Harold H

Cast net, get all the free bait you need. Live shad are fragile but very good bait, checkout Brandon Lester on youtube, he has some tips on how to keep them healthy longer

A lot of pb's are caught in winter, I think the key with colder water, at least where I'm at, is to fish in the afternoon when the surface temp is higher, shallow water next to a steep dropoff, is a prime target. Fish will stay in the deeper water, then when the sun is up in the afternoon, they'll swim up into the shallows to feed, then swim back deep when the sun goes down.

When water temps steadily are at 55+, it's go time

Live bait. Live bait will usually show you what you're dealing with. Also checkout the Bobby Garland Slab Hunt'r 2.25 inch. Pair that with a crappie magnet 1/16 jig head, trim the collar off, it's a size 3 hook and this bait swims phenomonally https://youtu.be/QaoHBMeCbqc?si=_hxb6w8W4sJ-0cmA

I read somewhere that male black crappies eat 33% more malocostrocans during the spawn, I would think that bass will key on on crawdads at certain times of the year. And some say their lips turn red when theyre eating craws. I'm not certain why their lips turn red

Craw imitations do well in rivers. I like a Strike King Rage Craw and a a Rebel craw crankbait

Those are epic smallmouth bags. I've never caught a smallmouth, going to make that a goal this year. I watch NDYak angler on Youtuble and he hammers some nice smallmouth, but he's in an untapped part of the country as well

Butch was in California, can't catch monsters like that if they're not around, haha. But at least he caught them actually fishing unlike that scumbag Mike Long that deceived the bass world for years and was finally caught snagging bass with a big treble hook Bro, those are nice bass. When they have that white ring around their eyes, they've been around a while

Caught my pb on a Zebco Slingshot with 8 lb big game mono, cheap line, cheap rod and reel. The fish don't care how much something costs or how nice it is, if it works for you and catches fish, that's all that matters

Aint nobody beatin this guys bag:

They sell split ring packs on Amazon that has those in it

Check these out: https://www.artlineworld.com/products/artline/special/iregui/elf_f.html

Here's a marker for coloring lures, I haven't tried it yet but want to get the black marker for drawing stripes on minnow baits https://www.artlineworld.com/products/artline/special/iregui/elf_f.html

I'd like to get good at topwater fishing this year, I've always been a chuck and winder, not much patience for working a lure slow. Even worm fishing I just cast and retrieve. But I've seen my buddy hammer some nice bass on a Berkley Choppo with a twitch twitch pause so I'm probably gonna get a Maverick Choppo for this year. Whats funny is I gave my buddy the Choppo, sat on his living room table forca month before it became one of his favorite lures, lol

I'm usually not hungry or thirsty when fishing, too focused on fishing. But a good turkey cheddar sandwich and some Utz plain chips take care of a growling stomach

Wow, homemade lures work well!!

What's your best bass on a homemade lure?? Caught this fish on a homemade underspin with a powerbait 4" black grub. I deconstructed a beetle spin to make the lure

Here's my live bait setup. Consists of a snelled 1/0 Gamakatsu trailer hook on 15 lb big game mono, a #7 barrel swivel, a 1/2 egg sinker, a Thill 4" big fish slider float, a bead, and a stop knot. My leader is a little long here but I just open the mouth of my bluegill and hook through a nostril, preferablly in the same nostril I hooked it in when I caught it. Throw that little guy out there and let it swim around until a big bass takes it down. I wait about 5 seconds while the bobber is down before I set the hook. Can also use big black salties if availablein your area, also juvenile bass work well. Just another tactic for catching buckets, when they've seen every lure under the sun, it's still difficult for them to pass up a lively kicking morsel

Try fishing without a trailer if you haven't before, might notice a difference

This year I'm slangin live goldfish and 3" to 4" bluegills under a slip float. The biggest bass i've hooked into was on live bait twice, same fish, guessing it was over 12 lbs in a pond. Backing that up with a 7" power worm t rigged with an 8th oz sinker and a Rapala shallow shad rap

You'll do way more damage cranking on their jaws imo. I love some Bill Dance but good Lord no telling how many bass jaws he's crippled the way he handles them. Smaller fish it's okay, but once they get over 3 lbs it's best to try and lift them straightup and not jack the jaw open. Once the jaw is injured it becomes difficult to feed. I've caught the same bass 3 times out of a pond so I know c&r works if done properly

Jack bag

I finally figure out how to post pics, here's a few fish I caught on cut bluegill with Pro Cure Shad gel smeared on. A fat channel cat, a deformed bass, and a 4 lb bullhead. All within a few days in less than 50 degree water. Did the Pro Cure make difference?? Who knows, but I'm not taking any chances

Caught this momma on a January afternoon, first time ever being at that spot