Drawdown

You ever use anything other than the “flipping” jig? I saw a good bit of “heavy cover” jigs and the like in 3/4oz+, but the design was so different I wasn’t sure of the application. I might try a 1oz football jig offshore this year.

Among the citrus drinks Squirt (Light Grapefruit Flavor) is my favorite. Buc-ee’s just started carrying it “on tap.”

Nothing like a good djezve of coffee. I have always liked it—Efendi has the cardamom in it, I think.

I’m trying to drink less coffee, now. But that’s mainly because I like it strong. I was brewing just under half a pot and drinking it all first thing until recently. The last cup had me feeling like I needed to give my heart a break. Just started a new job this week, so with that routine so far I’m at 1-1.5 cups in the morning. Then another cup around 3:00pm.

I don’t know if I’ll be successful with the baby brush hog at all. But I did get some in GP with a colored flake, too. Need to figure out how to retrieve them under different conditions. So I don’t think I’ll be able to blame the color. My experience isn’t long, but I have caught fish with Trick Worms in Old Purple, Black Grape, and with Speed Craws in Junebug. Candy Bug is somewhere on that spectrum.

Coming back to this to say Candy Bug is absolutely beautiful. Picked up a bag of baby brush hogs in this color, and can’t wait to see how it’ll do.

Fish smarter, not weirder.

Are there any truly un-mimicked plastics out there anymore?

With 100% certainty: Zoom UV Speed Craw Zoom Trick Worm 3.3” Keitech-style Swimbait (any brand) ——— Less than 100% certain: Berkley Pit Boss Zoom Fluke Jr. ——— May supplant one of the above by year’s end: Zoom Z-Drop Zoom Baby Brush Hog

This thread was a good reminder for me to treat mono better than fluoro

I don’t suppose there’s any decent options at a 3600 size?

Budget has since gone up. I’m strongly considering the BPS Panfish Elite for sale at $60. Just not sure what length to get—I can get 6’2”, 6’8”, or 7’2” in Light power. Probably go with a small Daiwa Regal for the reel or BPS Micro Elite. Guess 10lb braid to 4lb fluoro leader? Or should I do straight 4lb mono?

Yesterday was tough on the Hiwassee, with lots of brown water (though it actually rained on Friday). The key was finding the sections where visibility was higher—some areas were chocolate milk, others you could see 6-8”. And the fish I caught was shallow, in the rocks, and I caught it on a very slowly-twitched Texas rigged Zoom UV Speed Craw. With water temps in the low 50s and poor visibility, I probably wasted my time with moving baits; might have caught more if I’d switched to bottom contact sooner. When that water is 60+ degrees though, even in brown-green water, I’m expecting some good crankbait and chatterbait action—maybe I’m wrong.

Fall is Perfection

Fall is not a season I’ve figured out, but I love it. Sunset time, the bite is absolutely bonkers around grass in the Mid-South. Great time to smoke one on topwater. What to do in the time between sunrise and sunset is what I need to figure out. At least I know the bluegills in 15 fow are big and fight good! I like early spring (late February-middle of April) because the fish aren’t as pressured and there’s no pleasure boaters. By May it’s ridiculous around here. I’ve simply never fished in the winter. But I’m will plan on taking a pole with me on duck hunts.

Free shipping to store, brother! Funny, the link you posted was super saltwater-specific. My Chattanooga store ad is very different and bass-centric: https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/shop-our-catalogs?guideKey=FE2C4AEE-1446-44A8-9345-742C0B3DD507#catalog/spring-fishing-classic-39-thru-329-11-5513/page/1

I was definitely planning on getting 3/4oz double willows. Thought that intense TVA generation schedules at various times might make a Colorado blade better right off the river channel. One spot off a flat can be super clear, but then you find a deep current seam and suddenly visibility goes to almost nothing. What I really don’t understand is where tandems (outer willow, inner/front small Colorado) fit in. Clearer water with extra flash? I might get those in 1/2 oz for shallower work.

We pay all our credit cards every month, and as a result we get about $1,000 in cash back every year. Dave Ramsey only goes off about credit cards because for a lot of people, money spent by card doesn’t feel “real.” That’s just never been a problem for me. Anyway, I use a Cabela’s card occasionally. I’ll be able to take advantage of the better pricing. Berkley seemed to have some of the best discounts, besides BPS branded stuff.

Junebug is Grape and Green Flake, right? I imagine this is Grape + some other flake combination. (Junebug Red adds red flakes to the green, obviously).

If you’re fishing 12-15’ or deeper and you need that big thump to compensate for lower visibility, which of these weights are better for keeping that big blade from making the spinnerbait rise too quickly? Does anything else (other than the specs of the rod you have available) make you choose one over another? I’d expect the heavier you go, the more the blade spins on the drop. But other than that, I can’t think of anything.

I will for sure be getting a ton of these jigs. I love the 5/8oz. Any thoughts on the Vengeance deal? Might need a “truck rod” or a heavy if they make it.

I cannot even begin to imagine what a fight with a LMB of that size would be like. I’ve never caught anything north of 5lbs before, let alone 20. TN state record is less than 20. Hope the drag on my reel is set right if it ever happens.

Same. Guess I’m not close enough to Missouri to get it as fast as others

Going to be excited to check my mailbox today.

Panfish, warmouth, and Coosa bass on little creeks. May see some yellow + white bass and crappie action next winter. I saw that BPS and others have panfish-oriented combos around this price point, so I thought it may be a decent route for this, especially if something nicer goes on sale for $60 or less.