softwateronly

I use the 7x7 strand afw, with an alberto and flying bowline to the bait. I didn't like the action last time I did it with jerks, maybe I need to downsize to the 20lb test version or I was just wrong. I'm gonna check it again, thanks. scott

Pike get my soft bait tails as well, but when they steal my jerk baits or Gantarels...? Makes these catches even better, even if the next cast cost me my favorite jerk bait to her sister. scott

Just to make sure I was clear, LM meant green bass. I'm a shore angler on Lake Michigan and have yet to try the A rig. Jigs, traps, and dark sleepers have always seemed like my best baits, I should probably give it a try. I'd definitely trust @A-Jay's brown bass system, but want to say that for me, no soft water is too cold for large mouth to hit an A rig. 3 hook, 2 or 3 dummy, 1/8oz heads, let it hit bottom, pop it off and start a slow steady retrieve. Every 2-3 handle turns I put some quick chop in the retrieve and it certainly seems to trigger bites. Best of luck, every bite feels like a giant! scott

If you're in LM territory at all, I'd say start throwing it now. A bladeless A-rig is a go to for me from ice out till post spawn. This year I've been using 3" & 4" largo shads, have caught dozens of fish, but no giants yet. Fishing uphill or parallel to a break was my usual method, but running docks downhill has gotten a lot of bites for me this spring. I feel like a 7'5 or longer rod makes fishing it much more productive and enjoyable in the clear water I'm usually in. scott

I know I'm late, but what an awesome day. Congrats!!! scott

I tend to fit in with your style. Moving baits are great, trebles or single hook. T-rig seems a little too soft for both snaking/shaking it through the weeds and hook sets. scott

My theory is slightly different, strictly based on 12 years at one 250acre lake in MI w/out electronics and more than likely I'm wrong or incomplete at best. I think there's 3 groups of bass in how they relate to structure, cover, and depth. Group one is shallow, >10 fow, very cover orientated, homebodies, and primarily ambush predators. If you put it in their face, they bite. Group two, I think the largest group, seems to move between deeper structure/cover and shallow structure/cover. I feel like they feed in both locations, actively, tend to be in groups, and seem to conform to "bite windows," but when they go shallow, they primarily go to feed. I think these fish target any and all things that they can fit in their mouths, but sometimes get keyed in on what is currently most prevalent. I also think a large chunk of these fish are nocturnal shallow cruisers/feeders. Group three, is the most mysterious to me and least likely to be true and in my opinion the smallest group. They exclusively live in open water and hunt schools of bluegill, crappie, and juvenile bass from below. They probably use structure in ways I don't understand, since my lake basically bowls out past 25 fow. Some of my "proof" is based on the coloration of the bass I catch and at what depth and the times I've run into large schools of bass both shallow and deep. I never pull dark, dark green bass from deep water. "Normal" to slightly pale seem to get caught at all depths, but my night time shallow bass caught on moving baits are almost always in the normal to pale hue. I feel like my group 3 is delineated by the open, deep water bass I catch at night or underneath daytime surface feeders that are a larger class of fish from the ones I get on topwater. There's a lot I don't know about bass, but this working theory usually puts me on fish when I get out on this body of water. scott

This is probably my MI LM PB, I'm a hard headed idiot without a scale, my guess is 6ish. Last year, 1st wk of April, on a swim jig in 6-8' of water. My PB MI SM was a 21" 5.3lb on a cane pole 30 years ago mid summer fishing for perch with wax worms. Congrats on your PB! Your girl has a head/build on her like she's got more room to fill out, which is pretty incredible for up north. scott

This saves most all of my single hook baits from the toothy scoundrels. Doesn’t help with jerks or cranks though. https://www.amazon.com/American-Fishing-Wire-Surflon-Stainless/dp/B00144CS4C/ref=asc_df_B00144CS4C/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312125955110&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=958876038250930460&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9021717&hvtargid=pla-570584746221&psc=1 scott

I had some similar thoughts when I got mine, but found some uses for it that were way better than I hoped; ie deep cranking. It's an awesome open water swimbait rod, both trebles and single hook. I use braid to leader and think that's why the mod action is very versatile for me. Good luck! scott

I'm pretty sure @A-Jay put me on these, but they've been my best jig bite this spring so far. The gambler 3" otter w/ the legs pulled off has been a decent do nothing trailer with it. https://punisherlures.com/products/the-punisher-jig scott

I have the 7'7" Expride A. My favorite uses for it; A rigs, open hook swimbaits, 3/4oz swim jigs in light cover, scroungers, and deep diving cranks. My MI lake doesn't get much emergent grass, but the submergent grass gets real thick. I've tried working jigs through it with the 7'7" but found it a bit too soft for me to effectively fish it through the stuff. I use the 7'3XH for that now. scott

I don't fish cranks often, but early spring is my best time with them. Deep divers, with 30lb braid to 10lb mono, on a graphite mod/fast with my drag backed way down has caught and landed way more fish than I ever thought it would. This isn't a setup I can rightfully recommend, but it's been surprisingly effective. It might be time for me to dedicate a set up to it full time. scott

SD Jam has taken over for me because I tie it correctly a majority of the time, and know immediately if I didn't. scott

Such a tragic loss. Condolences to you, your family and friends. scott

Ahh...The Dunning Kruger Effect. It has to be one of the most accurate psychological traits ever described and named. scott

I would chose: keitech on a ball head ned rig tube Sometimes I fish a ned rig similarly to a hairjig with good results, so that could do double duty for me. Can you afford to bring a blade bait? Seems like perfect conditions. scott

I've had times when my reel was in the US and almost in my hand before I got an email. 3-5 business days, time difference included, has been my norm over 6-7 purchases. scott

Not being argumentative because you certainly have more experience, but you've never had the 3rd or 4th bottom layer of thin braid get into the heavy backing because the last layer of braid doesn't fully cover? Also, the connection knot can get line lay a little wonky. I think most of my personal trouble with this issue was too much backing, but I feel it's valid on casts that get past 2/3rds spool. Using a light mono backing for me allows the braid to be used until I start spooling to backing without issue. scott

Hopefully, it holds out till the new Bantam. Looking for a heavier reel. scott

I cut up beat up ones for finesse jigs and keep the tail portion, but that's also my only option. ?‍♂️ scott

LEO is certainly getting crowded, but lets not forget that the USAF and other space nations haven't had much of a custodial concern for the last 60 years. I'm not a Musk fanboy, but I do think he's interesting and mostly big picture pragmatic. Last I read, they made a starlink redesign to decrease reflectivity in an order of magnitude to allow ground based telescopes the ability to see past. The benefit of global hs internet is worth the engineering challenges. I hope they find a way to play nice. scott

Nice fish!! The water I fish sounds real similar. If you're looking for a nose down, slow sinker (actually adjustable), this one has been killing it for me last fall and the last week. scott nishine eerie darter in hologram smelt

I learned how to throw a baitcaster 3-4 years ago and started with braid. I had many backlashes as well. One thing about your set up that might be problematic is your floro backing. My 30lb braid reels handle best with a 6lb mono backing. The thinner braid on top of the floro that might fluff, will find the grooves and dig horribly. Might be something to try if you would like to continue using braid. I do agree that 40-50lb braid is an easier learning curve, but 30lb is certainly doable and is currently on half my reels. scott

@ATA and I'm sure others, do a diy rig that looks real effective for big baits. scott