A-Rig Frustrations

[dwiebenga]

Great Post Bill!

[dtrs5kprs]

Can't get any more detail than that without taking a boat ride. Shows once again why this is such great place to participate.

Now we just have to get all those boats heading for 39 to go out of Aunts Creek...

[DChance]

It sure is.........Even though I have no idea where any of those spots are.....

[dtrs5kprs]

It sure is.........Even though I have no idea where any of those spots are.....

All within a few miles of 39 bridge at Shell Knob, give or take. H ramp is a little farther downlake from 39, basically right across the creek from the ramp at Baxter, where Big and Little Indian flow together and run into the White.

Sounds like the same kinds of places that had a quality swimbait bite in the post spawn last summer. Interesting...

[dtrs5kprs]

I have found that by using a max of 3" baits in that country, you are much better off. For sure the Storm Wildeye is heads and tails above the rest.

Bill...are you and the others having any trouble getting the K's to eat the whole swimbait? If so, any suggestions? They drove me crazy smacking it and tearing tails off Storm and Berkley swimmers in the summer. No trouble with the blacks and brown fish. They got it when they wanted it. You could drop the rod over 50' of water and just look at the slack form once they popped it.

[Bill Babler]

Just put a postscript on the post above about how to throw the rig preventing as much heartache as possible. Still will foul, but not as much, as just flinging it.

Just heard a new deal a while ago. Fish today were really on the transitions, and it was good if timber was present, Just flat the same places we throw a stickbait this time of the year. Usually best is the channel side where it moves into the bank. Big cove mouths that are in these area are also early season haunts.

I will tell you now, there are big boys throwing this deal that could care-less if they lose a dozen of them plus baits a day. Most are now either making them or have sponsors that are providing them at low cost or no cost. Some folks are rigging them as weedless as possible some not, just tying on another when one gets hung up in the timber fishing these deep tree transition banks.

When you see huge strings or hear how some people are doing it really does not matter to me. I know how much money I can spend and will do everything in my power to keep this a fun sport, just catching to be catching "NO Matter What the Cost." This is a fishing method that you really have to be careful with. Let your judgement and your disposable income be your guide

Good Luck

[exiledguide]

Just put a postscript on the post above about how to throw the rig preventing as much heartache as possible. Still will foul, but not as much, as just flinging it.

Just heard a new deal a while ago. Fish today were really on the transitions, and it was good if timber was present, Just flat the same places we throw a stickbait this time of the year. Usually best is the channel side where it moves into the bank. Big cove mouths that are in these area are also early season haunts.

I will tell you now, there are big boys throwing this deal that could care-less if they lose a dozen of them plus baits a day. Most are now either making them or have sponsors that are providing them at low cost or no cost. Some folks are rigging them as weedless as possible some not, just tying on another when one gets hung up in the timber fishing these deep tree transition banks.

When you see huge strings or hear how some people are doing it really does not matter to me. I know how much money I can spend and will do everything in my power to keep this a fun sport, just catching to be catching "NO Matter What the Cost." This is a fishing method that you really have to be careful with. Let your judgement and your disposable income be your guide

Good Luck

Thanks for your post I for one appreciate guys who make a living guiding who share their knowledge with the rest of us. My question about the A rig is at the end of the day will you have a bigger limit pound wise than if you didn't use the A rig. I really don't care if people use the A rig or not I doubt that I would want to use it just wondering if it would attract bigger fish?

[Bill Babler]

Can't really answer that question EXG. If you remember last year, Beck and I were putting some pretty big limits in a boat on a micro-jig. 1/16 oz.

Have yet to see a (5) fish limit as big as we were catchin last year. Also both of us had fish close to 10 pounds. Not seen that yet either.

We have gone from impossiblly small to Gang Tackling. I'll tell you one thing, it is alot easier to wind in a 7 Pounder on 65 Pound braid and a Mike McCulland Signature 7'6 Falcon Flippin Stick,than it is on 4 pound F. Carbon on a 9 Ft. Buggy Whip. Lots of ways out there to scale a fish.

[Champ188]

Only reason TR has a bank is to hold the water in? I may laugh the rest of the dadgum night at that one. May be your best quote ever, Bill.

[Guest]

Configuration question?

Do ya'll put smaller 3" swimbaits on the top and bigger 5" baits of the bottom?

or keep them all one size?

What about weighted hooks for weedless applications needed in brushpiles, standing timber, or boulders?

I've got a 7' MH Allstar thats rated for 1/2-1oz. It seems too light for any bigger baits. but its okay for small ones.

What are good rod specifications for heavy stuff?