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Did some shore fishing after work today. Bite was good, had a few whacks on my DS glide, few whacks on hudds, and Tu bes I got 2 bass on the glide, 1 on a hudd, few pickerel to. Stayed after dark, 5 whacks on a shell cracker just creepin on top!! Had one spit hook on the shore before I could grab it! I frigging love this glide bait! good bite and wake bait fish in Ma in January! Can’t beat it!

I don't mess with sharpening them, I just swap out to new ones when I notice they're getting worn/dull.

Yeah man, I change out trebles when they start to be noticeably worn, even if others may think that there's plenty of life left in them. Depending on your hook selection, you may be doing yourself a disservice. Most hooks that are chemically sharpened from the factory do not take well to a hook sharpener.

Nothing quite cuts the fishing time as having kids… I have a 5yo girl and a 3yo boy. They are able to hang longer in the boat so it does get better lol. I spend all the time I can with them, including when building baits. I usually work at a station in my living room. So they are always watching and asking questions. My 5yo has been asking to make a bait with me so of course I couldn’t say no. She picked the bait to make. She stood close by as I did the dangerous bits like the bandsaw but helped cut the joints, watched me carve and did a bunch of sanding. Then I asked her to draw how she wanted to paint it. Here is her drawing ( including where wood would show through!) yes her favorite color is “rainbow”. She did a bit of airbrushing the baits base coat as well. This bait is going to be tied on a lot this year. Hope it hurts some feelings haha.

Woke up late yesterday but decided to give the local spot a shot! Been catching some nice 4-6 lbers lately but just haven’t capitalized on that 8+ lber! Saw that the moon was out and remembered ole Butch Brown saying if that moon is out then there’s better things to do lol. Decided to go out with my fiancé and send it anyway. Ended up catching this stud slow rolling the Citizen 7 in Heckler up a drop off into some lay down brush! This 8.20 lb bass smoked it as it rolled over some lay down structure. Also caught another 6.30 lb stud deep cranking the Full Moon TK. Started fishing the big baits in early 2022 and had the best year of my life fishing and 2023 is looking pretty dang solid so far as well!!

Lol same just dropped 200$

tatula 300 8spd

Unreal stuff man! Headed out tomorrow. If I’m half as successful I’ll be pumped!

Awesome process and great looking bait! I showed my 7 year old and he said her lure looks awesome! I have 4 sons (oldest is 7), and I treasure the time we share in the shop together and fishing. You are SO right that fishing with kids is MUCH different than fishing alone or with a buddy, but it can be so much fun. Each of my older boys has some baits (spinners, micro cranks, and jig heads) they have helped make, paint, or both. That time you are sharing with them, as well as the fishing efficiency you are sacrificing, is an incredibly worthwhile investment!!! Dad-respect to you man!

Great looking bait! My son (5) just said, "that's a bluegill? The tail looks real!" So well done, high marks from both him and me!

Just finished my bait box I generally do not like pegboard and we have 2 very curious cats so I definitely wanted something enclosed Pretty much everything was scrap, only thing I bought was black spray paint, do not recommend gray stain. Added a lot of work and 4-5 says of waiting, hated the color 1/2" birch sides with a 1/4" dado for the pegboard, 1/4" Plexi front with an aluminum angle across the top where it velcros to the box Led strip from Amazon, everything hangs off a French cleat Not the best solution for magdrafts and packaged baits. Does anyone know common soft plastics interact with contact? Hudds with Mattlures for example

And, a few $$MONEY SHOTS$$

Swinging a 5lbr on a perch 9" slammer Maple lake 5lbr slammer.mp4

Anyone out there change there hooks out on their heavily fished baits at the end of the year? Went over baits I fished today and swapped hooks out wasn’t like they weren’t fishable or bad but I could tell they were used am I the only one who thinks it’s worth it

I like to sharpen my hooks 2-3 times before I swap to a fresh pair.

This is the coolest thing ever! Well done to both of you!

I have the 904 SWBR, It is perfect for 6" Glides (2-2.5oz), and the 5" Burrito, but it feels a little underpowered with a mag draft on a large beast hook. I have tried the citizen 6 with a beast hook and it does work, just bend the tip of the hook out a little bit, it will work in light cover, but in heavy weeds or brush you will probably want at least a 5 power rod.

Fine line between being a wimp and being smart. Your decision might be a smart one hahahaha

Nothing wrong with a 6.8 Keitech if you’re tight on cash. Citizens are great but you can buy a pile of Keitechs for the price of one pack of Citizens! A couple packs of Keitechs and some mend-it will keep you up and running all season.

Got out on the river to try chasing some winter striped bass with glide baits. I had my bait upgraded to double SU Zero rings and 1/0 3X strength Owner ST-56 treble hooks. The fishing has been very slow for all species, so I was hunting for one big bite. I came up to a grassy flat and made a long cast toward the bank. As I brought my bait in I could feel the hooks catch on the vegetation, so I gave my rod a few pumps to rip it free. On the third pump I got SLAMMED by something big. I leaned into the hook set and couldn’t even move the fish for a few seconds. I nearly lost my rod too, but thankfully the long handle caught on my life jacket. Then the fish started coming at me, so I reeled in like a mad man only to have this beastly carp surface near my kayak: This is the very first common carp that I’ve ever managed to land, and go figure that it attacked my 8.75” glide bait. My front treble hook was lodged just outside the corner of its mouth and the rear hook swing around to grab his pectoral fin. I don’t know much about carp behavior, but maybe they get aggressive or territorial during the winter? Crazy stuff and definitely a memorable catch. Fish was weighed 15.05lbs and measured 30+inches long.