natalex1208

around Mandeville, La. I might be moving there for work and want to know all of the best places within 1 hr drive. should be more specific. I know the areas south of Lake Ponchatrain (sp?) are available and I know the Atchafalaya (sp?) basin is available. I was curious if there were any smaller lakes around the north shore area. How are the tchefuncte and pearl rivers? Thanks

Thank you very much. I really appreciate that.

Maybe I should be more specific. I know the areas south of Lake Ponchatrain (sp?) are available and I know the Atchafalaya (sp?) basin is available. I was curious if there were any smaller lakes around the north shore area. How are the tchefuncte and pearl rivers?

Don't short yourself. A win is a win.

I am from Northwest Alabama originally and know the some of the clubs on that side of the state. I am not as familiar with NC Alabama. My advice would be to talk with the local tackle shops in your area and ask about area clubs. Most clubs consist of mostly good people as interested in socializing as anything. Thus most are very welcoming. Joining a club back in the day was the best thing I ever did for improving my knowledge and skill. I was only 16 and one of the two top anglers in our club took me under his wing and showed me the ropes. I learned a whole lot in a short time from him and all of the others in the club. I highly recommend joining a club.

around Mandeville, La. I might be moving there for work and want to know all of the best places within 3hrs drive. Thanks

Those darker craw patterns are some of the best I've ever seen. That striper pattern is the best I have ever seen. Outstanding work.

Great suggestions above and mine just reiterate. Disclaimer: I do not EVER use live bait for bass fishing and never will. However I do not judge others that do or that might want to, such as the situation we have now. However you could try live bait to catch ONE and make sure what you think you are seeing is in fact what you are seeing. night fishing with a spinner bait can be great for smallies esp if they have some size. Otherwise jigs, and small plastics. Fish during low light conditions. Dusk/ dawn/ and cloudy esp if right before a rain.

those square billed cranks are awesome. I could do some damage with those.

IMO fishing in the front is not an advantage for most bass fishermen assuming someone that is good is in the back. I fished tournaments for a long time as a non boater. I was only beaten by the boater (the guy running the trolling motor) ONCE. I believe the reasons are that I was a more accurate caster, knew more in general, and wasn't having to deal with running the trolling motor. I think the main reason is casting accuracy and ability to get my lure where others can't or won't.

The pond is over populated most likely. You need to cull the smallest fish. How big is the pond? You can google pond management techniques and you can find out how many fish to remove per acre.

I am staying on western lake this week. I have caught a few small LM bass, but not much size. I have been told eastern lake is better. Any advice for LM bass fishing in the area. I have a fishing kayak and plenty of gear so let me know. Thanks for any advice about the above mentioned lakes or any others. If you want to invite me to your private pond/ lake that would be great also. ;D

It remains my favorite top water bait. I have thrown a devil's horse miles and caught a ton of fish. Some real toads as well. It makes me feel old that someone found it and considered it a novelty. I am only 32 yo for crying out loud! LOL!

You can put me on the list of people who has never cast toward a carp more than once. I have no problem telling them apart from a bass.

I have to be in Vegas over the memorial day weekend for a wedding. Any good bass fishing in Vegas?

Eyeballing it I say 6.5 lbs ish. Tough to say, but a great fish regardless. Esp in nothern illinois.

Just seeing those things makes me sick. I here ya! You guys are a bunch of weinies. Seriously, grow a pair.

I am particularly interested in the "wood n slither" and the "wooden minnow" Also the R2S "Kong" swimbait. Any experience/ opinions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Hi everyone. I am looking for a club or a few folks that would like to have a fishing partner. I will fish tournaments, just for fun, practicing for a tourney, or from the bank at a pond. I just want to get out on and around the water more often. About me concise edition: Age: 30 male Birmingham, Al Will travel to fish within 2-3 hrs preferably. Species: Bass only Boating status: NON Experience: Very (former bass club president at 17 yo) Tournament experience: LOTS, mostly local club and BASS Federation events Equipped: FULLY Looking for: Want to get on the water. Tournaments, practice for tournaments, fun fishing, whatever. About me long version. I am originally from northwest Alabama. I cut my teeth on Pickwick, Wilson, Wheeler, the Bear Creek chain of lakes, farm ponds, and the creeks around my families land. I have alot of experience as a tournament fisherman, and love to fish tournies. More than that though I just love to fish for bass. I was the president of our local bass club when I was 17 yo. This was a fairly good sized club (for a small town) of approximately 40 members. I include this so you will know that I am not a hack that is going to be an anchor in the boat. My fishing career came to a grinding hault when I went off to college. I tried to continue fishing, but it was difficult because I had no boat. I then proceeded to do alot of post graduate training (I am still doing it). Thus I only got to fish a few times a year when I went to see parents which is where my boat stays. Now I am in a position where most of my weekends are free and occasionally a day during the week. I do NOT have my boat in Birmingham at this time so I would be a nonboater. I am 100% willing to contribute to expenses for fuel etc. I am fully equiped in the tackle department. I can handle a boat. I can back a trailer with best of them. I can also catch fish. I do not know much about the central Alabama lakes. I love fishing new places, I have a voracious appetite for knowledge, and would love to learn about the lakes. Let me know if you are interested or know of any clubs that like to have nonboaters participate. Tight lines.

I grew up on a farm and we had 3 farm ponds with lmb. A carolina rig with a leader about 13 inches long with a 6" lizard or a finesse worm is killer for numbers and size. The wacky rig, drop shot rig or any other soft plastic presentation will do well. I would be careful of crawfish imitators because many small ponds DO NOT have crawfish. Now that said about soft plastics. If you can catch them with a faster presentation I would try to do it. I ALWAYS zip a buzz bait over a pond. It doesn't take long and it will give you a good feel for the mood of the fish and you might catch a bunch of fish quickly including some really big fish. One other tip if you want to catch a real big fish. Use a baby bass swim bait = bullets.

I think that fish is over 10 lbs. It is hard to tell because I can't see how wide her back is and you are holding her closer to the camera, but her head is HUGE. Here is a tip if you are ever caught without a scale again. Cut a piece of line equal to her length, then cut one equal to her girth. Take a couple of more picture. One of her back, one of her belly, one from each side. Also take the pics with her right beside you. That gives a better reference object so she can be judged. Orlando Wilson used to say that "Roland Martin has the biggest thumbs in the world". He would always put his fish up against the camera lense and carry on about how big the fish were. Disclaimer: RM has caught a bunch of huge bass. You can then find online calculators or do it yourself and estimate her weight. Those estimates will get you pretty close.

I hope this doesn't come across as smart arse or anything, but swimming a jig is just like presenting any other lure. You will need to experiment with several different presentations on any given day depending on the weather, forage, fish mood, depth, cover, structure, wind, water color, etc etc etc etc. Some days you can swim it high in the water column, others you will need to "slow roll" it or swim and drop it. Zillions of presentations are possible for a jig. A swimming jig is no different. Example: two weeks ago I caught fish swimming the jig parallel to laydowns and grass clumps. I stopped it to let it fall and boom strikes. The same day in another area I was burning the jig just under the surface and catching fish. The next day in the same area I was slow rolling it with the occasional pause pop pause pop and my best 5 weighed almost 20 lbs (lost the biggest fish that broke my jig hook, saw her well, easily 6 maybe 8 lbs). So experiment. Everyday is different. There is no presentation blue print for any lure.

I would haul over to the mobile tensaw delta. Pretty good bass fishing. Grab a map it is huge. You can catch lmb all over the entire expanse of the delta if you know where to fish and how to handle the tides, salinity, and other variables. I have fished it a fair amount. I don't have the foggiest idea about anything around Gulf Shores.