A-Jay

Here's my version ~ A-Jay

Some we regret. Some we're proud of. Some will haunt us forever. In the end, we are what we chose to be. A-Jay

You may see me struggle but you'll never see me quit ~ A-Jay

So That's run #1 This must be rule # 2 then . . . . A-Jay

Agreed ~ During open water season - I will make it my business to know the forecast - everyday - by the minute. Falls under the category of being at the right place at the right time. In my fishing - it's everything. "The Bigger the 'front' is expected to be or Longer it is expected to take to pass - the earlier I like to get out on the water. Meaning a 'big' front may mean that the bass might start looking to feed TWO full days ahead of it. Smaller ones may mean only one day ahead of it is the time. And this doesn't necessarily mean bass are jumping in the boat, may simply mean the 'normal' feeding areas & windows may have more & or bigger bass at them and might start a little earlier or last a little longer. " (except from Brown Bass Tools - chapter III) A-Jay

Rapala Sub-Walk. That is all. A-Jay

Agreed ~ When I'm not getting bit, just means I'm elimination unproductive water. As the day progresses, I'm getting closer & closer to what I'm looking for. Sometimes I run out of day light. Sometimes I don't. A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ Have fun catching up. A-Jay

When throwing a "swinghead" in & around cover, especially soft bottom cover - perhaps consider changing up your swinghead 'type'. This one from Freedom Tackle is what works for me in those conditions. "Slides" over & through most of that stuff pretty nicely. Line tie closer to the nose vs anything near the top of the head is the deal. I just use the head. 1/2 & 3/4 oz Pictured middle bait - https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Freedom_Tackle_Stealth_Swim_Jigs/descpage-FREESSW.html A-Jay

Like I mentioned - I do believe there is value in it, as the information does prove useful. Just perhaps not is a super direct way. While I do not expect to go to a spot, on a certain date, with a particular bait, that worked whenever (you pick the time, last year, last season, last month, last week, yesterday) and believe that there is a realistic chance that it's all going to come together the same way again. Just doesn't happen enough to justify believing my log was anything more than a small contributing factor. I have observed some similar 'trends' but that's about as much validity as I can place on it. As for not being organized - yea, that's not me. A-Jay

I kept logs for Several Seasons in row that recorded much of what has been listed above. It was an interesting deal - And I believe I benefited from it; but I no longer do it. Closest I come is recording & saving video. However the 'data' revealed some circumstances & factors that I might not have anticipated. First thing I learned was that the smaller the body of water - the more helpful a 'log' could be. Larger lakes were a whole different animal. I learned how certain wind speeds & directions (and duration) can affect certain bodies of water. I learned that water temps play a equal role in when weed growth both emerges & then dies off; length of day seems to pick up at least half of that. I learned knowing what the bait is doing at any given time (seasonally) is just as, if not more important, than trying to predict where & when bass might be or feed. The two most important deals I believe I learned from keeping logs from every trip for several years is; 1. Every year, season, month, week, day & even hour on the water is different. 2. (and this was a biggie for me) - NONE of that has any bearing on where, when, or how I catch fish the next time I'm on the water. It's been said many times before, one needs to fish the current conditions. While 'historical data' Might offer a clue as to what Might be going on, the only way for me to know, is to go fishing. So all said & done, I value being able to get out on a big body of water several days in a row, far more useful than anything from trips past. A-Jay

LOL ~ What the heck's a 'drill' ? That's a Line Remove Device A-Jay

I tried 50 & 65 lb braid, 20 lb mono and 17 & 20 lb FC. All said & done, 20lb Seaguar InvisX or Tatsu gets the nod. That's for green & brown bass. Can't see the need for a leader on the braid when there's a giant wire chandelier attached to the end of it. A-Jay

I don't think you're missing anything J. As the size of a rig increases, everything else about it does as well. As mentioned, the cost both to run it & maintain it, of course the initial and however long term financial commitment of ownership, and then learning to run it. You'll find everything happens slower and takes longer. Takes a bit longer to getting it going & then a bit to slow it down & eventually stop it. ANTICIPATION is the key. Knowing what & when you're going to do two steps ahead of needing to do it, will be an invaluable aspect of handing your new rig. The wind is your friend during any & all maneuvering operations , use it that way and you may smile more & curse less. Best of Luck on your decision & impending purchase. A-Jay

Crazy start to the new season ~ A-Jay

68 Days ~ A-Jay

Although initially penned a few seasons back, much of what I do remains very much the same. It's relayed here ~ A-Jay

Good Eye ~ A-Jay

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Seems the fans voices are being heard. I like it. A-Jay

There's several 'types' of worms that are very effective for 'swimming a worm'. Often some type of an action tail is a common theme on these baits. A ribbon or curly tail, a cut tail, and a paddle tail worms all work here. Some examples of the several offerings available are: Swim Senko, Zoom G-Tail Worm, Zoom Speed Worm, & the Strike King Rage Cut R Worm. https://www.bassmaster.com/kevin-vandam/kvd-versatile-swimming-worm A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

May not be the case every where, but the green bass in this neck of the woods are often found much closer to or even IN some fairly gnarly cover; where the brown bass may relate to it or be around it, they are rarely right in it. That said, the gear used to present baits, set the hook and then extricate the green bass from the 'slop', is usually a bit heavier than the gear listed above. If & when green bass can be located in an open water or 'lighter cover' situation, (more in line with how & where brown bass are often taken from), that gear could be good. A-Jay

Haven't heard if they plan on fishing into Monday or cut this one short and finishing up on Sunday PALATKA, Fla. — B.A.S.S. officials made a decision to cancel the first day of competition on the St. Johns River today after the National Weather Service (NWS) issued a wind advisory making the fishery unsafe for boaters. The wind advisory is calling for winds 15-25 m.p.h. with gusts over 40. “Safety for our anglers and Marshals is our primary concern,” said Trip Weldon, Bassmaster Elite Series Tournament Director. “We have been monitoring the weather closely, and had discussions with NWS last night and this morning to see if the weather situation would change. “Beginning this morning and into the afternoon, the wind was just going to be too high to safely be on the water.” Competition in the AFTCO Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River is expected to resume Friday morning when the field of 88 anglers launches at 7:15 a.m. from Palatka Riverfront Park. A-Jay

What has helped you improve the most as an angler? Learning how to successfully catch bass at night. " And so there began a journey into an aspect of angling I personally feel is so awesome and so beneficial to day time fishing, I can easily state that I would not be even half the angler I am, so many years later, had I never tried it." A-Jay