Nick

Guess it depends on your definition of good. Before the era of jetboats, 100 bass a day was good. Now, a good day is 20 in places where boats float. Go when others don't. Winter and during the week. The upper reaches of streams that are wade or canoe and drag are usually much better simply because the fishing pressure is lighter. Try to get away from the concrete ramps and larger rivers. They get hammered and lots of bass are gigged illegally in our state in the larger waters. Sad, but true. The guys who have "secret" holes are not going to divulge them. Just too precious. If I had one, I wouldn't tell. Not trying to give you a low blow, but that's the way it is.

Since November, I've fished 23 days for bass at Lake of the Ozarks and caught 273. I bought a home there last fall with expectations to fish, and so far the weather has been quite cooperative. All except a couple were caught on suspending jerkbaits. The season started very slowly, but when the lake temps dropped into the low 40's the shad moved closer to the banks and the bite really picked up around Jan. 15. Haven't caught any wallhangers, but 42 were legal catches with two right at 5 lb. The crappie bite was probably better, but I didn't really keep accurate stats on them. From Nov-late December 40 - 75 fish days were the norm. They have cooled off as the bass have heated up, so that's welcome. Now, in mid Feb. I feel lucky to catch 15 a day. The hot deal for many anglers this winter has been the Alabama rig, but I must be the worst in the world at this as I have caught nothing but brushpiles in the few times I've tried it. The water is still in the lower 40's, and the lake is down to it's normal winter level of 5 feet below full pool. Spring appears to be right around the corner.

Every good river rat uses his motor pointed upstream. No big deal. Been doing it probably as long as you have. I just think that Gapen is way overrated.

Those painted blades are really the deal for Northern smallies, but down South, they go begging unless you have some super dark water. I agree with RW about using big blades, but only if the conditions dictate it. In off colored high waters, the big War Eagle is the ticket, but as the waters return to normal clarity downsizing may be called for if you must throw a blade. Tiny blades are favored to burn these lures in real clear waters esp. in early fall and they can be effective when the big blades are too easily ignored. I like the Screaming Eagle by War Eagle for that. Moreover, regardless of what lure and size you select, you must know the appropriate situation to use it. That knowledge is worth a lot more than any brand of spinnerbait.

First, Zip, you look a little young to be handling a boat by yourself. 2nd, I wouldn't worry about Gapen. He grew up on one of the more fertile smallie rivers anywhere, the Upper Mississippi, and he used a little bitty 6 hp most of the time to keep his aluminum boat positioned. With today's electrics, that tactic is not called for. First thing about your river: is it a good fishing river? Ask around and find out. If it is, try to read up on seasonal patterns. In the south right now I'd try to cover the most water I could with a shad or crawdad crankbait running 2-8 feet deep along any irregular rock banks looking for current seams that slow down the pace of it. Fish from upteam to down as this is a more natural presentation to the bass. Also, I'd use another search lure like a spinnerbait, 3/8 oz, white/chartreuse with a gold/silver wilow blade combo if the water is over 50 (which it should be).Reel that baby in from a foot near shore down to slow rolled to about 6 feet. Get it right next to shore esp. if that river has colored water as is usually the case this time of year. Keep a log of water temps, depth, color, and your fishing choices and results to build up a file of info. You'll be amazed how that will pay off 5 years from now. (By then you may be old enough to get around by yourself.) I'd try to cover at least 10 miles of river on a hard day, and if you can fish at all, you should run into some bass some place. Build on a pattern as river fish really do pattern easily. Heck, they can't drop into 50 feet way off shore like lake fish, so they are easier to find and catch....if they live in that river to begin with.

Need to find a local or outfitter to drive your vehicle down to the take out. Used to be common in these parts, but hard to find honest and timely folks sometimes.

Need to buy advertising to market your product.

On a hot bite in 43 degrees about a decade ago, I put down the jerkbait and tried a deep diving crankbait on the same big bass school. I retieved the deep diver at the right depth of the fish and many different ways. No fish at all. Picked up the jerkbait again after 30 minutes of fruitless cranking and caught another 6 bass in less than 15 minutes. That slim minnow shape is just the best in clear, cold waters for me. Never threw the deep crank again in the cold. Never missed it either.

Went down to the lake home this week and fished Sunday and Tuesday. Bass were on fire. Water temps just 39-41 but the bass have finally moved shallower in places. Totaled 47 on Sunday in five hours and 61 today in 7 hours. No great big girls but plenty of 15- 18 inch fat bass all caught on jerkbaits. Megabass, RIck Clunns, and Ima Flits all good. By far and away the best of this winter.

I can use the YZH for just about anything except slowly presented topwaters. One dandy all around line except as I age I find the green or clear line hard to see for jig and worm fishing. Maybe they make a more visible color. Have to check that out. For jerkbaits, I would never go back to mono as it floats and is not nearly as sensitive at detecting strikes. I want that line sinking and in a more direct line with the suspended lure. Just weight your jerkbait accordingly, and many days a very slow sinking jb gets bit better.

Unless you are a cross eyed rigger, don't bother with a swivel. Around the spawn when these worms are at their deadliest, go with some loud colors like methiolate, pink, orange, hot yellow or just white. Many days the bass prefer these loud colors. These are great search baits for cruising bass that have not yet settled down to spawn too. It's possible to locate some big girls that won't eat the worm, but they will give their location away for you to make a mental note of, and return in lower light or windier conditions when they will be more positive. I've seen days when these hot colored worms were far an away the best bait to tantalize the big ones. Don't make it work too hard and fast, it's usually the slower sinking retrieves that catch the monsters in spring.

When are you coming to Missouri to fish?

That's not a good choice for a fishing boat, but it could be an ok family boat if it was taken care of. Unless you are a decent mechanic,(and you say you're not), steer clear of this.

Recently the cconservation dept. in our state has tagged some smallies in streams and some of the tagged fish have been caught 30-50 miles away. We have no dams on some of our streams. The old rule of thumb that in the Ozarks, the smallies don't travel far seems to now be in question. We have had some mighty hig flood waters the last 4 years and I have found some miles of streams empty of smallies and other locations are teeming with bass. To me floods do really move the fish around.

Lot's of good advice. I pick the largest blades that the smallest weighted head will alow and still run stright on a very slow retrieve. When you can feel that steady thump, thump of the blade, you are probably fishing with the correct tool. I've caught them on white, chartreuse, and black skirts as well as all colors of blades and blade types, but if I had to select one it would be a 1/4 oz. head, #5 colorado blade adorned with a white skirt and a Zoom fat albert white trailer. Go slow and steady in dark cold waters, but water under 50 degrees can be real tough if your water visibility is less than a foot.

These are dandy baits, but like all Megabass lures, they cost $20 or more. These are good suspending lures, but they are considerably lighter than a 110, and they suspend a bit shallower 2-4 ft.. They do catch bass, and I would elect to throw them on spinning tackle and 8lb. test using a 6' 6" medium or MH rod. I don't think, though, that they are worth the ewxtra $ over an X rap, Husky Jerk, or suspending Rogue.

They are a great swim jig trailer as well. As the weather warms I crank them as fast as I can at times through shallow vegetation. BOOM!

I lean toward the medium for all of these presentations except the spinner bait. I like the medium heavy for that. The only drawback of a microguide rod is icing up in the cold. If you like braided line the medium would be enough.

I have a Gambler Intimidator and it is made very well. For a 10 year old boat is has held up very well save for the carpeting. The new Sterling gets much better reviews for storage but the older Gamblers really lacked in the storage department especially in the aft. Yes, one does sit in a Gambler, a very cozy feeling. but the air coming over the windshield hits most folks right between the eyes. On colder days, this is a real nuisance. Just a slight beveled lip in the windshield could have alleviated that. Also, my cooler is a step to the spacious fore deck, but it's nearly impossible to get a drink from a seated position and I'm fairly lanky. Just a little more thought to this location would have really helped in the design. The ride of a G boat is pretty good, and I made it terrific with a hydrafoil. Much quicker holeshots and planing at lower speeds as well as a less bouncy ride at faster speeds in big chops. One other thing about Gamblers is it's pretty hard to get in touch with the builders if a replacement part is needed. They should have an up-to-date actively managed website. Franco, I will sell you mine if you are really interested.

I do it quite a bit. All that is needed is an aerator that has sticky feet placed in a decent sized plastic cooler and a battery to keep that aerator going. I've put as many as 30 12 in. bass into mine, but I do it when the water temps are below 65 degrees. Gone as far as 50 miles.

In any BFL, co's only fish from the back...period. I accept money for gas no problem, but only half of what was burned. The only bad co's I ever had were the ones who tried to cast ahead of me, I mean way ahead of the boat. Please do not cast ahead of the pro's position. FIsh your water as you come to it. I do not hug the bank even though that is often more effective in a shallow bite. I leave room for my co to cast and expect him to not fish in front of me. One more point for all co's is not to try to mimic the pro's lures esp. if he is picking apart bank very thoroughly. Change the presentation, cast angle or even cast to the other side of the boat. Complement, don't mimic a slow moving pro. For young anglers, there is no better way to become a better angler than spending lots of tournament days in the back of a pro's boat. Even if you don't win a thing, you will learn to become a much better angler. If your pro is pretty tight lipped about the why's and wherefores of the day, he may open up a little more around weigh in time. Be a good listener, an offer to help him clean his boat if possible.

I can't even get a live person to talk with at Okuma....

If things break the way he thinks they will, Pick M. Tucker for the dark horse. Best angler out there most of you never heard of. The rains though,can really mess up this event.

How many can you deal with in the boat or canoe? Fewer to me is more enjoyable cause I hate a crowded deck. Depends on if you are fishing big flat water, below a dam, or clear, small stream. Size of your vessel is important to consider as well as your bank account. Time of the year can have an influence too. I have fished with lots of anglers who have shiny new stuff tht don't know the first thing about using it. So it's worthless for them to even own it. After many years of packing in to remote lakes, I learned to enjoy limiting myself to a shoebox sized tackle box and ttwo rods. One medium light spinning rod with 6 or 8 lb, and one baitcaster with 10-12 lb. medium weight rod. Caught everything from 30 lb. lakers, giant Pike, waleye, and smallmouth. This is obviousdly not ALL the combos needed for all situations, but it was what fit the bill for me, and that's all you need to figure out: what fits your needs?

From what I've seen of this river in Iowa, get some darker baits. The river appears to be quite dark comjpared to some streams both north and south of you. Reckon it's that Iowa farmland that surrounds it. I'd add some small 1/4 oz. spinnerbaits with at least a #4 blade either willow or Colorado. The trouble with in line spinnners is that they snag so easily whereas the spinnerbait can fish through lots of wood cover. Look for sales on spinnerbaits and other stuff. I really like the Lurenet site because they constantly run some good specials, charge no shipping and very little tax with orders of $35 or more. Walmart also has some cheap spinnerbaits that do catch fish for less than $2. WIth the grubs, worms, and other soft plastics, go with darker shades as well. Just a rule of thumb---darker the water darker the lure.