Functional

Not to mention just having skill is not the only thing needed for someone to make it as a Pro. There are plenty of factors that keep great people out of the Pro level. Could be as simple as a personal choice not to sacrifice their family for the demands being a Pro will have. Doesnt make them any less skillful. This goes for a TON of sports and not just fishing.

Entirely possible lol. I realize it's not a science but a bit more than "the fish want to eat" would be nice. I'm sure there is more on habits and behavior than what's out in the general knowledge. Or maybe not!

Personally I'd like to hear more on the biology and different ecosystems and how it effects bass and more importantly forage habits. There is not much info on this and the info I can find is vague at best. I don't even care if it's a non pro fisherman and more of a biologist. Maybe mix it up between articles, q/a and video. Maybe a video/article once a month and 2 weeks after a q/a on the topic after people have had a minute to digest the information? I've got a boat full of crap and thousands of videos/articles on how to use baits. For me that would be the least thing I'd want more of. I also don't want to be peddled crap on here from people with a vested interest. I value people opinions on gear/lures here because it's real world experience and not what someone has to sell. Just my .02

I can tell you at least in the fishing I've done the past few weekends in NC, we are not in a fall pattern yet. Water temps still in the mid to low 80s. These cooler nights have been drawing them in closer for longer in the mornings but once the sun comes out and 9/10ish rolls around its back to pulling teeth in the summer pattern. personally, id try some of the faster moving stuff (spinner, chatter, buzz bait, crankbait) and top water like a walking bait or popper until late morning (or poor fishing) and then transition into the T-Rigs, jigs and a slow rolled spinner...possibly even a NED if I was desperate.

if spinners/chatters are your primary lures for this Im with MN Fisher. I have a Sierra Micro 7' Heavy/Fast (704c) and while powerful its got more of a moderate fast action to it. Its become my dedicated chatter/spinner rod and I have no doubt it would do fine with trebles. I paired it with 17lb mono and a daiwa fuego ct and its an excellent setup, havent lost a fish yet once it gets hooked (exception is Gar).

My parents came over for a long weekend and took my father out on the lake. Unfortunately for him the only strike he has broke his line. He doesn't believe in retieing and he was hung up quite a few times on light mono. He still thinks it was a toothy fish....lol Had a decent frog bite all day with my new SCUM frogs (my new love) and managed these two 4lbers with 3 or 4 2lb bass mixed.

I used to live in stormville NY, small town and small world. how old is your braid?

X4. If its got teeth, spikes or treble hooks the lip grippers and long pliers come out. Also agree its usually the small ones that cause the issue...brought my father to the ER with a popper hugging his hand because of a 1lb bass.

well, seems it might hold some water but nothing definitive. Interesting take on surfacing turtles being around structure, going to have to look into that more when I see some pop up. When the water temp cools a little and they start moving up into the fingers I may pay more attention to this and see if I can get an average with and without turtle sightings.

At this point I might be in my own head but I always find it cool to see turtles (in this case not snapping) on the water either swimming around or on logs. The past year or 2 I've been putting it together that the more turtles (lately any quantity of turtle) I see in the area I'm fishing the less likely I am to catch a bass. This has been across multiple lakes. Is there some type of connection there or am I just connecting dots that arent there and getting in my own way?

its tough everywhere. Once mid-late october roll around things are going to pick up again. My home lake water temp is still 86deg and no one is pushing up into the cove/creeks yet.

Dobyns sierra micro 704c w/ Diawa fuego CT - Dedicated spinnerbait Quantum Smoke (1st gen) ML and Smoke reel - Dedicated Ned Rig Everything else will depend on the season/day.

reels, it has to fit my hand for the technique I need it for. Throwing any moving or topwater i'm not palming it, anything bottom contact I am. If the profile fits my hand for it then the brand is fair game. Rods, out of about 12-15 I have no more than 2 per brand. Line, I've been pretty set of Trilene XL, Seguar and PP Slick but been wanting to string up some Armilo to see how it compares. It's just what works, im open to anything though. I'm more about needs/function/fit/price than brand.

Despite looking forward to fall fishing I absolutely cannot wait to introduce my daughter to fishing and shooting in another year or 2. Aside from that I look forward to consistently being able to call conditions and expected fish locations. I can do it sometimes but not consistently enough for me to feel like I have a good base on my lakes. Also....after 35 years I finally took my hunter safety course! Looking forward to giving it a go and no longer having to swindle deer meat from my buddies.

I think you might have just invented a whole new hobby.... SIM rounds for "hunting". Deer therapy will be a new job market by the PITA folks so I guess it will help the economy also!

Welp, I finally doubled up. Around 6/7 every night it seems the water boils with all the shad balling up at the surface. Thought I'd try a different approach and throw a kvd sexy dawg and caught 3 total by got my first double up. Small fellas but I'll take it!

Hit comes tomorrow! Will be out for 2 days this weekend so the wife (and me) are very pleased. As far as strobes go... what ones and how are you mounting it to the pfd that are auto activated? I see mustang offers the ACR that's water activated but I can't figure out where it would mount and be visible when the pfd inflates.

I only use it on 2 rods, both spinning. Once dedicated to ned rigs and another for my light bottom contact stuff. 15lb braid to 6-10lb floro. Everything else is straight mono or floro.

at least around here I've noticed the bite picks up the most mid to late october. Weve had some consistently cool nights lately so I'm hoping the 2 days of fishing I have planned this weekend go well.

went there once for a week in august on a little aluminum boat with 5hp motor. I was on the main finger about 1/2 way up and it was tough. The bites/fish I did get were decent and came around rip rap and docks on points. Id say just about every fish came on a shaky head with 10" worm in either white or purple. I hear down on the lower finger around Bull Run is the better finger for bass but I cant really say much other than that. EDIT: The reason for that if I remember right is bull run had more grass. I couldnt find a lick of grass up in the area I was at.

Interesting. Makes a lot of sense now. Appreciate the info! Looking forward to giving her a spin this weekend.

Was at my local tackle shop and scored a 73MHFB Kage for $99. Went to look it up on TW before I bought it to see the components compared to some of the other rods they had sales on and noticed its not even listed anymore. Looked further and just about everywhere is out of stock. No mention on Diawa's site but makes me wonder if they dropped the Kage line? Everything I've seen on the Kage line has been very positive but might not be justified over the cork Tatula...possible poor sales?

I have way too many double jointed black jitterbugs than I care to admit. from 7pm to 7am thats all me and my father would throw on our all night trips and used to have good limits each every time.

I just prop my phone up on a seat or against the console and set a timer, take a few steps back with the fish and away she goes. You can always get a phone holder and mount it on your canoe or kayak and do the same fairly easily without resorting to shelling out money for a go-pro.