LrgmouthShad

I occassionally like to check trees for fish. Gotta fish all the cover in sight.

Blasphemy. My sense of order and what is right and allowable in the world does not permit this

That is how I feel. I just borrowed a buddy's trout swimbait for use tomorrow morning. Will be my first time trying one. One better not bite it. Swimbaiting is a slippery slope.

Same actually. Can’t recall ever catching one. I don’t think I’ve ever caught one on a jerkbait either. Those ‘twitch’ baits I would need to practice with more. most fun to cross off the list was probably buzzbaits and frogs. I hardly fished topwater and those became really good producers on ponds around here, unsurprisingly.

cool deal

That's incredible. Kind of like a largemouth scenario. Awesome post I'm of the opinion that this one should be pinned in the smallmouth forums. Really detailed coverage of fishing the a-rig for smallmouth Edit: Wait, sorry, just realized this was someone else's post and not specifically for smallmouth. Disregard. I'm tired. Guess I need more coffee

Wait. I thought there was only one Lake Menderchuck. I’ve been deceived

Well, I don’t own many war eagles either really. I think I have two or three. Because nowadays if I see war eagles, there’s almost always coverts on the same aisle and I take the covert over the war eagle. They are pretty durable

Why? Afraid they'll catch fish? ?

That actually makes sense!

iRod Stone Cold Swim and Vibrating Jig Rod

Brilliant

Well, I am much more confident target fishing shallow. Here's how I'd do it this time of year and I did it earlier this year on a lake I'd never been on before and another on a part of a lake I'd never fished before. Found fish both times. I start with looking at a contour map of the lake. Where I will start is trying to look for winter sanctuaries. Humps and other offshore features. Maybe there's one area that has a lot of deep water, a couple humps, and a nearby point that extends out deep. That's a pretty good area. From there I start looking if I can pinpoint channels. Then I follow those channels and see if they output onto good looking spawning flats.... with still access to deep water and the channel. If there are points on the way, that is good too. Maybe find a couple of plans that I can run based on this. Then I get on the water and depending on how much I think the fish have moved towards the spawning areas, I'll fish area on the way or perhaps even on the flats. I'll pay attention to bottom composition and especially the presence of any rock shallow. Then I just start hitting everything in sight with a spinnerbait until I find fish.

That is an absolute hoss I might even venture to say it’s 6.5

I like a moderate fast for spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, and lipless cranks. I’m sure I’d like it for chatterbaits too. Sometimes I think that I should switch to a fast for spinnerbaits, but I practically never miss one on a spinnerbait. If one bites it, it’s mine. 95% of the time

This is mine. Might have been my first time bass fishing in Michigan, but I was fishing with my Grandpa and Dad. Grandpa knew where to fish, what rig to use, and he knew that live bluegill were a big deal on this dock. I was tossing around a spinnerbait as my Dad and Grandpa rigged live bait and Grandpa handed me the rod when the bluegill was attacked. Might have been Grandpa's first time fishing in months. Good time with family. And that is a super awesome bass by the way! Congrats!

I think I was wrong calling A-Jay the bait monkey. Or is the bait monkey holding you captive? Blink twice if he is!

I thought I’d beaten the bait monkey by refusing to get chatterbaits. And then I realized that I’d fallen into his trap. I became adamant that spinnerbaits are superior, and that there is simply so much you can do to modify a spinnerbait… so much to explore! See what he did? He set me up. He said, you’re right, spinnerbaits are so cool, think about all those blades you don’t have, think about the fact that you need more compact spinnerbaits. You don’t have enough evil monkey The battle rages on

Big ole crappie wanted my spinnerbait during an hour or so bank fishing excursion. Also got a small bass. Chilly day but this guy was a welcome surprise!

I heard him talk about it in a video one time as well

Yup I like those. Been throwing them more and more. Really unique bait. By the way... I made that post on skipping a spinnerbait and you were on it saying you were interested as well... well this spinnerbait I think could be a good candidate for skipping with a swimbait. What do you think?

Dangit man! I appreciate help you've given nonetheless. If I must go through the long process of finding special spinnerbaits myself, I will do it. I'm convinced that the frame of the Nichols works really well with single colorados at least.

Which of those are you willing to share photos of? Or is that top secret? ?

Great suggestion, thanks!