ElGuapo928

Strike King series 4 is one of my favorites, especially for probing shallowish-mid depth structure. I would also consider a Fat Rap over the DT6 in that depth range, as they dive just a little bit deeper and deflect off obstacles better than the DT’s in my experience. Crankbaits are a wonderful wormhole to dive into - too many are never enough!

Good to know!!

I looked at them, I like the concept, but I couldn’t bring myself to buy them. Aside from being content with my usual skipping baits, I honestly try to avoid purchasing anything under the GSM umbrella.

Hold on to them!! I’ve still got a few packs in black grape, grape and strawberry. These are saved for tournament use, when it’s time to go after the kicker fish. 12” Jelly Worm on a 5/0 Ryugi EWG with a 1/8oz weight is the deal in the summer. Strawberry when it’s sunny and calm, grape along the tire walls at the marina, black grape at night in the shallows. I pray that the rumors of Johnny Morris buying what was left of Mann’s are true, and that he brings back some of the OG Mann’s lineup.

I was taught that when you see anything you suspect is a suspended school under a bait ball, the first thing you do is drop a Little George (or more current options like a Jackall Deracoup) through the school and slowly yo-yo it several times. Something about a tailspinner helicoptering down triggers them to grab it.

I used to have an old Bass Pro buzzbait, I don’t remember the model name but it was the ones with the plastic 4-wing blade - it had a “perfect” bend in it and would do a lazy “S” curve on the retrieve. That thing got hit like gangbusters. I lost it in the brush and never could duplicate that action, but I swear that if I could, I could get rich off of it.

I’ve got a friend that does something similar, but his choice of bait is a 4” glide bait. He will let it sit forever between twitches and picks up some good fish doing this. I’m patient, but not THAT patient.

Never been into a Minn Kota, but have done a complete rebuild on a couple of Motorguides and an Evinrude. They aren’t bad at all to work on, take pictures as you go on disassembly. Good opportunity to clean things up, and put some silicone grease on all the seals and moving parts. If you don’t have one, get one of those silicone/magnetic collapsible parts trays. It’s a virtual guarantee that any screw or piece dropped will be next to impossible to source a replacement for.

My big worm colors are: Red Shad - evenings and early morning, overcast. Fire and Ice or Plum - sunny conditions Black/blue flake - night

Have you tried the Gulp Sandworm? My boys love rigging them on a short dropshot (6”-ish drop), and they clean house on yellow bass, bluegills, dink bass and the occasional small channel cat.

One of our “co workers” out here

I don’t know about sensitivity so much, but I have always thought that I had better “feel” with a short rod. When the 5’6” Lightning Rod with the 4500C Ambassadeur comes out, that’s when I’m done fooling around!! (Or at least that’s when I think I’m making the fish bite simply out of respect for my 80’s swagger).

Lots of good suggestions here, I’ll add the following: Abu Garcia Vengeance BPS Tourney Special 13 Fishing Defy

Normally here when it is windy, they head to the windward bank and gorge themselves on the Threadfin chasing surface plankton. If the wind is sustained for a couple of days, they’ll start holding really tight to structure and get lockjaw until it settles down some.

No shortage of Salt Cedars, willows and Catclaws underwater here. I usually am able to horse them out with 15lb fluoro or mono, but I have been known to take them water skiing with the trolling motor to keep them from going in too thick.

I don’t know what it is about spool tension knobs and retail stores. Go in Bass Pro or Sportsman’s Warehouse and at least half of the baitcast combos will be missing it. That said, if the knob is missing the shims are probably missing as well. You won’t be saving any money by the time you get the parts replaced.

I’d give a look at the BPS Tourney Special combo - for $70 it has been a solid performer for both of my boys. They’ve pulled more than a few fish out of the sticks with them problem free. I have a few of the Tourney Special casting rods and no complaints there either. And they’ve got the green in spades - look really cool when I turn the black lights on.

Solid winner there!

Well said!! I ALWAYS have a spinnerbait on the deck. For whatever reason, a 3/8 spinnerbait will pretty much get bit no matter what.

I’ve actually thought about the dry air contributing to the lifespan of electronics and boats in general around here. Another thing I have noticed is that the scoop type vents on my old Ranger allow the bilge to be completely dried out between leaving the ramp and backing the trailer in the driveway. Don’t know why these have gone away in boat design. Condensation is pretty much only a thing for 3-4 weeks during the winter, which I am sure helps.

My Dualpro is going on 12 years without an issue.

During the spring runoff I like to throw bubblegum Flukes. Once the water gets clear in early summer I switch to more translucent colors.

Izorline Platinum mono/copolymer on crankbait, spinnerbait, jerkbait and topwater rigs. Yozuri Topknot fluoro for bottom contact stuff (best abrasion/brush resistance I have found in fc) Haven’t settled on a particular braid for the spinning rigs, but working on it.

I mainly use a 6’6” Med/Fast Veritas for flukes and Senkos.

I have been told to get a sock full of that crystal cat litter, and keep it in a plastic bag with the PFD….I’ve never actually done it, but it’s what the guy at West Marine recommended.