Taliesin

I voted for the deeper one, for two reasons: A lot of cover all the way around it. It almost sounds like the other one has too many weeds (should be around 25%). Main reason: It's closer!!

Something I just thought of if you are using soft plastics: When you set the hook and it flies away from the fish, do you ever find that the back end of the lure is missing or roughed up? This used to happen to me all the time when I was fishing a pond with a good population of large bluegill or green sunfish. Those little buggers will attack a plastic worm that is longer than they are. Quite often they will end up biting off the back end of the worm. You might try using a smaller bait and hooks just to see what they are. Beetle Spins are great for this.

So the reasons for your choice are weight and hook-throat gap. Would a 2/0 (or even 1/0) Extra Wide Gap help with that? I really like the fall rate with the 1/0. I can see where the Super Line choice comes from though. I use the Gammy 1/0s, and they sometimes bend a bit with a good fish on. Maybe I should post a pic of how I rig it too. The 1/0 seems to fit it perfectly, and the gap is almost exactly the depth of the lure.

I thought it might be the hookset, but from my catfishing experience (where I use up to 8/0), smaller hooks penetrate better. But then I am used to trying to get it through the tough mouth of a (big) catfish. Another thought I had might be the gap in the hook allowing a better chance of hooking the fish. Could this be countered with an EWG hook?

Power Pro, especially when it fades, is pretty visible to the fish. I still use it for reaction bites and catfishing, but for slower baits (like some topwaters) the line is too visible. For this you might think about using a leader. When I am out on the boat I usually have 3 baitcasters and 3 spinning combos ready. The spinners have power Pro and the baitcasters have mono. For fast moving baits (reaction bites) the fish don't have time to see the line, so I use the spinning reels. For my slow presentation (most plastics, jigs, slow spinners, slow topwaters, etc.) I use the baitcasters. I catch plenty of fish with slow, soft plastics, but have never caught one this way while using braid. I love using Power Pro, but the visibility thing is a problem (the only one I have). Since I have multiple rods I don't use leaders, but if I was limited I would start.

I have a question about the hooks people use with Super Flukes. Why do people use large hooks for these lures? I find a 1/0 hook just perfect for them. I can understand if you are trying to get some depth, but I normally fish them on or close to the surface. Some may use them for a bit more weight (better casting), but I get some really good casts with a M spinning combo. Are there other reasons for using the bigger hooks?

With braided line, and any other line with no stretch, you do need to use a lighter hookset than you are used to. Half of the effort we use to set the hook it just stretching mono line. I'm not sayng this is definately your problem, but it is a possibility.

It depends on the lake i am fishing, but: Shallower lakes (<30' deep): I like channels, especially intersections. I currently fish a deper lake (up to 100' deep). In this lake I like the points and the rare creek intersections that aren't below 25'. The majority of the river channel (at least in the area I fish) is 50'+. They might hang out there in the winter, but I haven't found any there otherwise. Rapid depth change is good, if it isn't too rapid. Our 30' cliffs may hold a couple at the top, but that's it.

bshaner is right. You need to change something, but nothing drastic. With your situation, I would probably think about changing color first, but I haven't had much luck with gold. Since you can see them following, I would assume the water is fairly clear. I would switch to a brighter color, especially if they are feeding on shad or shiners.

There is something to think about here though. When Jimmy was fishing with his 33s, they were good, quality reels (I know, I used one for many years that my dad still uses, 34 years of use now). Part of the problem is the impression spincast reels have on "serious" fishermen (Jimmy's dad is an example). Since serious fishermen normally don't use spincasters, companies haven't been interested in keeping the quality high. In the last few decades spincasters have gone down in quality, with very little or no improvements in technology. Spinning reels and baitcasters have gone through many improvements in technology and quality because "serious" fishermen use them. It turned into a vicious circle. Since no one "serious" uses them, the companies didn't keep up the quality (or technology), so "serious" fishermen used them even less, so the companies lowered the quality, so fishermen used them even less. The only thing left for them now is entry level fishing.

Me embarrassed about how much I spend on fishing equipment?!? Ask me again once you find out which rock I am hiding under.

I'm with you on this one. I have a bad problem with not re-tieing often enough anyway, so re-tieing at lure change is at least one reminder in the day.

Braid's sensitivity comes from its lack of stretch. Your leader will affect it some, but not much. IE: Your lure is 50' out there. If you are using all mono line, you have 50' of stretchy mono out there. With the braid and leader, now you have 5-6' of stretchy mono out there. It's still a bg increase in sensitivity. Flouro is also pretty sensitive, so you may think about using flouro leaders.

For me it has to be the Tiny torpedoe, partly because it can be fished in so many different ways. Fast, slow, erratic, straight, walked, twitched, just about any type of action. Following that is the Super Spook, buzz baits, and soft plastics. If it is really mossy I'll use a hollow frog too.

I was out Friday and saw gas at $2.84. I filled up at $2.29, but that's E85 (105 octane).

With a boat that small I could still use my '02 Ranger (4 cylinder, 5-speed). LBH has it right that you've probably had bigger people in your vehicle. A few things some people don't realize... 4WD lowers your towing capacity even though it may make it easier to pull the boat up the ramp. Automatic transmission has better towing capacity than manual.

Ain't that the truth. Break Out Another Thousand Since I got roped into fishing Truman lake (55,600 acres and some good winds) I was looking for a decent sized boat. Almost went with a used, but picked up a new '06 Nitro 898 with 200hp. (20' 4") I really like the size for Truman. We used a 16' aluminum for a few weeks before I bought the boat. It did the job, but I would not have been comfortable going very far or going out on a weekend with the big boats out there.

"There are 10 types of people in the world. Those who understand binary and those who dont." Nice one. Took me a minute, but it got a chuckle out of me.

My experience isn't about the fight they put up, but how big of a bait they will attack. Just a few weeks ago I caught several 8" smallies on a Zara Super Spook Excaliber Saltwater. That lure is about 6" long, and one of the smallies was only 7" long. That little guy had the front hook in his mouth and the back hook in his tail fin.

When I bought my boat I thought I would be able to keep it in the garage. We have a thre car garage that is 23' deep (trailer is 20' 6" in storage configuration). Unfortunately I didn't realize my garage door was only 8' wide, and the boat w/trailer is 8' 6" wide...... So it sits in the driveway with electronics and seats removed, and covered. With your situation your garage size might dictate your boat size.

Good point about the braid. With braid I usually set my drag at about 50% of the breaking strength of similar diameter mono. IE: 40# test braid is the diameter of 10# test mono, so I will set my drag at about 5#. This may seem really low, but it prevents damage to reels, rods, and lures. This is usually about 33% of the breaking strength of the biggest line the reel reccomends. IE: That 40# test braid will go on a reel designed for 10 to 16# test mono. 5/16 = 31.25%

With the information presented, I am inclined to say the drag was too tight. With that line (11.9# test right?) I would have the drag set at 3-4# of pressure. When the reel finally feels 3-4# of pressure, the line out there is getting a lot more than that. The other possibility is that a previous fish or hang-up put a nick in the line. Always re-tie after every fish and hang-up. EDIT: With Matt 5.0's input, the other possibility became the most likely prospect.

From the links on this site, I can find a bass club that is about 35 miles from me in Sedalia Missouri. Does anyone know of one around Warrensburg or Clinton Missouri? Warrensburg is about 8 miles away, and Clinton is on the way to the lake. If nothing else, I can get with the Sedalia club. If anyone has some info on this club it would be appreciated also. Thanks

In the past I relegated my 33s to 8-10 lb test line, and a drag setting that wouldn't allow the line to bury itself. They are decent for bluegill, crappie, and other small fish, but one good bass on it will wear it out quick. I'm not saying it won't bring in a good fish (including 70+ lb catfish), but after you are done with that fish you almost need to restring the reel.

Meanwhile Missouri farmers had a hard time getting their crops planted because we had no dry days. Now they are hoping for more rain for other reasons. Looks like we are getting it this week though.