kbj3579

I know what I would be throwing along that bank!!!!! Suspending jerk bait worked parallel with the bank. Looks from the map to me like an awsome bank to fish late fall, winter. Is it a rock bank? Does it get a lot of sun? I love vertical banks with a jerk bait. Give that X Rap a shot there.

I am just going to reieterate what everyone else has already said, Thanks Glenn!!!!!!!! This is the best place on the web. You and your staff do an outstanding job of keeping it straight. I also again would like to say to everyone on here, how great they are. I grew up in a small town where when you drive down the street everyone waves, whether you know them personally or not, that's what this site feels like. No attitudes, no obnoxious people just friends getting together and sharing their experience. Man, that's mushy enough! Thanks Glen!

Man, what do you do Upnorth? I want your job!

I know this is simple and general, but I am a true believer. Time on the water!!! No better way to get better. You need to be there during different weather conditions, different times of the day and different seasons.

RW, I live pretty close to the New River, it does have lots of numbers of smallies. I have not fished it a whole lot due to it is more of a float river (John boat, trolling motor). Don't think my Bass boat will due to well in the new. I have floated it several times and usually catch lots of numbers as you stated. My neighbor fishes it a lot. I have never seen one the size of the two you have on your avtar! This is funny though, cause when I read that article, I immed. thought of you and knew you would have something to say on the subject. I think you need to introduce yourself to the writers of BASSMASTERS..

It's never a waste of time to go fishing!

OK, do you have all this! Thought I would make a list for ya of what all everyone has suggested so far. 1. T-rigged soft platics 2. Spinnerbait 3. Crankbait 4. Jig 5. Plastics 6. Lucky Craft Rick Clunn 3.5 crankbait 7. Jerkbait 8. Buzzbait 9. Jig w/sweet beaver trailer 10. Shad colored Excaliburs 11. Chrome blue back Rat-L-Trap 12. Black back Rat-L-Trap 13. Black back Rattlinrouges 14. Flukes 15. Tubes 16. Bomber A firetiger 17. Yozuri red trap (milo) 18. T-rigged Tube 19. Shallow running crankbait 20. White Buzzbait 21. White/chrome Smithwick Rogue jerkbait 22. Floating and suspending Rogues(chrome/black) 23. Floating and suspending Rogues (chrome/blue 24. Floating and suspending Rogues (gold/black with orange) 25. Jig/pig(blue w/natural pig) 26. Jig/pig(black w/blue pig) 27. Jig/pig(brown w/orange pig) 28. Norman Fat Boy, bluegill pattern 29. Jig,jig,jig,jig,jig (that's from LBH) 30. 1/8 Stanley Wedge spinnerbait 31. Small crankbaits 32. Rat-L traps LOL... In other words take eveything you own, plus buy some more and throw it all at 'em. I'm making fun of myself here to guys so don't get mad. LOL!

Here's an idea of a show that I would like to see. I would love to see a show similar to the article in Bass Master Mag " A day on the lake". One day of bass fishing on a new lake every week. And use the time line format. Show the approach of how that person finds fish and covers the water. Good weather and bad. Just like most of us fish. Show them catching fish and not catching fish. Even if the person is not catching you could still see the approach and what they are using and doing to try and find fish. No more private ponds. I think that's why I liked watching Ultimate Bass Fishing Challenge, so much. They didn't go out and slay the big fish everytime.

I will go with spinnerbait, crankbait, jig and I never leave home with out my plastics. Bass have their own agenda, but they should start following shad to the backs of creeks. I like the spinnerbait for this and the crankbait. I know here in VA the bass seem to be in transition out of their summertime pattern. For me anyway they seem scattered. I do know they are starting to school. You just need to find those schools! Easier said than done, at least for me right now. I have been finding them shallow in the mornings. But the weather is changing daily now so be ready to be versatile and move. Good luck!

That "Easy View Tackle System" looks great. Here comes the monkey again. LOL

I just bought a new Champion, which came with a hotfoot installed. Like fishinfool I too am 6'5, (wish I was 220), I wasn't sure if it would work for me either, but after some adjusting, I absolutley love it. Yes there are some draw backs to it, ie. making long runs not at WOT, but the control over the boat is huge. Like another person said above if you are on a big lake with lots of traffic, it's a lot safer to navigate. By the way checking the kill switch is an idea I haven't thought about. Good suggestion. It's things like that you tend to forget about. That's what makes this forum great.

I wish we had those conditions here in VA. I'm ready for the water temps to start dropping. Lake I fish is still around 80 degrees. Come on fall!!!!!!

I will repeat what most people said above. Low light, early morning & late evening is the best, but throw them other times too. I fish a lake with a lot of boat docks, so in that hour or so of both periods I won't pass up a boat dock with out buzzing it, along with all the other areas mentioned above. Vary the retrieve speed. Also make repeated casts to the same area. I will give you an example. about a month ago I was fishing in the afternoon, sun was out bright, I was fishing a shady bank. I noticed a brush pile about 1 ft in the water off the bank, I made over 10 casts over the top of that brush pile, finally I had a 2lber come out of the middle of it and explode on my buzz. It goes back to confidence, I knew there had to be a bass laying in there, I wanted to catch one on the buzz bait so I kept at it. I think I just made him mad enough to strike. The more you use it the more confidence you will gain.

Great story fly rod....It's people like you that make me proud to say I am a fisherman!

Chris you would just need to make sure you have enough room for the beer and cigarettes, for RW.

RW posted a response in "Leasons Learned" that got me thinking, what are your most important top 5 factors in catching fish. I know it will come up so let's make it catching a limit, not big fish. Maybe we can do that seperate. Here's my top 5, with 5 being least important and 1 being most important. 5. Equipment (Right line, rod, reel for job) 4. Lure color. 3. Lure selection. (Spinner, jig, worm, etc...) 2. Casting ability. 1. Finding Fish I think casting ability is only second due to you have to find the fish first, but I truly believe making soft and accurat entries are critical. Which I know I still need some work on.

I have to agree with RW on that one. Finding fish is the key, that's why I mentioned you have to think like a bass. You def. can't catch them if you don't find them. I think Raul said one time something to the effect that you have to know your prey, or your competitor, something like that... well that's exactly why I concentrated, and am still doing so, on learning the bass behavior. I can tell you something I do need to learn though, I need to be more versatile in what I use bait wise. Because too many times this year I have found fish and been in situations where I know they are there either by electronics or by observation, and haven't made the right decisions on what to use.

I have learned more this year than ever! This is due to two things... 1. Fishing at least 3 times a week since March. Theres no subsitute for time on the water. And 2. This website! This is not a suck up or anything of the sorts. Not only does this website contain huge amounts of information, but it also keeps you thinking about bass fishing by coming to this board and posting and reading posts. I think Rick Clunn can be a little strange sometimes, but I do agree with his philosophy, you need to think like a bass. The biggest thing I have learned and it came from both places I mentioned above, is Bass behavior and seasonal patterns. I too agree with what was mentioned above, sometimes you can overthink a situation and you just need to relax and fish.

I will speak as a man who has to be as economical as possible. If I'm fishing a tournament, I change after a fish is caught, unless it's as RW says perfect. If I'm practicing or just fishing for FUN, and FUN being the key word here, (although all fishing is fun, but you know what I mean) I will use the thing as long as I can get it to stay straight texas rigged. Heck I even bite the heads off when they get torn up and that will usually get you another fish or two. I don't think I have ever had a fish not get hooked because of a torn worm, I'm not saying it can't happen, I just can't remember that ever being a case. I have had fish not take a worm all the way, they are just nibbling or pushing out of the way, probably due to it being torn. But I believe it's because the action is not the same due to it being torn.

I third robo worms as far as softness. They will tear up rather quickly. I have started using the Manns "dragon series" they are a lot like the Robo, as far as the softness and action, but seem to last a lot longer.

Well I just had a visit from his older brother the "boat monkey". He is by far meaner and nastier!!! I had to make him leave so I gave in and am buying a 187cx Champion tomorrow. He showed up after I burned another cylinder in my other boat for the second time. I beat him away the first time, but he showed up again this time with a vengance. He won, I lost this fight. Oh well, you can't win them all. By the way he promised me if I bought this boat, he would keep his younger brother away for awhile. I hope he keeps his word.

I grew up fishing on the Ohio, yes it's full of dinks. Your approach is right on. Find current breaks and fish the seams. LMB don't like to be directly in current. Drift you bait down with the current. Bridge pillings are always good, especially close to the bank or where the water flow is changed. If you have a depth finder look for structure on the bottom, anything to break the current.

I know I'm off topic, but you all brought up the bait monkey, well I just had a visit from his older brother the "boat monkey". He is by far meaner and nastier!!! I had to make him leave so I gave in and am buying a 187cx Champion tomorrow. He showed up after I burned another cylinder in my other boat for the second time. I beat him away the first time, but he showed up again this time with a vengance. He won, I lost this fight. Oh well, you can't win them all. By the way he promised me if I bought this boat, he would keep his younger brother away for awhile. I hope he keeps his word.

All good information, especially the repeated casts. One thing that works for me, and I have really been concentrating on this year more than before, is to slow down. I think too many people(including myself at times) fish way to fast. I know it's more entertaining and less painful to cast and reel, cast and reel, but I have found especially this year I have caught more and bigger bass by slowing down. Unless you are good enough, like KVD to cover lots and lots of water with very accurate casts, I believe it's important to slow down. Especially with a worm or any plastic. Which is another thing I will go to to try and coax the fish to bite. I don't believe you can fish a plastic to slow. Even spinner baits, I have caught more fish slow rolling a spinner than burning one. More pressure SLOW DOWN!

I totally agree with everyone here. Raul keep those informative posts coming. This has to be the absolute best forum on the net. There is more information on here than most pros ever thought about having. I think now it's a matter of piecing that information to gather to make yourself an arsenal of bass weapons. I would like to personally thank Raul, Glen and eveyone on here for there great information and willingness to help. Man, was that sucking up or what?