MOsmallies

I think they are 2/0 but I'll let Mitch verify

WeekendWarrior... It looks like you were running different colors and types of baits on your A-Rig. Do you normally find this to be more productive than running the same baits in the same size and same color? I've just always ran the same 5 baits but always wondered if mixing them up would help.

Tied up my normal hair jig (thin maribou base with arctic fox on top) but I added two strands of living rubber... I figure they'll float up at rest and give it a little more life like action... Might not be necessary but it's fun to experiment...

Nice!!! I wish I would of thrown it last weekend... Great pics. You're turning into a WeekDAY Warrior!

Thanks, it's a custom 3D injection pour by fellow OAF member Mitch F... He pours the custom football jigheads too. You'll see it referred to on the forum as the "Mitch Craw" from time to time.

Nicely done! I like the color on that McStick! That second pic looks like a true striper instead of a white. Thanks for sharing!

Slow afternoon... 4 or 5 but all small...

Fished from 7 til 10 this morning... Caught 2 small keepers (15-16"), 2 dinks, and lost one in the 3.5 to 4 lb range right at the boat on a spinnerbait... Got a good look at her and she just opened her mouth and blew the bait out. Fish was right where she should've been. Mouth of a wind blown pocket. Buzzbait and spinnerbait caught em all.

The last 20 warts I've bought have been pre-raps and I've had them all custom painted... I share your sentiments!

Will do brother... As long as it's not torrentially down pouring I'll be out tomorrow... The overcast conditions are a nice change of pace to the bluebird skies the last 2 weekends I've been down. If the rain is too bad I'll be tying hair jigs.

Fished from 3 to 5 this afternoon... Water temp 56 degrees. 3 fish and lost another at the boat... 6 blow ups on the Buzzbait but only caught 2 of em... Others were on a spinnerbait... Up and at em tomorrow morning...

Thanks for the info WeekendWarrior!

Very Nice OP... I can see why those LOZ bass like em. The brush hog is a killer bait down there year in and year out.

Yeah the big 5-7" shad patterned hair jigs really seemed to make a splash on the big tournament trails over the last 2 years. Seemed to be an important tool for the offshore/ledge fisherman

Great looking jigs Ron! Do you do sharpen the hook on those Arkie stand-up heads? I used to throw chompers on them, but the hook was crap IMO

Yeah the ones we are throwing for smallies on the river are about 2" (1/8 or 3/16 oz).. And 2.5" to 3" with the trailer. I've been considering tying some slightly bigger/heavier hair jigs for winter fishing on LOZ. With the rain in the forecast for this weekend, I may do just that.

What's the water temp when you've experienced the December spook bite? Or is there a certain baitfish movement, lake level, or weather pattern that triggers this?

From my experience and from what I've seen and read, the buzzbait will still produce fish down to 50 degree water. Below 50 you're better off throwing a spinnerbait, crankbait, jerkbait, or A-Rig. I caught a nice one last Fall in 53 degree water on the buzzbait but at those temps they just kind of suck it under as opposed to slamming it. I know Sykora won a tournament a week or two after I caught that fish and the majority of his fish came on a buzzbait. Just have to cover a lot of water and find those big black rocks. As long as the big 6-8 inch gizzard shad are on the rocks, they should bite a buzzbait. Upper 50's and low 60's is what I consider the prime buzzbait range. I fished the first two weekends of November this year and only caught a couple dinks on it. Water temps were in the low 60's. I just couldn't find a good buzzbait bite this fall... But I'll give it another go this upcoming weekend. I'm kinda hard headed and guilty of trying to make them bite a lure that I want them to bite

Here's some Arctic Fox hair jigs I tied last winter... These were my first attempts and they caught a few fish. I have some ideas to try this year and will post them once I tie them... I need to stock up on football jigheads (hint hint)

Maybe try a shallow running crankbait like a Manns 1- or a Bandit Footloose.... Or slow rolling a slow-sink hard body swimbait like a Bullshad or Spro BBZ-1. The Jackall Squad Minnow jerkbaits are supposed to stay in the 3 ft range but I personally think they fish a little deeper.

Glad to see another low life get busted! One down many to go!!

Very, very sorry to hear this... Sending prayers and good thoughts your way! Get well soon!!

Congrats... Very nice fish! How long was he?

He truly does get a ton of enjoyment out of people enjoying his lake house. It's nothing fancy, but he takes a lot of pride in it! He has always enjoyed meeting my friends. He is a great man!

Old Plug - I'm not sure we were worth the trouble you went through to meet us but we are sure as heck glad you did... You are a good man! You deserve some sort of OAF award from Phil for your persistence and dedication to meeting fellow forum members!!! I'm serious Phil... Get on this ;)