10,000 casts with the stocker before getting bit on it? Well, based on that cast to bite ratio, Im due for a fish on my stocker. Ive been fishing that thing for a year and aint had a bite on it yet, but its a proven bait and my time will come. I threw all day the other day, and as best as I can tell my cast count is in the 9,000 range, lol! Im close.

I know this post deviates from the original subject matter, but one thing I have figured out for sure, and Rob touched on it, is that fish are getting conditioned to the big baits, its not that easy anymore. Im convinced that the lake I primarily fish with the big baits is likely one of the most difficult to stick a fish. And Im getting to the point where I think if I start targeting lakes that dont see the big baits as frequently, that Id be much more successful. Its not that difficult to identify the key locations in the small lakes, and its not that difficult to fish different baits at differnet depths in those spots. And its not that difficult to target the right weather pattern and time of year. Thus, it has to be conditioning, and in that situation the only option is maximizing time on the water. Do that, and its just a matter of time before something significant happens. And its been proven that the bigger baits are better. Therefore, no doubt that I will likely never throw a bait smaller than 9 inches, no reason to test a theory when I cant spend all day every day on the water. When bites are far and few between, and when you have limited time to formulate your own theories, why go against a proven idea.

Being a short white guy I hate to say this, but bigger is better!