PaulVE64

Full cork grips all day I wanted to stay with one line of rods for a consistent feel. The Avid and the BG are 2 sweet. I would like to pick up a longer ML/F, maybe the aird or an hmg. If not those fenwicks then i will try to learn a baitcaster.

6-6" St Croix Triumph L/F with a 1000 series Revros and 10# hi vis braid to a 6# fluoro leader Some crappy 6 ft ML/M with a 2500 Sienna and 15# hi vis braid to a 10# mono leader 6' St Croix Triumph ML/F with a 2500 Daiwa BG and 15# hi vis braid to a 10# fluoro leader 7' St Croix Avid M/F with a 3000 series Daiwa BG and 20# braid to a 10# fluoro leader 6-6" ugly stick M/M with a 3500 series Phlueger President XT and 20# hi vis braid to a 20# mono leader

The aging result of exploring the same 30 miles of river + larger tributaries is knowing the shelves at low and high water. I went from catching a few fish a trip to 5 or 6 on every trip. Still get skunked though.

Ned or jig Fluke Senko Water here is high 40s

ned and a fluke on a drop shot have been working lately for me

the wizardry of elaztech

silver bladed mepps 1/8 oz inline spinner with a black twin tail grub (edit - remove treble hook for an offset worm hook)

51 is still pretty cold. Try some hair jigs and jerk baits

the rig 6'0" MLfast StC Triumph + Daiwa BG 2500 with 15# hi vis and a 5ft leader of 20# mono the lures white or greenpumpkin or junebug TUBES shad coloured squarebill cranks bone or black whopper plopper jigs - I make my own, more than I need go often and good luck

I was bank fishing today at a bridge in about 3 to 4 ft of water. Outdoor temps in the low 60s though it snowed yesterday. Its a blue bird sky. Water is high 40s / low 50s and the water is slow moving and crystal clear. I chose to fish the brigde because of the conditions. The creek is known for bass and pike and today i have found 2 pike over 30 inch and a 4 pd smallie cruising the bridge pillings, staying in the shadow. I threw white superflukes with a 1/8 oz split shot and a 4" jerkbait (my favorite) Anyway, i focussed everything on that smallie and all i got were toothy grins and a few narly cuts. Oh, and i lost my jerbait. d**n nasty pike.

River Smallies Look for rock shelves near current seams and also look for deeper pools with a shallow nearby that has some kind of protection from birds.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CNqoBLhpif1/?igshid=kv6fv0b8g0iw Some of my ties with rabbit, maribou and bucktail. Pribably some saddle hackle and flash too.

The water should hold the heat, so start on the shelves and then work the pools

Do you think they went deep? Maybe throw a jig or a ned rig. How deep and clear is the river?

tubes, rage tail menace grub and a senko mic drop

I my river (25 m3/sec and 16 celsius) i throw a 3/16 oz up to 5/16th. Anything over 3/8 and you have to reel in too fast for most smallies this early. 3/16 will drift and 5/16 when im feeling frisky. My main trailers are rage menace grub, pitboss jr , twin tail grubs. When its colder i throw a fluke or a drop shot worm trailer

The temps this week have raised the water temp to low 50s and the bass are on the move. Tonight on my local river i was throwing a menace grub on a worm hook with a maribou skirt tied to a 1/4 oz bullet wt. Feeling really great and confident reelibg it back in and then i see a big femsle

I like a topwater at dawn/dusk but i have as much luck throwing squarebills as i do topwater. I should have included a light tube jig too, smallies love them all day and you can fish them at every depth.

I like the deeper pools near the bank and that wier that runs down the middle. Im thinking the bass are going to be out of the winter holes but still near them in case is gets cold. If its sunny they should be cruising the banks looking for craws in the riprap.

Look for shallow rocky areas with shelves to deeper water. Throw a square bill until you find them then switch to a jig/ ned rig/ senko

Texas rigged senko

I generally stay away from treble hooks in the creeks and streams I fish. This may not be good advise for anyone else but my water has alot of branches and weeds and treble hooks get caught up too often. If i have dragged a jig through an area enough times I will tie on a crankbait but if I can make a similar presentation with a single hook thats probably what I'm going to tie on. With that said I really enjoy throwing a rattling squarebill or a Rebel wee craw.

I havent caught a bass since early November but i still fish about 6 hrs/week. Its tough to locate bass in the river when the water temps are below 40. Even the trout and walleyes are stuck to the bottom of the deepest holes.

Ive fished in Algonquin. Almost every body of water in there could have trophy trout in it.

Senko Tube Baby Rage Craw Square bill Whopper plopper Jerk bait