softwateronly

The smallies are in the harbors if any shorebound fisherman are looking for some fun. 3 on a spro hair jig, biggest 3.5lb. 1 on a 3" dark sleeper, 4-4.5lbs. 31st harbor for me today. scott

I got an email today. Groups of baits per week. 25% off selected hard baits this week. scott

This happens to me every fall... Usually, there's an ice plug in the level wind guide that can be freed up. scott

https://images.app.goo.gl/7VRHQsi5Wqocw3oH8 Every time I get frustrated and angry with IL and its finances I remember this graph, because it reminds me that this is a nation wide problem many decades old, and I feel worse. scott

This is true for me! scott

Spinning is more accurate for me, but I can't do this.... ?‍♂️

I have the 7'6" MH and the 7'7" H. The 7'7" is listed as moderate/fast on both Shimano and TW. This seems accurate. The 7'6" is listed moderate/fast on Shimano and fast on TW. Strangely, this also seems accurate. Hard to explain, but it's somewhat inbetween. I guess the 6'10 will have a nice tip for a fast rod, or it's really sensitive for a moderate/fast rod. scott

Beautiful. Much appreciated scott

I appreciate all the knowledge being shared. Been getting through the demystifying structure threads trying to determine if I can eliminate any deep water this year on my lake. It's an odd lake in that it's very similar to a low flow, damned reservoir, but instead a natural lake that drains a watershed through marsh land to a controlled river, the St Joe. There is a consistent movement of water from North to South, numerous springs, and over 85% of the lake is 20' or deeper. There is large fish biodiversity and a healthy population of 5+lb bass and 35" pike for a small lake, but they almost exclusively live deep. Without electronics and dropping live bait to depth, I'm unsure if I can safely eliminate water. It's only 250 acres but time will be limited more this year than expected because of work. Your responses will help me be a lot more efficient. If you're up for it, would love to learn more. Vertical thermal break in relation to finding the depth that bass live most comfortably because of DO in relation to temp, water color changes in reference to lack of phytoplankton below light penetration levels? scott

- Deep lakes have a deeper life zone because there's more dissolved oxygen available because of water volume from the 2 turnovers. T/F? - Can current offer enough energy to keep the water layers mixed with oxygen? I assume dependent on water volume moved? Does it also depend on what depth the current and/or the temperature difference is, as it enters the system? - In a spring fed lake, would the influx of "new" water offer a deeper life zone? Would/could that be concentrated near the spring(s)? Thanks, scott

This is probably going to be an overcorrection, but I have a body of water that I know really well considering I don't have electronics. I feel like my years there can put me on dinks with a drop shot or senko anytime. I'm interested in focusing on deeper water, larger baits and pushing myself to stay there. I hope the only downsizing I'll do this year is going to the keitech finesse jig. I plan on fighting the tough bite days with more jig time and slower presentations of medium to large soft plastics on deeper structure or cover. I'm sure I'll fail often, but confident I'll learn more. scott

That's great to know, appreciate the confirmation. Thanks scott

I would think 5/0 in the VMC, I'm trying this owner hook this year in 7/0 for 12" worms.... https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Owner_Oversize_Worm_Hooks/descpage-OOW.html scott

I'm relatively new to baitcasters, but I will say that the JDM Met is one comfortable and amazing reel. I'm very happy with my purchase, but I do find the shorter handle being something I might change in the future. Sometimes when chopping my retrieve, I feel like I lose a moment of control. I also might get better muscle memory with it over time. I haven't used the Curado 70 for comparison, sorry. scott

I haven't used it, so I can't say, but the daiwa tatula 7'3" swimbait rod has kept my attention even though I don't "need" it. Looks to be a good blend of length, power, weight, and action. Maybe that fits the application and price? I have the 7'7" Mod/fast Heavy expride, rated to 2oz if you want to stay in the shimano family, but you'd end up near the rods limit and it might feel underpowered. scott

I second this. I busted out a tip insert a few years ago on the Mojo drop shot and reshuffled my reels. Still haven't fixed it. This rod is the only technique specific rod that I have that really felt pinned in to that technique. I never found anything that this excelled at for me. Fyi, the ML Avid is my favorite spinning rod. scott

This is slightly off topic, but this thread seems to have loads of crawfish knowledge. I mostly fish a spring fed natural lake in Michiana. I've been on this water for 13 years, fishing, swimming, boating etc. The water is 12'+ visibility naturally, and about 5-6' when the weeds and boat traffic have reached their maximum. Everything I've read and heard is that crawfish have to be in this water, yet I've never seen one. My question is, can a huge and healthy turtle population out compete crawfish making their population low? scott

I just drove from the city to Mallard Lake way out there for me in Roselle. Some open water at the shoreline, but I think it won't open till that forecasted rain.....

I like that thinking though! My wallet is hurting a bit, maybe I'll sharpie up the blades on one of my rigs instead. Plus shipping the last few weeks has been a crapshoot. A non-bladed a-rig might not show up till the 4th of Juy! If that doesn't work, dykes do! scott

Someone earlier in this thread said and glide baits prove this, that Bass take center mass and head shots very frequently. More than I realized until last year. I'm guessing that the bulk of a trailer lowers the center of "displacement" and improves their targeting. Making me type that out, just made me regret only picking up bladed a-rigs. A-rigs are new to me and I can't wait to give it a shot. Now, more shopping scott

I've been using a spunk shad, fluke, zako, single tail grub, etc as trailers. I believe it's an honest question for sure and it cuts to the core of my spinnerbait fishing, it's not super effective for me. I basically think of texas rigged 4-5" swimbaits, open hook swimbaits, chatterbaits, swim jigs, underspins, and spinnerbaits as doing the same thing but working different depths and levels of weed cover. Just roughstimates...t-rigged 50%, chatterbaits 30%, open hook 10%, underspin, swim jigs and spinnerbaits make up the rest. Chatterbaits have dominated the 12'+ water, open hook has been 5-10' down over the weed tops, and t-rigged is in all depths. Where spinnerbaits have been effective is post spawn/early summer when the deep weeds haven't come all the way up. I throw uphill and roll it down hill, and find it's best post memorial day when the water gets stirred up from recreational users. This bite seems to last 2-4 weeks at most. This year, I plan to use swim jigs a lot more frequently, including the deep weed clumps. My time in deep water with chatterbaits ripping grass has told me that the painted blades are more effective which leads me to believe painted blade spinnerbaits might be the ticket on these lakes. Taking it a step further, I think the vibration and displacement in clear water can be a plus, and so can flash albeit much less frequently. So a real long answer, that should have said.....You're correct, I throw the trailer only, a majority of the time. scott

The St Joe has flatheads. I'd soak some sort of cut bait in the deepest, slowest water, but I don't really know. My maps of the St Joe are incomplete, but there's a lot of deep water in the section between Elkhart and Mishawaka, about an hour south of you. scott

My observations, using a trailer on a spinnerbait has eliminated blade strikes. The water I fish is clear to crystal clear. After reading this thread, I think these things are directly related. scott

No intention of hijacking this thread, but I just picked up a picasso double willow spinnerbait and I didn't notice till i got it that it has a swing head design. Seems genius for action, hook up ratio, and the removal of a jumping bass's leverage during the fight. Haven't gotten a "real" spinnerbait in awhile, this design been around? Does it do, what I think it's gonna do? scott

I just saw where you live. There's a possibility I can put my XP706cb and a FR705cb in your hands if we can make schedules work and you're interested... scott