfie stick! Yeah, it’s not photography contest quality, but it takes a much better shot than just holding the phone. So if holding a bass by the lip vs with two hands is good enough for your photo, try a selfie stick. I’m going to get mine out of my hunting daypack and put it in my tackle box the next time I fish.

Well, the important thing is...it caught a bass! I’d love to discover exactly what it is, but if I can’t, at least I know they work!

My rod doesn’t get here until Friday, but I cut off some 20# braid and 8# leader to practice knot tying. I tied that Lefty Kreh knot in about ten seconds, and to me, it ended up pretty small in diameter. Quite smaller than I expected. After tying I pulled on both ends after cutting the tag ends off and it appeared pretty stout. Does anyone have any experience using this knot while fishing? True real-world pros and cons? Even someone who stinks at knots (me!) can tie this Lefty Kreh knot without thinking about it.

When I started fishing wacky rig 5” Senkos, all I could find locally were Eagle Claw 1/0 circle hooks. So far so good. Haven’t lost a bass yet.

I forgot to update this thread yesterday. Went home, did chores, clock showed 5:30 pm, so I decided to head back to the pond for an hour or so. Caught a small bass on a wacky Senko, then lost it and the hook in a snag. Dug down in the tackle box and Texas rigged a 40-45 year old plastic worm. Caught this bass just before I called it a day. 17-1/2” and 2.72 lbs.

Sensitivity (or simply knowing what a bite/strike “feels” like) is a subjective thing. I recall reading numerous articles in Outdoor Life and F&S in the 70’s about fishing soft plastics and feeling for the “tap-tap-tap” of a fish taking the bait. If you truly don’t know what that feels like, having a Texas rig bump over structure feels like a strike to many new anglers. It’s not always so much feeling as in knowing exactly what you are feeling.

Had a good day with that old Shakespeare today. Caught this one this morning: 17-1/2” and 2.68 lbs. Went back this evening and caught this bass: Also 17-1/2”. 2.72 lbs. I love that reel!

lol. True!

My last few “old” jelly worms have “Mann” imprinted on them. Which does make it appear these are some sort of knock-off.

Could be. It’s been so long since I bought them, it could be from a company out of business over 25-30 years ago. But what the heck! All that time in a tacklebox and finally it catches a fish!

lol. I see you’re a chicken necker. Where’s that pond near?

It may be. I know I have other “just as old” Tom Mann jelly worms. I probably bought these when I was 18-20 years old. I guess they last forever!

I guess everyone has there own criteria. Heck, I may have to rethink my position. After spending the afternoon getting caught up on chores, I went back out and hit the pond for an hour. I caught this 17-1/2” bass on an as-yet unknown 40+ year-old plastic worm on an UL rod and reel that’s also between 40 and 50 years old (I know the reel was mfg in 1970). It was a great fight getting that bass in on that tackle! So to me...today...2.72 lbs was a nice bass!