A-Jay

Daytime ~ Nighttime A-Jay

Hope you never do - Add in a stiff north wind and it's no fun. The term "dressing in layers" takes on a whole new meaning. Takes us at least 30 minutes to dress & undress 3 or 4 times a day to 'do the dogs'. That's 2 hours of your day just putting clothes on & off. Good Times. A-Jay

I've been both quite a bit actually. And despite where I currently live, I would rather be hot. Being out in Extreme cold is Brutal (insert painful), dangerous and just makes me mad. And I'm talking anything lower than like 20 below zero. A-Jay

Really Nice ~ And only 5 minutes from your home, 6 with 'traffic'. We know where you'll most likely be; Morning, Noon & Night. Congrats. A-Jay

Precipitation has changed over to snow for most areas this morning. Snow showers will linger through mid day today, taking a brief break before lake effect snow moves in this afternoon and lasts through tonight. Most snow showers will remain light, leading to accumulations of around 1-2 inches through tonight. Typical snow belt areas in the immediate vicinity of A-Jay's house and all the lakes he fished could see accumulations up to 2-4 inches. Gusty NW winds will likely lead to spots of blowing snow, which can reduce visibilities. Not exactly fisherman friendly at all. 🥴 A-Jay

Without quantifying my own skill level, or lack there of, I've read a fair amount of the bass fishing articles on this site. What follows comes from one of them. I believe it to be a decent start to answering your question. @KSanford33 https://www.bassresource.com/fishing/improve-bass-fishing.html Listen more You’ll have many questions as you progress as a bass angler. And it’s essential to ask them. But it’s more important to listen, not only to the answers but in general. Good anglers work hard, spending long hours developing and refining their patterns and approaches. So, with that amount of investment, most aren’t willing to give away everything. They’ll give you just enough to point you in the correct direction. Listen carefully for those details, then string them together. Before long, you’ll be fishing better and gaining confidence. Concentrate on the details When you first start fishing, you’ll focus on seasonal patterns, such as bass go shallow in spring to spawn, which are the most significant pieces of the fishing puzzle. Eventually, you’ll drill down to a day-to-day understanding of bass activity. Bass don’t contemplate where they are headed or what they are doing. They react to current conditions. Spawning, for example, takes place with more daylight, warming temperatures, and a full moon. But there are spots where they spawn first, such as the northwest corner of a lake, which receives the most warming sunshine in spring and protection from cold north winds. Knowing and acting on these tiny details is the difference between an average and a great angler. Set reasonable expectations It’s not every day that you’ll load the boat with bass. More often than not, you’ll define success with fewer bites. That’s the way it is for every angler. That understanding also is an excellent way to approach becoming a better bass angler. If each tip and trick you master results in an extra bite, you’ll start catching more bass each trip and more throughout a fishing season. And with each step forward, you’ll gain more confidence in your abilities. Don’t downplay confidence's importance in your progression as a bass angler. It’ll keep you going through slow bites and learning new techniques. Eventually, it will allow you to trust your “gut” on the water. And plenty of fishing success will come when you start trusting that little voice inside. Define your fishing fun Maybe it’s catching the most. Maybe it’s catching the biggest. Maybe it’s exploring new waters. Fishing is great because there are so many ways to enjoy it. Decide how you like to fish. Define that passion, and your love for and knowledge of the sport will grow. If you enjoy hunting the biggest bass, for example, build your fishing around that, from the lures you collect, rods and reels you select, and the trips you orchestrate. And don’t be afraid of letting what you find fun change. Those new directions may take you to exciting places. Fish for different species … sometimes According to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. anglers spend the most days chasing bass for good reasons: They’re almost everywhere and a blast to catch. But that doesn’t mean other fish aren’t worth your time. On the contrary, they can be fun to catch, too, and make you a better bass angler. Trout, for example, live and die by current. Chase them, and you’ll become better at reading water and develop a deeper understanding of how all fish use it to their advantage. If you need to work on your patience, try musky fishing. They always appear when you’re ready to give up on them. And if the bass in your local water suspend in summer, practice on walleye. Step from behind the screen The internet is home to an endless source of quality bass-fishing information, but you already know that. Why else would you have visited Bassresource.com? But while reading and researching is a significant first step, there’s no substitute for practicing that knowledge on the water, such as developing the feel for a smallmouth subtly slurping your drop-shot bait or perfecting the rod angle skips a jig far under a dock or pontoon boat. So, schedule regular trips. They don’t all have to be a day- or weekend-long adventure. Even a few hours walking around a nearby pond will pay dividends. Stay organized Success is where opportunity and preparation meet. So, take time to put your gear in order before every fishing trip. This starts with ensuring the line on your reels is in good shape and includes going through your tackle, whether stored in a box, bag, or boat. Check the hooks on your frequently used lures, swapping out rusted or bent ones. Put all your lures back in their correct tackle box, so you can quickly find them when you need them. Sort through your bags of soft-plastic lures, combing half-used bags of the same color and shape. Take note of lures that are missing or getting low, so you can pull more from your excess stock or make a shopping list. And give your boat, outboard, and trailer a once over, making sure wires are connected, screws and bolts are tight, and everything is fueled, charged, and lubricated. Take care of this now, and you’ll be ready when the bass are. A-Jay

There's a few more on standby by as well. Box only holds so many and each bait has a 'lifespan'. (the shorter for better). These baits are basically replacements for my SK Burner collection that are a few years old. They served me well but between the brown bass & the pike, I can only re-tune them so many times before I lose confidence in their structural integrity. So we went for a re-boot. I really like that they offer compact & a full frame size baits with 4/0 & 5/0 hook respectively. These baits give me 'the feeling', which is almost always worth at least one over 6. A-Jay

Freedom Tackle Speed Freak Spinnerbaits in the house ~ A-Jay

Day 5 workout this morning. Felt pretty good. We've finally got open water up here so starting next week I'll be fishing. That also means that although I'll still be hitting the home gym between fishing trips, the training videos might not be coming as regular as they have been the past 4 months or so. #borninfiftynine A-Jay

Looks like you're right. But at least I never need a hair cut. 🤪 A-Jay

****************************************** Local Lake Menderchuck is officially 100 % OPEN WATER. Expect to be floating at the earliest oppurtunity. Still having fairly cool days with air temps in the 40's. Anything other than a South wind makes it a little nippy. Either way, my work is done here. As always, Thank you for playing along. A-Jay

While I would never do it and certainly don't condone such an action, have to imagine buzzing the tower close aboard at 60 + kts while laying hard on an air horn, could have some entertainment value right here. #don'tdoit 🤓 A-Jay

Followed in the foot steps of my grandfather and Enlisted in the US Coast Guard a year or so out of high school. Still just a clue-less kid. Had to grow up fast and I did. Spent my 28 year career as a BOATSWAIN’S MATE, and retired as an enlisted man at 47. During which I served at several Search & Rescue stations, on Patrol Boats, Ships, Cutters & multiple small boats. All located up and down the East Coast of the USA from Maine to SC. Moving every two or three years is hard and I basically lived out of a bag for most all of it. Spending weeks/month ways from your family is harder and not for everyone. Depending on your assignment, you will be putting yourself in harms way for total strangers. Did quite a bit of that. Bad things happen to good people all the time. We were always getting there after the bad had already happened. Sometimes we helped, sometimes we just cleaned up what was left; if we could find it. The Atlantic Ocean's a pretty big place. Job descriptions were many, including but not limited to Driving/Navigation the vessels mentioned above, (in some very treacherous conditions) Maritime Law Enforcement, Search & Rescue Mission Coordination, and tons of Training. Served 2 tours a Company Commander (the Coast Guard's name for a Drill Instructor). Super rewarding job. Throughout my career I was so fortunate to work with some of the most dedicated, hard working and self-less folks who taught me so much about Honor, Respect & Devotion to Duty. The time went by in a flash. I miss them and that job every day. Perhaps the best part about the whole deal is that while I was serving our great country, I met & some how tricked my wife into marring me. Semper Paratus A-Jay

Hit the home gym early this morning for the Day 4 workout. Went as well as I can expect. Body seems to rebel a little more before, during & after every one of these. This is workout video number 601. #borninfiftynine A-Jay

That's a giant smallie. I really need to go fishing. Congrats to that guy. A-Jay

Most all of my best LMB swimbait fishing happens south of the border. The habitat is Tilapia heaven. The 6 inch Storm Wild Eye Shad is KING. The more unnatural it 'swims', The more & bigger bites we get. A-Jay

Nice job. But I can't really relate to any of that because I rarely exert myself at all. A-Jay

You can call me whatever you'd like Allen. A-Jay

@Nitro 882 Thank you for taking the time & sharing your thoughts. My personal feelings regarding FFS emulate your own very closely. While I do have a few less years on the water, I think the writings already on the wall. When I think about how Game Cameras & Drones have altered the very essence of 'Hunting' big game, there seems to be a close parallel with FFS and Bass fishing. The world changes and this is that. As a younger man, say 40 years younger, I do not believe I would feel the same about FFS as I do now. However at this point, FFS IMO 'looks good' but 'feels bad'. The world will go on, but it will be 'different.' So thankful that I grew up & lived the majority of my fishing life during the time frame that I did. I recently 'replaced' the electronics on my rig. Had a hard decision to make on which way I was going to go. In the end, I purchased new '3 year old' technology. Call me old fashion but it just 'felt right'. I will continue to do it my way, with no complaints, no apologies and no regrets. This topic has literally flooded the bass fishing world with some of the most drama I can remember. I'm tired of it already and look forward to getting out on the water again. Fish Hard A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ Nice Intro A-Jay

There are some humans who seem to look at 'details' as a separate or perhaps even special aspect of every evolution. In my world there are NO details. At some point IT ALL MATTERS. So it's not obsession, but instead willingness. Takes more effort & focus to try and be always ready, and I could agree that it's almost impossible to accomplish, but I believe it's worth it in the long run. A-Jay

UFL's calling A-Jay

He's Baaaack ~ Been a minute. A-Jay

Day 3 workout this morning. Sticking to the plan. #borninfiftynine https://youtu.be/YrGGPmyA38Y?feature=shared A-Jay

Needs a name. Sorry, but Lake Menderchuck is already taken. 😃 A-Jay