I've topped off my tackle box for 2023 and I'm all set. Here's what I bought:

 

5 more Whopper Ploppers, my go-to bait for 2022 and I changed the hooks on my scarred, used ones

 

8 6th Sense crankbaits, both the Crush and the Movement 80x

 

4 Rapala minnow-shaped wake baits

 

Various Roboworms

 

3 Z-Man chatterbaits

 

I'm not going to buy anymore because there's so much to learn ^up^ here. I plan to use the Movement 80x and the Rapala wakebaits a lot before the weeds thicken in May and early June. I'll watch some videos on chatterbait and Roboworm fishing. 

 

I'll spend the rest of the winter studying the new ponds I'll be fishing in 2023. I'll return to many of the old ponds too. 

 

C'mon, 2023!

Awesome additions to your arsenal and look forward to inevitable success you share with us once it warms up for you.

 

Those are check cashing baits as they say.

 

I’m curious about the rapalas! Got any pictures? I’m a fan of their stuff 

I'm glad you approve, Alex. I listen. And I try to learn from you guys. Alex, I think the 6th Sense Crush will be a winner. I know you love them and have scored with them. I like that they run at five feet. I fish a lot of shallow water and I want something that lets me just tick over the weeds, hopefully to yank some bass out of them.

 

Here's what I bought Mr. 46. I think it looks amazing. I found some rock bottomed parts of a few pond with boulders where I always catch smallmouth and I though the smallies would prefer the minnow shape to my fat wake baits:

 

Sounds like a well thought out plan.  You’ll enjoying putting your strategy into action and getting those tight lines.

6 hours ago, ol'crickety said:

I think the 6th Sense Crush will be a winner.

 

Movement 80X ?

9 hours ago, ol'crickety said:

I'm glad you approve, Alex. I listen. And I try to learn from you guys. Alex, I think the 6th Sense Crush will be a winner. I know you love them and have scored with them. I like that they run at five feet. I fish a lot of shallow water and I want something that lets me just tick over the weeds, hopefully to yank some bass out of them.

 

Here's what I bought Mr. 46. I think it looks amazing. I found some rock bottomed parts of a few pond with boulders where I always catch smallmouth and I though the smallies would prefer the minnow shape to my fat wake baits:

 

Thanks! Never seen those, looks like fish candy 

9 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Thanks! Never seen those, looks like fish candy 

 

It's got that old school Rapala balsa core and new school finish. It's heavy too, so I can chuck it a long ways, which I believe lands more fish. I catch about 40% of my fish within the first two or three feet of where my lure lands and I often cast as far as I can. 

10 hours ago, ol'crickety said:

5 more Whopper Ploppers

I woulda sold you mine.  Right now they're up on my Christmas tree as ornaments since they don't work as lures.

1 hour ago, gimruis said:

I woulda sold you mine.  Right now they're up on my Christmas tree as ornaments since they don't work as lures.

 

Ha!  What do you have you want to get rid of?  I'm decently stocked but always expanding.

20 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

 

Ha!  What do you have you want to get rid of?  I'm decently stocked but always expanding.

I got sucked into buying those things after Chris Lane won a Elite event using them on Toledo Bend years ago.  They marketed the heck out of them, and I got hooked like sunfish staring at a nightcrawler.  DSG was also then running a sale of Buy Two Get One Free so of course I had to take advantage of that and ended up with three.

 

I have a 130 size in white, 110 in perch, and a 75 in loon.  They all look nice and sparkly with the other ornaments because they haven't caught a darn thing lol

9 minutes ago, gimruis said:

I got sucked into buying those things after Chris Lane won a Elite event using them on Toledo Bend years ago.  They marketed the heck out of them, and I got hooked like sunfish staring at a nightcrawler.  DSG was also then running a sale of Buy Two Get One Free so of course I had to take advantage of that and ended up with three.

 

I have a 130 size in white, 110 in perch, and a 75 in loon.  They all look nice and sparkly with the other ornaments because they haven't caught a darn thing lol

 

 

I would love to do a fishing lure christmas tree.  If we didn't have multiple trees already I might just try it.  Maybe a small desk sized one and I can hang up all of the random lures that are on my desk.

 

I'm surprised that ploppers aren't effective for you.  My only limitations on efficacy are grass.  I get too much of it in too many lakes to throw a plopper all the time.  Either way, if you want to unload those three, PM me what you want for them.

4 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

 

 

I would love to do a fishing lure christmas tree.  If we didn't have multiple trees already I might just try it.  Maybe a small desk sized one and I can hang up all of the random lures that are on my desk.

 

I'm surprised that ploppers aren't effective for you.  My only limitations on efficacy are grass.  I get too much of it in too many lakes to throw a plopper all the time.  Either way, if you want to unload those three, PM me what you want for them.

Don’t let your cat near the lure tree 

Just now, TnRiver46 said:

Don’t let your cat near the lure tree 

 

We have a dog that ensures cats aren't welcome in the house.  god I love that dog.  

1 hour ago, casts_by_fly said:

I'm surprised that ploppers aren't effective for you.

I've posted about this multiple times over the years.  I do think they are a well-made lure, quality lure.  They just don't work for me.  I should also mention that the topwater bite here has gone almost completely cold for years now.  I think the fish have been conditioned to it.  Especially frogs.  I used to catch a number of fish with a buzzbait.  Its very hard to get bit on a topwater nowadays here.

 

I might be willing to unload them.  I'll hit you up after the tree comes down in January.  LOL

......and 2024.

I can't catch anything on a plopper this year either. I bet I've found 25-30 ploppers this year and I'm guessing that's why I can't catch anything on them. 

It’s like a light switch got turned off up here in the North East. Winter has set in. 
 

Don’t have a lot on my get list. Handful of spare crankbaits, split tail grubs, tubes, spool of McCoy. Few other easy finds. 
 

Want to look at the SC Eyecon 7 ft. Medium, Moderate action, Crankbait Spinning Rod. 
 

Hard to find a St. Croix Spinning Rod with a soft tip. 

8 hours ago, gimruis said:

I woulda sold you mine.  Right now they're up on my Christmas tree as ornaments since they don't work as lures.

 

I don't even own one ?

5” Slinko floating ring worm for 2022 Fishmas, and 2023.

Tom 

 

On 11/17/2022 at 4:17 PM, WRB said:

5” Slinko floating ring worm for 2022 Fishmas, and 2023.

Tom 

 

Toyed around with the slip shot rig you showed me for a bit before it got too cold to fish. Saw this afterwards and thought it looked like it may be a great bait for the rig. Its on my list as well

What no jerk baits?