bigbill

The date and era is pretty much correct. My cousin George and his dad were avid readers of field & stream and outdoor life. He took me fishing after a black bear hunting trip. We both had some spare time left. He took a black 6" cream worm with a number 2 smelled hook with the biggest sewing needle. He took the leader in half through the opening in the hook. Then he put the needle with the leader looped in the needle through the worm. The hook stopped at the worms body and he pulled out the smelled leader out of the worms nose. At the loop on the smelled hook we put a split shot. This was in October 1973. We caught some awesome bass on this new to me split shot rig. I have no clue who came up with the idea but my cousin is on top of this game even today. That God he reads those magazines and articles. The drop shot rig I used in saltwater as a kid for flounder and blackfish. Back in the 60's. I guess it got it's name in freshwater. A short leader was more popular in saltwater. My point is nothing is really new it's old school stuff getting a renewal. Me and my cousin used this stuff because it works. Split shot rig fishing is a long process when it's done right. I like to grab a sandwich during this time. We used the split shot rig from a row boat. We would oar far enough the weed beds till they disappear. We anchored the boat and cast as far into the weeds as we could. Be ready as soon as the rig hits the water. If not let it fall and sit, in five minutes move it slowly about 12". Then repeat over and over again and cast again when it's at the boat. In between as the worm sits watch the line for movement. If the line is moving set the hook. I like using this rig because it gives me time to relax, chill, and sit, fish.

Early in the am before twilight it's topwater. Then shallow cranks, the diving to 10' cranks. Then back to to pop water repeat till it's twilight. Little by little ill add rapala minnow, inline spinners and spinnerbaits as the sun rises. As it gets lighter and the bass start to move to there deeper haunts its a c rig with senkos and brushogs plus deep cranks. Throw in some inline spinners and spinnerbaits. I work over the Rocky point with a jig, shallow crank. On my first cast my topnocker 5/8oz and dripping wet with a scent. I throw it as far as I can in the channel away from me. This way the water is scented with the smell of the soup is on.

Those lure savers really work. These rings that connect the lure to the hook. They come in different release rates. You only lose the hook.

My stopping point has been when the ice is on. But I'm feeling the cold really bad already.

I just don't understand fishing in ct anymore. It seems the more we pay the less areas we get to fish. We don't even get the DEEP to back us up. We pay for a saltwater license and have you ever tried to find a spot to park and fish in Milford or stratford beaches? I'm disabled and found an awesome place to fish next to my car. I fish off a low bridge and I'm not on anyone's property. They don't own the water. It's legal for me to fish there. I got asked to leave by the land owner. I reported it to the DEEP but they acted like they wanted not to get involved. I'm lucky I still have my old hot spots to fish. My point is were losing places to fish in ct. These little privately owned places were we once fished for decades are changing hands and we lose that spot. I practice c&r and don't leave any garbage behind. I don't fish in the ct river but I'll do the form anyway.

But I haven't been out much due to my illness. The water shed has been purchased by the town and is open for fishing. Carry in boats only with electric motors only. But my point is don't give up because it's cold. I remember itchin to go fishing in one November in the cold. I was throwing a pearl 6" YUM Money minnow. I was using a dying minnow presentation. I had snow flurries, when my 6' old bass rod never bent in half so bad. I fought the fish for ten minutes. Until it spit my hook. I think I'm going to force myself to go fishing soon before the ice is on. If it snows the better. I'm not sure what fish was on my line but it was big. My point is don't stop fishing because it's cold and snowing.

My older brother my mentor passed away. I miss fishing and hunting with him. Now my oldest son and his wife take me fishing. Otherwise I go alone before I got sick. If I'm not with family I don't go lately.

And yes all this stuff really works when presented correctly.

This time of the year I use the sinking one. My choice is the YUM Money minnow as it gets colder. Just a slow reel will keep it just out of your site but in there strike zone. I slow it down as to where I don't see it and twitch it like it's dying.

The bait monkey at my house needs a bigger room.

Sure there is, a fisherman is like a baseball pitcher one style of pitch won't win the whole game. It's up to us to figure out what will still catch fish if the bite slows down. When it slows down for me it's time to accept the challenge. I step up to the plate casting baits and changing types, sizes and colors. I'm a color freak anyway. I believe in Dr. LOREN HILL of OK. UNV. His ten years of tests on bass seeing certain colors at certain conditions. Throw in mother nature with the changes in sunlite and the affect on the plant life and hues in the water it becomes a challenge. For me it's the correct choice of bait and color. It's a matter of what to throw at what time. Early mornings I'm topwater and shallow cranks. But I do mix up with some deeper cranks and c rigs brushogs/senkos in between. Remember the action is up to us to figure out what that bass want at that moment. I'm in competition against myself to do better. My ego is left at home still sleeping. There is no fishing book of knowledge. There is no short cuts. The time we spend on the water is our best teacher. I buy lures to test them just to see if they catch fish. On a tough day just throw the one you haven't used that much. Soft plastics? In different colors? You bet? I purchased once a off brand orange spook on clearance. One morning nothing was working. I put on the Orange spook and caught four good sized bass. Another day in the same spot I put on a baby bass colored culprit when worm and had success. Another day it was a reddish orange senko. Another trip the electric blue worm was the hot color. Don't limit yourself to one color. I have discontinued plastics like the Mann's Dragun fly. In the springtime as it becomes tee shirt weather I use this plastic dragun fly in a hatching presentation. At the right time it's a bass catcher for sure. From spring to mind summer. A smelled hook and a split shot it's a killer plastic. You can become so productive using lures/plastics you can out fish livebait. Don't be color blind too.

I use a 1/4 oz Mann's classic spinnerbaits with two gold Colorado blades with a chartreuse shirt. When it comes to switching skirts I change it to a "hot" chartreuse shirt. I use the mister Twister split double tail trailer in chartreuse. One shot of YUM SHAD scent and it's good to go.

Just add a large split shot or two with a 20" leader. In my beginning I had no money as a kid. I still didn't let that stop me. A peanut butter and jelly sandwich while fishing was a big plus. I've caught fish with salami from my sandwich. I used the cheese too.

Another tough one. An old school split shot rigged 6" creme black worm, it's late 60's / early 70's Tactics that still produces today it's the old faithful of baits. I never forget my roots and what started it all back then. Well watching Jerry McKinnis helped me too. Plus my older brother was my mentor.

When were scared we can run as fast as we want too, not as fast as we can. I been hunting bears since 1973 up in the green mountains of Vermont. It's the thrill of the hunt. It's watching mother nature at its finest. It makes me wonder how smart the animals really are. Example, My ground blind was a brush pile under an Apple tree. At 5pm dinner time I guess. I heard a rustling in the brush pile. A red squirrel climbed through the brush to get a closer look at me. He climbed out on a branch so we were about 3' apart nose to nose. He checked me out as I sat still. He leaves then climbs up the Apple tree where he has a half eaten Apple stuck in the vee of the branch. He proceeds to remove it and slowly turns it as he eats it. He returns it to the vee of the branch and leaves. Here I am sitting there in early October watching a red squirrel eat his dinner as it's getting darker and colder. By no means are the animals dumb.

For big worms I like the Culprit 10" & 12" worms in black shad & red shad. No weight just a large weedless hook in its nose. Even the 13" fish will strike it.

1. Bass Pro Shops topnocker (life taker/heart breaker) 2. Bomber crankbaits model A orFAT A redapplecraw,Greencraw,babybass,silver shad. 3. C-rigged 1/8oz weight with clicker senko/brushog 4. 1/4oz spinner bait gold Colorado blade in blue glimmer or hot chartreuse. 5. Joe's fly 1/4oz firetiger apache or blackgnat. 6. Mann's baby1 minus browncraw (hank Parker special) 7. Rapala orginal floater F7 blue or black(blue max) 8. Mister Twister Top Prop. Fire perch. 9. Mepps #3 & #4/#5 Anglia silver or gold blade Brown or gray dressed. Don't forget a shot of bass scent too. I'm sorry from shore just three lures just doesn't do it for me.

I have a inshore saltwater spinning setup and often I cast out the 9" castaic trout swim bait. She floats and stays just under the surface and swims like the real thing. I had to go to a 9' inshore saltwater spinning rod. It works.

Amazon carries a few spinnerbaits I can't find the Mann's classic double Colorado 1/4oz gold. This is getting harder to find. I need to fill up a box of these too.

Another thing that ruffles my chips is when a hot lure is discontinued. The BPS / XPS TOPNOCKER and the BOMBER FAT A. The topnocker is the hottest topwater lure I have ever used. The bomber fat A is the hottest crankbait I have ever used. Now I fill a big box up when I find a bait that works better than the rest. I have a box of bomber cranks, a box of Norman thin n, a box of bps stick o, a few senkos, gambler ace, gambler worms, culprit worms, brushogs ect. My backup supply could over fill a mom & pop bait shop. Every time I learn a new bait or a new color that works I buy plenty of it. I show my son's and there spouses how to use them too. I keep them supplied too. I enjoy passing on what I find that catches fish. I enjoy seeing others catch fish too.

"The water conditions can change as we go deeper in the water column." Fact On a tough day just toss a firetiger crankbait. After you have exhausted your favorite fish catching colors. I'm fishing at one of my favorite hot spots from shore. I tossed every bait that's been proven to catch fish here in the past. I caught nothing. I tossed my baits a second time using different presentations. Not willing to give up I put on a bomber FAT A in firetiger. I started catching bass. I refuse to be beaten. I know from the past the fish are there. The water may seem clear or slightly stained at the waters edge but as it gets deeper you can have multiple water conditions. Just something to consider on a slow day, think brighter colors and "firetiger" is your color. Slow Days are good...... I use the slower days to just practice each presentation with each bait. I like to hone my skills to an Oscar winning presentation with each bait. Fishing from shore I have a short time slot before the bass move to there deeper daytime haunts. I use this slow down time to practice. A bass will interrupt me every now and then but there letting me know I got it right. Throwing the correct color for the water conditions is the key thing, but your speed of your bait matters too. I like to keep it slow, just slow enough so the crankbait has an even steady wobble to it and the inline spinner and spinner bait blades just start to turn Even. To practice you need to see your lure. I pick a spot where the ground is above the waters edge. Your lure is in full view. While you practice remember to wear your polarized glasses and watch behind your lure for short strikes too. It happens all the time so look for it. I adjust my speed or add a shot of scent.

What colors to use? Here in the northeast the unfinished places that see no pressure is where I test my different colors of plastics. I haven't tried them all yet but here's a few that work so far. Small ponds 1. Amber (reddish orange) gold flake. senkos bps sticko 2. Electric Blue very hot in senko's & worms. Gambler ace & gambler worm 3. Reddish black flake senko. (Senko brand) 4. Black creme orginal plastic worm split shot rigged. 5. Purple creme orginal plastic worm split shot rig. 6. Culprit worm black shad 7. Culprit worm red shad 8. Culprit worm green shad Up at the lake I'll add. Culprit blue worm chartreuse colored tail Culprit purple worm chartreuse colored tail. Any colored tail, blue, red, yellow, Orange, chartreuse etc. Why I have no clue but maybe in the water column the water conditions can change and the purple or blue with the yellow or chartreuse tail mimics a sunfish or bluegill breast. The creme worms are many decades old in design but them and the culprit stuff still works today. Don't go crazy buying up all the colors start with just a few.

Fish the colors to the water conditions. "Sometimes" Now the very first plastic worm colors were black, natural Brown, then purple hit the scene and we been in warp drive ever since looking for the new hot color. But the old faithful basics is a split shot rigged 6" long standard Creme black worm. We used a long sewing needle with a #2 smelled hook folded in half to insert it were the lump is in the worm the bring the leader out the head of the worm. You install the split shot at the knot in the smelled hook leader We're talking basic late 60's / early 70's Field & Stream magazine tips here. I use this setup in the back washes on the larger flowing lakes from shore. Now with a boat you look for surface or submerged weeds. You move the boat out to where the weeds disappear from view. Anchor the boat and cast into where the weeds are. Strikes can happen as it falls on the cast. If not let it sit, in five minutes move it 6"/10" and let it sit. Watch the line for movement and repeat. If you go to the waters edge at night with a flash lite there are freshwater eels that are a blackish to a dark gray in color this is why a black colored plastic worm is so hot.

This is my problem too I'm throwing a senko and a bps stick o in a amber gold flake. It's hotter than Haiti here. The bass kill it. Now I can't find either one anywhere.

Let the water conditions guide you when picking a color.