A-Jay

I use three Schumacher SC-1200A/CA SpeedCharge 3/6/12 Amp Charger/Maintainer/Testers. Work very well as an out of boat / portable charger, maintainer & tester. Compatible with both 6 & 12 volt batteries. So it pulls double duty for use on the tractor, lawn & garden as well as snow removal equipment. One baby sits the GTO all winter for me as well. A-Jay

Hello Damion and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

I could tell what I'd do, but I'll admit, my credibility is a little questionable. Instead, I'll offer the advice of B A S S Elite Series Professional Todd Faircloth. Unlocking Bass: 3 keys to a kicker Once you have your limit, it's time to upgrade! "Someone recently told me that I've caught more daily big bass than any other angler in the Bassmaster Elite Series. I was surprised to hear it, but it's a nice confirmation of some of my tournament philosophies. Then they asked me if I'd share some of those ideas with you here, and I agreed. I think it's important to share that kind of stuff. I've benefitted from things that other anglers have shared with me, and I like to give back when I can. It makes us all better. I hope these tips will help you catch bigger bass in competition. They've worked for me over the years. 1. Find your comfort zone For every tournament I fish, I do a lot of research. Not only do I want to figure out the best locations, baits and patterns, but I want to develop an idea of what it's going to take to do well and earn a check. Sometimes you'll hear a tournament fisherman say something like, "I just go out there and fish hard all day and bring my best five to the scales." Well, that's fine, but without any way to measure performance throughout the day, you're fishing blind and can't make the kind of adjustments that are necessary to be successful. You can't afford to wait until you get to the scales to find out if you had a good day or not. I always have a weight in mind before I launch my boat each day. That number might be big (Falcon Lake in March) or it might be small (the Ohio River in July), but it's important. It's the number I have to reach to be competitive and to get paid. And while some people will tell you that they only fish to win or that they never fish for a check, the reality is that checks and tournament points are important. They pay the bills and get you to the championship. If you ignore them, you'll have problems. For the sake of this article, let's say my target number is 12 pounds for a five bass limit. I have confidence that 12 pounds a day will get me in the money and keep me competitive. Hopefully, in practice I've found the bass to do that, and I can catch them pretty quickly. Time is critical in a bass tournament. We're all fishing under the gun, and the guys who manage their time best tend to cash the most checks. Once I reach that target weight, my comfort level goes up and I'm ready to explore and try something different. Until then, I'm doing all I can just to catch the quality fish I need to get there. I want lots of bites from respectable bass until I reach that target. My tournament mindset has always been to go for a limit first and to upgrade later. If I know where I can go and catch lots of 2 1/2 pounders quickly, I'll do that rather than go to another spot where the bass are bigger but the bites are fewer and farther between. Of course, that plan has to be flexible, too, and there are times when I'll go after big fish first and then work on a limit. An obvious time to do this is in the spring, when you've spotted a giant female or two on beds and you have to go to them right away before someone else does. Ordinarily, though, I'm focused on a limit first. When I have what I believe to be a respectable limit, I'm ready for the second step. 2. Explore Changing things up and getting away from my primary pattern is more than just changing locations; it's also about changing my mindset. Instead of wanting and needing lots of bites to fill my limit, now I'm thinking about getting a couple of bites from the kind of bass that will really help my bottom line. I'm not looking to cull up an ounce or two, but by several pounds. Over the years I've caught most of my best bass from isolated cover, and that's usually where I'll go after I have a solid limit. The cover doesn't have to be big, but it does need to be away from other similar cover. I like to target isolated logs, boat docks, brush piles, mats of vegetation or anything else that might hold a big fish. The isolated cover is a big fish magnet because it's the only holding area around and other anglers will often overlook it, preferring to fish bigger spots that might hold more bass but which take a lot longer to fish and generally don't hold the biggest bass in the area. Once I have a solid limit I may also consider making a long run to get to an out of the way spot or making another change that's otherwise too time-consuming or risky. Having a solid limit is freedom — you can do other things that have the potential for a big payoff. A lot of guys will make those kinds of moves after they've had a bad first day or two in the tournament, but then it's almost always too late. You need to make those moves when you're in a position of strength and have the right mindset, not when you're in a position of weakness and pressing too hard. 3. Ounce wise, pound foolish Over the years, I've seen a lot of tournament fishermen really milk a spot. Maybe they're catching a bunch of two pounders on a main lake point and they have 10 or 11 pounds in the livewell. Instead of leaving those fish and going to look for a kicker that will really help them, they stay on the spot and continue to work it over, adding an ounce here and there but basically adding very little weight to their bag. I think that's a mistake for two reasons. First, that time could be used to make a real change in their catch. If they gamble just a little and try targeting some better fish, they could go from merely making a check to winning the tournament. You don't often do that by playing it safe with average fish. Second, they might need those fish tomorrow. By catching too many today, they could be wrecking that spot or school for the rest of the tournament. They should be saving those bass. By culling all day with more average fish they think they're gaining ounces but they're really losing pounds from their catch over the next day or two. I'll be the first to admit that my method of upgrading a tournament catch doesn't always work, but neither does anything else. What I can tell you is that it's worked for me a lot more often than not, and that I'll be using it until I find something better. Of course, a little luck helps, too! "Hero or zero" is a popular phrase for the guys who gamble with their tournament strategy. It doesn't have to be that way. I much prefer "hero or still-in-the-money." Give it a try." A-Jay

Maybe they weren't bass. Or perhaps smaller bass than the previous outing. Since SI doesn't ID species you could have been fishing something else with a few bass mixed in. A-Jay

Same Here ~ A-Jay

Yup ~ and as one of the humans charged with enforcing that & other regs in NJ (15 years) I'm fairly well versed myself. A-Jay

X2 ~ If it's ebay, I'm betting you'll get it or at the very least a complete refund. That message you received from the seller is illegal and usually ebay includes a canned blurb with it that indicates as such. A-Jay

Maybe he just paddles Really Really Fast ~ A-Jay

NOPE ~ Not a Penny More. That's on the seller. And there can't be negative feedback to you since you're not the one who Jacked up the transaction. I'd offer to pay what was agreed and if that's not good, get my $$ back. In fact I don't know what the site rules are but attempting to renegotiate an agreed on price after the fact - can't be a routine practice. Instead of paying more, perhaps you should respond by in fact offering less since you're obviously back in the negotiation stage of the process ? Might want to report this transaction to the site administrator(s). A-Jay

Thanks for straightening that out. Well, sounds like you were on them. I'm betting you know this but the bass don't eat 24/7 so unless you can get a reaction strike some how or manage to "turn on the school" (which for me is usually easier said than done) then fishing neutral or even negative bass is pretty frustration. The Very Good News is you've located some good ones and unless something mandates a relocation, they may stay there a while. Now it's just a matter of returning to the spot a few times a day and checking if their mood has changed to something closer to one that includes striking your bait. In the mean time I'd be looking for other spots that include much of the same parameters (including a school of bait & bass) and see what's what. Good Luck A-Jay

You still have neglected to say if on the second day you were fishing the same spot ? ? ? If that's the case, unless it's a big area or one that is a bit of a bass highway (where it reloads often, not usually the case this time of year) you may have sore lipped a good portion of the resident bass population the day before which may explain the fishes apprehension or lack of commitment to your bait. On a day to day basis, every day is different. Often every 1/2 day or even every hour can be different where changing it up keeps a bite going. Occasionally a bait change in the same spot will do it. (switching from a crank to a jig for example) Other times, the same bait presented in the opposite or at least a different direction - from shallow to deep or deep to shallow) can keep the fish interested enough to get a few more bites. Also If the bait moved, there's at least a decent chance that most of the bass did as well. A Change in wind & air temp can have the same effect. Getting bit in the same place, with the same bait, technique or presentation in the same spot a couple of days in a row does happen. Past that it starts getting a little tricky - just ask KVD. A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ I do not use Fluorocarbon line so can't help you there. The Metanium xg is a fine reel but if plan on dumping the spool on every cast, just make sure your tag end knot is very good. A-Jay

Cool ~ Let us know how it goes . . . btw - have that scale ready & the camera rolling A-Jay

Check out PROvider Tackle ~ I've been a huge fan of these baits for a long time. http://www.providertackle.com/store/index.php?route=product/category&path=66_69 Though all his gear is high quality, Art Ferguson III makes some especially killer baits right there in St Clair Shores, MI Both the 3.5 " & 4" tubes are solid producers. As for colors, the BBQ Melon, Roadkill, St Clair Tease, Great Lake Melon, & Natural Goby have all been gobbled up eagerly by North Woods Smallies. A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ As for your question on where to buy those rods on sale/clearance or just the best price everyday; I bet that all your research has shown that most of the reputable tackle retailers offer competitive pricing. Additionally, since you'll be able to physically check out, and presumably purchase these rods, look at all the money you'll save on shipping. A-Jay

Hello Matthew and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ Being situationally aware of the environment can only help your fishing success. Good work. A-Jay

Me too. But there was no interweb, snapface or TW website to use & abuse either. Still, getting that Master catalog was a much anticipated event in my house no doubt. A-Jay

Sometimes my bass fishing feels a lot like a chess game that I just can't win. A-Jay fishes shallow ~ bass go deep. A-Jay fishes deep ~ Bass go shallow. A-Jay throws topwater ~ Bass are eating Crawdads. A-Jay throws a jig ~ bass are eating frogs. Some days I swear I can even hear them whispering "Checkmate ~ Doofus". A-Jay

I'm both Surprised & Impressed that Mr J Morris could find the time to actually put out a 2016 Master Catalog. He's been a very busy man recently . . . . A-Jay

I know it's not funny . . . . but I'm laughing as I know that feeling all too well my friend. A-Jay

Tell me about - darn beavers - I come very close to going right in the drink every time. btw - I never get out on the bank at night - too many Bears. A-Jay

Truth be told Catt, (and I'm certain you, being a seasoned night ops angler know this) Right before & during the initial transitions is when I hope to be there. Usually it's a pretty small window depending on the intensity / severity of the front. I'd be happy if it lasted 2 or 3 hours but usually it's starting to get a little snotty by then, especially out in the scary night time. The little Old Town doesn't allow me to be there too long so after is usually not an option. A-Jay

Sudden rapid changes in weather during the dog days of summer are My Favorite times to get out on the water AT NIGHT. Often the Best chance to bump into a Big girl during this time of year, especially if the first signs of the change happen during the night. Day time periods can & do produce as well but the night ops seem to be better. Of course safety is the primary concern especially when the winds is forecast to kick up a bit but those first few hours can be magic. A-Jay

It's a bummer when a new item arrives with a defect. Although you should not have to be dealing with this, a tip top replacement is actually a pretty easy fix. All you need is a new tip (like 3 bucks) and some ferrule cement. (a Tip-Top/Ferrule Gauge helps too) Rather than going through the hassle of shipping it, where it could get damaged again anyway, you may want to consider the do it yourself fix. A-Jay