Paul Roberts

Very nice! Magnet eh?

That's a big bass, and a nice looking one too. Neat pattern. Congrats! Looks overcast -were you still under the front? Or did another roll through?

I still fish a few vintage worms: Mann's, Creme, Boone, Flip-Tails. Then I have some that I don't consider "vintage": Culprit, Gillraker, Mr.Twister. I still use them and they work fine. I'm really not too picky. -so many are interchangeable in function and effectiveness. I think the one great change that occurred that offered something really different was adding lots of salt to the plastic -not for the flavor so much, but for the density. Density differences in plastics make a difference in action and fall-rate -from really buoyant to really dense. Otherwise, worms really haven't changed all that much. I'm happy with any. Also, like Road Warrior, I like them soft -so I boil virutally all my plastics.

My thought too. Don't set up on everything!

No, fibrous would be hair like. It might be Duckweed, a floating bright green algae that looks like tiny lily pads -sort of. Maybe Cujo will pipe in here. One great way to fish a spinnerbait, especially when trying to cover water in search of aggressive bass and hte best banks, is to retrieve just below the surface so the blades make a wake. A Colorado bladed tandem is best for this. Try this over shallow areas and parallel with the shore. If they won't go for this, then I'd go to the T-rig and frog, which are slower but should interest some fish. Fish frogs slowly, swimming them with pauses. Sometimes sharp pops really draw fish.

Wow! Great lead-in info. I'm assuming this algae is the slimy pale green type that floats creating a surface mat? When you pull some out, and wring it in your hands, you see it is fibrous? Or are you talking about a green water color (suspended algae)? I'll assume you mean the filamentous type. This stuff really gunks up a lot of lures so, if the stuff is a continuous mat, you pretty much need to go as weedless as possible -T-Rigged plastics and surface frog-type lures like the ScumFrog. My guess is there are bass near the surface under this stuff so you may not have to fish the bottom. But, a heavy skirted jig could be punched through in places and allow you to fish beneath. If there are breaks in the mats then other lures may get in and draw fish from beneath -a spinnerbait or buzzbait might be good. One thing I used to do in ponds like this was fish a keel streamer (very weedless) on fly tackle, fished in short pulls. This was VERY effective amongst all that algae. Some areas will be better than others, the reasons not so apparent if you can't see past the algae. Just keep that in mind as you probe. Keep your lures relatively clean as you fish -just get used to picking the stuff off.

Man! Those are stunningly beautiful fish. Was a time when I saw such pics and WANTED one of those. Now, I'm just darn happy they exist and that someone is out there appreciating them. No one but an angler would even know such things exist.

Thanks JF. Yes, interesting topic. Steelhead might be the one fish that could cost me my job and family. My wife still doesn't let me forget the year she came (from China) to see me (before we were married), and the steelhead were swarming. I never did find time to see her. I'm glad we now live a 1000 miles from them. ;D Will be neat to see those old hooks, and hear about where they are from. Hey! You're in Rochester -my old stomping grounds: Oak Orchard to Pulaski and everything in between.

I see. I did a lot of drift fishing in the Great Lakes and LOVED it! In that kind of fishing, such a long rod does help in keeping proper tension, and absorb the actions of large VERY fast and often reckless fish (esp with light line), as well as keep line of moving water (maybe the biggest reason for such a rod). But...these just aren't relevant issues in bass fishing. And I don't see where barbs have anything to do with it. Standard bass tackle will work fine with barbless hooks, excepting, as you mention, certain flipping situations, and huge swimbaits. I also wonder about heavy compact lures like jigging spoons, bladebaits, and lipless cranks.

JF, that's a good point. FF is different, but less in the way you suggest. Why it works so well in FF is because the hooks are small, and the mass exists in the line -not at the lure. You can literally drop the rod tip and let a hooked fish swim around -the hook staying in part because that thick fly-line being dragged around behind keeps enough tension. Also, the sensitivity issue you mention is "hindered" by the very thick line, not the comparatively soft rod. FF is just different. You get feel by keeping a short line (FF is, mostly, a relatively short range game) or holding the line in your fingers. The rod is generally matched to tippet strength, and hook size, too -much like conventional tackle. Going barbless with conventional tackle certainly doesn't require a rod so "soft" that it sacrifices sensitivity. But I see your point: With conventional tackle, YOU must keep the hook in with even pressure. It's slack line coupled with a massive lure that allows the fish to throw a bait. Barbs help here, but keeping proper tension is MUCH more important. And that's your point, it may be harder to keep even pressure with a very stiff rod and low stretch line. A very heavy jig on flipping tackle might be easier for fish to throw, especially if the fish gets around some vegetation that might introduce a little slack. Interestingly, I think the way one needs to fight bass with mega-swimbaits is a good example. Any slack can result in that lure torquing out of the fish's mouth. So, we crank like crazy and get 'em in as smoothly and quickly as we can. Anyone dare go barbless with a big heavy swimbait? With such a massive bait, and a PB on the line, I think this would be foolish. (But I wouldn't be at all surprised if some mega-lure configurations would keep fish pinned, barbless). In most situations, I don't think going barbless would require a change in tackle. I think most anglers already keep adequate tension on fish with the tackle they have to keep a hook in. Barbs don't make that much of a difference, at least with plastics. And as I said, I'm doing (surprisingly) well with crankbaits, although I need to give it more time and more fish. Beyond leaping fish and surface head thrashes (things we can act to avoid, if we choose), and wrapping up in cover, most fish are lost from too much tension -often at hand or boatside (the short line issue), tear-outs (common with smaller gapped trebles), and break-offs. These are all things we can learn to avoid. Barbs have little to do with them.

RW, I have to disagree on a couple of your points (no pun intended). It's easy to flatten a barb without damaging the point. And one can easily test the points on your thumbnail before fishing. Plus, a barbless point is easier to set. As for the IF article: I can't see how you could do that with a hard bait. Further, one of the things that research into the hooking mortality has shown is that esophagus hooked fish, even with the hook removed, even without a lot of apparent damage, have a high mortality rate, due to infection. http://www.bigindianabass.com/big_indiana_bass/2008/04/where-you-hooke.html As for losing fish: So far, with single hooked plastics I just haven't noticed a difference. With heavy lures I think it is more possible to lose a fish, especially if they jump, or head thrash. I don't mash barbs on jigs because they just don't swallow them like they do with plastics. With my jigs, and spinnerbaits, I like micro-barbed hooks, or, if the barb is too large I flatten it down almost all the way. Crankbaits are a potentially different story, as far as losing fish, say in a jump. Trouble is those trebles can really tear up a bass' mouth. I hate that. I hate seeing it and contributing to it. I don't make my living tournament fishing, so, for myself, I'd rather lose a few fish than contribute to the mutilated mouth syndrome -and treble hooks are the worst in this department. But, since going barbless this year, my crankbaits have been holding just fine. I've been surprised actually. And it's so nice how they slip out. No pliers, no extra handling, fewer worries about myself getting stuck. I'm not sure about lipless cranks ('Traps) though. IF had an article last year that claimed that losses with these baits is due to thin wire "springy" hooks. They suggested using 4X wire. Interesting thought, but I haven't tried it.

Yeah, thetr20one is right on. Bass do get aggressive in fall. Several things are happening that make this so: -Bass are beginning development of gonads. -Baitfish are exposed and moving -Temps drop from summer highs, meaning there is no mid-day lull. This is when bass start getting notably fat again. And, as thetr20one says, it runs much later in the season than a lot of anglers realize. It takes a good snow to put 'em down, and then only for a while. The trick is finding them. As he says, "Follow the bait!" Cranks, spinnerbaits and buzzbaits can be great for finding aggressive fall fish. Single-spins, jigs, and creatures can be great in surviving offshore weedbeds too. But, in Andrews case, he may have to apply whatever lures his water will support, (with his eyes wide open looking of opportunities), 'cause without a boat, he can't chase 'em.

A blessing in disguise??

Yeah, I've fished through cottonwood fluff -it can be really annoying. That stuff weaves itself into little balls that can be a project to pick off. > I used to fish some lagoons and associated canals connected to the much larger Finger Lakes in NY. These places loaded up with bass (both LM and some SM) in spring, to feed, then to spawn. The number of largemouths during these movements were astounding, if you hit them right. These lagoons had decent cover (weeds and wood) and held LM through the summer, but in nowhere near the numbers that came in spring. Most of those bass headed back out into the main lake after the spawn. There are always some shoreline related bass though, more in some waters than others (owing to cover and food). Sounds like you have the makings of good summer/fall mature bass habitat in that canal. My guess is that a lot of mature bass leave the area by summer, but some stay there as residents, owing to the diversity of cover you mentioned. How many is determined by the sheer acreage of good habitat. My guess is the bass at shore you found are, at this point, summer residents and probably they are there more often than you may have realized (?). Shorelines didn't seem to have the draw in fall that they did in spring in those lagoons and associated canals I fished back in NY similar to what I see in the small-ish ponds and reservoirs I fish now (these don't have shad). The majority of bass prefer main lake areas and stay there until freeze-up. The to-the-shoreline movements I've been aware of are those I mentioned: re-heating of shallows, and the later weed die-off. Again, I don't have the autumn in-shore movements of shad where I fish. The dying weeds near shore pattern likely would have exposed bluegills in those lagoons too, but I wasn't hip to it at the time (didn't know to look). The shoreline temperature draw I mentioned (probably working within the canal system itself only and not including the main lake) comes when you have weather that will offer a good 10degree difference between the shallows and the main canal. This can really draw bluegills, and bass, in to the immediate shallows. This comes during Indian summer days, after cool down. It doesn't last long (like it can in spring) because the sun gets too low in the sky to heat the water as fall progresses. My guess is that bass won't come in from the main lake much in the fall; You'll likely be working on those residents through the fall. But, you mentioned you have shad, so you might see an inshore movement of shad into these canals. This is a notable pattern in reservoirs; You may or may not have this. A large movement of shad or any other prey fish will likely draw bass from the main lake. Keep your eyes peeled. If you want check for movements of main lake bass, check cover areas and drop-offs closer to the mouth near the main lake if you access to such places. Who knows you might just find an autumn mother-lode. One October, in the mouth of one of those Finger Lakes lagoons a friend of mine took a 4 and a 5.5lber from large deadfallen tree. I hadn't seen fish that size outside of spring in those lagoons. I always wondered about those fish: residents, or main lake fish?

Sorry to hear, but relieved to hear you and your son are OK. And I hope he's not afraid of the boat now. I'd definitely go back and try to snag those rods. It's not that hard to do. I like BassXL's idea -I'd be sure to weight one end to stretch it out. My thought was a weighted snagging treble. My guess is you'll recover one if not both rods.

Don't worry about it. Fishing doesn't need to be about expectations. In fact, that should be the last thing you put on yourself. Take a break. Enjoy your hunting. I know I do.

I went barbless for my plastics last year, and this year started experimenting with barbless hardbaits -so far so good! I got tired of contributing to the mutilated mouth syndrome. I'm a long-time FF too, so it wasn't a stretch.

First, what kind of water are you fishing: Reservoirs, natural lakes, ponds? What is the major cover type: Weeds, Wood? What preyfish live there: shad, bluegills, perch?

A number of years back I decided to up-size my tackle (musky-sized plugs and spinnerbaits), and although I didn't increase my take of 18" fish, I did break two water body PBs. I attribute these fish to the large baits. Fishing this way decreased my take of bass in general -far fewer bass under 18".

No. Spring and fall are different -should be no surprise. Bass may be found shallow both seasons, but not necessarily for the same reasons. In summer, most bass are oriented to the main water body, which puts a lot of them (but not all) away from shorelines. This summer pattern maintains itself into fall, almost as if the bass don't want to give it up. The first big change I'm presently aware of comes following cooling, when prey and bass may heat seek in the shallows during substantial warming days. I find them under cover tight to the shoreline -so tight a lot of people miss them. Under these circumstances, it may seem spring-like sort of. At least mature bass may be shoreline related. The next big change comes in late fall when vegetation beds die, exposing previously hidden prey. The shoreline in many waters, especially small waters, becomes the "next available cover" for preyfish -more accurately, bluegills, as this appears to be a bluegill pattern. A feeding spree ensues and the bass begin getting fat bellies again. In larger natural lakes, shallow weed beds die first, and many mature bass will follow the remaining live weeds out, as these areas continue to produce food for preyfish. The fall in natural lakes is a great lunker time because when vegetation dies back, mature bass become exposed and feed aggressively on exposed prey in cooler water (from summer). In reservoirs with shad, it seems the shad movements are key for a lot of bass. Shad come into creek arms in fall and bass follow. This isn't my world so I don't know why (and therefore when) this happens. Others here can probably address this.

Good stuff Paul. I've yet to dive into the mega-swimbait world. One-a these days....

I fish small relatively shallow waters and in summer most bass are oriented to the main water body, which puts a lot of them (but not all) away from shorelines. This summer pattern maintains itself into fall, almost as if the bass don't want to give it up. The first big change I'm presently aware of comes following cooling, when prey and bass may heat seek in the shallows during substantial warming days. I find them under cover tight to the shoreline -so tight a lot of people miss them. The next big change comes in late fall when vegetation beds die, exposing once-hidden prey. The shoreline in many waters becomes the "next available cover" for preyfish -more accurately, bluegills, as this appears to be a bluegill pattern). A feeding spree ensues and the bass begin getting fat bellies again. In reservoirs with shad, it seems the shad movements are key for a lot of bass. Shad come into creek arms in fall and bass follow. This isn't my world so I don't know why (and therefore when) this happens. Others here can probably address this.

Congrats, Paul.

Don't know in what way fish perceive pain. Wild animals I've worked with (in a veterinary research hospital, as a wildlife researcher, and in my hunting and fishing), don't perceive pain in the emotional way we do. I've seen many animals with injuries that would have us cringing, screaming, throw us into shock, or kill us, that just don't outwardly affect them. That doesn't mean they don't feel pain, nor absolve us of any responsibility in this regard. I think this is a great topic, as I personally really dislike having this happen, or contributing to the mutilated jaws problem that I see on hard fished waters (that's another discussion). I know of only one sure way to avoid impaling eyes: Match hook gap to the size of fish. This is more difficult to do with largemouth bass though because of the size of their mouth, location of the eye, and the bulky lures we use that require a large gap hook (notably with plastics). What I do here is avoid young bass (<11") by not fishing where there are lots of them, (mature largemouths are often separate from little ones -not so likely with smallmouths), and by not setting the hook on those little ones. I can usually tell a small by the rat-tat-tat as a it tries to gobble down a large bait, or the rapid take and run (as smalls are usually in groups and highly competitive). You get used to it and can often tell. That's how I deal with the problem. It's not a perfect answer, but does reduce the number of impaled smalls.

Google: bass fizzing Here's one good hit (past it together as one): http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/bassmaster/columns/ story?page=b_col_bt_1106_fizzing_procedure