senile1

You find a jig that works for you with quality workmanship at a price that you feel is worthy, and that becomes your favorite jig. I started purchasing jigs from Mike Siebert a few years ago and I always liked the quality for the price. Plus, he was in my general region and I hoped I was helping him to make a successful business. Now, Mike is a sponsor here and quite a few people like his jigs. He has also never stopped working to improve the quality of his offerings. I see the same thing with NorthStar. I'm sure there are quite a few other jig companies producing a great product as well.

I buy licenses in all states where I fish. It is just the right thing to do and I think just about everyone here probably agrees and does the same. Not only is it right because it is the law, but as FishinDaddy stated, we should support the resources we use. Heck, I'll support resources I don't use.

If you are a guy like me with no redeeming values or morals, you disguise yourself as one of nature's creatures to avoid paying for the license.

"Faster than a speeding bullet . . . . more powerful than a locomotive . . . . able to leap tall buildings at a single bound . . . . able to find and catch bass with his spectacular polarized vision." Peel back that BR shirt and show us that S on your chest, Glenn.

I apologize up front because it would be difficult to give you a definitive answer without more information, and even then nothing is ever set in stone. If you could provide the lake name or location, and lake characteristics such as forage, clarity, depth, possible summer thermoclines, etc. it would help to provide an answer. Typical fall fishing is often described as following the shad back into creeks as the bass will follow them there as well. However, everything doesn't always follow the typical description. One key element is to know the forage on the lake you are on, find that forage where they are located, and then look for bass there. Spend a little time locating the forage before starting to fish. Keep in mind that while the bass may feed on shad, bluegill, or other baitfish, on the day you fish, a jig, craw, or worm could be the ticket rather than something imitating the baitfish forage.

For the most part it is all related to fishing - thinking about the details of how I am working the bait, where should I cast next, thinking about what I am feeling with my bait, thinking about boat position, etc.

We probably can all agree that the operator of the boat is the most important safety factor, but I think Sam's question is asking about the relative importance to stability of the length of a boat as opposed to the width. If I am misinterpreting his question, I'm sure someone will let me know. Below is an interesting thread on this subject from boatdesign.net. Read the post by Ad Hoc - Naval Architect. http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/boat-design/stability-length-vs-width-40556.html

No doubt, the Ravens were extremely fortunate to walk away with a win over Denver in the playoffs last year. A couple of boneheaded plays by Denver gave a game away that they were easily winning. I think Denver was the best team last year. I think Denver is the best team this year. However, I am a Chief's fan and am very happy with the way the season has begun. Time will tell the tale on whether this team is for real but they are definitely improved, especially on the defensive side of the ball which may be more about the defensive coordinator than the personnel. I believe they returned 8 starters on defense but Sutton's defensive schemes seem to work for these guys. Alex Smith isn't a world beater as a quarterback, but he does protect the ball and manage the game well so we are improved there as well.

The OP mentioned forgetting "what I learn from all the hours of reading and video watching." There is a lot of stuff to read and watch out there and it can be difficult to sort through it all. I would concentrate on articles and videos that teach you the basics of how bass respond in the different seasons of the year. Then, pick a few baits that match up with that behavior for the season in question. I like the "take the one bait with you" idea but I would alter it somewhat. If you only take one bait with you and it is the wrong bait for the conditions, you aren't going to build much confidence getting skunked. Take a few baits that match the conditions and try one for a couple of hours. Then switch if necessary. You will eventually find a few baits that work for you.

Welcome to Bass Resource! What lake in Missouri are you fishing and how stained is the water (1, 2, or 3 feet of visibility)? How deep do the fish go in summer (i.e. 30 plus feet or does a thermocline develop at less than 20 feet)? What is the main forage? You mentioned shad so I assume that is your forage. These are all keys to where the fish will be and what you should be fishing. For example, if you had a thermocline setup at 15 feet during the summer on your lake, it is likely that the fish will all be shallower than that depth until the fall turnover occurs. I was fishing Table Rock Lake Thursday and Friday. Surface water temperatures had dropped in the last week from the low 80s to 74 - 76 degrees. There were shad and minnows in the coves and I expected there to be a bite on crankbaits, spinnerbaits, or swimbaits but that wasn't the case. The pattern for my two days there was jig and craw fished very slowly in darker water on bottom at 20 - 30 feet, in trees with surrounding brush. Trees with no surrounding brush held no fish. The areas like this that were best were on points or secondary points. I was able to consistently catch fish with this pattern. Topwater worked somewhat in the first hours of sunlight but it wasn't consistent. In your post, the presentations you mentioned didn't include slower presentations like t-rigs, jigs, finesse worms, etc. Though it is Fall, the fish don't always follow what is considered a typical fall pattern and even though the main forage is shad, bass aren't always going to bite a shad imitating lure.

That's probably the best idea for keeping hooks sharpened. Finding a span of free time to sharpen hooks on all our lures can be difficult. That's a bunch of hooks. I need to get in the habit of sharpening, or changing when I notice a problem in the boat.

It changes over time. When I was a youngster and a newbie to bass fishing the original Rapala Floater was my favorite lure. Later on, the spinnerbait and the T-rigged worm became my favorites. I enjoy fishing a jig and craw now more than other lures. Who knows what the future holds?

Very nice fish.

Your location is similar to mine with respect to latitude and temperature, and we are still in a summer pattern. I think the length of daylight has something to do with it but the overriding factor is water temperature, as J Francho stated. Water temperatures in the 80s are far too warm for a fall pattern to begin.

I think A-Jay and slonezp have it covered: Locate the fish with your graph and then make sure you work the bait as A-Jay suggested. I would only add one thing. You want the bait to be where the bass can see it. Adjust your leader and bait accordingly. If you are fishing far beneath the fish they may never see it.

I just finished two days at Lake of the Ozarks with my cousin from San Antonio but I didn't get a picture of him flipping the bird.

Raul is right. From reading the posts above I suspect most of us really haven't considered what is involved in productive trolling. I am really weak in this area. A guy on another forum that I frequent posted the information below about trolling. Read this first before you decide if trolling is "cheating" or easy. (Thanks to Feathers and Fins at the Ozark Anglers Forum.) http://forums.ozarkanglers.com/topic/38769-trolling-for-begginers/

I forget to take a good camera now and then but I always have my phone so I can at least take some kind of picture. I don't forget my scale when I am taking the bassboat, but now and then I forget it when I am taking the jon boat because I carry less gear. So far, I've been lucky (or maybe unlucky?) and I haven't missed out on weighing that PB yet.

Without seeing what you are doing and knowing your bodies of water, any advice I would provide is just guessing. However, there are a few things you might think about other than lures and presentation, though you may have already considered these items. Fishing from the bank, your casts may not be reaching the location of the fish if they have gone deeper for the summer. How many hours are you trying to catch fish before giving up? Sometimes the bite will only come on during a certain period of the day. If you aren't fishing during that period, you aren't going to catch fish. If you are able to fish deep, is it possible you are fishing beneath the thermocline? You won't find any bass below the thermocline. What is the forage in the waters you fish? Keep an eye out for signs of that forage whether it is balls of shad, bluegills popping the surface, birds swooping down to feed, etc. This could indicate that bass are nearby.

Jeff sent me a PM as well. I'm checking implementation dates for early 2014 at work today. I'll let you guys know.

The first two are fish of a lifetime. That last one is just . . . . WOW!!!! Ok, 00 mod, if you are advertising for Lake Baccarac on the sly, you have succeeded. After seeing the fish you, A-jay, and Dwight caught, and now these, I'm telling the wife today that this is on the vacation menu. I tend to plan and reserve vacations pretty far in advance. How far ahead would you guys suggest planning for Lake Baccarac? That last fish is just unbelievable. I can't take my eyes off of that thing.

Yes, there have been a few days when I would have caught more fish if I had given up on the jig sooner, but the benefits of using them far outweigh those days, in my opinion. I always have at least one tied on.

I like the topic, JT. The learning curve for picking up the "feel" of the jig may be steeper than other lures, but I wouldn't say it was a struggle for me. It did take some time to become proficient, but that was my expectation. If you are new to jigs, go to a location where you know you are likely to catch a few fish no matter what. Expect to spend some time learning how they feel traveling over different obstacles and how they feel when bit and don't be in a hurry. Learn the differences and catch some fish to build your confidence. Then step it up from there learning to pitch and flip into thick cover, holes in lily pads, brush, etc. I also think that swimming a jig is easier to learn than working one slowly as one can usually feel when a faster moving bait is bit. However, for me, fishing a jig slowly and picking apart cover is the meat and potatoes of jig fishing and I think there will always be room for improvement.

Nice fish and nice pics, Big-O!

Congratulations! That's a nice fish and some nice pictures.