Mottfia

Haha how about that's almost the exact thing I told a buddy of mine. Fishing is getting better and better every day Mottfia

Kvd did one a number of years ago for bassmaster. It is a pain to find through their online archive but it's a great read. He is fishing in march and catches around ten pounds. He does his damage with a diamond shad but throws a spinning bait and tube in certain situations. I think the year is 2001 but I'm not positive cause it's been awhile since I read it. Hope that helps Mottfia

I'll admit that it's not my favorite time but it's a time of year where you can do some damage on my river. The downside is that we go thru Periods where it seems that you cant get a fish to bite. The thing I like best about it is that you earn your bites and you get to work on your patience and techniques Mottfia

I have found this statement to not always be true. Some times it seems the fish are not actively feeding and the answer is to be totally different. People have recently brought up threads about hot pink lures and such. In my experience these are the times those applications can shine. True True. Rules to fishing are more or less guidelines, not etched in stone. They work in a majority of situations but there are always exceptions. Thats what makes it a challenge Mottfia

I'm sorry, but I just have to disagree on that. I've caught many a bass on no nothing banks, and even more on sunny days. Case-in-point, I just took 5th at a tournament 2 weeks ago throwing spinnerbaits to no-nothing banks on bluebird days. True, windy and/or cloudy days are often good spinnerbait conditions, but I certainly wouldn't limit myself to those situations. And if the fish are feeding on bare banks, they'll try to rip the spinnerbait right out of your hands! I think you missed my point, Glenn. I suggested those times because they are the best times to fish the lure and if you are learning a lure you should target those best times to catch a few and build confidence in them. I had a feelin someone would call me on that so thats why I added the last line saying this was only for starters. Mottfia

I'll say this. When fish are active, they will eat just about anything. But when they aren't killing everything it helps to make your lures look real. We imitate them to put the odds more in our favor. Sam - agreed. Thats how I think of the food preference with bass. Mottfia

well I'll be fishing in a local circuit that has 100+ boats in it so my first goal for the coming season is going to be finish in the top 5 in points along with winning one of the tournaments. I personally don't feel like that is much of a stretch but you never know with fishing. pass that I want to stay as consistent as I have been this year. The big man has really blessed me with some great tournaments definately fish more. I've only been once each month lately. I'd like to make it three times a month. Mottfia

I would go with the versatile side of things. I've listened to his records and it seems that he is comfortable throwing a variety of lures. yes he is very good with the crank. they do things that other lures can't do. but he throws swimming jigs, flips beaver style baits, still likes blades tho I think its a cleanup bait for him now in deeper water. in Cali he saw throwing a senko. but you can make the case that he is best with a crank in hand. Mottfia

Thats a good question. To start off yes bass target shad in summer...when they come into the bass's territory. we all know bass as shallow water cover laden type fish. During fall, a large amount of easy to eat and good for you shad come into their domain and since they are feeding up for winter, they focus much harder on the easiest prey. In summer, shad spend most of the day suspended in open water. Since the shad isn't coming by his home during the day he isn't as picky about his food. now in low light and dark situations those shad move back to the shallow water of the bass where they can be eaten but its not the situation like in fall where the shad are there ALL the time to eat on. Mottfia

When learning to throw a spinnerbait, its all about timing and cover. You should only throw it on cloudy, windy, or early days. You should also only throw it around cover. Don't waste your time on nothing banks. Personally I'd suggest putting the trolling motor on med and fishing as much cover as you can in a day...if you are on the bank same concept. At some point you will catch a few. Its a numbers game simple as that. Mottfia ps- those are just sugggests for getting started to offer the best chance at catching a few fish on the blade, not an end all beat all rule.

You've got a lot of choices there buddy. Depending on how thick the grass is, you can use a frog or a jig...well a number of lures. try to match the size and colors of the prey if you think those bass are keyed into the perch. Mottfia

Hey guys, Its been awhile since I've been on here so I figured I'd catch everyone up on how things have been and how my practice for tomorrows tournament went. up to this point i haven't fished in two weeks. but two weeks ago I finished second in a tournament with 16lbs and in two practices the weekend before i caught a 20 and 22lb stringers. The big man has blessed me lately. Two days Ago I finally got to practice for a big tournament this weekend. The boat had a few trim issues that slowed me down and took a day of practice away. The area that I was fishing, I haven't seen since I was 13...10 years ago. So I was starting from a clean slate. I know its a river system. The fish should be in pre summer patterns. (which I based on the time of year) but for the most part it tells me I've got a lot of looking to do. I put in at the marina 6:30 and an old man tells me that the fishing has been tough past 9 oclock. maybe I can prove that wrong. I decide to fish area the slough to see if I can catch a fish shallow with the spinnerbait. no takers. small slough so I'm moving to the next one down. I think the biggest fish is still shallow and in backwater so I'm gonna do that for awhile. I fish fast from the front to back of the next slough without a bite with a blade. At the back is a cut with a point with a stump on it. I pitch to it with a jig and immediately get bit. 2 lbers. I look behind me and there is the same situation. fire a pitch off and I catch another fish. I had came in throwing a blade so I decided to quickly work my way out with the jig to see if I can rule something out. no takers in a bunch of nice looking lay down. So I'm thinking the pattern is cuts with wood on the point out from it. I'm not completely sold on it but thats what I'm gonna do. I run to the next slough and go straight to the first cut I see and catch another small fish. move to the nest one up the bank and catch a three pounder...move to the next and another three pounder. I felt like I was on to something. remember that 9 oclock deadline that old guy told me about. well he was right because I went from 9am-3pm working backwater without catching another quality fish. I tried a number of different baits with no luck. I noticed bluegill sunning themselves and playing so I picked up a swimbait and topwater but didn't have any luck. This is practice so I was pretty comfortable the whole while. basically I feel that my pattern is a morning time deal so I need to find an afternoon pattern. I'm a river fisherman at heart so I take it to the river and start to run down a random bank. I fish through alot of nothing before I hit and area with shad fry running everywhere. Thick wood is looking good. I instantly catch a small fish and then stick a 3 lber but it comes undone. The area made a nice current break and that was key. I kept down the bank and ran into a bluff wall. I flipped it intently and began catching 2.5 lbers left and right. The deal was that the current had to be there. if the current was off the wall I wouldn't catch a thing. after learning this I went to random sections of bank to prove my theory. it worked again and again. All in all I feel that I know enough to do well tomorrow. I'll need the big man to bless me with a big fish to win but I put in a good practice and stayed after it after blanking for 6 hours. I' m proud of myself for that but then again I stayed there for 12 hours so I was catching fish half to the time lol. oh well. guys thanks for listening and wish me luck Mottfia

I think we've all been there before. You come into the day pumped up because you know what the fish are doing and then you realize someone forgot to tell the fish to do it. Typically when this happens I will stick around the areas that I feel the fish should be and really slow down and work the place with lures that I have alot of confidence in. If that fails, I'll start looking else where with baits that cover multiple depths. I like a jig for this. I like to start where the fish should be most active. I like to move to current, windy areas, stained water, shade, anything that will work in my favor and puts fish shallower. I'll run around pitching to everything I see at a fast clip. normally I can catch a few and finish a limit. Sometimes I get on a nice pattern and do well. but htats my simple plan for recovering a day Mottfia

they also work in stained and muddy water. so I guess what we all are saying is yes they are worth well more than 50 cents. grab em while you can. Mottfia

I think one of the best ways to learn to pattern fish is to start by studying the in-fisherman approach. It gives you a strong starting point and gives to steps to define what the fish were doing. To develop a pattern you must answer each one of these topics: Seasonal Pattern Area of lake Depth cover lure retrieve so on Each of these push you closer to an answer. The top ones of easy and broad to define. Seasonal Patterns will cut down on where to look. Such as in Spring when to fish are moving toward the backs of pockets and in summer when they move toward current and mainlake areas. The area of the lake is important becasue each area could have different attributes Remember that 90% of fish are in 10% of the water. So once you catch a few in a depth then you should focus solely on that depth. once again reducing areas to look. Next find the most productive cover and lure and then find out when it is best. I firmly believe in this method and follow it strictly. Mottfia

I completely agree with the thoery that KVD struggles on big fish lakes. I've listened to his audios and he admits that his style is great for catching 2-3 lbers all day but it struggles on lakes where you need a 5 plus pound average. If thats the case then why hasn't he worked toward developing a gameplan for fishing those big fish lakes. Mottfia

also carry a 1/4 oz jig for those holes that you can't cast a spinenrbait into. Mottfia

I'm with Bass_awkward. If I've never been to a lake before I will be fishing fast no matter the conditions. Since we are looking at Summer time. In the morning I would run some shallow water areas. In low light conditions may be your best chance to catch the fish that stay shallow during the summer. When the sun gets up, I look for current ( wind blown or dam released). Current positions the fish well and makes them more aggressive. Summer can be funny in that you can catch them at a number of depths, especially if you have good plant growth or plenty of current. Try fishing a number of different depths, areas, and cover types. After some time you should get bites to help you hone in. Lure choice is mostly up to you. There are guidelines that can help. We all know them ( natural colors for clear water, darker colors for dirtier water). They could make a difference in the number of strikes you get in a days time but if you throw in front of enough fish you should catch one so just stay after it and keep experimenting until you get one to give itself away. When that happens, its game on. Mottfia

I completely agree with Mattlures and Riverrat. If I spend all this time working on these lures then I would sue also. I personally know Braxton and I can tell you that he isn't a jerk or a lazy bum as some guy put it. He's a great guy that has spent more years than I've been alive in the lure business. The simple fact is these companies encroached on the patent. Simple as that. Mottfia

You can also throw it on wind and/or heavily cloudy days. These things ,along with stained water, block light which reduces how well fish see. When this happens baits with vibration tend to get strong, even in clear water. I've had great days when the stars align like that. Mottfia

ha My first tournaments that I fished were out of a jonboat. I'd tighten the trolling motor beside me and use my knee to steer it while I fished. It took me forever to get good and it but man when I got that down I could catch em. The big boats can't get into places that you can in a jonboat. Some will even worry about what you have up your sleeve. Every boat has its advantages. You just have to learn yours and work with it. Get that livewell and go after it. Mottfia

Dead on. This bait doesn't look natural at all so on clear water with bluebird skies you probably wouldn't do so well with it. But throw in stained to muddy water with a storm coming over. Plenty of clouds in the sky and some wind and you'll probably knock their lights out. Mottfia

I guess that really depends on what type of water you fish but here's my list Red Shad Watermelon Watermelon red tho I would definately add a white in there for flukes and trailers Mottfia

Tip Down. I personally have seen fish jump less and throw the bait less with the tip down. Its a simple concept to me. If you pull the fish's head up then he has to swim up first to that gives him a chance to get airborne where all the resisting factors aren't applied and the fish has a better chance to throw the bait. With the tip down, the fish's head is more horizontal so his first move is still in the water. As long as they are in the water there is more resistance on the fish to slow his movements down. Just my thought Mottfia

Yea I'm about like everyone in this group. I'm pretty accurate to a certain distance on the pitch and then it starts to fall off. For how I work, the distance I can put the lure accurately isn't as important to me and how softly I can place the lure in the spot. My accuracy is solid much father past where I can pitch without a making a ripple but that softness is what i believe helps me more than how far it is. So i wouldn't worry about distance so much. Mottfia