LrgmouthShad

I throw pretty much all my jigs on a heavy fast rod. I use a shorter 7’ for shallower cover, a little lighter jigs, or for skipping docks. I use a longer 7’3” for deeper water or for a little heavier jigs. Generally I stay with either 20lb fluoro or 65lb braid if I am in thick grass. Why do I use 20lb fluoro? I like the way 20lb fluoro casts in my favorite lines + I like a little more resistance to abrasion and shock. I don’t do a lot of “finesse” jigs. I like full size jigs with full size trailers and I catch a pile of fish on them. If I downsize it’s usually to a bitsy flip and on rare occasion a sniper jig.

I like the rage craw in all its sizes, the zoom z craw in both sizes, and the zoom z hog in both sizes. Lately the Yamamoto Flappin Hog has been hot. That was an old favorite of mine that I’ve been getting back to.

I didn’t catch anything 🫡 I provided moral support

@Pat Brownpost that big fish up!

I feel that way about every spinnerbait I modify

My package should be arriving today!

Oh okay disregard. If we are high 40s that is just fine

To put it lightly, I am expecting to struggle big time in NC overall this year. It is not looking good. I agree that I don’t like warm fronts in the winter, but looks like the big lakes are in low 40s and only going to get colder. Anyways, I’ll have fun fishing with some folks. The slow days I plan on graphing a good bit. Any time spent with family and friends is great time.

LOL. Yeah I got it out 👍🏻

So anyways it’s story time. Yesterday I was working outside and I left my open can of Red Bull unattended. I come back to take a swig. Little did I know, a winged surprise was waiting for me in that swig. About the time I am preparing to swallow, I feel something in my drink. Wait, that’s a bug! Sharp pain penetrates the side of my mouth - on the inside. At this point I realize my current situation in life, so I spit out the bee and begin a battle damage assessment. Before I could finish that, I notice five more airborne invaders swarming me to take revenge on behalf of their fallen buddy. I shout and run and swat at the air while people watching laugh at me. My lip is still swollen up pretty good. Red Bull gives you wings

I used to take Micellar Casein protein powder before bed which is a slow-release protein. Nowadays I don’t take supplements. I get all my nutrition from food. Chicken breast is king for lean protein, but any nutritious meals that taste good are better because you are more likely to stick with it. I do have higher energy with more protein in my diet. Cutting back on alcohol is my current focus.

@Pat Brown @FishTax and I should have plenty headed your way soon. NC has been hit hard with cold recently though. I know they both have been out, but it is tough fishing right now.

@Butterland yeah that spinnerbait might have caught me a bass or two

I’d also like to specify. This was no finesse jig. This was a full size living rubber football jig lol. I have a feeling I picked the wrong area

It was definitely a jiggin weekend. Caught 6 small ones today. 5 on a jig and 1 on a senko. Photo’d four of them. I tried a lot of baits. Even walked a frog. A jig was the deal, at least for dinky bass 😄.

^ If big spinnerbait don’t work, go the other direction. Smaller compact spinnerbaits. A 3/8oz compact frame with an Indiana/willow has been productive for me. I tend to lean to the bigger spinnerbaits AFTER iceout as JigFishin mentioned. During the winter I generally stay with smaller spinnerbaits unless I’m rolling really deep. When prespawn really gets going I’ll throw in a long arm.

Crankbait - billed or lipless. A small 1/4oz lipless has been quite productive for me in that water temp. If you can fish a shad rap, that’s a great billed option. Keitech swimbait on a light jig head and light line retrieved as slow as possible Jerkbait I fished these in your area mid Missouri and did okay in the cold water. A couple days there was ice rimming the lake and I still caught them, spinnerbaits included.

Stillhouse was strutting its stuff yesterday. Have to share a couple of pics

Rather slow day at the ol Stillhousy. I got 2 bites on a jig in timber in pretty quick succession and then nothing. One of these jig fish wrapped me up in a tree and came off. It felt pretty heavy. I beat the skunk at least!

The Megabass jerkbait thread got you good huh?

The best part about fishing with @FishTax is he will call you out on your bad hooksets and tell you exactly where to throw your bait 😂 @Koz

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50 and below is cold water 40 and below is tough fishing

@Swamp Girl it takes real skill and dedication to catch the smallest fish in the lake