Bazoo

I appreciate all the replies and insight! I've never been very adventurous when it comes to trying new colors both in soft plastics and in hard baits. I've always used Green Pumpkin, White, and Black, for soft plastics. Other colors I've tried just didn't seem to work. I went down to the river yesterday evening and got a Goggleeye on the new color. It was a pretty slow bite for me yesterday. But there was a lot of other people fishing that section too.

I noticed that Yum baits are slimier than that Zoom. Neither stay that way very long though.

I think Crappie are my favorite as a species, they are beautiful! But I think this Gar was my favorite bycatch so far.

I ran out of Zoom Finesse Worms in Green Pumpkin and went looking for more, but they were out. I found something close, but with red flecks; Watermelon Red. What's everyone else's experience with similarly colored soft plastics? Are the red flecks great or not? Have you ever experienced a time that switching from a bait with red flecks to one without, or without red flecks to one with, has changed the bite?

I feel like going old school makes a person a better fisherman. The only problem is that there isn’t any way to tell bottom structure. However, fishing is one way. Course that takes time. The more time spent fishing the better fisherman you become.

I've mentioned my heavily pressured local lake, Freeman Lake, in the past, and as I continue to figure out the secrets of success there, I've been doing a lot of pondering. I noticed when I use braided line on my spinning rod, it makes a sound as the line goes through the guides, and as it has pressure on it when I'm reeling it in. So I surmise that the fish also hear this sound. Further, I surmise, that though I cannot hear a sound, monofilament fishing line also makes a sound. I assume that fluorocarbon does as well. All making different sounds, and the sounds probably vary somewhat between brands/types/weights. I've seen it said when fish are heavily pressured, that you should downsize your line and rig. I always thought of downsizing the line for the physical visibility of the line, but it just recently occurred to me, that the reduction in the sound of the line might be the true reason a smaller line is preferable. What's everyone else think?

This is interesting to me because I don't use any of the technology listed here. First, I don't have a boat suited to it, but second, I don't think I'd really like. I enjoy learning about bass habits and habitat though, and I am always thinking of structure and how fish react to it. While I know not embracing the technology will limit my catch, I think I'm happier this way. That's awesome, thanks for sharing. I've never seen or heard of one.

Very interesting discussion. I don't have the need for a small takedown rod, but a 2 piece would be something I have in the past needed. I have a Chevy tracker, which I don't drive, and it's too small for my normal sized rods. I have been thinking about what to do should I want to drive it... since I don't have any takedown rods, save for a cheap zebco for casting and a Rhino tough for spinning.

Nice morning and beautiful spot. Thanks for sharing. I like to take time to enjoy the scenery as well. Often times, from the bank, there are flowers and butterflies. Just yesterday I was enjoying watching the bluegill in the shallows follow my minnow around. Sometimes me and the boy will throw them a few live worms, they always want that for some reason! Whenever they won't take what I'm offering, I fish it more furiously! Then I try other stuff, often not finding what they want. I'm still figuring out how to figure out what they want when the old standbys ain't working.

Howdy from the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Today I had success with a split shot rig using a yum minnow, first success with both of those. Plus had one on a Roostertail, which I've never really used. This was my first bass, last year I caught a crappie on one. And I had my first fish on a jig, a swim jig. Interesting the way the bite felt. Pictures will be forthcoming.

Same kind of thing happens when hunting, someone will shoot a 6 point deer, or a 4, and someone else says he'd have been a good one in a few years. Every deer is a trophy deer though! I try to take the time to look at and admire, and take a picture of every fish I catch, even the small sized ones.

Thanks Pat, How far do you walk it before a pause?

Whoa... that's a dagnabid monster! What'd it weigh? 7ish?

I don't suppose you have the link to that article/study? That'd be interesting. I asked before reading page 2, sorry.

Nice. That top one is my style, absolutely perfect! ------------------------------------------------------------- I don't have a green thumb, very nice Katie! I do have a God-given talent for woodworking, and I have a keen interest in knives. I dabble a bit in knife tinkering, but not actually making them. Mostly refurbishing old knives or making new handles. I rehafted this for a friend, and made the sheath. Added scales to this little buck 135 and removed the hump. Locust and maple for this Goldenspike. I refurbished this one, using all original parts. Working on a sheath here. I'm trying out a new sheath style for this Buck... Eh... not enough shirt guard or retention. I dyed the scales on the Case stockman pictured above. It was bonestag. It has a lot more pocket wear now. I carry it constantly, and use it regularly when changing lures, instead of a line snipper. I love my traditional knives. I enjoy whittling. Working on a lure is just a bonus. All the hardware was in excellent shape. Still waiting on paint. I like to whittle Christmas ornaments. Locust. I do spoons and scoops too. Locust, cedar, and cherry. This was for my mom, as a Christmas gift, with the knife pictured.

I'd say for me it's 90% land ratio. Most often if I lose one it's on a crankbait, but I fish crankbaits a lot too.

Since we're on the subject of Spit'n Images... what's everyone's favorite colors? I've only ever used the Tennessee Shad color, like pictured, or the new one with purple back.

I got a couple larger ones there. This one weighed 2lb5oz. This one weighed 2lb9oz, and came on a Pocket Frog on the corner where myself and others that do fish it will always fish. I'm still experimenting at this lake, fishing it at least 2 times a week, Wednesday and Sunday, before/after church. So far... I have had very little success with a spinnerbait, which I find somewhat odd. I have caught 1 I think. I've also not had any success with a jig there.. but that's coming. I've had a few on the Carolina rig which I'm learning, and loving!

This came from a private lake. Hard won Carolina rigged bass at a heavy pressured local lake, right by the boat dock where everyone else tries. Private lake again. Practicing my Carolina riggin' Trying out a new color... eh.. This one was the only one for a few hours at a local reservoir. I think everyone likes this color better. Private lake again... a few minutes before bible study on Wednesday produced this one. We went back after bible study for a bit, and it was raining, and I coaxed a few more. Got this one right before I left, right at dark. I had to walk over to the car for my wife to take the picture. That one was rough on my already raw thumb. This is the next day at the local heavy pressured lake. Carolina riggin' is paying off there.

Nice. I'd like to know more about that technique to hold 2 bass with one hand... It appears you're holding one with the index finger in his mouth, and pinched against the other bass' lip? That orange/red on the tail of the last pic... was it that color or was that some type of reflection. If it was colored like that, that's wild!

Those are some classy rigs right there. Probably the classiest fishing rods and reels I've ever seen.

That gives me a great idea, to make one larger! Thank you. I've been working on making a wooden version, almost identical in size, so I have a non-rattling version, and just to see how it performs. I never considered making a larger one to aid in the technique I described. Oddly, I've never had any luck when walking the dog with it. I always work it slow, giving it jerks on top, and letting it cut sideways. That has always worked pretty well for me. Got these the other day fishing in the rain with my aforementioned slow sideways walk. Does that retrieve have a name? My friend gave me this old Spit'n Image the other day, that I gave him some years ago. I had a new one, but gave it to a gent at the lake last fall.

Interesting opinions and suggestions. I’ve not tried any of the very large handles. Perhaps I should. The handle on my Quantun Drive spinning is somewhat uncomfortable. I find myself holding it at the end of the handle and it’s flared there which makes it uncomfortable.

Nice. Glad to hear you have relief, at least on that side. For a while, I had a wrist sprain and I had to be very careful. Makes fishing less fun.