Drawdown

Considering getting a relatively cheap light power rod—and when I want to research them, I find that algorithms repeatedly bring up results for *ultra*light rods, instead. ? What combos have you done well with? I’m inclined toward getting something with a sale price clocking in under $50, and replacing the reel down the road if necessary with a Revros-class 1000-2000 size. I love fishing 1/16oz jigs with my ML—just want to be able to toss 1/32oz jigs with reasonable distance, too—with the ML I have to snap my wrist pretty good to get a 1/16oz to fly far enough, but it gets there. I know I need something “whippier” for those smaller jigs.

I think I’ll just pick up one color from my local shop. But which one…hmmm…and which hook?

Guess those appendages don’t need much weight to get going, like the Berkley Pit Boss does (one of my favorite jig trailers for a fast reaction bite, but I tend to throw a 5/8oz jig to get full effect). Nice to know you can scale the Brush hog back to 3/16 or 1/4oz of weight for a smoother presentation.

Never dabbled in wakebaits before. But I can think of some shallow areas they might kill around sundown in the summer/early fall.

Every time I see that color I can hardly believe a bass would want it. Just looks over the top, but clearly it does work. What’s the logic for when to use a color like this? It’s not only “garish,” but also insanely sparkly. Tinfoil is another bait color that comes to mind like this.

Could it be you’re copying the wrong code? There’s a different code for each price level. The one that gets you a $250 card won’t work on a sub-$200 rod, etc.

Welcome!

Seems February-early March is when everything red gets hammered around Chickamauga—that’s the word at the bait shop, anyway (year after year). I guess that’s the pre-pre-spawn. I need to get out there and test it for myself.

I’m honestly shocked they make a V-Max that heavy. I would think they’d make a 90 or 95 grain, tops.

For whitetails, I like shooting a plain soft point bullet, 150 or 180 grain, out of a .308 or .30-06. Nice to get a .60 caliber exit wound to drain the boiler room. Plenty of shock power for when shoulder shots are necessary to anchor them where they stand, too. 7mm REM Mag at Eastern woods ranges is almost too much damage, though the suddenness of their demise and lack of need to track is quite convenient. I hate hunting deer with a .223. Too easy to get no blood trail (with copper hollow points, at least—and I’ve heard the same from people using regular soft points). For some reason, deer I’ve seen hit with a .22-250 are a different story. Pretty devastating wound channels. I think just regular soft points.

Free Rig Baby!!! Never thrown it a day in my life. ?

I got some 1/4oz from Wal-Mart for $1 a pack. They put them next to the egg sinkers.

Bullet weight slides almost sideways because it’s shape makes a kink in the line.. There’s less “pitch” in the line, if you will. Especially with larger bullet weights. At least that’s my impression. But your point makes me realize I need to be cautious about how I take up slack with this method, and Texas rigs for that matter. Need to mess around in shallow water where the lure is visible, till I like what I see when re-establishing contact.

this from an old bridge, whose pilings are submerged and strike hulls at winter pool?

Got a great deal on VMC Nekos on MidwayUSA last year. They worked great. But since I was running low, I just picked up a pack of the Eagle Claw Nekos with Chris Zaldain’s likeness on them. The price is good, if nothing else—hope they’re as good as the Eagle Claw EWG’s they throw Jason Christie’s mug on.

I guess I’m hopeful that the free rig will be a better way to deploy a beaver style bait. Bigger plastics, generally. Might try it with an Ole Monster Worm, as well. Always looking for another way to fish Trick Worms and stick baits, too. I just don’t like how bullet weights heavier than 3/16oz slide. By the time you work up to a 1/2oz lead bullet weight, it looks horrible and flashy. And I don’t feel like shelling out $$ for tungsten unless it’s for punching weights.

I haven’t been at it long enough to give up on much. Still trying new things. Haven’t cared for Storm shads—the ones with the weight and mold inside the molded plastic. I prefer a 3.3” paddletail on a 2/0 1/8oz jighead. Swim jig has been one of my least productive presentations. I do better swimming an Arkie or skipping jig, or just using a Texas-rigged Zoom UV Speed craw (or YUM spine craw on a jig head if I’m not going to touch bottom). I like the drop shot, but so far have only caught fish with it from the bank. Haven’t used it enough from a boat.

There was a survey I saw someone cite on here a year ago, and they found that craw baits with no appendages got bit more than the ones with one or two attached. I interpret that as simply meaning the fish wanted a smaller profile, for whatever reason (whether they were stressed in a tank or it was one of those bright days with clear-ish water). That means less movement. So I suppose you could hang on to your busted craws and fish them like Ned rigs when they flappers aren’t doing it for their customers.

I want to try this, this year. I have plastics, hooks, and just bought 1/4 sinkers. Where/when are we deploying this over other options? Aside from the combo of fast —> slow, suspending drop, why throw it over a skirted jig, Texas rig, large Drop Shot, or even Carolina/split shot? Right now I think of it as something to throw at structure away from the bank…but maybe there’s an application near the bank, too. I have a vague sense it should be a good producer for me when pre-spawn happens. Maybe even before. But I don’t really have a grasp of where to throw it—and I did watch Glenn’s video awhile back (at least I could swear he made one) and liked the action on it. It’s just my TVA (SE Tennessee, usually from a boat) and Army Corps (NW Georgia, usually from the bank) lakes seem to be a bit different than the ones out West.

Begins March 9th through the end of the month.

I can answer the question from nearly 14 years ago…yes, raccoons catch live fish. You’ll go fishing at night and hear a splash on the shore—and there’s a raccoon with a bluegill in his hands.

I thought the same thing, especially on slow days. Probably going to put them on spinnerbaits to add some body.

I’ve got 90 YUM dingers headed my way! Thanks Jeff Bezos!!

If they’d known they were coming off a series of 50% coupons and Walmart clearances, they might realize run-of-the-mill clearance prices would be a letdown. ?

Huge part of the satisfaction of shopping is getting the deal, more than the stuff itself. A small price change like that ruins it.