DinkDonkey30

I use 60lb braid on all my rods. I use various leader sizes to control depth and fall rate of the lures on the rods. Idk if it’s the right way or not but I don’t struggle to catch bass. This week I have absolutely smacked large mouth on isolated logs in 5ft or less of water with varying amounts of weeds. 10-15 bass per 3 hour trip on an extremely heavily pressured river 2 or more tournaments a week on a 19 mile stretch dam to dam.Super clear water. 3o wide gap hook black and blue or black and purple 6th sense worm, 2ft of 10lb sufix red label fluro fg knot to braid 6th Sense 7ft medium heavy rod, lews kvd reel. If that doesn’t get the bite I switch to a Yamamoto senko same colors as the 6th sense worms, wacky rigged,2ft of 12lb sufix yellow label fg knot to braid, 6ft 7 Fenwick ultralight rod with a Diawa reel.

Good job guys. Good on you for being good humans.

The only time I can understand some getting upset would be in tournaments. Like if I’m smacking them in an area and another boater moves in and starts doing what I’m doing that’s not sportsmanship in my opinion. Now if I’m fishing for fun and someone asks I’m more than happy to show or tell them exactly what I’m doing. If it’s someone in my boat I absolutely want them trying it if they want to. I don't care who catches them in my boat as long as were catching thats whats up.

That’s just bad fish care in general. I almost never use a net. I also grab the line or bass and have it under control before I bring it in the boat. They generally don’t touch anything but me unless I drop them which does happen on occasion. I see people net fish and set them on the deck just to have them flop all over the boat. Unfortunately I think a lot of anglers have lost respect for the fish regardless of what species it is. I really don’t know how you change that either as it’s a bigger morality problem then fishing itself.

Boooooooooooo get off the stage.

Man I’ve thrown chatterbaits with and without trailer, all different sizes, all different colors, deep shallow, in grass, mud, rock, under docks, you name it I’ve tried it on a lot of different bodies of water. No dice at all. Switch to a crank or lipless or spinner bait game on. I’m convinced when I tie on a chatterbaits fish literally send out a mass message then pack up and leave.

I think chatterbaits are the only thing I absolutely have never caught a bass with. Swim jigs and plastic swim baits would be my second most unreliable technique.

Humps or large flats near deeper areas especially if they have healthy vegetation. Points are also a great spot especially if they are wind blown. Figure out what the thermocline is, it will help eliminate how deep is too deep for fish. Ie if thermocline starts at 15 ft fish will be no deeper than 15ft.

As long as no lightning is in the area I’ll fish any rain. The key really isn’t the rain though so much as what else is going on while it’s rainy. Baro psi, wind speed and direction, amount of light.

I called DNR at the time of the catch and got instructions on who to contact. Did what they said and submitted the information. The fish was caught in Cass county MI. The only thing they said was I missed the record by a couple oz. They had no issues with me submitting it via pictures. This was Father’s Day weekend 4 years ago though so like I said it may have changed as well.

So unless the rules have changed at least in Indiana and Michigan you can send in records without naming the body of water. It’s also not required to show the fish in person. I submitted a dogfish with pictures on a certified scale and with length measurements being taken.The fish was released back into the water.Unfortunately I was just slightly off the record. Bow fishing is the same, lots of people send in records with video and or pictures.

I have a senior black lab(10). She goes with me sometimes. I always keep a life jacket on her. She’s getting to the point where arthritis is taking over. I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself if she went over and couldn’t swim long enough for me to get her back in the boat. I highly recommend dog vests with handles on the back/top of them.

Rage bugs or as much as I hate to say anything googan the Bandito bug works very well. I also highly recommend try flukes. I use a white or shad, black and blue or some dark variation similar to it, and a green and red.

Give me a super salt super fluke any day. I use a few different colors but pearl white or black and silver are the most productive. Baby bass works well in greenish tinted water or when bass are overly aggressive.I rig them weightless, t rig, as trailers, punch with them you name it. Lighter braid on a medium fast 6 10ft-7 2ft rod or heavy braid on a 7 4ft- 8 ft heavy rod when I’m in the thick heavy stuff.

Bill Dance Roland Martin KVD Mike Iconelli