paparock

I also belong.

Smallmouth LOVE anything that resembles a crawfish!

5' 6" MH spinning rod, 10 lb. line, and Penn Spinning reel.

Check out the fishing articles section on this site as there are many great articles on all the different techniques. Here are some links. http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/dropshot_fish.html http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/drop_shot_bassfish_2.html http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/Finesse_Fishing.html PS Welcome to the site. This is the best bass site bar none!

I just started these two that I highly recomend! http://www.basswest.com http://www.baits.com/gycb-index.html

Rat-L-Traps are my favorite lures. They are yet to prove themselves on Bull Shoals though.

Now that I have a pontoon I am going to have to think of a name. My old boat was "Reel Scream."

Bass fishing be it fresh or saltwater definitely adds to my quality of life. I wouldn't want to even think of how much fun I would have missed if bass were not part of my life. Researching, planning, studying maps, weather, fishing reports, tackle specs and trying to put them all together are as much fun to me as the time on the water because if you do the work first you have more fun latter. You are so right about thanking God for all we have. We are blessed to live in the greatest country with the highest standard of living which allows us to enjoy our sport!

That same weather pattern happened here in North Arkansas. I have heard different explanations from some local pros' but I don't know the answer. I will be interested if others do. That is a great question that I was wondering about myself. :-?

Bullfrog and it is waterproof. http://www.bullfrogsunscreen.com/

I rarely eat bass and never Smallmouth Bass. To keep fish to eat is a decision I make before each trip but generally I just catch and release eveything.

In order to find where the big ones are you may catch smaller ones that will tell you were they are not. I am always in search of bigger fish.

If the weather would ever make up it's mind then maybe the fish could make up theirs. There have been a lot of false spawns for the bass except for the smallmouth. Small gravel flats right now are the main targets for the smallies here in north central Arkansas. The largemouth bass are still getting ready to try to spawn again. Surface lake temp. is around 65 degrees but fifteen feet down it is 59 degrees. :-?

Ouachitabassangler said it better than I could have.

Trying to imitate the bait available to a predatory fish like a bass is just the starting point. As others have already said there are reaction bites. The key I have found is, if what you are doing is not working try some else. Adaptability and thinking in non-traditional ways can pay of big. Why do bass crush a lure that does not resemble anything in particular that is living prey and in colors that traditionally are said not to work under the conditions you are fishing? Maybe others here that are more knowledgeable than I am knows but I just know that fish can change their shape or color preferences in a split second and it is always a challenge for me to just keep up. The more experience on the water you have actually fishing will give you the tools to put things together better each time you go. Best of luck and happy fishing.

Don't you want her to be rich also so she can support your bass habit? I want to just catch as many types and sizes of fish as I can. Bluegills, crappie, white bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, striped bass, wipers, walleye and catfish are all fine with me.

Try researching the lake and area you fish on the Internet. You can often find pictures of the various baitfish and which ones are the main diet of the various fish species. The State Game and Fish Department sites offer a ton of information and you can even call and talk with the area biologist. Fishing is like school; you have to do your homework. ;)Hope this helps.

That's great! Enjoy fishing with your dad. I wish my father had lived to retire and we could have done the same type things. My father sacrificed much of his time for me as a kid and I was looking forward to returning the favor. It would not have been a sacrifice but a lot of fun. He was always completive with me when fishing but not in a bad way because he used it to make me better. In anything you learn more playing others with more skill than you have.

The sound of a drag screaming as line hisses out your rod's guides.

Ouachitabassangler pretty much has the hardcore fisherman's angle covered. My hat is of to such a dedicated angler. For those of us with a weaker constitution I know of men that scuba dive to see and/or catch the prey the fish are feeding on. If in shallow enough water and you have the spare cash you could use an underwater camera. Failing all the above then if you catch a few you could examine it's contents to see what they are feeding on.

I've fished by myself and enjoyed it but today I'm about enjoying life while catching some fish. Talking, kidding, and just having fun are all part of the experience for me. I no longer have that competive nature as I did when I was younger.

Nice picture Matt Fly thanks for sharing it. If everyone would just go Fishin there would be no time for war. As a vet, having two of my three stepsons as vets I understand where he is coming from. My youngest was in Desert Storm and my nephew is a Marine long-range recon. type. He just couldn't stay with the family tradition. My father was a First Sergeant and my two second cousins were combat infantry during Vietnam with the older one a Korean vet. One a Captain and his older brother a bird Colonel (now retired; Major General Willard Latham). All Army except my nephew. Kids! ;D

Hi, Kana. It looks like you had a great time. I lived on Okinawa courtesy of the US Army for two years back in 1971 -1973. I have forgotten all the Japanese I learned then. Have you ever bass fished in Japan? I've heard about it but it's always been second or third hand.

Cottonmouths? I posted on another thread how I had a big one wrap around my leg. Now I had pet snakes but that one was definitely NOT a pet. It took me 30 minutes to stop shaking and stop my hair from standing on end. Wasp, yellow jackets, etc. don't bother me as a kid I shot them off the huge nests on my grandparents store. I've even had them crawl around on my face. They attack motion so I never got stung. The only thing I can not abide are Black Widow spiders. I had a friend that almost died from a bite so I kill everyone I see.

Rhino is great if you have that cash but you can get a non-skid paint designed for boats at any of the big outfits like West Marine.