wickyman

I personally throw my frog on a 6'6 MH fast action, and it's nice as heck! The only reason to have a longer rod, is to have more leverage when setting the hook... I don't need leverage, just a lot of strength! lol You can use anything for a frog rod, just throw it on whatever you like. Whoever said you needed to throw a certain bait, on a certain rod, is a tool! lol

Personally, the line color doesn't matter. The fish is more than likely not going to see it, as it zips by them, as to what is on the end of it. If you think about it, a fish's eye is less reformed than our, and cannot filter things at more than 5 feet in front of them, in murky water, and maybe double that if the water is completely clear. This is an unlikely case though. Has anyone seen water so clear, that it could be used as a magnifying glass? I haven't. But just use lighter line, and a good presentation, as warrior said, and you should see more strikes. I really only like red lines, or lines that have a heat reactive property that allows you to better see it in light conditions. Vanish by Berkley, is some of the best line for seeing, especially in light line necessary conditions. I use 4lb when crappie fishing, and it is just awesome and clear in the water, but very visible to the eye!

My shimano sojourn rods are pretty good, and at a meer 25 bucks a piece, have both exceeded my needs. I have 2 6'6 rod, one spinning, the other casting. I love the way they feel, especially when you have a fish on! They are tough! Broke the tip on my spinning and just popped on another, it's now a 6'4-1/4", but still just as sensitive, as before. Great rods, on the cheap!

Pop it apart on the side, and oil everything with one drop on each moving piece, and try again. I would assume that something, like a pin or something, has somewhat seized. See if you can see anything in any of the gears, if you do, try to remove, or clean it as best as you can. GL!

Lime green is such an awesome visible color, in the water! I really like that bait. The other two are d**n near my favorite shad color!

It really seems like a nice reel. I have to say that it is definitely a nice reel, in your palm, and your arm won't get tired from cast to cast. 8.0 oz. is all it weighs. It's a graphite frame, so it's pretty strong. The only thing I don't like, is the plastic covers, but they are replaceable. I don't know much about the extreme, but I am sure you just push the logo, and lift up to remove the side plate?

Got line on it yesterday, and just put on a smaller swim bait. Hope to fish it later tonight, when the father in law gets home. As far as it looking pretty, it sure does, but it feels great also, with a little weight on the end, it feels pretty nice, also. I was a little skeptical, and was actually looking at several other reels. Right now, my price range was low, and I needed a smooth reel, with anti reverse. I am using an abu garcia maxxar from way back in the early 90s. 1991, actually, but it does the job effortlessly, just not that smoothly... Both reels weigh about the same, but the BPS reel has 3 times the bearings, and one of them is for the anit-reverse! Which is way better! I will give a review after a couple times out.

This is an absolutely amazing, and smooth reel, for the price! I paid $46 and change, and this thing has to be the smoothest reel, I have ever felt! I messed around with a pinnacle 13 bearing reel, at walmart, just 2 weeks ago, ordered this BPS bionic on the Sunday after that, and will never look back! Has anyone else used it? Do you agree with me? It just needs the line, and a hog on the end of it! lol I would recommend this reel to anyone, who wants something light, fast, and cheap! It definitely gets an A+ from me!

I wasn't aware that they were able to capitalize on that name. I thought SK had some kind of trademark, or copyright on it? Anyhow, yeah, I have also seen several variations, but not by the same name. It's cool though! I learned something new!

KVD is cool for having sexy shad made, on his baits. As far as I know, though, you can order the sexy shad from bass pro shops. I cant remember which company makes it though... It's not lucky craft, but they have a variation that they call chartreuse shad. Looks similar. I like those, they look good, really love the shad! Edit: Just found it, it's made by strike king. http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10151&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&partNumber=29848&hvarTarget=search&cmCat=SearchResults

You could. Not usually do people use that, but you could use it for a temporary application. Only problem with using a polyurethane, is the fact that you will have to keep applying it after every 5 coats or so, since polyurethane is a plastic base, and there for, will melt along with the plastics you pour...

Clear Lake, ca. It's about 120 miles north of you guys. Bass capitol of the world. Nuff said! lol

I also like the green one. It's a pretty cool looking color. Both baits, are exceptional, as always! If those things are so small, how do you paint your name on it? lol That must be a task, that takes pixies and fairy dust! lol

I wait 3 seconds, reel in, and set the hook, but usually, I miss it because of the fact that the fish never inhales the bait deep enough, for me to set the hook! lol It usually comes shooting out of the water, and landing somewhere in my vicinity. I heard that bending the hooks up, will help with this issue, but I have yet to do that... Thought I did last year, and it looks stock... DOH! So I might try that, if it will help...

Also, the lateral line, along with many other spots surrounding that, is also a give away. Where you find them could also be a dead give away. Largemouth seem to keep to structure, including trees, under lilly pads, and usually near, or under docks, or other man made structures. A spotted bass will look for deeper water, but can be found in shallower water when spawning. The color variations are also dead give aways. Largemouth: Golden olive, to a deep forest green, with a single lateral line. Depending on water color, the lighter the scales, the more murky the water is, I.E. not as much light getting through. The darker, the more light in the water, meaning it's almost, or is completely clear. Spotted: Same goes for the spotted bass, but you will notice that many of them are darker in color because of the fact that they tend to go wherever the water is best, which is usually a clearer water, further out towards the middle of the lake. Also, the bottom jaw only extends to the front of the eye, not the middle, like a largemouth. The spotted bass, is also not nearly as large as the largemouth bass. They typically don't reach sizes above 8lbs, but you, "WILL" probably find one bigger, depends on the water conditions, the age of the fish, etc. We actually had someone catch one recently, that was almost 10 lbs! That's a huge spot, to me at least... Hope some of that information helps. I have had the same question as how to identify the fish too, as we have largemouth, and spotted, and a Florida hybrid strain, out here on Clear Lake, Ca.. Just look for those similarities when you catch a fish, and you should be able to recognize them rather quickly. ciao, Wickyman

Harsh reality is, that no matter how hard you try, with a gut hook, that fish will almost always die. I had this issue with trout... They almost always swallow the hook, not a huge deal because my father ate them, or froze them for later, so the issue was just watching your fingers when you gut it. Bass are a great resource for food, when all else fails, especially in a survival situation. I haven't ever had this happen to me, I usually hook a gill on the inside, or outside, or the lips. Then again, I am pretty much away from tiki sticks lately. What size hook do you use? I am using 3/0 wide gap lazer sharps, usually much too big for the fish to inhale, unless you find a rare whopper. If you are really this worried about the hook embedding itself in the gullet of the fish, maybe try something with a couple treble hooks? It sounds much harder than a worm, and hook, but it usually saves you a lot of time and effort... Unless you are me, and hook a fish in the top jaw, and bottom of that same jaw, with both hooks... Then it takes a little more time! lol Either way, chances are, if you don't catch a fish by the jaw, lips, or whatever you call them, they are usually going to die... Harsh reality of nature. They are built to withstand only so much from their environment. Just think of it, as a viable food source for other animals, or organisms, without which, the bass would end up dying anyhow. They all go back to the earth, from which they came from, and life continues for the rest of the fish. Don't let it get you down, just enjoy, you did a good thing by giving the fish to someone whom used it!

Figured out the issue. No big deal. Added a trailing hook to it. Pretty easy set up, and it's 100% custom! You won't probably find one like this, even if you wanted. Gonna try to make some more, and see how they work out, for friends and family... Who knows, maybe find my niche in the market...

Not yet, just really been feeling artistic, but I also have a lot of faith, that they will run true. I do everything per scaling, and drafting. But, not always does that work great either. I really just do it for the heck of it! lol I will be testing out, "Godzilla Thrilla" which is my 7" 4oz. swim bait. I think that it should work great. Got the lip set to run about 3-4 feet, or so I hope. If not, it looks pretty cool. I can always do something else artistic with it. If I had the tools, I would reproduce things, at a later date, when I knew it would work. I am limited to files, a dremel, and hand saws... lol Everything is good old elbow grease... I will try out that swim bait next time I am out, and let you guys know how it comes out.

I am definitely going to keep at it. Have been trying to carve out some that look more realistic. The one I did yesterday looks alright, not to my perfection, but it will probably work, once I paint it up. It really takes a skill to just carve out gills, and scales... Then I also did a mouth, talk about a PITA! lol But yeah, keeping at it, is always the key, I can see improvement over my first baits. Need to work on the realistic stuff again, though...

I went fishing last night, and got all sorts of blow ups, and strikes, but I couldn't land any... I wasn't able to set the hook, and I was wondering what I was doing wrong? Is there any rule of thumb, as to how, or when to set the hooks on a plastic frog? I really am a little irritated that the 7 fish that blew up on it, didn't take it all the way... Is it possible that the leg strands are too long? Thanks for any help you can provide.

Man, last night was a great night for top water on Clear Lake, out here in cali. I didn't catch anything, but had a ton of blow ups. Had the weeds been less, I would have have tossed out a pop r, but I was throwing a river 2 sea frog, with lime green on top, and white on the belly.

Got out pretty decently, early. Hit the lake at around 9:45 a.m., and had very little luck, when we got there, until about 1 p.m.. My father in law landed 3, 1-2lbers on drop shot, with a watermelon candy finesse worm. We ran all over the place near lakeport, and back to konocti harbor. Before we went back to the boat ramp, I wanted to hit, "cat fish alley" so we did. Went all the way to the back with a crank bait, and nothing, had had nothing all day on it, too many weeds, and just a couple followers. Switched to a watermelon metallic red flake, and hit a patch of duck weed, where I got a blow up! Weird as heck! So I switch to my bait caster, and a lime green frog, with white belly. BOOM! Same fish, big blow up. I got nothing else there, moved to the other side, and threw about 45 times, burning the surface once, then slowly pulling across the surface, and BOOM! Again I am surprised to see this... Most action this frog has seen, in the last season! Caught nothing on it last, but then again, I bought it last season, too! I got nothing else, so we docked up, and loaded the boat, but just before that, I casted about 10 times off the dock. BOOM! Again, just as the lure hits the water, couldn't even set the reel in motion to set it, so I grabbed the line in the spool, and set the hook... Or so I thought. The fish spit it out, and I got jacked into a load of weeds. Alls good! I throw is a few more times, and get a smaller boil on it, but no serious action. Nothing else, loaded the poles, and came home. All in all, I think it was a great day, spent with the father in law. Got to know him a little better. He is my favorite fishing buddy, as he doesn't talk all that much crap, about who, or whoever doesn't catch the most fish. It's cool, because we joked a lot, and had a great day. Hope it's better next time! Need me a hog this year! Or a toad, as others call it! Thanks for reading my experience! Enjoy!

This was just what I was looking for! Saved me a lot of time, and effort. I am lazy as a sloth after dinner!

I have to admit, that the bait monkey never really, has had a hold on me... I usually pimp slap the hell out of that little guy, and tell him to go back to his closet! Maybe someone should start a BMA (bait monkey anonymous) or something? lol

You are having the same issue I am, there, basschump. I am a pretty experienced fisherman, and not catching the fish I need. I don't understand what is happening on the lake I fish, clear lake ca., but it's irritating! Who knows what the deal is? It's pretty much due to the weird weather patterns we are having, lake conditions after our last tournaments, etc. They say that after a tournament, on our lake, that the fishing is typically bad..... it's a 140,000 acre lake! lol They couldn't have been fishing the whole thing, and not that hard! Just relax, take the day to find the fish. Sometimes the best fishing, is just spent "sight fishing". You never know where they might be, especially with wind, rain, clouds, etc. if you have a cloudy day, early in the morning, and the water is between 60-70 degrees, hit the shallows. Usually bass will hold here and feed, in turn, making a top water great! Same goes for cranks, and reverse that for evening! gl with it, and remember, it's not about catching a ton of fish, it's catching those that get your heart pounding like it's going to burst from your chest!