Low_Budget_Hooker

I believe that is Pa Angler. I don't know about for fishing your "home" water but if you are going to a world class fishery like rayburn, fork, stick marsh, okie,Mexico etc,...they are invaluable.

Anything that can sit still in the nest or be shaken. Weighted offerings can be kept in the nest easier and longer. Visible colors are an aid till you get the jist of the whole dance. It's mmore about how much time are you willing to put into getting a certain fish and if you are ok with pressuring it at such a critical time of year.

I've been fishing the same 223 acre lake for 21 years now.

I'm with RW here. I feel that a good splash can get the initial attention of a bass. I think it trigger's a "hey, what's that?" reaction to at least go look. after that it's up to you and your lure.

Holiday Inn,..lol,..as far as fish eating them, I wouldn't count on it. Doesn't happen in the ocean.

Turtle food.

Wow, cool. Or not cool,...??? Do you know if that suggests anything good or bad?

Good job Nick! PM sent

I think in the case of your lake as in mine, the better question is "Are there shad?" My creek channels are only useful as travel corridors for the bass where we are. There is one major bend where one leaves the main lake body and the "bend" there can be good at times in the fall but otherwise...The only reason the bigger fish will be going in the back coves this fall will be to warm up in the shallower water and in New England, that's a small window where that shallow water is warmer as opposed to colder. Skinny water heats quicker but it also cools quicker. Granted, I'll be back there to take advantage but it can be as short as a 1 week window where they are venturing back there. Much shorter window than in the spring. This fall, I'll be concentrating on the deep again. Rocky areas are key in our lake. Mother nature's little radiators.

More "selective" is the term I think we're looking for here. Lots of baitfish in our lake this year too but I'm pretty sure I can't say with my eye whether there is more or less than yrs past. The only reason I may have had more short hits this year is because I've fished more this year From fish that get lure shy to fish that are trying to "stun" a topwater,...there's gonna be lots of misses, that's why it's called "fishin" As long as you are doing all you can to prevent them. From slowing or speeding up your retrieve to outfitting everything with trailer hooks andf keeping hooks sharp, all you can do is your best but often times, even that won't be enough. The Bass gotta win once in a while! lol. Plus,...you gotta admit,...nothing keeps you coming back for more than a hog that missed the day before.

jigs in rocky areas during sunlight hours.

Beautiful Flechero!

I don't think it will matter much. Until you get into the big dollar graphs, they are all basically, depth, contour and temp monitors. The real fishhfinder is between your ears.

Boatnik-Got a pic? I have a '64 12 ft alum.jon. We can start an antique club,lol

vertical like in that pic is fine but when you hold only the lower lip and try to turn the bass lengthwise, it puts pressure on all kinds of bad places. Below is a pic of abelfisher holding a bass horizontally. If his hand were not under the belly, it would be doing damage. He is holding it properly in the pic but many people don't support the belly which puts all the weight on the jaw. Bad news.

He was probably doing just fine. We have a few fish in our lake that just don't learn. They are manghled pretty bad and re-healed a few times over. Remember, a bass isn't a "chewer".

But this is somthing I would only do very seldomly. Slow finesse fishing produces the larger size class fish in my lake with consistency most days of the year. I was wondering if there is a removable set up for the front of a jon bot that incorporates a foot control?

Illegal to use in RI trout water. Don't know why, assumed it wasn't digestable and maybe clogged digestive tract?

George, you're kidding right? I used a program called "Cat Claw" selection surveyor. My cat walked across the keyboard,lol. ( If you are serious, all I did was mark points)

The closest we come to speed fishing now would be what SBM describes as balance fishing and that's all good but I was thinking of true speed fishing. The kind where the arms are just a flurry of constant cast-retrieve,cast-retrieve cast-retireve. To do this, any adjusting of the t/m by hand is a major time killer. The level I am thinking of is like a machine. Drilling lures as the boat moves and creeps in a nonstop motion,constantly countering the wind with minute adjustments of the foot that coime naturally. I think I would be good at this kind of fishing. Anyone ever see a removable front t/m assembly where the entire thing releases easily?

Welcome Aboard. CLICK HERE for a previous thread and also click on the link in my post there for a real good one! This is a topic we cover pretty frequently. Use the search option and you'll find many many articles. use the term "dark side" also.

Release it? NO WAY!! I'd sign it and deposit it in the bank.

A sock isn't as versatile as a t/m. You can't fish any parcel of water perfectly in any direction wind. In a persistant wind, I would say the sock is limited to being useful on maybe 1/2-3/4 of the fishable water but it gives you an added advantage on that water that you would not have had otherwise. Hands free braking. Not a power fishermans tool. I've never used one in a stumpy lake but have hung mine up 2 or 3 times and it wasn't a big deal but that's on a very lightweight vessel compared to most.

And there ain't NOTHIN' better than puttin' a smile that big on someones face....NOTHING!

Slow fishing isn't an issue with rear mount motor, especially when you add drift anchors, we're talking about speed fishing exclusively here.