Ham

I've tried to tell people how effective a Zig Jig was for cool to cold water bass. I haven't added a trailer to it, but that aint hard.

No worries Pete. I just feel like I've typed that paragraph out about a 1000 times. Come down and have a good time. You'll catch dozens of trout, buy lots of Zig Jigs, and negelect your fly fishing gear in 2015. I'll be as helpful as I can be. I want you to catch more trout in a day than you ever have before.

I disagree. The gar have no minimum length nor creek limits. The gar can fish 24 / 365. I'm not overly concerned about gar eating adult bass, but I do believe gar impact crappie numbers more than rec anglers. I'll leave regulations and possible changes up to the biologist though.

No way man, I want you fishing 15 lb Big Game on a Ugly Stik spinning rod. I need some advantages after all.

*sigh* The three colors I always recommend to start with are Brown/Orange, Triple Olive, and Olive/Ginger. I fish 1/32 oz jigs, but rarely. Water has to be at minimum flow to 1000 CFS. I fish 1/16 oz jigs a fa1r amount when water is < 2000 CFS. You really get hung up on the rocky botttom a LOT LESS when they are running < 2000 CFS than you would if you were using the 1/8 oz jig. I fish 1/8 oz jigs when water is > 2000 CFS Richard sells a 3/16 oz jig now and I should really look into buying some of those in the basic colors, but some far I haven't got any of those. I carry more colors than I should, but you don't have to do that. There are times they can REALLY be hot for one color over another so it does pay to play with color some.

Heck Man, I could make 3 or 4 dollars a year if they offered that deal.

Nanofil 6 or 8 lb with a 6 lb leader. I'll be glad to show you a knot to join the leader to the Nanofil. The Nanofil throws further than mono and really increases sensitivity and hooksetting ability. Resist the urge to have a leader stronger than the nanofil. You will break at the knot joining the leader to the nanofil more times than not. The nanofil is a little pricey on the front end, but I can show you a trick to get multiple reel fills out of one spool. I have a reel that I spooled up Aug 2013. Still using that line on that reel and I have fished with it A LOT. Conservatively, you should get a year out of the line you've put on a reel.

I struggle with soft hackles and woolies. I just cant seem to get the hang of the hookset (or lack of hookset?) needed for these type flies. I get jarring strikes and hook very few fish . Its tough for me not to over react to the strike. I was raised a bass fisherman in the fiberglass worm rod era. I have caught fish using them and at times a bunch of them, but my strike to hookup ratio is not where I want it to be.

It's a fair question.

I'm going to have to take a longer lookat the z man product line. I think their plastic in addition to be VERY durable is also way more supple. The tail action on their grubs should be outstanding and that little bat wing deal may be a GREAT option when smallies are on points (as if I didin't have other ways to get after them).

It's 31 degress and sunny. Wind is around 7 mph. They are running a good amount of water too. I'd catch 60-120 fish today. I'd love to fish today. You just need the right clothing. Something dark that blocks the wind. It would be awesome to be out today.

I so wanted to go yesterday. The trout of the White River have been mocking me, but I can NOT deal with a 20 MPH. It was going to be real cold, but I could have handled that IF I was going to be able to jig fish.

I have purchased a rigs that are wire only. There is no extra weight on the frame.

That's always an option I suppose, but the tail wags the dog pretty well as it is. With a regular boot tail grub on them, they wobble like a barefoot drunk on a hot tin roof. It is just about a rig time. Rig it up and let us know how it goes.

I'm ok with whatever temps we get, but the wind needs to be < 15 MPH for the jig fishing to shine. There's lots of ways to catch a few fish and I'll adapt if need be, but I'm going to stay hopeful.

This weather sucks. I'm not usually completely frustrated with the weather until mid Janurary. I'm way ahead of schedule on that.

Come on down Pete. We'll find room for you in somebody's boat. This weather sucks, but isn't any indicator of what weather we'll have by then.

There are Browns all over the river. They don't all move to the dam. I think you'll need a sink tip line. I think most use bigger streamers than what you are used to.

Well Archdale for me, walleye are a put and take fishery where the fish become legal keepers in 3-4 years. I really enjoy cooking them in a variety of ways. I fully acknowledge that I'm being tender hearted about the smallies. As long as people are fishing legal, they are within their rights to keep fish. I'd rather ppl disn't keep 20 inch bass for the table, but that's their choice.

I imagine that would be a great little deal to hop quickly along on points for smallies in the Spring. I used to beloeve that the steady movement as you drug that grub along triggered strikes from smallies. I caught so many fish dead sticking a Nednthat I don't know what to believe anymore. I'll probably end up with a few packs of the smaller ones, but the ShadZ have not caught a thing for me up to this point.

So I hear TRF. I just love the Spotted bass so much that I have a hard time putting a knife to them. They were the cloest thing to Smallies I had when I was living in Louisiana. I won't kill a smallie to eat . Every keeper walleye is kept (I've never reached my legal limit). I'll keep crappie and the right size catfish too. Thanks to getting pointed in the right direction by Richard Cross, I will keep trout a few times a year now and make trout cakes or fish Tacos. This is a bitter cold snap to be sure. I'd love our seasonal norms about right now.

I should have taken a quick pic of some of my smallies too. Next time.

I don't understand why he couldn't just let it walk on by and be thrilled he saw it. I really doubt he was in danger at all, but people kill every snake they see beacuse it was a "threat" to them or the grandkids or their dog or...or...

And there's always Dean's in Mountain Home

I love dragging a grub around. It is (was) one of my favorite ways of catching fish, but a Ned will ruin you on that. Once you get the hang if the Ned, you will absolutely be costing yourself fish trying to force feed them a grub on points. IF you like fishing a grub, you've likely got the rod and reel you'll need for a Ned and the fishing skill set you need to detect the strikes. Good Luck and Good Fishing.