33oldtimer

I generally like small jigs, and often have good luck swimming them with a bit of Alabama Shake. 3/16-1/4 oz size. But with the muddy/stained water I've moved to bigger jigs to move more water, giving them small hops and twitches. Caught a few bass doing that lately with all the rain we've had. 5/16-3/8 oz.

Spinnerbait Texas Rigged Ribbon-Tail Worm Skirted Jig Drop Shot Ned

The seminars are sometimes good. Saw many people buying rods, must have been some deals on those. I went to buy some higher quality lures than you can pick up at your local Walmart. Hand tied jigs and spinnerbaits, a few nice trailers. Just enjoyed being among lots of people who enjoy fishing. Taking a break from one of the worst winters so far since the 1970s by focusing on fishing for awhile.

To chill out this year. No stress, worry, or anxiety about fishing. Fishing in many areas is far tougher than it once was due to fishing pressure. You can drive yourself crazy trying to catch fish when they just aren't biting. Sometimes you throw everything in the tackle box at them and they just don't bite. It can leave you frustrated and stressed out after awhile. I'm determined to chill out this year.

Almost exactly the same as yours. Mid 40s, little to no wind, prefer it be sunny at that temp.

I keep telling myself I should be catching bass left and right with them but they have not worked for me this year. Spinnerbaits and Swimjigs have done well, but fish a bladed jig fast or slow no luck. I've used fluke trailers and swimbait trailers, different color and size Chatterbaits. I haven't given up on it, but my interest is definitely flagging.

Love Spinnerbaits. 6.4 reel speed. I like a Medium Rod on 3/16 - 1/4 oz Spinnerbaits unless around heavy cover. MH Rod anything bigger than that. I like to slow roll them most of the time. 12# mono is my line of choice.

I experimented with numerous knots last year and finally landed on the Uni Knot. Since then I use it for everything except drop shots where a Palomar works better. From heavy frog fishing on braid to ultralight panfishing I've not found anything that works better. Any other Uni Knot fans?

Big Game on my Baitcasters and most of my Spinning reels. But Stren where I need to see the line easily. On my ultralight rigs I use Vicious, Mr. Crappie, or cheap Zebco Omniflex. This afternoon using an ultralight rig for panfish while bank fishing I snagged a large tree branch with a 1/32 oz jig and Omnflex 4# line. I kept pulling it waiting for the line to snap but it slowly pulled in that huge branch until I got it to the bank. The line was shot but it never broke Mono + Uni Knot is pretty much unbreakable.

I use them often. Like a finesse Spinnerbait. I usually change the plastic out for a paddle tail or curly tail grub. Last year I caught an 18" bass in a pressured city pond with a 1/16 oz Beetlespin and a white & chartreuse curly grub plastic.

1/4-1/2" below the hook.

1. Spinnerbait 2. bladed jig 3. Skirted Jig 4. Texas Rig Weightless Stick Bait 5. Fluke 6. Texas Rigged Beaver Style Plastic 3/16 oz weight 7. Top Water Frog 8. Finesse Worm 4" Split Shot Rig 9. Finesse Worm 4" Drop Shot Rig 10. Rage Swimmer Swimbait 1/8 oz Jig Head

Not an expert, but I don't think you'd go wrong with moderate or fast action. Medium Heavy gives you enough backbone to set hooks on anything. I've used a medium heavy to catch bass on top water frogs and on small Texas Rigged lures. Moderate Action might be better for open hook lures like spinnerbaits and especially crankbaits, but if you adjust your hook set both fast and moderate action should do the job IMHO.

Not sure about really high water. But I used to hate muddy water--now I love it. As long as it is not Cold Muddy Water. Bass will come up shallow and you can drop a stick bait a few feet off of the bank and catch them. Great for bank fishermen.

How is the fishing pressure on that pond? I have a pond I fish with terrible fishing pressure. But it has some nice size bass in it and persistence can pay off.

3/16 oz Bitsy Bug works for me.

Yum Dingers

That guy is a national treasure.

Needed this. Thanks!

I often have short trips like this, either to a couple nearby ponds or the river. I stick pliers in my back pocket. Usually take two rigs, one with a search bait like a spinnerbait, the other with a soft plastic, usually a stick bait. I put a bag of soft plastics in my pocket and hit the water. Feels nice to keep it simple and bonus if I catch a fish. I cover water fairly quickly.

I grew up using mono and never had an issue with it. A few years ago I put braid to a leader on nearly all my combos. I liked it initially, but then started having problems. I heard a noticeable crack in one of my rods when I snagged a rock with a jig. That not having any stretch in the line bit me. Then I lost a fish because the braid had a tiny nick I hadn't noticed. Then lost another fish as my double uni knot on the leader let loose while reeling a fish in. Soon realized I was badly missing my old reliable mono. I use mono for everything now except top water frog & toad. I never worry about a big fish on light line coming off. I've caught big catfish while fishing with 6# mono for panfish. I see guys on youtube breaking off fish all the time with flouro. My mono knots hold. Mono takes a beating without breaking. That "stretch" in mono is not a bad word in my book. Heavier mono stretches less and I use that on my heavier rigs. My two cents.

Use whatever is comfortable and works for you. I didn't use baitcasters until a few years ago and got along fine with spinning reels and Zebco 33s. I like baitcasters for heavier lures, faster retrieves, fishing heavy cover.

In the bags. Handy just to stick a bag of flukes or stick baits in my back pocket when fishing for just a little while.

I share your frustrations. I stopped fishing for about ten years because of health problems. I restarted after Covid. I was shocked that my old fishing spots, where I could nearly always catch a fish, were overloaded with people and the bass were in hiding from constantly getting hammered with lures. I couldn't get a bite on the same lures I always caught fish on in the past. I don't have an easy answer for you. What I have done and am doing is using live bait during the worst of times and seasons. By mid-summer fishing is almost entirely with finesse lures. People aren't wanting to tell you much because they are having the same issues. Most youtube videos where they seem to catch fish left and right are after 8 hours on the water and much editing. Or even a couple days of fishing spliced together. I love Jimmy Houston, he doesn't try to fool anyone. Watched his video the other day and he said he had been sitting there for three hours without a bite before he finally caught a fish. Another thing with professional fishermen is that they are often masters with just a few lures from many years of practice. My son in law is a professional fisherman and like him, one of my favorite lures is a spinnerbait. He can skip a spinnerbait around like other professionals skip wacky worms. He drops that thing in cover with the blades barely spinning and pulls out monsters. He works a spinnerbait in ways I likely never will. Find what you are good at and build on that. And give yourself a break, these are tough times to fish in. I try to enjoy just being outdoors in God's great creation. I don't always catch fish, but I have seen eagles, otters, had deer practically walk up to me, and much more just by being outside.

Big Game is my favorite Mono. But I like something a bit less stiff for some lures like Crankbaits. For those I like Stren or Contra Mono.