A-Jay

Took me a while to figure this bait out—like two seasons. I thought I had 'tried' everything I could; no bites. Turns out, not everything. For the places I fish for brown bass, it's all about being around the right cover. SURPRISE—I know, right? But seriously, the bait excels for me when I can get it to 'hang up' in the cover a bit. Pause there, and then keep moving. How fast of a retrieve, how long of a pause, and what type of cover (and depth) is always seasonally dependent. The bladed jig has been such a big fish producer for me that when the conditions are right, At least in my mind, it's hard for me to throw anything else. So cooler water early and later in the season, it's a lighter 3/8 oz bait fished low & slow. Zako proved to be a great trailer. Warmer water—late summer—it's a 1/2 oz bait moved a little faster and higher in the water column. Some of that is because the grass is taller by then as well. Finally, in the lakes that have goby, using these little gems as trailers, has been like a religious experience. #revolation (I snip off the little pec fins.) Cooler water catch ~ https://youtu.be/o9xew3tWuuU?feature=shared&t=1013 Warmer water catch~ https://youtu.be/sITpRNLz_04?feature=shared&t=192 Fish Hard A-Jay

Yup and thanks for the thought. I tried a couple last season. (no blades) But my fishing last year was a train wreck, so I am totally willing to give them another shot. I will say the baits on the rig seem sort of close together—bunched up, if you will. Either way we'll see how it goes. A-Jay

I have a couple, but I'll drop this one here and now and the other one a little later. My version of the A-Rig for Brown Bass ~ Right off the bat, I will say that I threw an A-Rig for the better part of two seasons, trying to force-feed it to smallies. Got a lot of great casting practice, but that was about it. But once it clicked, it was a Beauuuuuuuuuutiful Thing. Now, I'm semi-addicted to the thing. First, it's a bit of a bear to fish for any length of time. Obviously it doesn't cast very well (more of a full-body heave or lob than an actual cast), but it does require quite a bit more effort to fish than most anything else I throw in Michigan, anyway. Second, the strikes are straight-up vicious, and every brown bass I've caught on it has been in the plus-size class, so there's a decent reward for the effort expended. As for what clicked: I initially even got the idea to fish it for brown bass from Mark Zona. But rather than actually watching how, where & when he was having results—I thought I could just go out, throw the thing around a bit, and hook up. Didn't happen. Once I went back through what he was offering and really digested the deal, I was eventually able to get on some fish. It took a while, though. So like I said, I love throwing it because the strikes are great and so far, it's been a big fish catcher. However, it's not a deal I use all season or on every lake. I have found two specific situations where I use it effectively. The first starts pre-spawn, but not super early. More like once the water temps get to about 55 or so—and there are plenty of fish shallow(er), say less than 10 ft. Clear water helps but is not totally needed. But smallies are sight feeders, so clean is usually better. What is needed are long casts. The fish have to be willing to chase the bait—so if it's too cold or too dirty, they will not. I usually start throwing it once the smallies start to follow a jerkbait to the boat without eating it—often they will eat this thing hard! This bite will last right up to the spawn for me—and then a little into post-spawn—but not that long - as brown bass will often head deeper pretty quick, and I'll use something else out there (usually a drop shot or spy bait). The other A-Rig bite comes back in the late summer—the first week of August. I have found several huge smallies super shallow early in the morning (very first light) hunting perch right at the edge of the inside weedline in less than 5 ft. Unusual to say the least, but that's where I got my PB so I don't ask questions; I just go fishing. These big fish are super spooky way inside in such skinny water, and getting them to eat has been a challenge—topwater works, but that bite dies fast each morning—so once I tried the A-Rig, it was on like Donkey Kong. I was surprised it didn't spook them, as it hits the water like a bomb, but they'll follow it and eat it—no problem. A good thing is, a little later in the morning and again in the afternoon, these same fish move out to isolated weed clumps in 8-12 ft, waiting for the next low light to go back inside & eat again. By throwing the A-Rig around these clumps, I'm often able to get a few more bites from some great fish I'd often given up on in the past—sometimes at noon with the sun just blazing! Tons of fun. While watching Zona hammer smallies with this thing, he kept talking about how he wanted the rig to kind of "hover" in the water column. I didn't know what the heck that meant. But after getting some fish, I sort of have an idea. The A-Rig is certainly not a contact bait, meaning you can fish it around cover, but you can't be in it at all. But where it is in the water column and at what speed, is EVERYTHING. Traveling along, about 2 feet off the bottom seems like the sweet spot. And while there are times when they will smash it while I burn it along, the best results come when I can retrieve it just fast enough to keep "hovering" along in the correct slot of the water column. Intermittent quick reels handle turns that make the rig 'jump ahead' a little—can be money! A-Jay

Workout Day 4 ~ Last training day for March 2026. It feels mostly weird to type, but this summer I'll be 67 years old. And the thought of being 3 years from 70 leaves me asking myself, "Where did the time go?" Either way, I am going to try and keep plugging along like this until the bottom falls out. Which I'm in no hurry to get to, btw. #borninfiftynine A-Jay

Just got the word that both Inga & Gisela have been claimed by some lucky humans. As expected, they are skipping the foster stage and going straight to their forever home, together. It's always a good feeling when littermates are not separated. Wishing them the best. A-Jay

The North Woods is still in a state of suspended animation. It's melting pretty well, day & night. It's just that there is so much snow and ice that it takes a while to get through it all. Still looking at at least 3 weeks would be my guess. I'm trying to stay in shape either way. https://www.facebook.com/reel/2523235391405281 A-Jay

Since my last entry here, I think I've repacked twice, purchased some new sunglasses, changed out a few baits and even subtracted a few baits. Most importantly, perhaps, is that this one is already paid for in full. Which, for a retired enlisted guy living on a fixed salary, is a pretty big deal. I call it creative financing. My wife thinks that's funny, but this is no laughing matter. OK - maybe it is. 188 Days and a wake-up. And here are Scorable Bass stats from the epic Oct 2018 trip. It was getting hard to keep track on the water. So Big Fish Jeff kept the notable catches on his phone. This is a screenshot. Ask me again why we call him Big Fish Jeff. A-Jay

If I was looking to be on really big LMB, I'd need to change my citizenship status. If I wanted to keep harassing the Brown Bass, I'm probably good where I'm at. Maybe I could go for dual citizenship. Yea, that's the ticket. 😁 A-Jay

I am always sorry to hear about this deal. Not matter what anyone says or how/when they choose to do it, it's always a personal decision and one that, if all possible, we can try to feel good about. @Jar11591 @gim I'll say sorry in advance. Pretty sure you guys know we've been through this many times. Dogs were of varying ages. When things go well, it's an old age deal. But own enough dogs, and over a long enough time, you're going to see everything else. We've had to say goodbye to a couple of puppies and just about everything in between. Sux - flat out. But I will open up a little here. This is something that I feel pretty strongly about but have no intentions of putting my version of this on anyone else but me. The day we get a dog, any dog, it's a happy time, especially in the beginning. Once the years add up, the good times get even better, and the memories multiply. All of this is knowing that this time will come. So after all that love and loyalty, IMO, there is no reason to be sad. Nor is this a hard choice for us. We want to ensure the dog retains its dignity for its entire life. We want the dog not to endure pain for its entire life. If & when that changes, we feel so fortunate to love the dog so much that we can again be there for him or her. It takes more love to say good bye than it does to get a new pup. But saying goodbye is part of the deal. It's sort of a bad deal, but it's the only way we can get to share our lifes with them. Tank is sitting here and probably wants to know why I'm sad. A-Jay

FFS A-Jay

No doubt. There's a line waiting to "foster " these pups. We might not be close enough to the top to see it through. One thing's for sure, the term "foster failure" is running rampant around this place. More to follow. A-Jay

@22RangerZ520R has actually been on a Lake Menderchuck. We met on the water. Super nice guy. A-Jay

That is insane man ! Talk about going over the top . . . . . . Just an outrageous bag of supremely Fat Bass. And Congrats on that New PB - Mr. Teener. Sounds good, doesn't it ? We just don't see too many bass shaped like that, and never in one bag ! My hands would have been shaking ALL Day. You'll probably have that big-fish smile pasted on your face for a good while. You've set the bar way up in the stratifier at this point. Might as well give up the sport. I'll PM you my address so you can send me that sweet rig of yours. Well Done, my friend. A-Jay btw very nice job on the covert pics

The site sponsor makes a nice bait. Most run between $6-$8. Which is a bit less than the going rate, and you get a quality bait. Siebert Outdoors LLCSpinner & Blade BaitsSpinnerbaits, Fogy's, and other moving wire baits.A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ Did you know that in Ontario's Fisheries Management Zone 18, the bass season (both Largemouth and Smallmouth) runs from the third Saturday in June to December 15. This area covers southeastern Ontario, including the Rideau waterway and surrounding rivers ? Fishing for out-of-season species there is illegal, even for catch-and-release. A-Jay

Workout Day 3 ~ Being strong, lean, fit, and balanced in my 60's is a beneficial achievement that safeguards my independence, enabling an active lifestyle free from the typical frailty, pain, and mobility restrictions that often accompany aging. Maintaining this level of physical wellness not only boosts my mental health and energy levels but also significantly reduces the risk of chronic diseases and falls. It also helps me catch bass. I like bass. #borninfiftynine A-Jay

And there's been a development. We are working on perhaps fostering these two little ladies. . . . The general consensus/guess is probably some kind of German Shepherd and Belgian Malinois mix Oh my. A-Jay

A-Jay

IAW the manufacturer: "Draken ONE is designed to behave predictably as conditions change, reducing interruptions caused by lure weight, wind, or casting tempo. Instead of constant manual tuning, the reel maintains a steady casting rhythm once fishing begins." IME this is the same deal with every quality casting reel I have ever used. Regardless of the components and/or design. When I use an improper casting technique, the reel performs as expected. I make a bad cast, often resulting in a spool overrun / backlash. When I use proper casting technique, the reel performs as expected. I make a good cast. IMO, these types of marketing claims are directed at inexperienced/novice anglers who do not yet understand casting dynamics and/or are not willing to take the time to learn them. Effective casting with a baitcasting reel is its own specific, somewhat athletic movement. It's not like throwing a baseball or a football; it's not like swinging a golf club or a tennis racket. There are very few similarities to launching a frisbee or shooting a basketball. Until I was able to combine the proper strength, coordination & timing of my hand, arm, thumb, & shoulder, along with the required slight torso rotation, I struggled. Having a better bat, ball, racket, or 9 iron was not going to help me. Practice did. The final word. The truth is every casting reel will overrun. Every caster at some point backlashes. As ability, experience, and familiarity with the equipment increase, casting results proportionately improve. Any other claims are flat-out BS. Buy a quality product and learn to use it. A-Jay

I learned from the best, my friend. A-Jay

Wow ~ For the bassheads looking to poke a few plus-sized brown bass, this is a very big deal and Great News ! Congrats. A-Jay

Just like every year, before I start, I'll tell myself "I'm going to carry a bit less gear this season." It just never happens. Ever. But I'll keep saying it and then not doing it. I have problems. A-Jay