Two Garmin Striker Vivid 7's. One SV for the front and a CV for the console area. I say it like that because my 16" X 50" is a tiller.

 

Strike King Red Eye Shads, several packs of Gamakatsu ewg trebles for various crankbaits.

So not bass lures - but considering we have anywhere from 2-6 weeks of open water before bass season opens...I fish crappie. Got an out-of-the-blue gift card, so spent it on crappie lures.

1 hour ago, MN Fisher said:

so spent it on crappie lures

What’s in the power bait jars at the top?

12 minutes ago, gimruis said:

What’s in the power bait jars at the top?

Powerbait Crappie Nibbles - one each 'Gold Rush' and 'Neon Chartreuse'.

Mike did himself proud. Great stuff.

10 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

So not bass lures - but considering we have anywhere from 2-6 weeks of open water before bass season opens...I fish crappie. Got an out-of-the-blue gift card, so spent it on crappie lures.

I like the possibility of the pink roadrunner and the pink fuzzy grubs for smallie. I’m putting a “pink” care package together now for giving the color a try for bass. Never in 63 year have I ever fished it. Good luck, looks good. 

2 minutes ago, Spankey said:

I like the possibility of the pink roadrunner

The under-spins (marabou and curly tail) aren't Blakemore - they're BPS 'knock-offs'. The gift card was a BPS card - only way I spend money there anymore.

7 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

The under-spins (marabou and curly tail) aren't Blakemore - they're BPS 'knock-offs'. The gift card was a BPS card - only way I spend money there anymore.

? sounds good, will work as well. I lump a lot of baits into basically their trade names. Roadrunners, rat-l-traps, pop-r’s. Too many mfg’s making the same thing. 
 

BPS house brands are nothing to sneeze about. I like to fish some of their plastics and get results. There are some Yamamoto plastics that I like. If that situation on not being able to get them soon doesn’t change, I’m eying up a couple more BPS plastics to try. 

10 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

Powerbait Crappie Nibbles - one each 'Gold Rush' and 'Neon Chartreuse'.

My brother is an avid crappie fishman, and big fan of the niblets.  

11 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

Powerbait Crappie Nibbles

 

I use the gulp! alive 1 inch minnows a fair amount.  They're kinda stinky but after I catch a couple on real minnows there's no need to keep re-baiting with live bait.

Bait monkey got me good yesterday. 75 dollar order from Lunker City..... of course I needed those colors and sizes!!!

16 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

So not bass lures - but considering we have anywhere from 2-6 weeks of open water before bass season opens...I fish crappie. Got an out-of-the-blue gift card, so spent it on crappie lures.

Creme makes lipless ? This I didn’t know 

2 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Creme makes lipless ? This I didn’t know 

The Tiny Lipless are 1/10oz (those are what I got)

The 'Pond Favorites' are 1/16oz

 

That's what Creme has for lipless...more for crappie than for bass, unless you're after dinks.

2 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

The Tiny Lipless are 1/10oz (those are what I got)

The 'Pond Favorites' are 1/16oz

 

That's what Creme has for lipless...more for crappie than for bass, unless you're after dinks.

Or unless the big smallies you target eat 1.5-2 inch threadfin shad most of the year. ? 

4 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

The Tiny Lipless are 1/10oz (those are what I got)

The 'Pond Favorites' are 1/16oz

 

That's what Creme has for lipless...more for crappie than for bass, unless you're after dinks.

 

4 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Or unless the big smallies you target eat 1.5-2 inch threadfin shad most of the year. ? 

I would not bet against a 2 1/2 or 3 lb. smallie crushing that. 4# test on a 6 foot light spinning outfit will be a nice fight for you guys. I realize crappie is your intent.

3 minutes ago, Spankey said:

 

I would not bet against a 2 1/2 or 3 lb. smallie crushing that. 4# test on a 6 foot light spinning outfit will be a nice fight for you guys. I realize crappie is your intent.

There are smallies in Minnetonka - not many, but they do exist.

 

I'm putting 6# Elite on the L/F rig.

 

4 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Or unless the big smallies you target eat 1.5-2 inch threadfin shad most of the year. ? 

We don't have threadfin - all we got is gizzard shad.

Just now, MN Fisher said:

There are smallies in Minnetonka - not many, but they do exist.

 

We don't have threadfin - all we got is gizzard shad.

I should have said the smallies “I” target haha. Those things look about perfect for size. Just for reference, I’ve got some pics of shad I snagged the other day. There are enough of these to walk across year round.

Little minnows are for crappie and sauger. Step up to bass baits and you will

catch bigger smallmouth...GUARANTEED!

 

 

7 minutes ago, roadwarrior said:

Little minnows are for crappie and sauger. Step up to bass baits and you will

catch bigger smallmouth...GUARANTEED!

 

 

You leave me be Kent!!!! I can’t hide from you in any thread haha. I knew you were going to comment on that!! They eat what’s available, and that’s what’s available, especially this time of year and in early fall. Again, I’m not on pickwick. It’s not like I’ve never tried larger shad, they work in summer. 
 

In winter, Bigger minnow baits get skunked, small minnow baits get 20” smallmouth, that’s just how it works here . I do lots of research through single line sampling ………

 

also look at any bass tournament held in East Tennessee in winter in the last 10 years. Damiki rig dominates 

11 minutes ago, roadwarrior said:

Little minnows are for crappie and sauger. Step up to bass baits and you will

catch bigger smallmouth...GUARANTEED!

 

 

 

I figure if I soremouth all the dinks, I'm bound to catch a big one!

Well, that's another point I will make. Store bought (farm raised) shinners outfish native

threadfin, probably just because they are "different". The retailers get all their bait from

the same wholeseller in Arkansas. The better shops have three sizes. I buy mine from 

two stores so they keep the biggest ones in stock for me. 

 

You cannot be frugal with bait, if it ain't lively, throw it away and stick another. For two guys

I liked to start with six dozen with artificials mixed in. Surprisingly, the Rage Menace sometimes

is a better option. Other options we mix in are BPS Tender Tubes, Red Eye Shad and topwater.

6 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Creme makes lipless ? This I didn’t know 

I get mine at Wal Mart? The fish  may be dinks but I really don’t care. Bonus it’s cheaper than live bait ?

2 hours ago, Spankey said:

 

I would not bet against a 2 1/2 or 3 lb. smallie crushing that. 4# test on a 6 foot light spinning outfit will be a nice fight for you guys. I realize crappie is your intent.

 

I literally had this happen to me at Lake Norfork back in October. Water was still warm and the bite was super slow. Decided to downsize just to try and find SOME action. Finally found some active panfish on one of the steep walls. Fishing a Bobby Garland baby shad on a road runner head on a 6' Ultralight on 4# test and WHAM. Something hits it like a ton of bricks and bends my rod in half. Sure enough, 3 pound smallie. Talk about a good fight! Little bugger.

7 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Creme makes lipless ? This I didn’t know 

 

They're pretty deadly on the panfish if you're on a budget. I prefer the size 04 Rattlin' Rapala (the 3/16) or the Bill Lewis Tiny Trap, but the Creme is effective. For only $5 for a 5 pack you can't go wrong.

Look what this little panfish ate a few weeks ago @roadwarrior. My buddy throwing bigger baits in the front of the boat got skunked 

 

i think every winter tourney I can remember in this area of late has been won on that soft plastic. It’s simply what they eat (where I live, in winter)