CM-fisher

Welcome to bass resource!

While I could probably limit myself to 10 or so lures and still catch fish, I like having variety simply because it's fun to catch fish in a different way sometimes. I started drop shotting last year. I probably could have got those fish with a wacky rig or shakey head, but it was fun to be successful with something new. There probably are too many options, I think though that no one should get overwhelmed by them. To state the obvious, you don't need every new and hyped product to catch fish. Have fun picking stuff out and catching some bass!

In deep grass I lean towards a chatterbait or swim jig to cover some water, and then sometimes slow it down and fish a Texas or wacky rigged senko to be more thorough

I tend to stick with these and roboworms. They just flat out catch fish

For fishing in the northland in general, whether it be ice fishing, bass fishing or maybe walleyes and panfish, Al Lindner, Doug Stange, Brian Brosdahl, Jay Siemens and Jason Mitchell. For bass fishing specifically, I would have to say Hank Parker, John Crews, Cody Meyer, Jared Lintner and Edwin Evers.

9.5/10 I love Chris Stapleton's music

Mahi for saltwater, freshwater probably crappie

I got the Striker 4 ice fishing bundle, and I've really liked it so far. If I get some mounting accessories and a power source I can put it on my kayak in the spring.

Has anyone tried the Big Bite Baits Trick Stick? It looks like a pretty good cheap senko alternative. Is it really greasy? That's what I've heard

Yamamoto senko, 5". Favorite colors are watermelon/red flake and watermelon gold/flake. Yum dingers are pretty good too

Already been mentioned by many other guys, but my vote is for the rage menace. You can rig it horizontally to act like a craw or vertically to imitate fat baitfish like shad or bluegill

Outkast tackle makes some good ones

I didn't have a crazy year, but still got a lot of quality fish. 1st picture is of my 2nd biggest largemouth ever, just an inch shorter than my PB (which was caught at the same lake) 2nd picture is of my largest bass ever got on a jig, measuring in at 19" and it sure put up a fight in the dense weeds I was fishing in 3rd picture is of my 1st ever smallmouth. I caught my PB smallie (18") but didn't have a camera on me because I was camping Last picture is the biggest rainbow trout (a new species for me) I got while in the Black Hills of S.D. this past June

Or up here in the midwest, we have to make sure to watch out for deer!! If I'm ever driving home after an evening bassin' session the deer are everywhere

Glad to see the MN gang is all here I finally got a new spinning rod and reel combo (Daiwa Exceler on a fenwick eagle) for finesse techniques after my old rod broke in the boundary waters. I also have a Garmin Striker 4 now that I've been using for ice fishing, and if my budget allows I am going to mount it to my kayak come spring. I have been getting out ice fishing lately but nothing is as fun as good ol' bass fishing

^^^ For me, the prep I go through for my fishing outings is one of the things I really look forward to. Loading up my car with my kayak and driving through misty cornfields to the boat launch at 5 AM is one of my favorite feelings. So is researching my spot and tying on lures the night before. I look at actually catching the bass as the final piece of the puzzle which makes my day. When I get a nice one, net it, and release it, I just have to sit in my kayak seat for 10 seconds to appreciate what just happened. I am really thankful for fishing, it is my de-stresser and getaway.

Received 2 spinning rods from scheels today, both budget friendly and not too fancy. The fenwick eagle is a 6'6" Medium fast, and I'm replacing my old spinning rod which broke while camping. I'll be using it for shakey heads, wacky rigs, ned rigs, and dropshot. The Trophy rod is the cheapest rod in the Scheels line, and it is a 6'6" ML fast action. It'll be used for walleyes mainly, and for taking on rugged camping trips so that I don't sweat it breaking as much. It's a two piece model, so great for small storage. So both fit my needs perfectly, and they both honestly feel sweet Also got a small re-stocking order from Omnia. Two senkos, an elite chatterbait, some caffeine shad jrs, and a pack of Rage Menaces.

You did quite an amazing job this year @A-Jay. For many people those would be fish of a lifetime and you're able to catch many of these in just a single year! I caught my PB smallie this year in August up in the northeastern point of Minnesota. Didn't get a weight but it was 18" with a large gut. That bronzeback put up a huge fight on my light spinning setup. Good luck on achieving your goal next year

Where were you before, if you don't mind me asking? I don't have a specific lake, but I want to live in the midwest in an area with variety. Multiple lakes with a variety in fish species, because I enjoy panfish, walleye, and pike from time to time as well as bass. The lakes don't have to be huge and the fish don't have to be trophies. Oh, and I would also like to have access to largemouth and smallmouth.

Olive Ghost has been by far my best producing color as well. Then Blue Ghost. There's something about the iridescent colors that trigger the largemouth and smallmouth alike around here

The Revo X was my first baitcaster that I bought for myself too. It's a solid option for budget guys like me

Rapala Husky Jerk size 8! If a northern bites you off they're not too expensive so it doesn't hurt as much

I just don't have enough money to invest in Megabass especially since a pike could steal it at any second here in MN. Since I am on a budget I go with the Rapala Shadow Rap Shad, X-rap, and Husky Jerk. They don't suspend 100% perfectly, more like a very very slow rise. I like to use translucent greens, blues, silvers, and golds. Jerkbaits do work year round but I primarily use them in the fall when the water is cooling rapidly

My PB smallie fought much harder than my PB Largemouth. The largemouth hit a frog in dense emergent vegetation, and I just winched her in without much of a fight. I thought it was a little guy at first, the fish just barely slurped the frog. The smallmouth came in about 15" of water in the boundary waters in Northern MN on a crankbait, I must've thought that thing for a good 2 minutes on the light line and ML power spinning rod. So I suppose the environment the fish was caught in (weeds, open water, river current) does affect the quality of the fight, like @gimruis mentioned. The thing I've noticed with smallies is that no matter what size they are they like to jump clear out of the water, which makes the fight thrilling. Bigger 18"+ largies try to bury themselves in the weeds instead of going for massive leaps. Just my personal experiences though.

Dropshot, I only used it once this past year, and I have a nice pack of 4.5" roboworms just waiting to be used. Jerkbaits, I've never gotten a bass on one mainly because I almost never fish them Ned rig, just because it's supposed to be dynamite for pressured fish hanging out deeper but I haven't made a connection on a largie yet with one tied on