Please Share Your Fishing Success

[bondhue]

Chime In, share your success.   Let's do it this way -- complete two sentences. Answer can be live bait or artificial.   

1. So far this year I have caught the most fish on _____________________.
2. My largest fish this year was on __________________.

Then add whatever embellishments you want.

[bondhue]

I'll go first.

1.  Worms.  That's because I caught a bunch of trout on White River the two times I went with my friend Bert.  We also caught 95 bluegill on Bull one day in May.  But when I'm bass fishing on Bull the answer is Megabass Vision 110 Jerk bait during the spawn.

2.  1/2 oz. football jig with Netbait Paca chunk.  20 inch largemouth caught at night.  Weighed just over 4 lbs.

[jrulz83]

1. Probably a Beetle Spin while bream fishing. I have caught a lot of panfish on a fly rod with a black gnat though. If we're talking strictly bass, I'd say Yum Dingers have probably been my best producer but it's close between that and a Slider worm.

2. Junebug Yum Dinger. The plan was to go fishing on a certain lake with two friends of mine where we had smoked them on topwater baits the year before. Well, we failed to check the water conditions on our target lake and when we got there we found it to be way too high for our tastes. I called an audible and we went to a nearby lake that none of us had ever laid eyes on. The water wasn't messed up in it and we gave it a try. It was tough fishing, but I managed to catch one bass that weighed 5-03 on the Dinger. But that's only the beginning of the story.

We headed back to the ramp right before dark. After we beached the boat I got the keys to the truck out of the passenger console and tossed them to one of my friends. He failed to catch them initially and he tried to swat and catch them instead of letting them fall into the boat. In my mind I can still see those keys silhouetted against the twilight of the coming night as they fell into the water.

We assumed all hope was lost for the keys and used the spare truck key that was hidden on the truck. As I and my other buddy loaded the boat and prepared to leave our other friend that dropped the keys had stripped down, was in chest deep water and, with his bare feet, searching the area he dropped the keys in. Now keep in mind this is in March and the water temp was 56 degrees and the air temp was about 60, not the best swimming conditions. I stood on the bank laughing at him and giving him "advice" on where I thought we were when he swatted them out of the boat. After 10-15 minutes of feeling around with his feet he found the keys, about 15 or 20 feet from the bank just on the edge of the ramp.

[bondhue]

We used to catch the heck out of smallmouth and rock bass on beetle spins.

I bought the Charlie Brewer sliders and hooks, and tried them for a while.  I had no luck with them.  What kind of water are you using them on -- pond, river, large lake?

[jrulz83]

We used to catch the heck out of smallmouth and rock bass on beetle spins.

I bought the Charlie Brewer sliders and hooks, and tried them for a while.  I had no luck with them.  What kind of water are you using them on -- pond, river, large lake?

I use them everywhere in everything. I've caught smallmouth in creeks with it, I've caught largemouth in lakes all over the state, and spotted bass love it. I cut my teeth fishing it in the Arkansas River around Pine Bluff, it's great for rip rap when they're not chasing crankbaits.

How were you working them? It's a different style of fishing. You really don't want to put any action to it at all. Just reel it very slowly and keep your rod tip absolutely still. You want it to stay just off the bottom and kind of follow whatever contour you're fishing. It's my go to bait when nothing else is working.

[bondhue]

I use them everywhere in everything. I've caught smallmouth in creeks with it, I've caught largemouth in lakes all over the state, and spotted bass love it. I cut my teeth fishing it in the Arkansas River around Pine Bluff, it's great for rip rap when they're not chasing crankbaits.

How were you working them? It's a different style of fishing. You really don't want to put any action to it at all. Just reel it very slowly and keep your rod tip absolutely still. You want it to stay just off the bottom and kind of follow whatever contour you're fishing. It's my go to bait when nothing else is working.

Thanks, I'll try them again.  I seem to have too many days "when nothing else is working."

What color do you like in clear water?

[theFlyingHog]

Black saltys pre-spawn trotlines.

34 lb blue cat on cut black salty

[bondhue]

Black saltys pre-spawn trotlines.

34 lb blue cat on cut black salty

Pardon my ignorance.  What is a black salty?

[jrulz83]

Thanks, I'll try them again.  I seem to have too many days "when nothing else is working."

What color do you like in clear water?

My favorite when the water clears up, and where I usually fish "clear" is a joke compared to Bull Shoals, was kind of pearl white and clear and had pepper flake in it. I'm not sure what they called it and they don't make it anymore. 

I have a buddy that swears by green pumpkin. I would imagine any of their more natural colors would be the way to go. I tend to think that with Sliders it's about following the technique more than anything. I'm serious now, fish it with a dead stick and low and as slow as you can. I learned early that if you try to add action with the rod it's a waste of time and energy. Just reel it slow and steady and follow the bottom contour.

I use the "Spider" head just about exclusively in case I see a top or some weeds that need fishing. I plan on polishing rocks this week a little bit with my Sliders, I'll let you know if anything interesting happens. If you're interested in more Slider info you can hear the Charlie Brewer himself on YouTube talk about it:

and this article is pretty good:

https://www.bassmaster.com/slider-fishing-revisited

[theFlyingHog]

Pardon my ignorance.  What is a black salty?

Not at all. They aren't terribly common. It's a goldfish that Anderson's in Lonoke bred especially for anglers in the Gulf. They are black and silver and can live for an hour or more in salt water. They live forever on a trotline hook, not unusual when the fish aren't biting to have live ones on the hook after 48hrs. We get smaller ones that make two good pieces for cut bait but they have em big enough to scare off a good sized largemouth. Just don't buy em from hatchet jacks if you're buying in bulk.

[bondhue]

I never fished jigs until this year.  The fish here went down deep in the summer and would not hit much of anything during the day, so I was forced to jig fish.  I caught my big fish that way, on a medium heavy extra fast rod.  But I learned quickly that the rod was not sensitive enough.  I was not feeling the small mouth bite and a friend was making me look bad.  I ended up fishing a medium light rod with extra fast tip, with braid and fluoro leader.

I think I will be doing a lot pitching jigs into cover during the next spawn.   The leaders in the pro tournament in the spring here were mostly throwing jigs into the buck brush. 

But I'm definitely going to try that slider again before fall gets here.

[jrulz83]

I never fished jigs until this year.  The fish here went down deep in the summer and would not hit much of anything during the day, so I was forced to jig fish.  I caught my big fish that way, on a medium heavy extra fast rod.  But I learned quickly that the rod was not sensitive enough.  I was not feeling the small mouth bite and a friend was making me look bad.  I ended up fishing a medium light rod with extra fast tip, with braid and fluoro leader.

I think I will be doing a lot pitching jigs into cover during the next spawn.   The leaders in the pro tournament in the spring here were mostly throwing jigs into the buck brush. 

But I'm definitely going to try that slider again before fall gets here.

I've never been able to make myself fish jigs, I've never had any confidence with them. I've tried to do it, but I just can't when I'm trying to have fun. I do need to make it happen with a jig though.

Flipping in brush is one of my favorite ways to fish in the spring. I love to flip a lizard or crawdad imitation in the cover and watch my line take off for deep water. It does require somewhat specialized stuff and techniques that not everybody is comfortable with, so I tend not to suggest it unless I know my partner can handle it.

[bondhue]

Have you tried ZMan Crawdaz?  I thought they would be great but I cannot figure out a way to rig them.  I can't keep them on any kind of bait keeper, screw or otherwise.  The elaztech just spits the keepers out and you spend fishing time trying to re-rig.

But a jig with double tail trailer or paca craw type stuff looks just like a craw in the water if you trim it right.  I put my jigs in water to trim the skirts.  In water you see just what they will look like in the lake.

[jrulz83]

Have you tried ZMan Crawdaz?  I thought they would be great but I cannot figure out a way to rig them.  I can't keep them on any kind of bait keeper, screw or otherwise.  The elaztech just spits the keepers out and you spend fishing time trying to re-rig.

But a jig with double tail trailer or paca craw type stuff looks just like a craw in the water if you trim it right.  I put my jigs in water to trim the skirts.  In water you see just what they will look like in the lake.

Have you tried a dab of super glue gel? I use it all the time on soft plastics, but I'm not sure if it would play nice with the Z-man or not. It's worth a try if nothing else. I can say that I have used super glue on some Strike King 3X soft plastics with no issues.

I picked up some watermelon red flake Craw Papi on sale the other day, I plan to give them a whirl on a jig at some point in the near future.

[CPO Hog]

Worm
~18 lbs

Blue cat below Pendleton dam in May.

[bondhue]

Worm
~18 lbs

Blue cat below Pendleton dam in May.

Wow, nice one.  How does blue cat taste?

[bondhue]

Have you tried a dab of super glue gel? I use it all the time on soft plastics, but I'm not sure if it would play nice with the Z-man or not. It's worth a try if nothing else. I can say that I have used super glue on some Strike King 3X soft plastics with no issues.

I picked up some watermelon red flake Craw Papi on sale the other day, I plan to give them a whirl on a jig at some point in the near future.

I use superglue a lot, but didn't that time.  Thanks,  will give it a try.

[jrulz83]

Best creek bass of the year:

[theFlyingHog]

Best creek bass of the year:

Not bad. I love jerking in some bass

[bondhue]

Best creek bass of the year:

Healthy one.  Makes me want to schedule a trip to Crooked Creek.

[jrulz83]

Healthy one.  Makes me want to schedule a trip to Crooked Creek.

Do it! 

[HogShat]

Have you tried ZMan Crawdaz?  I thought they would be great but I cannot figure out a way to rig them.  I can't keep them on any kind of bait keeper, screw or otherwise.  The elaztech just spits the keepers out and you spend fishing time trying to re-rig.

But a jig with double tail trailer or paca craw type stuff looks just like a craw in the water if you trim it right.  I put my jigs in water to trim the skirts.  In water you see just what they will look like in the lake.

Rig them on a shakey head just like the Zman worms. Killer in rivers.

1. So far this year I have caught the most fish on Shakey head with a Junebug Zman/Strike king 10X trick worm.


2. My largest fish this year was on a Ribbitt.





Caught one Monday that weighed ariound 275lbs on a KVD 1.5 square bill...

[bondhue]

Rig them on a shakey head just like the Zman worms. Killer in rivers.

1. So far this year I have caught the most fish on Shakey head with a Junebug Zman/Strike king 10X trick worm.


2. My largest fish this year was on a Ribbitt.





Caught one Monday that weighed ariound 275lbs on a KVD 1.5 square bill...

Nice!  Last pic made me cringe.

[jrulz83]

Caught one Monday that weighed ariound 275lbs on a KVD 1.5 square bill...

Ouch!

[bondhue]

Test

[bondhue]

Test

Okay, my first time to post a pic.  Taken with my crummy phone, first trip in my kayak, first cast, April 2013.    The bass was 27 inches.  I did not get a weight.  You can compare the pectoral fin to the dasani bottle behind it.

[David†]

I have caught the most fish on a spinner bait.

Biggest was 6.25 lbs black bass.

[bondhue]

I have caught the most fish on a spinner bait.

Biggest was 6.25 lbs black bass.

Nice fish.  That fed a few people. 
A few questions, if you don't mind.
1.  Water clarity where you fish?
2.  1/2 or 3/4 oz?
3.  willow or colorado or indiana blades?
4.  Slow rolling or burning?

Sorry, couldn't stop myself.  I wouldn't jig fish until  I was shown how productive it can be.  Same for spinners.  I have a whole box full and all the hardware to make more, just can't seem to give them an honest try.

[David†]

That fished was released. It was in a tournament. It came off a black and blue 3/8 Oz justice jig by Hart tackle.

I normally will fish the dirtier water up the whites and war eagle rivers.

Water clarity depends on the day or desired location.
I won a tournament and placed second in another using a war eagle 1/2 Oz spinner bait, willow leaf blades, throwing it around bushes and lay downs varying the speed to what the fish tell me they want.

[Chuck Boarris]

1. So far this year I have caught the most fish on a Missile Baits D-Bomb
2. My largest fish this year was on 8.2lber caught at Toledo Bend off a bed with said D-Bomb.

I use the D-Bomb on a bunch of stuff. I punch grass with it, Texas/Carolina rig it, use it as a jig trailer. My PB is a 10.01 caught at Lake Atkins on a D-Bomb. All my setups are Dobyns Rods and Lew's Reels.

[bondhue]

So far this year my biggest fish was a 4.6 lb large mouth, caught on a 1/2 oz football jig with paca chunk trailer, at night within sight of Bull Shoals dam.  I have caught most of my fish this year on football jigs with Zoom or Netbait trailers.  Most of those fish have been small mouth, as lower Bull seems to have relatively few large mouth, but an abundance of small mouth.

Like most guys, I would rather cast the bank with topwaters or cranks, but that will get you nowhere on lower Bull unless you run $12.00 up lake and get there at dawn.  I do that only on special occasions, because it's also $12.00 back.  So I mostly hunt smallies around here off points in 20-25 feet of water.