A-Jay

Congratulations to you & Mom ~ A-Jay

Presenting jerkbaits on a glass rod will end up being problematic. Where this material is great for maintaining a nice bend during a fight to assist in keeping fish hooked, this very characteristic will adversely affect ones ability to 'work' the bait. Rather than being able to get those short and oh so effective twitches down the line & to the bait, a glass stick will absorb the vast majority of that resulting in something less that optimum bait movement. Stick to graphite for jerkbaits - you'll be glad you did. A-Jay

You know it always pays to be on the water - more is better than less. But one thing that I've noticed over the years that can be and I'll say again Can be, an indicator on land - is as soon as I see any of the local ferns starting to turn even the slightest bit of yellow or brown, then I'm expecting good things on the water. As for indicators on the water, and it certainly helps to have good vis and you know we have clear water mostly up here, is to look for the first signs of the weeds dying back. Tips of cabbage & coontail brown or even wilt. Not exactly magic. Typically, but not always, places bass set up during pre-spawn and even bedding areas can be a good spot to start looking. Deep water close by is almost a must. Squarebills, spinnerbaits, and topwater are my usual baits of choice. Remember you're fishing in & around vegetation so whatever you like for that. Often a fairly fast retrieve works but on 'slower' days - snapping a 3/8 oz tube out of the vegetation that's still left, works. But I'll warn you, if there's toothy critters in the system, they'll be trying to get in on this open bait free for all too - so I loose a few tubes - unless I take preventative measures. A-Jay This was my most productive Fall bait selection from last season.

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

Looking for the Early 'fall bite' for me has me looking less at the water temps and more at the condition of the shallow water weeds. Once they start to die back, the bait that usually hides in & around it, has to relocate. This makes the bait vulnerable. The bass know that and that's when I expect my first 'fall bite' to get good. Knowing when & where this happens is the trick. Often times it happens much earlier than I expect and the early signs can be subtle. This is something I want to get on as early as I can. If I wait until the weeds are dead & Brown and lying on the bottom - it's way too late - I've missed it. Might take some 'searching', but when I get on it, it's usually a good time; for both numbers & size. Depending on the lakes, I can have both green bass & brown ones mixed together. So that adds a nice layer of variety too. Coincidentally, should be any day now . . . . A-Jay

Check out the Rapala Shadow Rap Shad & Shadow Rap Shad Deep ~ both slow risers A-Jay http://www.rapala.com/rapala/lures/shadow-rap-series/shadow-rapandreg-shad/Shadow+Rap+Shad.html?cgid=rapala-lures-shadow#id=1&start=1&cgid=rapala-lures-shadow http://www.rapala.com/rapala/lures/shadow-rap-series/shadow-rapandreg-shad-deep/Shadow+Rap+Shad+Deep.html?cgid=rapala-lures-shadow#id=1&start=1&cgid=rapala-lures-shadow

You may get a lot of different answers here but my version for the mid to upper price point Shimano gear revolves around quality. And quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives. The bitterness of poor quality is remembered long after the sweetness of low price has faded from memory. Incidentally, I do fish a few different brands of tackle besides Shimano. These as well as others, are solid performers. A-Jay

This could be considered incentive ~ Might be a good time . . . A-Jay

Might work - perhaps Tex-Pose the bait. I'd use lead though - cause when you get into the right ones in the jungle, some of those weights might go bye-bye. A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

Nice work ~Congrats btw - haven't seen bass on a stringer on a while . . Brings back a lot of great memories . . . .I like it. A-Jay

A-Jay

Go when you can but I'd be looking for stable weather followed by an approaching front. Fish right before the front. Something else to keep in mind is that sunlight often helps 'set up' the fish in cover which can often make them a little easier to locate. As for weight - being able to successfully penetrate the cover is what dictates it. If you're not getting to the fish - you need more. That said, don't be afraid of going 'heavy' in skinny water. That super fast sort of 'surprise' fall, right in a big ol'fat girls face can often be the ticket to camera & scale use. A bass has a strike reflex that is 'blink of an eye' fast - so 'too quick' of a fall speed in shallower water may not be a big concern, especially in warmer water temps. Finally, sounds like that place was tailor made for a punch rig, braided line & an attitude that has you showing no fear by getting your bait in places others wouldn't think of going. Good Luck and be careful - you might get your arm broke. A-Jay

Throwing oversized cranks for any extended period is a test for both gear & the angler alike. And doing it on anything other than a lower gear ratio reel is not something I'd recommend. As noted above this is a 'technique' that will definitely benefit from the right rod, reel & line to get the most out of it. Fishing these bigger baits can test any angler's commitment regardless of the gear but when you're sticking fatties - at it's worth it. ( and just for a size reference - that top bait is a 6XD) A-Jay

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

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

I noticed that you neglected to acknowledge the thousands upon thousands of the great fishing reports, pictures & videos that are such a huge part of this great site. And how about all the great deals made and currently being offered in the BR Flea Market ? Good Stuff right there. So yes, Id say you're missing something. Interesting 2nd post (in 7 years) btw A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

That is cool footage J. And I actually enjoyed the guitar quite a bit. Relaxing . . . A-Jay

Thanks Glenn - A-Jay

Is this it ? A-Jay

Is the old adage that 10% of anglers catch 90% of fish- still true? Perhaps, and with the advent of the information high way the number of successful bassheads might be somewhat higher. I'll say in my particular case, on any given day, I'm routinely fishing for only 5% of the population as it is. I think that may decreases my probability of success but not my enthusiasm. A-Jay

I'm taking a second crack at 29 . . . . So far, so good. A-Jay

Hello John and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

Sorry to hear about your Dad. Went through that with my own Dad. It's a tough deal. Do what you can & remember the good times. You'll both be in our thoughts. A-Jay