paangler3117

Raystown can be pretty tough in the fall for me. I have been catching them scattered on wood. 2 feet to 20 feet. There is SO much bait in that lake, fall bass seem to scatter everywhere! We have been getting them on steep rock ledges into the channel too. I usually launch out of shy beaver. The lake is a lot different above the bridge. Almost like two different lakes. Upper end is shallower and water clarity is always a little less. She gets real clear and deep from jamescreek down! Good luck guys, Jim

Fished a jig on every trip, actually caught some fish on one, and really feel good fishing it now. I'd still rather throw a crankbait, but hey! I also fished some deepwater structure on three different occasions this year. I got one, so there is some promise there too. All in all a good year. Jim

Imo, if you have the patience you'll gain the confidence. Be patient enough to fish a jig, and you'll gain confidence once you start catching a few on it. You gotta be patient to learn anything new, and to me that is key. good question! Jim

only two places in the world where my attention is fully on the one thing i am doing: the deck of a boat and in a treestand. So I do it for fun.... And so I don't go crazy! Jim

I love shooter.... he's my fav I would say..... charlie daniels, hank sr, Jonny Cash, Flatt and Scruggs.. Check out eric church too, he's new but pretty good. Jim

caught my first bass on a swimbait saturday, a 15 incher on a 7in. sebile. Here I though 7 inches might be too big! Had a little nicer one swipe at it, but no go......I am throwing it on a older 7 foot boron cranking stick, med hev. 17lb mono. would this setup be better with a braid? I t worked nice but I wanna tweak it some. Thanks guys! Jim

if you htink a fish is gonna die, you can keep em to eat ya know!!! I caught a trout with a hole through his "shoulders"(behind the head) from a heron, and he was doing fine, so you never know!!!! You might just get him again!! Jim

Has to be my dad, when I was young. He taught me how to power fish and catch the bass that would bite. I always was a plastic worm kid, just cause he was always ripping lipless baits and cranks, so I wanted to be different. So really he taught me to power fish, and in a round about way taught me how to finesse fish too. As far as pro's, kvd and rick clunn are "heros" for me.... Jim

I once caught a smaller bass (15in-16in) on a plastic worm that had a rattle trap stuck in his jaw..... I got the to catch the bass, and he got the lure removed! I think your bass will be ok, considering it was one hook in the jaw. Jim

for smallies the frankstown branch is your best bet, like speed said. I fish it pretty regularly, and have been doing real good on plastics (brown grubs with black fleck, and motor oil 2-3 inch) one other thing is if you plan on fishing it, your best bet is wading. It's a small "river" and wading is pretty easy, I only know of three places in it over my head! Good luck and have a safe trip! Jim

i tend to think since the moon has a direct affect on water it would have to have some affect on fishing. How much, I do not know. It's all just one peice of a whole mossaic of things that affect fishing. I actually prefer night fishing during a new moon. Jim

My wife and I made it out tonight till dark. We caught 10 bass and a nice perch and crappie. I got three on a spinnerbait and four on a Spot. my wife caught all hers on a rattle trap. This is her second time out on the boat and she had a great time. It is so awesome to have her out there with me. I nailed this guy tonight he's my best so far this year. 19 inches four pounds.

some fish will smack at baitfish with there head to stun them, do bass do this? Could this be why those fish are foul hooked?

i know with jigs and spinnerbaits that I make I hardley ever paint them. Lead is silver, baitfish are silver, so I think it's a good thing. Fishing in the same boat with a partner fishing painted spinnerbaits, There wasn't much difference. The more beat up the better!!! Jim

been hitting raystown about once a week, fishing is hit or miss. you have to be on the water early!!!!!! boat traffic has actually been down alot this year, at least around shy beaver up to about 24M.M. PM me with anything you wanna know ;-) Jim

I always carry my pistol to the ramp and in the boat. I always feel I'll need it more for some rabid skunk or such, but you just never know! Jim

B.O.A.T. Break Out Another Thousand! Your registration fees are nuts in texas. In PA we only pay 36 for trailer and It's less than that for the boat i believe! (I can't remember at the moment.) Jim

some of the best guitar on record ever. i wore that tape out twice, before i got the cd!!!!! Jim

i say "hit it" all the time.... drives my fishing buddies nuts! also anytime the water temp changes even a tenth of a degree i feel the need to anounce it! tight lines--Jim

made it out this morning 5:45 till about 9:30. boated two, and lost three right at the boat (all three on a lippless bait that i haven't doctered yet.) both fish were 12 and 15 respectivley one on a Spot and one on a white spinnerbait. Water temp was 79. the question I have is that the fish seem to be everywhere. I caught one on a transition from deeper Rock onto a flat (was in 25' casting into 6') ripping the Spot through a deep weededge (about 12'-15'). The other was on a white spinnerbait casting on a flat (10'-6') with scattered grass and wood. I lost A pretty nice 3-4lb on a flat too. I also lost two fish fishing deep rock(from 3' steps down to 50'+) which is where these bass spawn. Does this mean these fish are in post spawn, and are scattering back to their summer haunts(weed flats, timber, etc.) Sorry for such a long question, I just want to make sure my head is on straight. If that is too much info, I will cut it down next time! Thanks! Jim

motor oil power worms 4in and 6in, 1/8 colorado blade white spinnerbait, black/blue jig 3/8oz, #7 shad rap-shad color, old g finish shad color spot. But that last ones a secret.....oh.... :-/ Jim

you might want to try a wire fish basket. I would think it would be less stressfull than a stringer, plus with less chance of hurting the gills. If you guys are all friends, just wiegh and measure the fish, write it down and let it go.... if you catch them cheating sink their yak :-) tight lines--Jim

a soda tab threaded on a hook, just playing around in a local pond. caught about a 14in bass. I think i was 10 or 11. jim

busch is by far the most like the old number three i have seen in years. runs his mouth, wrecks people, and trys to bully his way around the track. plus i can't stand either of em! it's only a matter of time till junior wins one, and i think he will win a bunch when he does! jim

i just don't understand putting fishing shows on saturday morning when everyone is fishing! ;D tight lines--Jim