Paul Roberts

Not everyone knows better, apparently. I suppose we have to think about it, first. Or someone has to say something, (and run the risk of being called PC). I agree with frogflogger that it's important to show respect to the creatures we pursue. It's a world-wide media culture now -cameras are everywhere- and people learn in large part by emulation. At the same time, space needs to be given for people to make mistakes and learn from them. Anyone have a teenager at home? It's especially tough to make mistakes on camera, esp in front of an anonymous and often nasty audience. Taking, and giving, criticism with grace is the best way to teach and learn. Hmm, sounds like a resolution.

Several. but, one that has stood out for me is the Mr. Twister 6" "grub". It's not a grub but a worm, dirt cheap, and as a swimming worm, just a killer. It's fairly small and slim but catches big fish too.

That Green Box helped Buck Perry out quite a bit too, and vice-versa. I seem to remember that Carl Lowrance and Buck Perry had a working relationship early on.

Fun, Glenn.

The largest bass I ever got a thumb-lock on -for a friend- was a 7+lber that took a jig that had been lying dead waiting for the resolution of a backlash. I can't say we were particularly patient back then. But that was one of those signs that can lead us down that road.

PM sent, so I don't clutter Hamma's thread. And... Howdy, Roger!

Yes. (The short answer.) More of the iceberg... and a hunting story... But there does have to be a pay-off, although it can be distant in time and space. I can delay gratification with the best of them but I can also move very fast when I see a window of opportunity open. Fishing and hunting are generally low probability occupations, especially after you've begun to narrow your goals and definitions of success. Productive patience has, for me, come with experience, a tempering or metering of energy. Dare I say... wisdom? On my last elk hunt I chose a particularly challenging hunt: A late season permit in an area that does not support wintering herds -only mature bulls, often alone, and often very large. These are top-tier contenders in the rutting game that find secluded locations to winter, away from the wives, the kids, and upstart teens. It took me 3 years to get the 5 day permit. A hunt, in practice, is a calculation of ever-changing odds, the consideration and weighing of the complexities before me. As “luck” (the things I cannot control, good or bad) would have it, my hunt fell during a drought. My pre-scouted spots literally dried up -no forage, no silage, nothing but weeks-old elk droppings. Still, hoofing hard, I identified 3 bulls in three separate locations, miles apart. The rest of my hunt was spent truly hunting, trying to close the final gap without busting anyone out. Bust an elk and your hard-earned preliminary work evaporates into rugged terrain and thin air. And, you, back to square one. I false-started numerous times, trying to close that incrementally critical gap on animals I had not seen but knew were there; I could smell them in their vacated beds, or more acutely, when the wind was right. And I could visualize them. I could conjure an image of each bull in its ridge-top bed, meter the wind (both prevailing and local), and estimate the odds of closure. But each time I attempted an approach I was thwarted by wind: direction, turbulence or, with the droughted ground cover, from the complete lack of it. On one such attempt I moved only when the drone or distant roar of an airplane passed overhead yet, after 2 hours and 200 yards, I finally aborted 120 yards out from my visualized bull (a 70% chance he was there). I knew he’d have detected me -the time and space getting too critical in terms of the conditions: errant breezes, the click and rustle of ground cover, or his simply standing up to stretch with only his head and all that sensory equipment, exposed. Once again, I took a deep breath, and backed away. I would rather finish a hunt with all three bulls having never knew that there was a wolf at their door, than to bust one -disturb one- due to impetuousness or desperation. I know how well their faculties provide for them and thus generally know what to expect of them. They expect to meet a wolf at any moment. And an impatient wolf is a dead wolf. The culmination -the payoff- in that hunt came in the last hours of the last day -an amazing (low probability) story of luck (a window opened), perception (I recognized the window when it opened), patience (I knew when to back off and when and how to move), and perseverance (be there -wide awake- or be square). That elk, a large heavily-antlered bull (scored 330+), was the only elk I actually saw with my eyes during those 5 days (or the previous 2 weeks), and I saw it for only a moment before I pulled the trigger. The entire game had been pretty much played out in my head. When I finally stood over that immense horse-sized animal in that dusky gulch bottom that final hour, I considered a final probability calculation, weighed what I’d accomplished, and was -and still am- amazed at what a human being can do. This is not bragging, but humble awe, and a deep satisfaction, well worth all that patience. My fishing is much the same, although catch rate replaces that singular culminating event, me trying to beat “random” (clueless/chuck-in-wind) and to understand what’s happening. It makes me a control freak, but I argue that I come by that honestly. Patience is most definitely a part of that.

Sorry to hear. Guess I'd first get a check-up to rule out glaucoma and diabetes. Then, lots of good advice above. Magnifiers and knot tyers are out there. Good luck. Hope he's back on the water soon.

Exactly. Ah... hadn't seen this one. Texas Parks and Wildlife has had plenty to say on this out of their Share Lunker program, where serious jaw damage has been documented. They are talking about very large (>13lbs) bass however.

There was some research done a few years ago looking at this question an both LM and SM time out of water in relation to water temp. The results surprised everyone. Bass -notably LM- are known to be able to handle very low 02 levels in the environment -they are adapted to it. The results showed that bass could stay out for surprisingly long periods (10minutes I believe), revive, and survive. LM's more so than SM's as I remember. This does mean that we shouldn't take care with our fish; I like to "inconvenience" them as little as possible. They've got important stuff to get on to, just like the rest of us. But, I suppose, if you were going to "abuse" a fish this way, LM bass appear to be capable of surviving it better than most.

Outside of family time, I hunt, tinker with tackle, wait for thaws (which we tend to get one in Jan or Feb), write, and this year I'm editing videos.

I just keep the lower jaw within normal extension range. I'll hold smaller bass (~2lbs) one-handed and somewhat horizontal, but use the last three fingers of my hand to support the pelvic girdle. This works well in protecting the jaw tendons, and the spine where it enters the skull -essentially keeping the lower jaws and spine within the normal range. I'm generally more careful with large bass because of potential torque issues generated by the weight. This may get more risky as the fish tires. When they lose muscle control, they may be at greater risk of having something tear as we handle them. On the flip-side, when they are still green, they can be mighty strong. I've had 4lbers give a sudden twist and wrestle out of my thumb-lock.

Great finish, by any standard, but Brian pretty much does this on a regular basis.

Very nice, Brian. That is one ominous weather map. I'm looking forward to single digits tonight. Am now waiting on thaws. "Pauses" -They gotta have time to react, and know they can catch it.

Fun video, A-Jay! Awesome day. Thanks for sharing it.

Appreciate it, A-Jay. What goes around... Then again, it's doubtful that any of my fish -despite being regularly fished public water- have seen a bladebait. My waters are gravel quarries and small reservoirs with milfoil and coontail. There are areas with rubble but there is always a skim of gunk -detritus- across it. I can fish a blade fairly clean, meaning there's often a bit of gunk on the hooks. They are primarily deep water baits, fished vertically or nearly so. But, I have used the 1/4oz Gay Blade -cast- in shallow ponds (6ft) and the bass like them there too. Medium spinning.

Interesting, A-Jay. I've never done that. Usually too worried about the bait picking up junk -I don't have a lot of really clean bottoms here. In sight-fishing, it's common to kill a bait. Often that's the only way they want it. Which tells me what most bass -esp large ones- are probably doing when they see our horizontally moving baits -watching it go right on by. But, it sure can feel like an awful waste of time when blind fishing. But... it's not, and it's a way to dupe bigger fish. I'll try it with blades this year, although I've not gotten out just lately and we're heading for single digits and below the next few nights.

Ditto. The important thing in terms of speed control seems to be how quickly the bait moves horizontally, or at least how quickly it moves away from a chilled bass. They have to feel they can catch the darn thing. Let the bait run away from them and they won't (often) bother. IME bass seem to appreciate the more aggressive yo-yoing earlier in the coldwater season. Otherwise, it's just as Mainebass1984 describes. Short lifts with just a few vibes keeps the bait close to bottom, or just letting those chilled bass know they can catch it.

Can't you just soften (heat) the tail shaft a bit to get the BPs to run slower?

Yes... I've bought, and been given, quite a bit of old tackle over the years. Some from retired fisherman who were pleased to see it going to someone who appreciated it. Once years ago, when I was in my early teens, I found a bunch of fly-tying stuff at a garage sale. When I showed so much interest in it the woman went in to get her husband, who was not interested in seeing it all go. But he came out and was truly happy, even excited to see it go to an excited youngster. I bought what I could afford and then, he just gave me the rest of it. I know exactly how he felt.

I used 5 for a time, but had a few knots pull out. I suspected it was from deformation with lines that have some stretch (often advertised as having "shock absorption") Big Game, and what appeared to be a reformulation of Trilene XT (which began to advertise "shock absorption" a while back). The simpler answer is that I had a few poorly constructed knots at those times, despite having tied that knot for years previous. However, I went to 6 turns and leave my tags a bit longer so I can keep track of any slippage. I know trophy trout fly-fishing guide who uses the unimproved clinch on tippets of < .006. He claims the line is so fine it cinches down and doesn't slip. Lines above that diameter he uses the improved version.

Yeah, you can increase your luck if you're willing to climb trees.

Ya go when you can go! Glad to see the stars align for ya.

How about buffing down with steel wool?

Yeah, holes in the size distribution are pretty common nowadays. That 12-15" group could be the result of a strong natural year class, or to stocking. The bigger fish are older survivors, or those that managed to break a trophic threshold (catch and eat a population of prey too big for smaller bass to eat), although unless there's a lot of such larger prey, such fish rarely make for fishable numbers. Things do change over time though. Hit em while they're hot. One of my best waters flamed out a few years ago, with the loss of the year class of big ones through old age and anglers who couldn't put the big ones back. Then the 1000yr floods came in 2013, and that's all she wrote, for the time being.