Paul Roberts

rboat, I mostly fish alone too. Here's what I did to cover this: I've done some woodcarving in the past so I have a pretty detailed 15" largemouth carving. I used it get used to how I need to hold the camera (distance and pointing angle) for different shots. The uniquely wide lens allows for a lot of coverage. I can shoot myself and the fish without even fully extending my arm. This may be the primary advantage of this camera. I practiced a bit with the carving to get pleasing angles -like the belly held frontal shot you can see in the initial post. There are other nice angles I can make alone too. This camera holds the image after the shot just long enough that I can judge whether I have the coverage I want. It also has a handy "last image shot" button that quickly shows the last image, if I need it. I plan to rig a "keepsack" to the side of my tube that I can hold a fish in, if I need more time to get the correct shots.

When I suggested that "the bass are still there", that does not mean that they don't move in relation to that structure, or around that structure. Here are some things to think about as you ply that fish magnet you found: When bass are feeding, they likely move onto the shallow areas of that hump, (where the food is), often onto the tops and edges. This is the type of situation we want to find: Active, aggressive, and relatively shallow, bass. They are not always doing this though. Bass do rest, and sleep, awaiting the best opportunities to hunt. When they rest they either drop a bit deeper off the sides, particularly sharper inside turns in the wall, or, in some waters, they may suspend out away from the structure. This is more likely in very clear waters, those without much cover, and, as has been suggested by some anglers, those waters that are fished incessantly. In many waters, or locations, bass rest inside of heavy cover -like weeds. Now, say you've found active fish and just caught a bunch off the top of that hump, then it starts slowing down. What should you do? Well, what are the bass doing? Do they turn off like a light switch? Sometimes it can happen that way. Often, I think, this is because we intervened in the interaction between predator and prey often by excited, sloppy casting. If I find a place where bass are feeding heavily, I am careful in my approach. I slip in quietly, cast from a distance, cast off to the side and retrieve in, doing my best not to disturb things too much. I first may try to pluck fish from the edges of the activity. And intermittently rest interior areas (not too long as you have to act when the gettin's good). I also may switch lures as I work the area as the bass will get jaded toward lures. A good example of this is when I target bass that are targeting spawning bluegills. The carnage zone is often a pretty small area, and if I cast sloppily in the area I may catch only 1 to 3 bass before things suddenly get quiet. I've learned to be careful about how invasive I get, or the way in which I get invasive on that spot. It pays. After things get quiet, bass in many waters I've fished do something pretty specific in relation to a piece of structure; They move to the next safer location often the next piece of cover or depth break. (It may be a parallel movement along a contour, or deeper, depending on what the bass deem safer). I've actually watched this happen, in my clearer ponds. Bass holding, and feeding up on a shallow shelf or cover piece, get wind of me, then move slightly deeper and stop at the next cover piece. I follow. They get edgier, and move to the next, before finally dropping out of sight. So, when I return to that location another time, I have some pretty important information. I start (carefully and out of sight) at that shallow feeding shelf, catch two or three then, when it quiets, I move to the next break and carefully pluck another one, then to the next, before I lose them or put them completely off. But this is not just specific localized information; It's a habit of bass I've seen repeated many times in many waters. Think about this when you're eyeing a piece of structure.

There is a lot of pressure placed on us due to the fervency around C&R nowadays. In some cases, where pressure is high, it's warranted. But it's gone overboard I think. That said, I'm careful in my fishing to minimize damage. I've gone barbless with plastics, and just this year started going barbless with crankbaits (!! -So far so good btw) because I hate seeing those mutilated jaws. I commend you for giving a da@@. But let it go. You obviously do plenty towards the quality of the fishing in you waters.

CastaMasta, Google "Mango Jig". They're made by Nichol's in Indiana.

Rumor has it... Chris hooked a HUGE bass just before dark, and it towed his boat all night. In the morning, they found his boat adrift -empty! His reel was spooled. The oddest thing was, his clothes were found neatly folded on the boat seat. Some say he finally joined those bass down there and is finally happy. In his honor a group of Clear Lake regulars are suggesting everyone fish barbless from now on. And to release any bass that even slightly resemble ol' Chris.

I'm in no hurry, unless I'm targeting something in the early AM. Then, no time is too early.

Change the times you fish it: -Best bet is after dark. Bring two lures: a single blade spinnerbait, and a Jitterbug. -Second best is very early in the morning. If you're sleeping in, break that habit -at least for summer. -Third bet is at dusk. -Fourth is during a dark overcast day.

Spro is a quality company. It may look similar but it's almost certainly not.

Even unscented soft plastics are at risk of being swallowed. It's that they are soft enough that many bass will just bolt them down. I think in many cases it's the tension of the line that makes them spit them. I've gone barbless because of it.

Mango Jig, by Nichols. As weedless as a T-rig. Weeds, wood, brush, open water... A truly great lure.

You've only begun to scratch teh surface of what's available to you. -There are ponds that will give up summer bass within reach of the shoreline. -Night fishing is a great option -You've got to have streams with smallmouths (you may never go back to largemouths1) Start looking!

That's a really fun idea, but... the way light works underwater, you need to be REALLY close to something to get anything useful, then, any suspended material in the water cuts your distance much further. You need water clarity just not found very many places anymore. That's why most of the great underwater photos of bass were taken in the crystal clear spring rivers in Florida. But there are things I can do at really close range, but not likely natural habitat stuff.

Yeah, the design requires a small lens, which needs more light than a larger lens would, for sharpness. The lens appears to be of high quality. I am finding I need the flash more than I might otherwise. It appears to have a limited aperture size too, which limits depth of field. Nothing's perfect -yet. I am pleased that I can finally carry a camera with me in my float tube though.

Max depth is 33ft. There is another model in the line that is less expensive, but it is "splashproof" not waterproof and does not have the wide angle capability.

Probably that bloom didn't "just happen". There is likely a fertility (sewage, fertilizers) issue on the adjoining land. Or, it's a really shallow pond and it's an exceptionally hot year. BTW: big fish succumb to 02 depletion first. Thus it affects the mature popn of bass especially. The good news is, if this is a freak event (somehow I doubt it) then I'd keep tabs on this pond over the next few years. You may end up with a bass boom.

A lot of fishing ideas out there tend to be based on mysticisms. I have a similar "rub" with the "GoTo" lure concept, as if the confidence brought by one's favorite lure is going to break the very real barriers that can exist in a given set of circumstances. You can't hand someone confidence, (even in a bottle) and have it really go too far. Experience is what counts. After this confidence can play a role, or maybe lack of it. It is very possible to psyche yourself out when things take a turn that either you don't understand, or don't recognize. Often there are fish to be caught somewhere, somehow, but you haven't found them. It's versatility (not GoTos) and perseverance, sometimes combined with dumn luck, that turns the tide. I suppose we're talking form a certain amount of experience and confidence already. I can see, and hear often, from anglers "just not confident" in a new lure. All we can really tell 'em is where and how, and then to just go and get bit. Confidence is earned.

It's pushing $400. Pricey I suppose, but a lot of camera for the money. Might just be the perfect compact angling camera. Oh yes, Rowland reminds me: It has a very powerful macro feature, focusing as close as 2cm (0.8"). I've taken full frame shots of mid-sized mayflies -and it's very sharp with good lighting. There is one thing I didn't know when I bought it: Olympus suggests the camera be sent in for re-sealing annually. I have no idea, yet, what that entails, time and cost-wise. Rowland, Yeah, that's a virtually spanking new C4. I was the reel repair guy in a tackle shop I worked at in the 80s. This reel was new, in the box, but had been robbed for parts. I ordered what was needed and have had it packed away since. Took it out just this year to put it to good use.

Great stuff here.

There are pros and cons to both. Tube pros: -A tube is lighter and handier. I attached backpack straps to mine (comes with clips) and can haul it anywhere. -You can rig it to hold a lot of gear. -A tube is less costly. -Tubes handle wind well enough, if you rig up a single lightweight anchor. Tubes turn on a dime, allowing instant re-positioning. Canoes can be a bear in the wind, and require double anchoring. Biggest tube cons: -Tubes are not as fast as a canoe, or esp a Kayak. You can cover water but you must plan ahead a bit. -Tubes sit pretty low in the water, but then so do Kayaks. Wide beamed canoes can be stable enough to stand in, but they are not fast and are a bit of work to get around. If you decide to go with tube, get one of the high floating U-shaped tubes. I have a FishCat at ~$150.00. You sit higher and the U-tube allows you to add a multiple rod holder.

Since you live in Indiana, I'd say the short answer is, No. For practical purposes, DD fish are almost entirely a southern phenomenon. Be VERY pleased with a 7lber.

Well, gosh darn it Stuart! I like you too! But, I think that awesome confidence is mis-directed. We were talkin' about fish here...Do the FISH like you?? ;D

I finally bought a camera just for my fishing. I've been looking at waterproof digitals for some time and finally found one that meets my needs -the Olympus 1030SW. It's a new model and has some really useful features: -It's fully waterproof (to 33ft). -Shockproof (will handle a 6ft fall). -10MP, but has a small lens, so image quality is good (not spectacular as it needs a bit more light than a larger lens would). -Wide angle lens, akin to a 28mm in an SLR. This is really handy as I often fish from a float tube and have to shoot in a very confined space. Here are some samples of what it can do. I'm pretty pleased so far.

Great stuff, Sam. Thanks for the synopsis. Contrary to my usual tack, I'm going to go for a simple answer here. The bass didn't move. That hump will hold lots of bass all summer and well into fall, if not all winter. My guess is that two things accounted for the difference in catch rate: 1). Wind ruffled the surface making it easier to present a lure without putting the bass down with the lure and line on the water. This can be an issue in clear water. 2). You had already stuck 30 bass, and probably pricked and tipped off some more. After the wind died down you had a bunch of jaded bass (in very clear water) to deal with. I would have done one more thing before I left: Go to a finesse rig -6lb or 4lb line and one of the many jig-worm (slider, shaky, flick-shake) or grub options out there. Maybe you'd pluck a few more from that hump.

You need professional help on this topic. Contact your state fisheries dept. Google "Pond Boss".

Great post. Fascinating topic. Confidence can make or break a fishing day. But WHAT is it?? Well, it's not some mystical thing you can conjure up just because you want it. You earn it, just as you suggested with your jig example. But, it takes more than just knowledge -it takes experience, which isn't something someone can just hand over to you. I had this reinforced in a uniquely fascinating way a couple years ago, when I tore a ligament in my dominant elbow from wrestling large bass; My doctor's first case of bass elbow, he said. He told me not to use it, for a long while, or I'd end up in surgery. So, I had to go left-handed. Oh my gosh what a challenge, and how fascinating it turned out to be. I realized my hands have been physically trained over the years to do certain tasks, and switching was very confusing. It was like fishing as a novice all over again, but with a twist with an experienced teacher looking over my shoulder, but from inside the same body. It was...weird. Even though my brain knew what the lure was supposed to be doing down below (as if I'd been told), the REAL connection was tied to my now useless right arm. My left was simply not in touch like having to learn the "feel" of lures all over again. There was this void, this disconnect, and it was very disconcerting. It conjured up the same lost feeling I used to get as a novice when I took on a new lure. At first, fishing left handed was very discouraging. When I present a lure I have a mental picture of what its doing down there, where in relation to the bottom, cover, and fish, it is, and what it looks like with every movement of the rod. But with my left hand that connection was severely hampered at first it felt cut off entirely. But, I gritted my teeth and eventually (about a month) trained my left arm to do what my right already could be a real partner in defining that mental picture of what's down there at the lure, what that lure should be doing there, and then do it on call. For me, switching to the left was probably not quite as difficult as learning anew because my brain already knew what to do. But I found that I had to actually develop the physical coordination with my left arm and hand, before I could make the mental connection. That's presentation, and it simply takes experience. No one can tell your arm and brain how to coordinate what needs to be done. Interestingly, after this left-hand experience I've realized how this fits into my confidence, such as when I'm psyched out because of conditions. It's the same apprehension based disconnect, yielding discouragement. It turns out that it's darn easy to create that mental disconnect, to lose concentration, and have confidence falter. So, from my understanding, confidence is: physical training, mental imagry, and concentration, all working together. At this point I simply REFUSE to be intimidated by that feeling anymore even though it still creeps in every now and then especially during conditions when I think I probably won't catch fish like cold fronts, cold hands, bright blazing sun, or heavy competition...etc... I've realized I can too easily sever that critical hand/brain connection by psyching myself out. And usually there were fish there to be caught all along. Further, lures don't often fish themselves. It takes something special, on a moment by moment basis. A lot of the time, when you're fishing, YOU have to make it happen with that particular lure at that particular moment. If you are relying on or expecting the lure to do some kind of magic on it's own you are headed for a slide. More magic resides in your brain-hand connection than actually resides in that lure. You have to gather the courage, train for it, concentrate, and then trust it. Next, you have to get past EVER being psyched out. That's the real death knell for a presentation.