bigworm

Braid/leader combo for soft baits like rising sons, hudds, and baitsmiths for me. Love the extra "crunch" on bites with braid!

#1 goal is too actually fish more this year!! Making money is good... but I need to organize my time to include fishing a bit better. #2 get back onto the semi local spot and smallmouth lakes around. #3 get a DD out of Oregon

It's just a California thing! The history of fishbeefs all start with baits and baitmakers and their massive ego's about who invented this and that bs. The rest of the beef's are just wussies that can't handle a little ish talking. Particularly one... lol

Your definition of "winter" is a lot different then the rest of the country... That fish has probably already feed at least 4 more times!!

I know nothing of the Roman made baits. But I do know that the 175 I used to have swam nothing like the 250's that I do have. I did just get a new 175 though, why I'm not quite sure? Hype? Still haven't tested it yet. I am pretty happy with the way Brock's new soft tail swims with a few test casts though. It's amazing how fast fish in a small lake will lose interest in a particular glide bite, like the 250, after you show it to them a few times. Looking forward to mixing it up a little next year with some new baits and some old but newly re-visited lakes...

I don't think there is any reason not to use a scent other than the mess. Be carful about over applying it to were it is still on the bait when it is time to put away. And be extra careful with the side swimmer, different kind of plastic that may have some adverse effects with certain products.

ssooo creeeepy.... lol

This is the WRONG mindset to begin with. "we don't have bass like you" We don't have trout" We don't have, we don't have. If you have bass they will work. But if you don't catch you would still blame the bait It's all Butch Browns fault Thanks Butch ! "WE DO HAVE BASS" And I will catch, will you? +1.... a bass is a bass no matter where you are. You might not have as many 7+ lbers at your lake as we do, but a bait like the 250 WILL do the job better then any other bait at some periods of time. I think there is a lot of negative stigma from guys out east that think that the swimbait bite is just "easier" out here because of bigger fish and more trout. That may be true, but what I think most don't realize is how many shitty days still are had in between a good bite. Us out west have more confidence that the swimbait bite will work and our reward may be greater more often when it does happen. BUT we all have shitty biteless days that you don't hear about. I seriously think that many of folks outside of CA are still not able to capitalize on the potential of a true "big" bait bite because of their lack of confidence. My friend went to a lake in Jersey a few years ago and got two over 6 in 3 hours on a lake that "didn't produce good fish" according to some people....

It was on a jig, but one spring I caught my own sweatshirt that I didn't even realize I had lost the year before...

That is just crazy how much line gets wasted...

A small white rising son fished a few feet below the surface coming towards the bank even way out over points can do surprisingly well especially with a little chop. If they are willing to come up it is the easiest bite ever...

Don't have any feed back on a musky sized net. But I absolutely love my rubber mesh net from BPS. I would never use anything else mesh wise. No snagged baits ever and it is so easy on the fish. Makes me cringe when I see vids of experienced guys using hard nylon knotted nets....

Too true^^ But for me, when I get a pic the fish is fresh out of the water. Swimbait in mouth, rod in hand. We keep the camera handy, captures the moment better. I also don't have a live well to set em in either. I am always prepared though with some method to keep a potential pb happy while I do my hair and change my shirt for the perfect picture if that ever happens... I could care less about the freshness of my gear or anybody else's.

Followers will always happen. They #1 thing is don't keep throwing a bait back at them. The fish will eat when ready. If the fish is worth it, I keep hitting the same spot multiple times through out the day. Especially if it is on a specific ambush type of spot. The fish usually stays there and will/may bite at some point in the day. And when it bites it is almost always on the first cast. Rarely the second. And almost never the third. Otherwise a few quick twitches and a pause can trigger the right fish. That is the most epic thing to see...

Double your money and sell it to me for $5?

Or just use super glue. that works too. gives the gills a wet look that the fish really key in on and will increase your bites tremendously.

Those look delicious...

There are not good boat rental options at clear lake though

very nice

Like anything, it all depends on the lake, the water conditions, the weather, what type of baits you like to use, your skill.... You might be a lot more efficient fishing at night during a bright moon because of the increased visibility. Fish can get shallower on dark nights, but if you can't cast accurately in the dark or shine too much light around then you may might not have a good night. Clear water and a full moon can definitely put fish in the shadows too, giving you a target or pattern to run. You just have to go out and figure it out for yourself, bottom line. Fish when you can..

^this is accurate. The first light versions years ago had an L on the tail

Look up Rotenone. I do believe the great state of Kalifornia is known to use it to control (eliminate) pike in a certain body of water. Unfortunately, it is non-selective and kills all fish. That's what it was... Unfortunately "they" are the homeowners association, and they did it because the place got pretty popular (which I wasn't happy about either). Too many kids started to fish at night on the private side, and thus, they eliminated the problem at the root. Sucks. What the "Not Allowed" good is a lake that doesn't have fish in it? I can't believe people that live on a lake would not want to be able to fish

Weeds are tough at night because you have to be able to fish the edges effectively. On a small lake I fish I put buoys on weed edges to give me a reference in the dark. Set them up before dark to mark your key spots if you know where they are. I would always keep a thumpin' spinnerbait rigged up too. Swimbaits and weeds can be really frustrating...

That half of a mountain is an ancient volcano that blew up who knows how long ago! Hopefully you fished all the way out to the end of the ridge off of that island? Looks like you were close...